{
  "id": 11847880,
  "title": "Rassie Erasmus' Wallabies wake-up call: Springboks must learn to respect Australia",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/04/rassie-erasmus-wallabies-wake-up-call-springboks-must-learn-to",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-10-04T04:30:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "IOL",
    "slug": "iol",
    "url": "https://iol.co.za/sport/opinion/2026-10-04-rassie-erasmus-wallabies-wake-up-call-springboks-must-learn-to-respect-australia/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "A few days prior to the Springboks facing the Wallabies in Perth, Duane Vermeulen, a former team member and current assistant coach, was asked at a press conference why the Springboks consistently struggle to defeat Australia, especially when an Australia match follows an All Blacks game. The seasoned player, who was currently acting as a coach, dismissed the question as unimportant, stating, \"It’s not like when we play the Wallabies, we just go out to throw the ball around and have fun.\" However, the question was more about the Springboks' repeated failure to respect the Wallabies as opponents, whether consciously or subconsciously. The pressure to beat the All Blacks is instinctive for a Springbok team, but against Australia, they often seem to underestimate their opposition.\n\nDuring the team meeting before the Perth game, Rassie Erasmus, the Springboks' coach, would have emphasized the importance of maintaining their intensity against Australia, the team's greatest rival, and reminded his players about the Wallabies' recent improvements. Despite Erasmus's warnings about Australia's unbeaten record under coach Les Kiss, the Springboks were once again defeated by Australia. Given the Springboks' strong record at home against Australia, it raises the question of whether the team simply does not view the Wallabies as highly as they should.\n\nIn the past 13 matches between the Springboks and the Wallabies, Erasmus's team has won seven and lost six, maintaining an overall advantage. However, this victory count has coincided with a particularly challenging period for the Wallabies. Erasmus might have underestimated Australia by making significant changes to his team selection, resulting in a noticeable drop in performance. While the 13 newcomers to the starting line-up are all talented players, the first-choice Springboks are still superior. Erasmus will likely learn that relying heavily on backup players can result in a significant performance drop when compared to his primary lineup.\n\nThere have been concerns about the depth of South Africa's squad following the defeat in Australia. For the next World Cup, Erasmus will not be relying on the Perth team against a Tier One opponent. Instead, he will use his larger squad within the structure of his strongest team, ensuring that the backup players are effectively integrated into the lineup. This approach is a vital aspect of effective squad depth. Despite the defeat, Erasmus returned to South Africa with a sense of satisfaction, noting the team's overall progress since the season began. The Springboks have not lost consecutive Tests since November 2022, and since the start of the 2024 season, they have only lost six matches. Their win ratio between World Cups under Erasmus is impressive, indicating significant improvement. Therefore, the Perth defeat should not be seen as a crisis but rather as a reminder for the Springboks to respect their formidable opponents.",
  "summary": "The Springboks' loss in Perth may have bruised egos and exposed the drop-off behind first-choice stars, but Rassie Erasmus's long-term World Cup trajectory remains in robust health.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}