Rassie Erasmus described the Springboks' 29-24 victory over New Zealand at FNB Stadium on Saturday as one of the most emotional wins of his coaching career, crediting the continuity built since 2018 for his side's ability to prevail in a pulsating encounter.
The result gave South Africa a 2-1 lead in the four-Test Rugby's Greatest Rivalry series and strengthened their position at the top of the World Rugby rankings, extending their advantage over the All Blacks to 2.43 points. Tries from Kurt-Lee Arendse, Jesse Kriel and Malcolm Marx, alongside a penalty try from a dominant scrum, proved enough despite New Zealand's four-try response through Ardie Savea's brace, Will Jordan and Samisoni Taukei'aho.
"I was unbelievably emotional today because I wanted us to come to Soweto and take it to the people," Erasmus said after the match. "We've got the luxury of knowing each other for nine years through tough times. Not to say we're always going to win because of that, but we're maybe just a little bit more used to those moments."
Scrum dominance and Bomb Squad impact
The Springbok front row of Ox Nche, Malcolm Marx and Wilco Louw delivered a brutal display of scrummaging that left the All Blacks with little answer in the set-piece. Nche and Louw gave their opposite numbers a torrid afternoon, while Marx capped a superb all-round performance with a second-half try. The hooker, named World Rugby Player of the Year in 2025, combined excellence at the set-piece with dynamic work in the loose.
The Bomb Squad, which had struggled to impose itself in the opening two Tests, finally fired in Soweto. Although New Zealand finished strongly, the Springbok replacements provided the platform for victory through their scrum dominance and physicality in the closing stages.
Erasmus rejected suggestions that the series had already been won simply because South Africa took a 2-1 lead on home soil, insisting every Test had been fiercely contested. He pointed to the continuity his squad have built since his return to the national side in 2018, contrasting it with Dave Rennie's relatively new All Blacks project.
"Please don't see this as boasting, but we've been together since 2018," Erasmus said. "When we got into this rivalry series, it was about building momentum and continuity. He's building a team and I know what that feels like. In 2018 I got this team 18 months before a World Cup. At the right moment you need momentum. I know these players inside out, and they know me."
The Springboks will look to seal the series in the fourth Test, knowing the All Blacks remain dangerous opponents despite the defeat. For Erasmus, the victory represented more than simply taking the lead in the series — it was validation of a group that has grown together through triumph and adversity over nine years.