Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus brushed off suggestions that Ireland’s flurry of yellow cards – including an upgraded 20-minute red – was the central story of a wild Test in Dublin.
Ireland were at once stage reduced to 12 men, but Erasmus was quick to push back against any narrative that the Boks benefitted from Irish misfortune.
Erasmus said his own team had endured a far more disruptive build-up to the clash.
“We had got a red card in the previous game and a concussion called with a mouthguard that didn’t ping,” he said, referring to Franco Mostert and Kurt-Lee Arendse respectively.
“On Monday it was just seeing whether Lood [de Jager] and Sous [Mostert] can play. Then Monday from 8 o’clock till 12 o’clock, we had a hearing with Franco and then Wednesday from 8 o’clock till 12 o’clock we had a hearing with Lood. So, the whole week was crazy for us.”
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Having been on the end of two controversial permanent red-card decisions in consecutive weeks, Erasmus said the 20-minute red issued to Ireland lock James Ryan was the correct call. However, he questioned some of the on-field communication.
“The assistant said ‘always illegal’. When does ‘always illegal’ start and end? But I thought the decision itself was right.”
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Of an often frantic and raucous night in the Irish capital, he said: “It was hectic. It was difficult to manage. It was difficult sometimes to understand who’s off and who’s on and who comes back and who’s got a HIA and who’s injured. But that’s Test match rugby at the highest level and you have to understand and manage those kinds of things.”
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Erasmus also dismissed talk that the Boks simply bullied an undermanned Ireland.
“Yes, we were dominant in the scrums. But all over the field? No. Ireland were physical, they matched us, and they were dominant in the air and at the breakdown. Even with 12 men they defended unbelievably well.
“I thought we were dominant for most parts of the game, but just couldn’t kill it when we were inside the 22.”
Photo: Charles McQuillan/Getty Images
