Two days after his expletive-laden press conference in Cape Town, Erasmus fronted Johannesburg media with a more composed but equally firm defence of the Boks' scrummaging. His core grievance isn't that Rennie holds an opinion — it's that Rennie aired it through the press rather than using the AMS system and pre-match referee meetings that World Rugby protocol prescribes. Erasmus pointed out the irony: the same media tactic Rennie used is precisely what got Erasmus himself into trouble in the past. His message for third-Test referee Nika Amashukeli is implicit but clear — don't let a media narrative influence what you see at the scrum. On the front-row selection switch that raised eyebrows, Erasmus is unapologetic: swapping players within your 23 an hour before kick-off is entirely within the laws, and the call was genuinely weather-driven — they expected a wet, heavy pitch and adjusted when they found it dry and firm. With Nche, Marx and Louw restored to the starting lineup for Soweto, Erasmus hints the selection logic may flip again depending on conditions.
Erasmus doubles down on Rennie scrum row — but this time with protocol, not profanity
Erasmus reframes the Rennie scrum spat as a protocol issue rather than a technical rugby dispute, argues the media-as-referee-pressure tactic is the real offence, and defends the last-minute front-row switch as a legitimate weather-based call within the laws.
- Rassie Erasmus
- Springboks
So how deep is the Springbok squad?
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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.
Contepomi: Boks have cracked the balance — and that's what makes them dangerous
Contepomi argues the Boks' real danger lies in their evolving balance between forward dominance and expansive attack — and flags sustained possession as the best way to exploit their defence.
Rassie on Alles Ep 1 | The Barbarians in the Bay
The #Springboks kick off their season against the Barbarians in Gqeberha, a place close to the hearts of Rassie Erasmus, Mzwandile Stick, and Deon Davids. The three Bok coaches discuss why it's special to return to the Eastern Cape and what