Steven Kitshoff offers a rare first-hand account of how Erasmus actually gets players to execute the left-field tactics that have become a Springbok trademark. The mechanism is simpler than you might expect: Erasmus frames it as a 5% addition to conventional preparation, pitches each ploy around the specific mismatch it creates, and lets the logic sell itself — forwards mauling against backs, Kolbe throwing in, Marx running a scrum-half line at 120kg. Kitshoff explains the midfield maul specifically as a calculated attempt to put Bok forward power in situations where opponents have their weakest defenders. Trevor Nyakane adds another dimension: the ploys keep training stimulating, which feeds execution when the moment arrives in a match. There is some convincing required for a handful of players, but the buy-in comes from the demonstrable advantage each play delivers rather than blind trust in Erasmus's authority.
Kitshoff pulls back the curtain on Erasmus's 5% philosophy
Kitshoff reveals Erasmus frames trick plays as just 5% of weekly prep, selling each one on the specific mismatch it creates — with Nyakane adding that the novelty keeps players sharp in training and unpredictable on match day.
Erasmus warns Boks: England bring youth, experience and tactical unpredictability to Ellis Park
Rassie Erasmus has praised England's touring squad as young, experienced and tactically unpredictable ahead of the Nations Championship opener at Ellis Park on 4 July, while Siya Kolisi returns as captain for a fixture that marked his first Test captaincy in 2018.
Kolisi treats Barbarians clash as a full Test match ahead of Gqeberha opener
Siya Kolisi insists the Springboks are treating Saturday's Barbarians clash in Gqeberha as a full Test match, with internal competition, positional battles and the season opener's importance all cited as the camp's driving forces.
So how deep is the Springbok squad?
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Erasmus: winning stays non-negotiable, whatever the World Cup build-up demands
Erasmus has made his 2025 season intent explicit: rotation and World Cup-building happen inside a framework where winning remains the non-negotiable baseline. The piece breaks down what that means for squad management, the veterans' standing, and why the All Blacks series carries extra weight.
The Barbarians hit-out is a key cog in Rassie's World Cup machine
Nel makes the case that the Barbarians fixture is less about the result and more about Erasmus stress-testing depth, blooding uncapped talent, and keeping the World Cup-winning core fresh — all with 2027 firmly in mind.