Why Rassie will be relaxed about Springboks’ loss to Wallabies?

The Springboks were well beaten by the Wallabies on Sunday, and despite the fact the team was missing several first-choice players, it was still a humbling result.

Although there has been some fierce criticism around the performance and decision to effectively field a ‘second team’, Rassie Erasmus will be inwardly quite calm about the result of a match that always had plenty of other purposes.

Erasmus knew that he needed to provide some ‘fringe’ players with more game-time and experience in a high-pressure situation after largely playing the same team throughout a gruelling four-Test series against the All Blacks.

In an ideal world, the Springbok coaches would have been happy to have the opportunity to pick the strongest available side, but this was a one-off match where running first-choice players into the ground would have made little sense.

For many players it was a case of sink or swim. And once again, the national coaches would have seen the value someone like Paul de Villiers can offer.

For others, like Canan Moodie, Handre Pollard and Aphelele Fassi, it was understandable that there was an element of rustiness after a period out of action due to injuries.

Similarly, an inexperienced front row was never going to have the same impact compared to the tried and tested likes of Ox Nche and Malcolm Marx.

Springboks will see no need to panic

Yes, Erasmus would have hoped for more, but a lot will have been learned about where players stand on the road map to the 2027 World Cup.

It will also now be clearer where there are some shortcomings, and what needs to be addressed in the lead up to the team’s title defence.

“We rolled the dice a bit (with selection”, Erasmus acknowledged. “Some guys haven’t played a lot together in a long time, but it’s not an excuse.

“We picked the team, and we had a game plan, and I thought we had a chance at the end, but the better team won on the night. It’s sad to lose, but it’s not because we’ve been together too long. It’s because we didn’t play well enough.”

Bigger picture

After the game, Jasper Wiese admitted that the result could ultimately have long-term benefits.

“The fire is going to be bigger,” said Wiese.

“I think everybody in this group just wants to give their best for South Africa and for this jersey, and I’m convinced we’ll come back stronger.”

The Springboks will next face Italy (Saturday 7 November), France (Friday 13 November), and Ireland (Saturday 21 November), before the Nations Championship Finals Weekend in London, which will be hosted in London between 27 and 29 November.