Rassie Erasmus continues to lead Springbok tactical evolution
Image: BackpagePix
COMMENT
Love it or hate it, head coach Rassie Erasmus will continue to innovate as the Springboks look to find the smallest edge on the rugby field to take their game to the next level against opponents.
On Saturday, Erasmus made the rugby world notice his ingenuity again, as the Boks conjured up two different tactical plays in the clash against Italy in Gqeberha that caught many off guard.
The first was a short kick-off to generate a scrum shortly after the game started and this is the little bit of innovation that blew up on X (formerly Twitter) with pundits and couch critics tearing into the Boks for finding another way to bend rugby's laws.
The Springboks are having fun out there! #RSAvITA pic.twitter.com/rAucgr4wsi — Jared Wright (@jaredwright17) July 12, 2025
Video Player is loading.
Play Video
Play
Unmute
Current Time
0:00
/
Duration
-:-
Loaded :
0%
Stream Type LIVE
Seek to live, currently behind live
LIVE
Remaining Time
-
0:00
This is a modal window.
Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window.
Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque
Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps
Reset
restore all settings to the default values Done
Close Modal Dialog
End of dialog window.
Advertisement
Next
Stay
Close ✕
Ad loading
While they've found a new reason to moan about the world champions, South African supporters have been lapping this up.
It's special to witness the out-of-the-box thinking of coaches in an ever-evolving sport. Traditionalists will cling to things staying the same in rugby, but to keep the game relevant and draw engagement, these innovations are needed. And there was absolutely nothing that brought the game into disrepute when it came to this little bit of tactical deviation.
Erasmus explained they wanted an early scrum to put Italy under pressure. Last weekend Italy got the ball out of the scrum quicker than normal, and the Boks wanted to counter that. The tactic flopped as the Boks conceded a free kick off it. Italy didn't score, so they could not do the short kick-off again.
🇿🇦 Dull, and not in the spirit of the game.
It might be ingenuitive, but that doesn't make it fun in the long term.pic.twitter.com/kOQqIcyQX5 — RugbyInsideLine (@RugbyInsideLine) July 12, 2025
Those two generated mauls, copied from a school's team in Stellenbosch, were special and not expected at all. It brought two tries and because the Italians were caught off guard by it, they could not defend it properly. It's a different scenario when a maul is started from a lineout and the opposition is set to defend.
Both times, the manufactured maul from open play was illegally sacked and for the first try, the Boks could play the advantage to have Canan Moodie go over for the try. With the second one, hooker Malcolm Marx scored directly from it.
The debate over the kick-off and open-play rolling mauls will continue to lead the conversation over the next couple of weeks. There will certainly be calls to change the laws that will ban both, especially from Erasmus' detractors in the Northern and Southern Hemisphere. They've always looked to find something wrong in how the Boks do things on the field.
It has been quiet on that front for a while, but now the attacks on South African rugby will start again.
However, for as long as the Springbok coaches can innovate within the laws of the game, they will do it. And the importance of former international referee Jaco Peyper in their midst as laws advisor can't be underestimated. The world champions have an expert that can show them where the grey areas are and how to navigate those.
The open-play maul could be a thing of the past for matches over the next couple of months as teams will plan to counter it. But the Boks should be encouraged to use it in the Rugby Championship later this year.
As for the short kick-off, Springbok supporters would probably like to see it again soon. This time, though, the scrum must work to build that early platform.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
eNCA
an hour ago
- eNCA
Kolisi makes first appearance of season
MBOMBELA - Captain and flanker Siya Kolisi will make his first appearance of the season when Rugby World Cup holders South Africa face Georgia in Mbombela on Saturday in a one-off Test. A stiff neck ruled the two-time World Cup winner out of an exhibition match win over the Barbarians in Cape Town last month. Kolisi then sustained an Achilles tendon "niggle" and head coach Rassie Erasmus opted not to risk the veteran in a 2-0 Test series victory over Italy this month. He returns as the Springboks seek to maintain a 100 percent record against the Lelos, having beaten them comfortably in a 2003 World Cup pool match in Australia and a 2021 Test in Pretoria. "We wanted to make sure that Siya is 100 percent fit before selecting him, so it is great to have him back in the squad," said Erasmus after naming his matchday 23. Props Boan Venter and Neethling Fouche as well as hooker Marnus van der Merwe will all make their Test debuts in the northeastern city. "Boan, Marnus, and Neethling have been training hard and deserve their chances," said Erasmus, a key coaching figure in the 2019 and 2023 World Cup triumphs. "Marnus and Neethling played against the Barbarians, so they have an idea of what international rugby is about. "Boan has shown great potential at club level (for Edinburgh) and with the squad in the last few weeks, and we are looking forward to seeing him