Rassie ‘ignores’ the Springboks’ biggest question

One question dominates the Springboks’ build-up for Saturday’s Rugby Championship meeting against Argentina in Salta: do they prioritise winning the title or focus all their energy on the World Cup?

Typically, coach Rassie Erasmus is diplomatic over the whole issue and, quite possibly, right as well.

Momentum in this shortened season before the showpiece in Japan is obviously important, but whether World Cup glory really depends on a first Rugby Champs title since 2009 is debatable.

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History provides a decent example.

In 2007, the Boks only won one of their four Tri-Nations matches (two featured a so-called B-squad) before walking away with the Webb Ellis trophy.

Heyneke Meyer’s build-up in 2015 was even worse.

South Africa lost all three their Rugby Champs fixtures, including a morale-shattering first ever loss to the Pumas (25-37) in Durban.

Yet, even after the historic Cup loss to Japan, his troops still managed to finish an admirable third.

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Erasmus then can be forgiven for not trying to listen too much to the noise.

“Winning creates self-belief and momentum, so I guess the Rugby Championship will do that for us,” he said.

“But then again, there’ll always be a next game where you can pick up some momentum. (The Boks play the Pumas at Loftus next week in a friendly)”

What many also seem to forget is that the Boks have lost two of their last three matches in South America.

Erasmus is very conscious of 2018’s 19-32 loss in Mendoza, where his charges were battered by the hosts despite a comprehensive reverse at Kings Park the previous week.

“For us the bigger picture is that Argentina beat us comfortably last year; they gave us a good hiding. We know it’s going to be a tough match if we want to win the Rugby Championship,” the Bok mentor said.

“But it doesn’t help we’ve got our eye on the Championship and we forget what they did to us last year. So yes, it would be great to win the Rugby Championship, but hell, we’re up against a team that gave us a hiding and that is going to be the challenge.”

As a result, the Boks’ best bet seems to be following a familiar recipe.

“The only way to win is if we improve on all the different facets of the game. We have to break it down into small battles; it’s the only way you win championships and World Cup titles,” said Erasmus.

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