Boks remain focused amid ‘disappointing’ Erasmus row
LONDON: South Africa head coach Jacques Nienaber has insisted Rassie Erasmus’s latest ban will have no effect when the Springboks face England at Twickenham on Saturday, adding “all the facts” have yet to be made public.
Erasmus, South Africa’s director of rugby, is serving a two-game matchday ban handed out by World Rugby following his criticism of refereeing decisions during the ongoing Autumn Nations Series on social media.
As a result, Erasmus missed the Springboks’ 63-21 win over Italy in Genoa last weekend and the 50-yearold, who guided South Africa to 2019 World Cup glory, will not be at Twickenham this weekend either.
But Nienaber, speaking after naming his team to play England, told reporters on Tuesday that Erasmus’s latest suspension had no bearing on his team’s morale.
“In terms of Rassie’s ban, no, from our side we focus on rugby,” he said.
Former Springbok flanker Erasmus has only recently completed a stadium ban following a World Rugby suspension for his infamous hour-long video criticising referee Nic Berry’s performance in the first Test between South Africa and the British and Irish Lions last year.
That did not stop Erasmus from publishing several videos on social media that appeared to question decisions made by referee Wayne Barnes during the Springboks’ recent 30-26 loss to France on Nov 12. He had made similar comments on social media following South Africa’s defeat by Ireland a week earlier.
Erasmus said accusations his videos had led to threats of violence against experienced English referee Barnes were “completely unfounded”.