“We’re Not Walking Around”: Erasmus Delivers Fiery Response To Springbok Scrum Accusations

Springbok head coach Rassie Erasmus strongly rejected suggestions that the Springboks are deliberately “walking around” at scrum time, insisting that the criticism is a media-driven narrative rather than something reflected in the team’s performances.

Questions about the scrums emerged following the Springboks’ 33-26 victory in Cape Town, amid frustration over repeated resets and debate over whether South Africa’s forwards were illegally moving around the scrum.

Erasmus was having none of it and delivered a fiery response.

“It’s the first time in history that people are talking about us ‘walking around’. So why would we all of a sudden walk around?” he said.

The Springboks coach pointed to the opening scrums as evidence that the issue was not as straightforward as some suggestions made it appear.

“The first six scrums New Zealand had, every single one collapsed, and it was reset, reset, reset. So why is it only on their ball that the scrum collapses every single time?”

Erasmus also made it clear that he had no intention of using the media to put pressure on match officials or complain about individual decisions.

“I didn’t come with that nonsense and say they are walking around, trying to put those things out in the media,” he responded.

He added that South Africa could have complained about other aspects of the match but chose not to.

“If I’m starting to put things out like the last line-out was skewed and we contested it – I’m not going to moan my a*** off about that.”

For Erasmus, the bigger issue is the perception being created around the Springboks and their tactics. He suggested that criticism of South Africa’s approach was beginning to influence the wider conversation around officiating.

“If he (Dave Rennie) wants to start moaning about stuff like that, then they are under pressure. Last week we didn’t moan,” Erasmus said, referring to their series-opening defeat at 10Bet Ellis Park.

The South African coach then turned his attention to the disciplinary decisions during the match, particularly the treatment of head contacts.

“There were clear head contacts a lot of the time, and today in the first 40 minutes, there were four head contacts, and nothing was done about it, and then we got the first one,” he said, referring to Lood de Jager receiving a yellow card late in the game.

He argued that the Springboks had already experienced what he believed was an attempt to shape public opinion through media coverage.

“Don’t try and convince the people through the media, because that happened in the first week; they tried to convince the people in the media we were slowing the game down, and we’re not,” Erasmus said emphatically.

Erasmus insisted that South Africa would not simply accept accusations against their scrum without defending themselves.

“So if the referees get caught up by that, then there’s obviously a plan to get that message out, and then we’re not going to stay quiet and just say, ‘Yeah, you’re right, we are walking around.’”

He then delivered his most emphatic response of the exchange.

“We are not f***ing walking around; we’re scrumming through. We’ve never been accused of walking around, so I don’t understand that.”

The comments underline Erasmus’s determination to defend the Springboks against what he sees as an unfair narrative surrounding their scrum tactics.

With the scrum regarded as one of the key strengths in the Springboks’ arsenal, Erasmus challenged the premise behind the criticism rather than accepting it.