Erasmus has gone public with a grievance that's clearly been building among Test coaches: World Rugby's requirement that both head coaches attend any pre-match referee meeting has effectively killed off those meetings altogether. The logic is straightforward — no coach is going to flag their own tactical wrinkles with the opposition sitting in the room. Erasmus confirmed he turned down a meeting with the match officials ahead of the first All Blacks Test for exactly that reason. The midfield maul is his own example of what's now impossible to manage quietly: you'd previously tip off a referee to watch a specific set-piece; now you can't without handing your opponent a scouting report. His conclusion is blunt — the media has become the default channel for everything that used to happen privately, which is precisely why the pre-series noise around game speed and slow play should be read in that context. The presence of Jaco Peyper at the presser adds another layer: SA Rugby are clearly conscious of the 'Boks slowing the game' narrative being seeded by New Zealand's camp and are pushing back through official channels where they can.