Erasmus warns: “We haven’t won anything yet” despite Boks’ record win over All Blacks

“It is a lekker win and we will savour it, but we won’t rub this into the faces of the All Blacks. We haven’t won anything yet.”

That was the immediate reaction of Springbok head coach Rassie Erasmus after his side’s emphatic 43-10 victory over the All Blacks in Wellington. The Boks scored six tries in the process and delivered a clinical display to retain the Freedom Cup and keep their Rugby Championship campaign alive.

South Africa currently sits in second place on the official log, one point behind Australia (11 points), with two matches remaining. The Boks will face Argentina in back-to-back Tests in Durban and at Twickenham at the end of September and the first weekend of October.

The victory also lifted the Boks back to the top of World Rugby’s official rankings, while extending their unbeaten run in Wellington to three matches.

While Erasmus was delighted with the dominant win, he cautioned against getting carried away, with Los Pumas still to come. He also pointed out the inexperience of the New Zealand side.

“We are just glad we got the five points and that we are in the mix for the Rugby Championship,” Erasmus said after the match.

“The scoreline is nice and it’s great for our guys to hang in there, but there’s no need for us to celebrate too much. I know what it feels like being in the changeroom on the other (losing) side. The record win is nice, but we don’t have to dwell on it.

“There are a couple of realities — theirs, ours, the world’s, and the truth. The truth is, they had eight players with fewer than 10 caps, and we only had two with fewer than 10 caps. We always viewed it that way, and we are pleased with the players' performances and their willingness to step up.”

However, the Boks did not come out of the game unscathed. Lock Lood de Jager and fullback Aphelele Fassi suffered serious injuries, while flyhalf Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu also left the field in the first half.

Fortunately, South Africa has plenty of depth to cover those absences ahead of the double Tests against Argentina.

“We are back in the mix again and ranked No. 1 in the world. It’s still a long season, and we have an Argentine team that played really well against Australia. We’ll face a young and exuberant side in a couple of weeks.

“This victory wasn’t about proving people wrong. We play to get people to believe in us and to keep on believing in South Africa. They trust us to give our best — and we did that.”

Springbok captain Siya Kolisi said the team remained focused on the job at hand, with the backline given the freedom and trust from the coaches to back themselves without fear.

He added that the Boks did not panic, even when things didn’t go their way in the first half.

“This was a big game whether we like it or not,” Kolisi said.

“Coach was willing to back the guys who haven’t played a lot. He showed belief in us and told us to keep believing in each other. The guys who didn’t play prepared us so well, they put in a huge effort, and that helped us a lot.

“It doesn’t matter who is playing — we don’t panic. When I came off, I was finished. But I didn’t worry, because when Kwagga (Smith) comes on, he brings something different to what I do. That’s the trust and belief we have in one another.”