Rassie Erasmus refutes ‘arrogance’ claims as Springboks and All Blacks announce Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series
Springboks head coach Rassie Erasmus on Rugby's Greatest Rivalry series with All Blacks.
Rassie Erasmus has pre-empted any accusations of “arrogance” by insisting South Africa and New Zealand are not out to antagonise the rugby world by dubbing next year’s four-Test series Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry.
Ranked one and two in the sport and winners of the last five World Cups, the Springboks and All Blacks have struck a deal to meet every four years in a multi-week ‘old school’ tour.
It means the Rugby Championship, fresh from its finest edition since Argentina was brought on board in 2012, is binned off next year and will be again in 2030, when South Africa heads to New Zealand.
Rich history
Erasmus is conscious of how Thursday’s announcement might be greeted in certain quarters and has moved to address it head-on.
“I think the name The Greatest Rivalry says a lot, but I hope people don’t see that in an arrogant way,” said the two-time World Cup winner. “It’s just the history between us and New Zealand is really rich.
“The Six Nations is an awesome tournament, the Top 14 is an awesome tournament. So for us to say this is The Greatest Rivalry is not to say it’s better than other competitions, it’s just this rivalry between us and New Zealand has been going on for so long.”
Erasmus, who just last month handed the All Blacks their biggest ever defeat, grew up in South Africa’s apartheid era and remembers well politically-charged tours between the two nations.
He cites the 1981 ‘Rebel’ tour to New Zealand, when the Springboks’ flight was refused permission to refuel in Australia, a match was cancelled, pitches invaded by protesters and flour bombs dropped from a plane to disrupt the final Test.
He also namechecks the 1986 Cavaliers tour, an unofficial trip coached by Colin Meads which ended in the players involved being banned for two Tests on their return home.
“I was a small boy but I can remember the flour bomb incidents,” he said. “For us it was lockdown in world rugby with apartheid and everything. Then there was a Cavaliers tour to South Africa. I remember watching that one.”
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Erasmus says proper touring used to be a key part in educating players in team building, learning to get along, better understand the coaches and the culture of the country you are visiting.
“I know the game is helluva professional now but I think, overall, most of the players will enjoy it,” he said. “As we used to.”
Asked by Planet Rugby whether he is concerned that by stepping away from the Rugby Championship the competition will lose the momentum it built this year, Erasmus began by saying: “If you play New Zealand four times in a row I’m not sure you lose a lot by not playing Australia and Argentina.
“But,” he added quickly, “I would hate it if Argentina or Australia were just to be thrown away. I would personally not like it.
“[Not playing against those nations] will be the sad part, but the good part will be that we are playing against a team that’s been ruling world rugby for the last 20 years.
“It’s only the last four or five years that we managed to catch up with them. So, rugby wise, I can’t see many negatives. But, hell, we don’t want to drop our partners who have looked well after us in the past.”
Like Erasmus, Siya Kolisi says he would not like to see the Rugby Championship ‘go to waste’, adding: “It’s an important competition that we enjoy playing. This year’s one was really tough.”
Rugby Championship idea
SANZAAR have confirmed the Championship will resume in 2027 and that that, and ensuing editions, will be played in the July and August window, despite Erasmus lobbying for it to be played in February and March.
“It’s just my opinion, but I think it would be fantastic if we can all play the Rugby Championship when the Six Nations is on,” he said. “It would be so much easier to know other teams, to be all aligned. Not have some countries flat in June and others peaking in November, and then we are flat in November.
“Law changes or variations would then be so much easier to implement right across the board, because all competitions start at the same time.
“There might be a big thing I’m missing, but I can’t see any reason why us, New Zealand, Argentina and Australia don’t play that competition at the same time as the Six Nations.”
