Rassie Erasmus is refusing to pop the champagne corks.
The Springboks may have grabbed a 29-24 victory over New Zealand at a roaring FNB Stadium on Saturday to move 2-1 ahead in the Castle Double Malt Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry tour, yet their coach insists the trophy remains firmly in the furnace.
One more heavyweight bout awaits in Baltimore on Saturday.
“I know a lot of people said that this is the series here in South Africa, but it is not – we’ve played three games here and we’re one up, but the final game is still to come,” said Erasmus.
“I know we can’t lose it anymore because there’s not points difference or tries scored (as a tie breaker). But the trophy was actually designed in two halves to be shared if it’s a draw. So, it’s game on.”
And what a game this rivalry has produced.
The Soweto showdown was rugby theatre with the volume turned to eleven. The All Blacks led until the 58th minute, the scoreboard swinging like a pendulum before the Boks finally landed the decisive blows.
Reaction from Rassie Erasmus: “We’ve played three games here and we’re one up, but the final game is still to come” – more here: https://t.co/eGAvlpHyyi 🗣️#Springboks #ForeverGreenForeverGold #RugbysGreatestRivalry pic.twitter.com/eAR0rHNYps
— Springboks (@Springboks) September 5, 2026
Erasmus was still counting his heartbeats afterwards.
“We are happy tonight. It was epic. It was intense. I think the scoreboard at the end showed how close the game was. We’re just happy we won.
“Now we’re on the same flight and now we must try and go replicate that in Baltimore. They were definitely on top (in the first half). All of us I think envy the way they can handle the ball and they’re certainly brilliant at that. Luckily we went in level at halftime which gives you some hope.
“I’m not sure what my heart rate was but we were certainly nervous. And I think they were nervous.”
The two teams will now share a flight to the United States, an airborne armistice before the gloves come off again.
“Hopefully me and Dave (Rennie, All Blacks head coach) will have a beer. His will be a little bit more bitter and mine will be a little sweeter. But then on Sunday we arrive there and we get into camp again.
“We assess the injuries; we start planning and it’s number one and two again. It’s the greatest rivalry and we play to try and win the series, and they will try and to draw the series. So, no, it’s going to be flipping important.”
Erasmus sounded almost allergic to complacency.
“It’s massive, this is. You’re playing number one and two in the world and it switches one week to the next and it certainly lives up to that (hype), and I can tell you now, we’re not sitting here thinking we are flipping awesome. We’re thinking there was also a lot of luck that that went our way.”
The Boks will fly without Cheslin Kolbe, who fractured his jaw, plus Carlu Sadie, Boan Venter, Ntuthuko Mchunu, Cobus Wiese and Ben-Jason Dixon.
Damian Willemse, Grant Williams and Canan Moodie are fit and travel. Erasmus also confirmed that scrumhalf Herschel Jantjies (pictured above) also joined the travel party to the USA replacing the injured Kolbe.
The final punch comes at M&T Stadium at 23h00 SA time on Saturday, live on SuperSport.
Baltimore awaits.
The trophy waits too.
