A delighted Rassie Erasmus shrugged off suggestions that his team had clinched a series victory over New Zealand following Saturday’s win at the FNB Stadium in Soweto.
The
29-24 victory gave the Springboks a 2-1 lead in the Castle Double Malt Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry tour, with one test remaining in Baltimore, USA 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.”
Both teams will share a flight to the USA to prepare for the final match on Saturday night in a tour that has lived up to its branding as “Like no Other”.
Erasmus said: “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.”
The Springboks trailed in the match until the 58th minute and only established a two-score lead with ten minutes remaining in a match of high action and drama.
Erasmus said: “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.
“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.”
Erasmus also revealed that Cheslin Kolbe, who left the field with an injury in the first half, had fractured his jaw and will not make the trip to the USA.
Also staying behind are props Carlu Sadie, Boan Venter, and Ntuthuko Mchunu, as well as utility forwards Cobus Wiese and Ben-Jason Dixon, while backs Damian Willemse, Grant Williams and Canan Moodie, all of whom had struggled with injuries in recent weeks, are fit and will travel to the USA.
The fourth Test takes place at M&T Stadium in Baltimore, USA, on Saturday (kick-off 23h00 SA time), live on SuperSport.
