Rugby World Cup winner’s ‘beware the underdog’ warning to Rassie Erasmus and Springboks ahead of much-anticipated All Blacks series
All Blacks head coach Dave Rennie and Springboks boss Rassie Erasmus.
The Springboks may be favourites for their eagerly anticipated Greatest Rivalry series against the All Blacks, but the tourists must not be written off.
That is according to 1995 Rugby World Cup Japie Mulder, who is wary of dismissing New Zealand’s chances despite their struggles since the 2023 global tournament.
Scott Robertson oversaw an underwhelming 2024 and 2025, and was subsequently sacked following a review.
Springboks dominant but Mulder wary
NZ Rugby have decided to appoint Dave Rennie as his successor and he has plenty of work to do if they are to close the gap to South Africa at the top of the World Rugby rankings. The All Blacks may well be second in the standings, but they are almost four points behind the Boks, who are clear of the rest.
After the first three games of the Nations Championship in July, Rennie’s men head to the Republic to take on Rassie Erasmus’ side in a daunting three-Test series before a fourth match on neutral soil in the USA.
With the Springboks predominately having home advantage, many may expect a comfortable victory for the back-to-back world champions, but Mulder is not getting carried away.
“You’re the number one now, but rugby is a funny thing,” he told Rugby365. “In 1995, we weren’t even rated. Everyone said we did well by getting to the quarter-finals, and no one gave us a chance. But we went on to win. So, beware the underdog.
“Everyone says we [South Africa] are the favourites to win the series against the All Blacks, but I will never underrate the All Blacks side. Anything can happen on the day.
“South Africa against the All Blacks – one can’t really say. They [All Blacks] can come in and lose 4-0. We can lose 4-0, especially with the quality of players that they also have.”
Rassie Erasmus’ ‘extremely good job’
While Mulder refuses to take the All Blacks lightly, the former centre did heap praise on Erasmus, who has been the mastermind behind their success. After lifting the Webb Ellis Cup in both 2019 and 2023, the Boks could have rested on their laurels, but the head coach continues to do an impressive job.
He has begun the transition of easing out some of the older players and bringing in the new while also maintaining their performances on the field. They look well set to have a go at an unprecedented three-peat in Australia in 2027, albeit the All Blacks will likely be lurking in the quarter-finals.
“South Africa are on a high at the moment. Rassie is doing an extremely good job. He’s changed the way that South African rugby is played and supported,” Mulder added.
“A great support system around him – he appointed the right people. All these people are working together with him. They’ve created something unique.
“How long it’s going to last, I don’t know. There’s always a place for new people and new players coming in, so the dynamics might change. But at the moment, they are seriously number one. It’s actually a pleasure to watch the Springboks playing at the moment.”