Erasmus was candid after Ellis Park: the Boks got a hiding, the scoreboard was ugly, and New Zealand fully deserved their win. His most pointed self-criticism centred on a second-half decision to chase a scrum penalty try rather than take the three points that would have levelled the score — a gamble that backfired when Steenekamp was penalised instead, and the momentum swung decisively New Zealand's way. Rather than picking apart the All Blacks, Erasmus gave them full credit and accepted they're likely now the world's top side. The framing he's chosen for the remaining three Tests is instructive: he's leaning into the underdog role, drawing on previous series comebacks, and insisting the situation isn't catastrophic — just brutally demanding. Whether that mental reframe translates into the sustained performance required to win three consecutive Tests against this All Blacks side is the real question.