Springboks eye massive New Zealand challenge after morale-boosting Wallaby victory

Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus was satisfied with his side’s response in Cape Town on Saturday but made it clear that the Castle Lager Rugby Championship will only be decided on New Zealand soil.

The Boks beat Australia 30-22 at DHL Stadium to bounce back from their loss the previous week. The result also ensured they retained the Nelson Mandela Challenge Plate.

“It was far from a perfect performance but sometimes just getting back on the horse is the most important thing,” said Erasmus.

“After a loss you lose a little bit of belief, even though we had won eight on the trot and nine out of ten, but you do lose a little bit of belief, so the big thing for us was to try and win and not let them get a bonus point.

“We didn’t take all our opportunities, but we got eight points more than them so that’s satisfying.

“But we always had to go to New Zealand, and beat them twice, if we want to have any chance – so nothing’s changed.”

Preparing for New Zealand

Erasmus praised the speed and danger of Australia’s outside backs and said the experience would be useful before facing the All Blacks.

“We found them extremely difficult to beat, like the Lions did in those two Test matches, and James O’Connor missed two very vital kicks which would have made it extremely tight in the last few minutes,” he said.

“Last week I would have said we got a two or a three out of ten for our performance in the second half, but I think this was a six or a seven performance.

“There were some handling errors – although the conditions played a part in that – but their back three was fantastic and this game gave us a good taste of what we are going to see when we play New Zealand because they have lightning backs as well.”

Erasmus added: “We played a more balanced game this week. I don’t think we created 50 percent of what we created last weekend but we ground the game out, when we thought it was going to be a grind.”

The Boks travel to New Zealand with Tests scheduled in Auckland on 6 September and Wellington on 13 September.

Pollard’s milestone and perspective

Meanwhile, one big positive for the Boks is that flyhalf Handré Pollard kicked six out of six from the tee – three penalties and three conversions – to make the difference on the scoreboard. The points also took him past 800 points in Test rugby, a mark reached previously by only one other South African.

Pollard, named man of the match, was quick to credit the team. “It was all about the team. The win was the only thing we needed, and a lot of guys played very well, so although I got the award, it was mainly about getting the result.”

He admitted the build-up had been difficult after the opening defeat: “It was a tough week for us and rightfully so. We were disappointed with the result last week, so it was challenging to balance the emotions and tactics for the game. 

“But we learned a lot from the last game, and we hit the sweet spot toward the end of the week.”

Pollard also highlighted the balance in the squad: “We may have a lot of senior guys in the squad, but several younger players are stepping up as well, and we take lessons from everyone, and that’s what got us over the line this week.”

Asked about the scrutiny that followed the Ellis Park loss, Pollard said: “People care about the Springboks and that’s something we always have to remember. They are allowed to be disappointed when we lose and excited when we win.

“We understand that responsibility on our shoulders, and we try to get the desired result more often than not.”

Playing for South Africa still special

Reflecting on his career milestone, Pollard said: “For me, it was never about trophies, medals, or awards. It’s about playing for South Africa, and if you play one Test it’s a privilege, or for a few years as I have, it remains unbelievable. The older one gets, you appreciate it even more because the end is getting closer.

“This is such an unbelievable group of men, coaches, and management, you want to be part of it as long as you can, and to do that, you must work hard and play well. We want to win, keep South Africa right up there and make the country proud.”