Erasmus hits back at Rennie as scrum row escalates ahead of Greatest Rivalry third Test

The tension between Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus and New Zealand counterpart Dave Rennie intensified following the second Test in Cape Town. Erasmus accused Rennie of claiming South Africa's forwards "walk around" in the scrum, an accusation he defended on Monday. The All Blacks coach made this claim after Saturday’s match, stating the Springboks were deliberately moving to win penalties.

Erasmus, through his loosehead prop Ox Nche, retorted that Rennie was presenting an opinion as fact rather than using official channels. "My frustration wasn’t so much about his opinion, but when an opinion gets presented as fact," Erasmus said. The protocol is to submit five clips to World Rugby's officiating system for concerns.

Erasmus had faced criticism from World Rugby for public refereeing criticism before and was cautious about repeating that mistake. He believes Rennie's comments could affect public opinion and put pressure on referees. Erasmus defended his pack after the win, noting that the opposition collapsed every scrum they faced. He reiterated this stance on Monday as the Springboks prepare for the third Test in Johannesburg, emphasizing they do not "walk around" in scrums.

Erasmus maintained that there was no personal animosity between the two coaches, despite the heated rhetoric.