The Springboks got away with “scrummage murder” throughout the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series, according to veteran journalist Mark Reason.
Writing for Stuff.nz, Reason argues that is only because Rassie Erasmus outsmarted referees and outmaneuvered the All Blacks off the field.
He says the 3-1 series win for the Boks turned the moment Erasmus denied his front row was walking around at scrum time, seizing control of the narrative and painting New Zealand as whingers after Dave Rennie had publicly raised the issue.
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He says referee Nika Amashukeli missed repeated scrum infringements from Ox Nché in the third Test, while Codie Taylor was pinged for similar technical breaches New Zealand felt went unpunished when South Africa committed them.
Reason believes South Africa’s edge comes from working closely with former referee Jaco Peyper to study officials’ habits.
He suggests the All Blacks have lost their old standing with referees and, unless that relationship improves alongside the rest of their game, will struggle to win the World Cup next year.
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“How Dave Rennie must now regret publicly airing the subject of South Africa’s scrum. It gave Erasmus the chance to play the martyr,” Reason writes.
“It gave him the chance to hand the All Blacks to the slavering South African media as a bunch of whingers. It gave him the chance to take ownership of the series.
“There was a time when the All Blacks were the smartest guys in the room. The wheel has now turned. South Africa are now the smartest guys in the room.”
Photo: Roger Sedres/Gallo Images
The post Rassie’s Boks ‘smartest guys in the room’ appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.
The Springboks got away with “scrummage murder” throughout the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series, according to veteran journalist Mark Reason.
The post Rassie’s Boks ‘smartest guys in the room’ appeared first on SA Rugby magazine. Read More
