Springbok coach says there is no score to settle with Ireland

Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus says they don’t have unfinished business with Ireland as they prepare for their eagerly awaited first incoming series Test match at Loftus on Saturday. 

The two top-ranked teams meet in the first of two Tests, with Ireland having the upper hand over the Springboks after three wins in their past three matches. 

Ireland were the only team to defeat the Springboks at the World Cup in a thrilling 13-8 win in the pool stages in Paris, but they have never won a Test series in SA, a slight advantage for the hosts. 

The Springboks’ last win over Ireland came in 2016 under former head coach Allister Coetzee, but Erasmus and former coach Jacques Nienaber failed to beat the Irish.

Ireland will replace SA as the No 1-ranked team in the world if they pull off a win in Pretoria. Erasmus said they would be under pressure as they bid to claim the top spot. 

“No, we don’t use those kinds of words,” said Erasmus when asked if they have unfinished business with Ireland. 

“From their side, they probably have unfinished business to try to get to No 1 in the rankings, but we don’t talk like that. We analyse players, chat about how they performed during the United Rugby Championship and the European Cup. 

“We pick our teams accordingly to see what players we think can do the job for us on Saturday and we are training hard.” 

Erasmus said that Ireland deserved to win the past three matches between them and they did not have a score to settle. 

“We try to stay in our reality. Our reality is we are playing at home against the team that has beaten us. All the games were really close, they deserved all of those games, but it is never about a score to settle. 

“I would rather take two World Cups and the British & Irish Lions series and three losses against them, but we never go out there to lose a match. We didn’t pick this team to try to lose the match.” 

Legendary Irish flyhalf Johnny Sexton has retired from international rugby, and Erasmus said they would miss coming up against him. 

“The refs have it much easier now,” joked Erasmus. 

“I always said when playing against Johnny, he frustrated us but it would be nice to be in his team. We had respect for him, how he plays, how he could command games and he commanded respect, but this young flyhalf Jack Crowley is not scared. 

“He plays it on the gain line, he will go for the cross-kick if he wants to, he doesn’t shy away from tackling. At that age you don’t feel the pressure of Test match rugby so much until you realise what you are part of, and sometimes it is good.”