The Springboks may have been thousands of kilometres from South Africa, but Rassie Erasmus had home firmly on his mind after the team’s latest victory over the All Blacks.
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South Africa beat New Zealand 43-28 in Baltimore on Saturday, 12 September, securing a 3-1 series victory in the inaugural Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry.
The result gave the world champions another reason to celebrate, while Erasmus used his post-match comments to acknowledge the South Africans who continue to follow the team wherever it plays.
A win shared with South Africa
A crowd of 68,173 watched the six-try victory at M&T Bank Stadium, with many South African supporters making their presence felt in Baltimore.
Erasmus thanked those who travelled to watch the Springboks, while also remembering the millions following from home.
According to SA Rugby Mag, the coach said the team does not forget South Africans “on the farm or in the township or in the businesses or in the shopping mall.”
He added: “We want to win and feel great for us as a team, but that’s why we play rugby. We just want to please South African people.”
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The comments came after a match that Erasmus felt was far closer than the final score suggested. He said the contest remained in the balance until the final stages, with Kurt-Lee Arendse’s second-half try helping to shift the momentum in South Africa’s favour.
Erasmus also rejected the idea that the 15-point margin accurately represented the difference between the two sides.
The Baltimore victory marked another milestone for the coach, who reached his 100th Test in charge of the Springboks during the match.
For Erasmus, the travelling supporters, those watching at home and the connection between the team and the country remain a major part of what the Springboks represent.
Originally published by Cape{town}etc.
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