Rassie Erasmus: Springboks coach determined to end Dublin losing streak and open to Jacques Nienaber return
Rugby NewsThursday, 20 November 2025 at 16:49
Springboks head coach Rassie Erasmus has locked in his side to take on Ireland, in the headline match of the Quilter Nations Series' fourth weekend. The mission objective is a clear one for South Africa, as Erasmus sets his sights on bringing an end to the 13-year wait for a Springboks win at the Aviva Stadium this Saturday evening.
The enigmatic Erasmus spoke to the media today in Dublin, after he had named his match day 23 to take on Andy Farrell's men in a few days time. What followed was a plethora of pre-match questions for the Springboks head coach, who addressed everything from the Lood de Jager and Franco Mostert suspension saga, a milestone match for RG Snyman, a possible Springboks return for Jacques Nienaber and the arduous run of form for Rassie at the Aviva Stadium.
5 TALKING POINTS: RASSIE ERASMUS PREVIEWS IRELAND VS SOUTH AFRICA
1. "Look at our record" - Rassie Erasmus frustrated with high tackle narrative with Springboks following Lood de Jager and Franco Mostert red cards
Kicking off the talking points with the most topical pre-match area, Rassie Erasmus addressed the recent red card saga that has been consuming his match preparations. Springboks locks Lood de Jager and Franco Mostert were each sent off for high tackles against France and Italy respectively, with a narrative arising around the Springboks tackle technique that did not sit well with the head coach.
Whilst de Jager was handed a four match ban that continues to be appealed by the Boks, Mostert's red card was overturned in the week following the post-match citation. However, the uncertainty around selection prompted Erasmus to prepare without the two locks in the game plan, with Eben Etzebeth and Ruan Nortje selected to start in the engine room and RG Snyman poised to explode from the bench.
RASSIE ERASMUS: "Most of the time, nobody is going to get it [penalised] if your level changes in the wrap. With Felix [Jones - Springboks Assistant Coach] being on the calibration group committees, I give you my word... I can give you the minutes on what we spend on level changes, the wrap and the cheek zone and everything. So, if you look at our actual record on low tackles and dominant tackles, you'll find that with tall guys, we were doing pretty well with that.
"Maybe, just in the heat of the moment with the pressure, the crowd. You know, the referee, the screen is 70 metres away and he can't see the finer details. So, I think sometimes it's just okay [for the referee to say], 'that's a clear red', but maybe just calm down, send it to the bunker, check it out, and let it stay a red.
"But two permanent reds? We, as South Africans, don't think we're getting nailed. We're trying to say, 'listen, just understand and go and look at our record of all tackles. These two red cards are standing out, there's a good record.
"We don't even give a penalty away with 14 men in the whole second half on defence in both games [against France and Italy]. So, we're quite disciplined there. I don't know if it's an anomaly or whatever we say, to have two red cards like that. Definitely, we don't feel like somebody is trying to nail us. We just want to make sure that people know, we work hell of a lot on level change, wrap and cheek zone."
“We’re confident in the protocols and the process that's followed. I sat in and listened to most of those things and I totally understand how they got to Lood and to Franco's end result. Somewhere, a mistake was made, but if it can be rectified, fantastic, then we all believe in the system."
“So, he's [Mostert] available and that's great, but just the timing was very difficult to do the training sessions and bracket this player with that player. It just became a bit of a mess, so we decided to rather keep it clean and the guys who could train the whole week, we picked them."
"It definitely comes up" - Rassie Erasmus confirms that Springboks have addressed 13-year wait for win at Aviva Stadium
The Springboks are out to end an unwanted accolade that has followed them since 2012, as the men in gold and green have struggled upon every subsequent return to the Aviva Stadium. Ireland would defeat the Springboks in 2014, 2017 and 2022, yet this certain stadium holds a deeper history for Erasmus.
RASSIE ERASMUS: "Oh, it definitely comes up. I'm not going to lie to you and say it doesn't come up. I did win here as a player, but that was many years ago. So that doesn't count and it wasn't at the Aviva."
“Me personally, I haven't won at the Aviva as a coach, even with Munster. We played the Scarlets in the Pro-14 final and we lost here, and when we played against Saracens in the European Cup we lost here. I think we've coached here three times and we haven't won here.
