We'll Have to Rethink It': Springboks Coach Erasmus Hints at Team Changes After Loss to Australia

Erasmus slams 'awful' Springboks after collapse against Australia

Springboks coach Rassie Erasmus criticizes his team's performance after a 38-22 loss to Australia in the Rugby Championship opener, hinting at potential team changes for the next match.

Springboks coach Rassie Erasmus wasn't holding back in his criticism of his team after their shocking 38-22 loss to Australia in their Rugby Championship opener. The South Africans dominated the early stages, racing to a 22-0 lead within the first quarter. However, their momentum stalled in the second half as Australia surged back with 38 unanswered points.

Erasmus took full responsibility for the loss, admitting the coaching staff “got it terribly wrong.” He acknowledged Australia's strong performance but emphasized that his team's poor play made them an easy target. The Springboks' inability to scrum and lineout effectively, coupled with their struggles at the breakdown after Siya Kolisi's injury, were key factors in their downfall.

Rassie Erasmus has taken full responsibility for the Boks shock loss to the Wallabies. Watch the full presser here: https://t.co/9Q9LgoDtAn pic.twitter.com/N5mGxdVqUL

— Forever Sports (@ForeverSportsOn) August 16, 2025

With the Springboks' next match against Australia scheduled for August 23, Erasmus hinted at potential team changes. The coach's blunt assessment suggests he may opt for a more settled lineup, rather than rotating players, to improve consistency and performance. This approach could see players like Pollard starting in key positions, with a focus on a less expansive game plan.

Australia's dominance at the breakdown proved crucial in their 38-22 win over the Springboks. This area has been a persistent challenge for South Africa this season, particularly as they try to adopt a more expansive, running style of play. The looser contests on the floor have exposed the Springboks' vulnerabilities, and they struggled to compete effectively in this phase of the game.

The Springboks' inability to secure the ball at the breakdown hindered their ability to control the tempo of the game. Australia capitalized on this weakness, using their dominance in this area to launch attacks and score crucial points. The Springboks will need to improve their performance at the breakdown if they hope to bounce back from this loss.

“I can try to butter it up and bottle it up to sound cool and respectful. The effort was maybe there but the accuracy or precision wasn’t,” Erasmus told reporters.

“It was a bad loss in a bad way. Not against a bad team, we just didn’t have fight right until the end, and that’s not what we want to give South Africa.

“There was a stage where I felt our heads were dropping and shoulders were slumping, and that was part of the disappointment.”

Springboks coach Rassie Erasmus is considering potential team changes for their upcoming match against Australia in Cape Town on Saturday, August 23. Although he has already announced the lineup to his players, Erasmus hinted at a possible “rethink" after the team's disappointing performance in their previous match. The Springboks will face Australia at the DHL Stadium in Cape Town, kickstarting the second leg of their Rugby Championship clash. The match is scheduled to start at 17:10 local time.

“We know from now until next Saturday we are going to take a lot of flak. We take the credit when we do well, now we must take the flak when we do badly.

“We already picked next week’s team...but that will probably change.

“We’ll have to rethink it. They tactically outsmarted us and physically dominated us.”