Rassie: Springboks won’t be affected by reduced fan support in US
· Citizen
Moving from Africa’s largest sports stadium, packed with Springbok fans, to a neutral venue for the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry decider will not affect South Africa’s players too much, said Rassie Erasmus.
The Springbok head coach announced his team Monday night after a flight on the same plane as the All Blacks that had “good vibes”, followed by a “lekker” reception from fans at Baltimore/Washington International Airport.
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Erasmus said both teams would give their all in the fourth and final Test in the series, played at M&T Bank Stadium on Saturday.
That, despite South Africa having a 2-1 lead and only playing to prevent a draw.
‘The people are not here’
This, after their 29-24 win at FNB Stadium in Soweto, where almost 86 000 fans turned up despite high ticket prices, a warning of severe weather, and it being the third Springbok Test played in Johannesburg, and fourth in Gauteng, this year.
Erasmus described their season’s last match on South African soil as “emotional”.
“It would have been terrible to lose there after what the people put up for us,” he said.
Still, the Bok coach referred to their 2021 home series against the British & Irish Lions, played in empty stadiums due to Covid-19 protocols.
“The big thing is, although the people are not here – and New Zealand are in the same boat, their people are also not here – we’ve had this experience many times.
“We saw last weekend how South Africa supported us. After we lost the first game, some people turned against us. But the majority stayed positive and supportive. We remember those things, and we will play for them.
“People might get tired of us saying this but you never stop playing [hard]. We’ve played a British & Irish Lions series in front of no crowds in South Africa, when we were 1-0 down.
“We played the Rugby Championship in Australia when there were almost no South Africans there because you couldn’t get out of the country. We try to remind ourselves of that a lot.”
Springboks, All Blacks don’t mingle on flight
Erasmus said the Springboks and All Blacks generally didn’t mingle too much on their shared flight, which left at 2am on Sunday, flew nine hours to Spain, spent two hours refuelling, and then flew another 10 hours to Baltimore.
The New Zealanders had their spot and we had our spot. I saw Beauden Barrett and Siya [Kolisi] having a cooldrink together and taking photos. Codie Taylor was sitting just across me.”
He said the Boks normally share a flight with Argentina in the Rugby Championship. But this was a first with the All Blacks.
“The players and coaches don’t dislike each other. We’re just really competitive. So it was all good vibes.”
The Bok coach said it was “baie lekker” to be welcomed by South Africans the airport, and interact with them on their way to the hotel. It was good to hear Afrikaans and stories of the expats now in the States.