Rassie Erasmus explains reasons behind substitutions in All Blacks loss

Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus has shed some light on the late substitutions he made during the 30-32 defeat to the All Blacks at Loftus on Saturday.

The visitors staged a remarkable comeback from 17 points down to claim a last-gasp victory, finishing 10 points ahead of the Boks in the Rugby Championship standings, while maintaining their 100% record in Pretoria in the professional era.

After the Springboks had dominated for most of the contest, the introduction of the bench in the final 20 minutes coincided with their opponents getting back in the game and, ultimately, getting over the line with a last-gasp effort Ardie Savea to level the scores in the dying moments.

Rassie Erasmus sheds light on substitutions

Speaking after the match, Erasmus explained his reasoning behind the substitutions.

“Look, Willie (le Roux) got concussion, so he went off for an HIA test and passed the concussion. I thought Damian (Willemse) really played well and did some great things when he came on. At nine, Faf was cramping, and it was at the same time as Willie, so it was two swops at the same time, which obviously is decision-making positions.

“They will learn today from what they did against the world’s best team. Vincent, we subbed quite early because Frans was quite honest and said he was tired.

“The game’s pace was the way we had to try to catch up. New Zealand are just one of those teams that really take that step up in the first half, the last five minutes and the last seven or eight minutes in the second half.

“I thought their bench played better when they came on, not because of effort, but more of experience.”

The defeat meant that both sides have recorded a win apiece against one another in this year’s edition of the Rugby Championship, and they meet once more next year before the World Cup in Japan, where they are grouped in the same pool.