The Springboks ran through Cape Town like a freight train on Saturday, surviving a late All Blacks charge to seal a pulsating 33-26 victory and drag Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series level at 1-1.
Then Rassie Erasmus turned the post-match press conference into another kind of heavyweight contest.
With the scrum row simmering hotter than a Cape Town summer, the Springbok coach rubbished New Zealand’s claims that his pack had been “walking around” at scrum time, firing a broadside that landed with the force of a runaway prop.
“It’s the first time in history that these people are talking about us walking around. So why would we want to start walking around now?” Erasmus said.
He pointed to the scrums in New Zealand territory as evidence.
“The first six scrums in New Zealand’s half, they had every single one collapsed. And it was reset, reset, reset, reset. So why is it only on their ball that the scrums collapse every single time?”
“So don’t come with that nonsense and say we’re walking around, and try and put things out in the media.
The Bok boss pointed to an uneven focus on marginal calls.
“If I start to put things out … their last lineout was skew – I’m not going to moan my arse off about that. So if you just want to start moaning about stuff like that, then they’re under pressure.
“Because last week we didn’t moan after there was clear head contact a lot of the time. And today in the first 40 minutes there were four head contacts, and nothing was done about it, and then Lood de Jager gets the first one [yellow card].”
Erasmus warned against selective narratives.
“So the moment we start moaning, and if you’re taking a clip of what I said at the end, it’s going to be a sensational headline. But please don’t do it. Put the whole thing where I’m answering it.
“Don’t try and convince the people through the media, because that was what happened in the last week.
“They tried to convince the people in the media, and we’re not going to take it.”
The verbal scrum followed a match in which the Boks were every inch the heavyweight champions.
They led 24-14 at half-time, stretched the margin to 33-19 and appeared to be heading for a comfortable victory before the All Blacks produced a late try to turn the closing stages into a white-knuckle gallop.
New Zealand coach Dave Rennie praised his side’s character and admitted his team had left opportunities behind.
“I was really proud of the effort from our boys tonight,” Rennie said. “We showed a lot of character and fight to stay in that game and could have stolen the draw right at the end.”
The Boks’ aerial assault was another major weapon, with the swirling Cape Town wind unable to derail their high-ball mastery.
Rennie conceded the Springboks remain the gold standard in that department.
“They are best in the world,” he said, acknowledging the hours of preparation required to combat South Africa’s kick-chase machine.
The scrum, however, remained a thorn in New Zealand’s side.
Rennie said referee Angus Gardner was firm in keeping the front rows aligned, while indicating New Zealand would again provide feedback to World Rugby.
“The scrums were better tonight,” Rennie said. “We’ll give a bit of feedback to World Rugby around that. It’s still a bit of an issue for us because they’re able to walk around and go straight through our tightheads.”
For all the scrum smoke and mirrors, the scoreboard delivered the knockout punch.
The Boks had the legs, lungs and late composure to finish the job, while New Zealand were left chasing shadows and crumbs.
The series now heads to FNB Stadium in Johannesburg before crossing the Atlantic for the fourth Test at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore.
The rivalry has found another gear. The Boks have found their stride.
And the scrum debate? That one is running on for another lap.
