Erasmus after Springboks lose to France: 'I’m going to think about this all night'

South Africa's rugby coach Rassie Erasmus is likely to dwell on the Springboks' defeat to France, which occurred on Black Friday. This marks only the second time in 16 years that the Springboks have lost to France, breaking their unbeaten run in the Nations Championship and jeopardizing their chances of advancing to the final and maintaining their No. 1 world ranking.

Erasmus acknowledged France's prowess while blaming the Springboks for their failure to secure a win. He emphasized that they never led and trailed at halftime for the second time this year, attributing their downfall to mistakes and poor execution. The French team put pressure on the Springboks, forcing them into errors and causing them to deviate from their plan.

Erasmus admitted that his team missed passes and made numerous errors. He believed they overplayed their dominance in scrums and suggested that the Boks should have targeted corner lineouts instead. Erasmus also revealed that he altered the starting lineup, benching the initial front rows and opting for reserves midway through the match.

This decision came after an intense 35th minute where the Springboks were trailing 21-7. It was a last-minute change as Erasmus was uncertain until assessing the team's performance prior to kickoff. The Springboks face Ireland next weekend before the playoffs, and they will be informed after New Zealand's encounter with Wales whether they have lost their lead in the northern hemisphere pool and their coveted No. 1 ranking.