Rassie Erasmus has never shied from making hard calls in pursuit of victory. On Saturday night in Paris, those decisions again defined South Africa’s performance.
The Springbok boss reshuffled his team complete at the break to compensate for the loss of Lood de Jager, who was sent off with a straight red card.
Among the substitutions were Siya Kolisi, Eben Etzebeth, Damian de Allende and Damian Willemse, all two-time World Cup winners subbed off for the greater good of the team.
Erasmus said his substitutions, including the half-time withdrawal of captain Kolisi in his landmark 100th Test, were born not from sentiment, but necessity. The outcome, a stunning win over France, vindicated his conviction that team success always outweighs individual milestones.
TOUGH CALLS FOR THE GREATER CAUSE
Erasmus admitted the decision to replace Kolisi was among the most difficult he has made in recent seasons. Yet, he said, it symbolised the Springboks’ collective mentality.
“It was a tough call for a captain to go at half-time,” he said. “But when we told him, he just took it on the chin. That says a lot about this group.”
The change was tactical. With De Jager forced off and Andre Esterhuizen offering cover at both centre and the back row, Erasmus wanted versatility to handle France’s physical attack.
“We had to get Andre on, who can play loose forward and centre depending if we have a scrum or a line,” he explained.
Kolisi’s response, Erasmus suggested, epitomised what has made the Springboks so cohesive during his tenure.
“We desperately wanted to win this game,” he said. “That came through in the way players accepted their roles, even when it meant personal sacrifice.”
BOK BENCH CLINCH WIN
The Springbok bench delivered on its promise. Erasmus said the replacements maintained composure and brought renewed tempo as the French intensity began to fade.
“When the bench comes on, the guys who started probably soften up the opposition, and then the bench can go and finish it,” he said. “They had a good impact, and that comes from the players understanding that it’s a 23-man effort.”
Erasmus also praised the coaching group for creating the conditions that allowed the changes to work seamlessly.
“The coaches’ plans made it easier for the guys who came on,” he said. “They had great impact, and it helped a lot.”
“The guys who started certainly did the softening-up work,” he said. “They created the platform for the bench to finish it off. In our case, it’s not just fifteen or even twenty-three; it’s thirty-four guys on tour who all contribute.”
He acknowledged the scale of the French crowd and the occasion, but insisted that the Boks’ unity guided them through it.
“Although people say they’re getting old, they are wiser, they are calmer under pressure,” he said.
