Rassie Sets Record Straight on Viral Gesture After Bok Win in Dublin
Rugby NewsSunday, 23 November 2025 at 14:36
Rassie Erasmus has dismissed suggestions that his thumbs-up after the Springboks’ win in Dublin was aimed at taunting Irish fans — insisting it was nothing more than appreciation for South Africans in the crowd.
The Bok coach’s TV-caught celebration at the final whistle caused a stir online, with many assuming he was directing it at home supporters. But Erasmus says that interpretation is miles off.
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Asked about it after the match, he made it clear: “No, there were South Africans sitting in front of us and saying ‘thank you’, and I said ‘Thank you, back to him’.”
Erasmus also highlighted how isolated the coaches’ box at the Aviva Stadium can feel.
“I remember even when I coached Munster here, the coach’s box is like soundproof. You can’t really get the vibe of what’s going on on the field and you get it through the referee’s mike, more or less.”
He was full of praise for the venue and the Irish supporters.
“This is a special stadium. The crowd is special. You know, they’ve got manners when a player takes a kick. I love the way with the pre-match with the military band. I’m glad they gave RG [Snyman] here a bit of a welcoming when he ran onto the field.”
Erasmus stressed again that nothing about the gesture was meant as provocation.
“So, no, it was a thank you to our people and, you know, we’ve got a respect for the way the Irish people support their team.”
He even found time for a joke about the exchange rate and the commitment of travelling Bok fans.
“For our people to still to come out here … You could still hear them, it was just a thank you”.
Which 2025 Autumn Squad Has the Most Foreign-Born Players?
Here’s how England, Wales, Ireland, and Scotland rank by the number — and percentage — of foreign-born players in their latest squads.
ENGLAND (FIVE PLAYERS)
Immanuel Feyi-Waboso — born in Cardiff, Wales
Bevan Rodd — born in Dunoon, Scotland
Tom Roebuck — born in Inverness, Scotland
Sam Underhill — born in Dayton, Ohio, USA
Marcus Smith — born in Manila, Philippines
5 of the 36 players (about 14%) were born outside England, representing birthplaces in Wales, Scotland, the USA, and the Philippines.
WALES (FIVE PLAYERS)
Ben Carter — born in Crowborough, East Sussex, England
Taulupe Faletau — born in Tofoa, Tonga
Archie Griffin — born in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Danny Southworth — born in Barnstaple, England
Freddie Thomas — born in Gloucester, England
5 of the 36 players (about 14%) were born outside Wales, representing birthplaces in England, Tonga, and Australia.
IRELAND (EIGHT PLAYERS)
Bundee Aki — born in Auckland, New Zealand
Jamison Gibson‑Park — born in Great Barrier Island, New Zealand
James Lowe — born in Nelson, New Zealand
Mack Hansen — born in Canberra, Australia
Finlay Bealham — born in Canberra, Australia
Joe McCarthy — born in Manhattan, New York, USA
Cormac Izuchukwu — born in London, England
Ciarán Frawley — born in Sydney, Australia
8 of the 34 players (about 24%) were born outside Ireland, representing birthplaces in New Zealand, Australia, the USA, and England.
SCOTLAND (15 PLAYERS)
Fergus Burke — born in Gisborne, New Zealand
Sione Tuipulotu — born in Frankston, Victoria, Australia
Duhan van der Merwe — born in George, South Africa
Ben White — born in Stoke‑on‑Trent, England
Ewan Ashman — born in Toronto, Canada
Josh Bayliss — born in Tiverton, England
Jack Dempsey — born in Sydney, Australia
Nathan McBeth — born in Welkom, South Africa
Elliot Millar Mills — born in Stockport, England
Andy Onyeama‑Christie — born in Bristol, England
Pierre Schoeman — born in Mbombela (Nelspruit), South Africa
Kyle Steyn — born in Johannesburg, South Africa
15 of the 36 players (about 42%) were born outside Scotland, representing birthplaces in New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, England, and Canada.
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- Jordie Barrett over Damian de Allende is far from being correct. The hype around Dupont is also overreaching, he's probably 4th in the world and has been since the 2023 WC. He also avoids certain matchups which is strange. The rest of the list is pretty good apart from minor subjective biases.JasonMarlow16-09-2026
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