With both sides carrying injury concerns into Friday's clash, Rassie Erasmus has pushed back on the narrative that France's absentees hand the Boks a straightforward path to victory. Pointing to the Springboks' own selection headaches, he's framing this as a balanced contest rather than a gimme — a mindset that likely reflects genuine squad concerns as much as tactical humility.
AnalysisSpringboksSA Rugby Mag · SuperSport Rugby· updated
Erasmus dismisses favourites tag ahead of Stade de France test
Erasmus is downplaying the favourites tag for Friday's Stade de France test, citing the Boks' own injury toll as a counterweight to France's well-publicised absentees.
- Rassie Erasmus
- Springboks
- France
Related stories
So how deep is the Springbok squad?
Lekker! Hola! Head to https://squarespace.com/squidgerugby to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code SQUIDGERUGBY
Rassie's rotation policy is doing more than building depth — it's solving a structural problem
Erasmus's rotation policy isn't just about depth — it's the structural fix for South Africa's unique 12-month season burden, with resting protocols and the Japan connection combining to give the Boks a game-load advantage most rivals can't match.
Boks remain top but All Blacks close gap to 2.90 points after Nations Championship opener
South Africa stay top of the World Rugby Men's Rankings at 93.94 points but New Zealand have cut the gap to 2.90 after beating France, while Scotland climb to equal their all-time high of fifth following a record 47-38 win over Argentina in Córdoba.
Erasmus: 'We don't see the Nations Championship as a competition'
Erasmus says the Boks won't adjust their approach to chase Nations Championship log points — each Test is treated as a standalone match, with squad rotation across the window as the priority over competition standings.
Smith vows England will 'leave it all out there' against Springboks
Marcus Smith says England's 36-man squad, arriving in Johannesburg on Thursday, are targeting a historic win over the Springboks in the Nations Championship opener, having trained in oxygen masks to prepare for the Highveld.