Rassie Erasmus’ antics were ‘next level mafia don stuff’ as New Zealand pundit claims people ‘quick to swallow the Kool-Aid’
Springboks head coach Rassie Erasmus and referee for the first Greatest Rivalry Test, Matthew Carley.
New Zealand pundit Scotty Stevenson has accused Springboks boss Rassie Erasmus of being like a mafia boss with his conduct ahead of this weekend’s Test.
South Africa’s head coach has looked to take control of the narrative ahead of their opening match against the All Blacks at Ellis Park on Saturday.
Erasmus was joined by former international referee and current Boks coach Jaco Peyper in Monday’s press conference, where they made a number of pointed remarks, particularly around officiating.
Stevenson is not a fan of that approach, however, and insists that the 53-year-old has to be careful when it comes to putting referees under pressure.
‘Just ask Bryce Lawrence’
“It’s amazing to me how quickly people want to swallow the Kool-Aid. There is a certain admiration you have to have for his full commitment to the psychology of coaching because it’s a business now and it’s been his stock and trade for a very long time,” he said on Sport Nation’s Scotty and Izzy show.
“I think where it gets problematic for me is when it spills over into intimidation, when you understand that referees are under intense scrutiny and you know your fans, and there is form here – just ask Bryce Lawrence – going OTT when it comes to referees.
“There is form here [in New Zealand] too, let us not forget the way New Zealanders responded to Wayne Barnes. When you know that you have a fanbase that is willing to blame referees, it is very easy to stir up that fanbase.
“The referees know that the fanbase has been engaged, if not weaponised, so your job is exponentially harder.”
The All Blacks have been able to get in the first blows with Dave Rennie and his side repeatedly stating that they want to play with tempo.
There is a stereotype that South Africa like to slow the game down and Erasmus and Peyper also used Monday’s press conference to hit back at those accusations.
“It’s one thing you go through all of this media cycle through the week and these are the narrative stories, and the narrative is here because New Zealanders think the game should be played a certain way and South Africans think the game should be played a certain way,” Stevenson said.
“I do take umbrage with the simplicity of that argument because I’ve seen South Africa tear teams apart playing open flowing rugby, as they did in the Rugby World Cup final in 2019 and on many occasions, but there is at heart a stylistic focus on being strong and playing collision rugby.
“You’ve got two competing styles but, at the end of the day, the referee shouldn’t be stuck in the middle. Playing this all out through the media, and we engage in this and we ask the questions and we write the stories and report on them, but I think it’s unfair on the referees.
“And then to wheel out a very experienced referee very intentionally in that moment to make a counterargument against the All Blacks is next level mafia don stuff.”
Officials in the spotlight
Englishman Matthew Carley will take charge of the encounter in Johannesburg this weekend and Stevenson believes that it is unfair that the officials are in some ways the focal point heading into the first Test.
“We’ve made the referee the centre point of the week. The rhetoric from both camps, the reporting in the press and media and suddenly all the onus is on the referee,” he added.
“It’s an important job and there are going to be calls which will displease both sides of the fanbase here, but I am wary of playing this game through the media for the game itself because I think you leave the officials on a hiding to nothing.
“If Carley plays quick ruck ball and penalises heavily in that area, he’s going to come under scrutiny over there. If he does not, it’s going to be New Zealand fans who are at him, but we’ve got to get back to looking at the 23 men out there doing the job, not the one.”
