{
  "id": 1635989,
  "title": "Erasmus: Who are we to tell South Africans they can’t support the All Blacks?",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/18/erasmus-who-are-we-to-tell-south-africans-they-cant-support-the-all",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-08-18T04:45:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "IOL",
    "slug": "iol",
    "url": "https://iol.co.za/sport/rugby/springboks/2026-08-18-erasmus-who-are-we-to-tell-south-africans-they-cant-support-the-all-blacks/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Erasmus, the Springbok coach, has expressed no concerns about the large number of South Africans who continue to support the All Blacks during the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry tour. This sentiment echoes the support South Africans showed for the All Blacks during the apartheid era, when many disenfranchised individuals backed the multi-racial teams. Erasmus drew parallels to his own childhood experiences, reminiscing about the New Zealand Cavaliers series in 1986 and the 1981 tour to New Zealand, where he admired players like Murray Mexted and Zinzan Brooke. He stated that it's not unusual for South Africans to support teams other than the Springboks, citing examples from his coaching staff. Erasmus believes that allowing this support, as long as it doesn't become ugly or personal, spiced up the competition. He acknowledged that political reasons or admiration for New Zealand's playing style were behind some South Africans' support for the All Blacks. Erasmus sees the growing enthusiasm for the traditional rivalry matches, such as the upcoming first Test between the Springboks and All Blacks, as beneficial for rugby, as it encourages more people to watch the sport.",
  "summary": "Rassie Erasmus says the Springboks have no problem with South Africans backing the All Blacks, recognising the historical and political reasons behind some allegiances.",
  "key_points": [
    "Erasmus, Springbok coach, sees no issue with South Africans supporting All Blacks",
    "Reminisces about 1986 New Zealand Cavaliers series and 1981 tour",
    "Support spiced up competition, beneficial for rugby"
  ],
  "editors_take": "Erasmus's tolerance for South Africans supporting the All Blacks reflects a broader view that diverse allegiances can enrich the rivalry and, by extension, the sport of rugby itself.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 4,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "MyJoyOnline Ghana",
        "title": "South Africa returnees form ‘Evacuation Boys’ to support sanitation in Ghana",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/18/south-africa-returnees-form-evacuation-boys-to-support-sanitation-in",
        "published": "2026-08-18T04:30:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "IOL",
        "title": "AFRICA LENS: South Africa at the forefront of SADC: A call for unity and transformation",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/18/africa-lens-south-africa-at-the-forefront-of-sadc-a-call-for-unity",
        "published": "2026-08-18T05:55:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Adom Online",
        "title": "South Africa returnees form ‘Evacuation Boys’ to support sanitation in Ghana",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/18/south-africa-returnees-form-evacuation-boys-to-support-sanitation-in-1656909",
        "published": "2026-08-18T06:57:59.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "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."
}