Rugby fans at Ellis Park on Saturday, 16 August, witnessed a surprising turn of events as the Springboks suffered a 38-22 defeat against the Wallabies.
The loss wasn’t just another defeat—it cost South Africa their World Rugby number one ranking, pushing them down to third behind New Zealand and Ireland.
Rassie Erasmus’s Fiery Reaction
The post-match emotions were raw, and Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus didn’t hold back.
In a clip circulating on social media, the 52-year-old coach was seen muttering a famous South African expletive immediately after the final whistle.
It was a moment that captured the frustration of a team that had struggled to find its rhythm against a relentless Australian side.
Press Conference Candor
During the post-match press conference, Erasmus didn’t mince words. “We were really dogsh*t today,” he admitted bluntly.
He went on to take responsibility for the loss: “They beat us in most departments.
We as coaches got it terribly wrong. We have to look first at ourselves before we point fingers at players.”
Erasmus stressed that the defeat was not a reflection on the Wallabies but rather on the Boks’ lack of fight: “A bad loss, in a bad way, not against a bad team, and we didn’t have fight – and that is not what we want to give SA.”
Fans Question the Tactics
The defeat sparked a heated conversation on social media.
Many South Africans criticized Rassie’s experimental tactics, questioning whether his strategies were paying off.
-
@mfazwe_anele commented: “Hardly any time for Rassie’s gimmicks tonight. Totally outplayed by the Wallabies.”
-
@GmanSupBro asked: “Is Rassie playing 4D chess?”
Hope Amid the Criticism
Not all fans were ready to write off the coach. Some encouraged fellow supporters to trust Rassie’s plan:
-
@stefan_in_cape: “Maybe it’s all part of the plan. Get us to 7th or 8th on the rankings going into the next WC. And then we strike! Again!”
-
@WynandMB: “Rassie has a plan, tonight was a piece of that plan. He is definitely testing what works and what does not.”