“It's as if you want to fix something that can never be done, and I'll be lying if I'm saying I know the headlines tomorrow. I want to fix this. No, it's not revenge. It's a nice competitive environment with a team that's always been [throughout] the last two years at the top, one to four in the world. It’s excitement where there's something that we haven't done. Let's go and try and do it.
“When you dwell too much on things they tend to stand still a little bit. It will be great for all of us to say we managed to get a win in Dublin, because they've [Ireland] certainly had our number in the last couple of games.”
"We will have a look" - Rassie Erasmus open to Springboks return for Jacques Nienaber - coaches reunite in Irish capital
Whilst in Dublin for the week, Rassie Erasmus took the time to meet up with his former Springboks coaching team member Jacques Nienaber. The duo were both apart of South Africa's triumphant Rugby World Cup campaign in 2023 and has since taken up a role with Leinster. This morning, it was revealed that Nienaber 'misses the Springboks' with Erasmus open to bringing his former colleague back in to the green and gold camp ahead of the 2027 Rugby World Cup.
RASSIE ERASMUS: "I had lunch with him yesterday, we always see each other whenever there's an opportunity, When he comes to South Africa or we flew over here. But no, we would never want to ruin his relationship and reputation here in Ireland. But if Jacques tells me, or Ireland allow him to consult in the year of 2027, and we have the money to afford him in that year, there's no egos in our management coaching team. A brain like him will [be useful] but I think the Irish might also use him, or the English might use him if he's got that. I don't know what his contacts say exactly, but yes, we will have a look at that."
"He knows his role" - RG Snyman takes a seat on the bench upon milestone 50th cap
Turning his attention to his replacement bench, there will be a noteable cap made for Erasmus, as the Springboks head coach prepares to unleash his 'Bomb Squad' in Dublin. RG Snyman takes a seat amongst the replacements for the upcoming half-century appearence, despite any hopes of a start to mark the 50th cap occassion. Erasmus was asked as to why he opted against handing Snyman the start;
“I probably thought that question was going to come and it's a valid one. It would have been lovely to let him start the match, but I think he also loves to play as long as he can, most players do. And he knows his role off the bench. We did have a quick chat about, ‘It's your 50th game. Do you matter playing off the bench?’ and no problem, he totally understands.
“Two of the other locks are not available and one injured, you know, he's going to be in the team, and that is first and foremost grateful for. He'll run out in front and then after that he'll go to the bench, which will feel a bit weird. But he's not worried to sacrifice that for the team. Yes, it would have been lovely to start him, but I think the best for the team is for him to play on the bench."
"They've come a long way" - Rassie Erasmus excited to witness fly half battle between Sam Prendergast and Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu
Ever the tactical mastermind, Erasmus cast his focus ahead at the expected out-half selection by Ireland head coach Andy Farrell. The Springboks boss rightfully predicted that Sam Prendergast will retain the Irish 10 jersey, with Jack Crowley dropped to the bench. Prendergast is set to go tee-to-tee with Springboks young gun Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, who is steadily stamping his mark upon the South African fly half slot. Erasmus is excited to see how this positional clash will play out.
RASSIE ERASMUS: "I think Prendergast [will start]. I really don't want to sound arrogant when I say this. We have to prepare for the player that we think is going to play. I know Crowley will be on the on the bench or other way around. But, whichever one comes on, then the other one seems to play better than the one who started. So it was quite tough for us to prepare, because both of them are class."
"Sacha [Feinberg-Mngomezulu] played Junior boks against him [Prendergast] So, they are the same age. They played in the Junior World Champships, they played against each other there."
"So they've come a long way. For me, [Prendergast is a] big fellow, it looks like he always wants the ball in his hands, and he's got guts. I saw the kick he kicked last weekend, when he found that Jorgensen back napping there, at the back. I think people are talking about his tackling, that there's maybe a weakness there. But, I've seen him go really hard, and he's a big boy, and he looks pretty fit. I read a bit about his background, I think he's got a toughness about him, so let's hope and see how Sacha does against him.
"The first thing is, Handre [Pollard] is also out of this game with Achilles injury, so he's also not available for selection. But I'm not saying we were going to select him, I'm not using that as an excuse. I think we would have selected Manie [Libbok] on the bench with Grant [Williams] and Sacha starting. I think Handre understands that at 31, I mean, you know, Johnny [Sexton] played untill he was 38, so Handre knows he's got another World Cup in him.
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