play. "Building squad depth has been one of our pillars as a squad since 2018, and they are all undoubtedly ready to make the step up." The starting team shows 10 changes from last weekend's 45-0 victory over Italy in Gqeberha. South Africa had to play 58 minutes with 14 men after number 8 Jasper Wiese was red-carded for head-butting prop Danilo Fischetti. Automatically ruled out of the Georgia Test as a result of his ill discipline, his place is taken by young brother Cobus Wiese, who debuted off the bench last weekend. Winger Edwill van der Merwe, who scored two tries in Gqeberha in his first appearance for 13 months and won the player of the match award, is one of five starters retained. The others are outside centre Canan Moodie, scrum-half Grant Williams, flanker Pieter-Steph du Toit and lock Ruan Nortje. Team (15-1) Aphelele Fassi; Edwill van der Merwe, Canan Moodie, Damian de Allende, Kurt-Lee Arendse; Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Grant Williams; Cobus Wiese, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Siya Kolisi (capt); Ruan Nortje, Eben Etzebeth; Neethling Fouche, Marnus van der Merwe, Boan Venter
The South African
2 hours ago
- The South African
New Kaizer Chiefs star sends a message to the coach
This new Kaizer Chiefs attacker has never played in Mzansi but was born in Durban 26 years ago before establishing his entire professional career in England. Chislett made a name for himself with standout performances at clubs like AFC Wimbledon and Port Vale, where he became known for his goal contributions and playmaking ability. Now back in South Africa after joining Kaizer Chiefs on a two-year deal, the versatile Chislett has revealed his favoured playing position. Kaizer Chiefs and Bafana winger: What happened? Kaizer Chiefs unveil Ethan Chislett. Image: Kaizer Chiefs website Speaking to the club's media, Chislett was asked to describe himself as a footballer. 'Versatile midfielder, can sit deep, play further forward and wide right, even striker a few times, although more in a 'false 9' role,' he said. Timeline report: New Kaizer Chiefs kit unveiling 'I like to cut in from the left onto my right foot, but if I had to define my best position, it would be a 'number 10'. 'I appreciate creativity, but the bottom line is you have to score goals to win games. I'd like to think I can rise to the occasion when called upon to make a decisive contribution for my team, and that's what motivates me. 'It will probably be surreal. It's something I'll look back on. Sometimes when you're in the moment you don't take everything in but afterwards it will fully sink in,' added the new Glamour Boy. 'I came to South Africa for the 2010 World Cup and watched a match in that stadium, so it's going to be unreal for me, and my family, to play there,' Chilett concluded. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
TimesLIVE
2 hours ago
- TimesLIVE
Proteas not fazed by Walter's insider knowledge, says George Linde
When the Proteas face New Zealand at the Harare Sports Club in their second match of the Tri-Nation Series on Wednesday (1pm), the familiar face of Rob Walter will be in the opposing dugout. Walter coached the Proteas white-ball team for two years until April and there is no doubt he will know the tactical strengths and weaknesses of most of the players, having worked with them in the national set-up and watched them on the domestic circuit. The Proteas beat Zimbabwe by five wickets in their opening game on Monday and a win against the Black Caps will put them in the driver's seat for the rest of the series. Proteas spinning-all-rounder George Linde, who picked up three wickets for 10 runs in the Zimbabwe game, said on Tuesday they are not too concerned about Walter having inside intel. 𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐆𝐞𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐞 𝐋𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐞 ⚡ There's always action when he has ball in hand 😮💨🇿🇦 #SAvZIM | #SSCricket — SuperSport 🏆 (@SuperSportTV) July 14, 2025 He said the Proteas contain fresh faces and have a few surprises in their bag of tricks. 'It is probably not the A-side or the proper Proteas side,' he said. 'Most of the guys are resting after the Test championship. 'There are guys who want to do well and make their mark in the team. Everyone plays differently now than they did months back.' Like the Proteas, the Black Caps are not at full capacity, missing top batter Kane Williamson and quick bowlers Lockie Ferguson and Kyle Jamieson. There is also the chance they will be missing Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Glenn Phillips and Rachin Ravindra for the game on Wednesday as they have joined the squad late after appearances in the Major League Cricket competition. Linde said the remaining players in the Black Caps squad, who last played the white-ball format in April, are going to put up a decent fight. Among those will be South African-born batter Devon Conway, who played in the SA20 for the Joburg Super Kings. 'If you look at their squad, they have played a lot of cricket. Most of their guys have been involved in county cricket, they have played in America and the Indian Premier League. 'So I think they've played quite a bit of cricket — and so did we, as well. So it's obviously going to be a good game and hopefully we'll go one ahead of them,' Linde said. The Proteas have won four of the last five games between the two sides, but remarkably they have not played each other in T20s since 2017.
