Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus acknowledged the relevance of the Boks’ shock defeat against Japan in the 2015 Rugby World Cup.
The more things change, the more things stay the same. Ten years on from the Brave Blossoms’ Brighton Miracle, the Springboks face a Japanese team led by the wily Eddie Jones in England. What’s more, is that there are two Bok survivors from the XV that lost that World Cup pool match 34-32. Lock Lood de Jager and outside Jesse Kriel return for this weekend’s Wembley workout.
And Erasmus knows what it feels like. The former flanker was part of the first Springbok team to lose against Wales at the still under-construction Millennium Stadium in 1999.
“I’ve also been part of teams, [like] the first time we lost against Wales, I was a player,” he recollected.
“I was the guy who missed the tackle, and I will never forget that game. And the first time we lost to Italy. There are landmark things that happen that stand out.
“But then time moves on. Since then, we have played Japan twice. And they beat us fair and square in that game. People will always talk about that.”
The Springboks have faced them twice since, winning 41-7 in a 2019 RWC warm-up match, then 26-3 in the quarterfinals of the tournament proper. Nonetheless, Erasmus is not underestimating the world-ranked 13th team.
He alluded to players such as Kurt-Lee Arendse – who was sitting with him at the press conference – playing in the Japan League One and improving local players.
“We are not looking at them as a lucky team on that day, we are looking at them as a team that is climbing the ranks and getting really competitive,” he added.
“And these players [gesturing to Arendse], and the New Zealand players, and the influx of players into their local competition on that side, I don’t think they fear other countries anymore.
“Because they know the players, they play with New Zealanders, Australians, and South Africans.
“So if you look at the lucky day, if you want to call it that – it won’t be a lucky day if they beat Tier One teams now, because they are a well-drilled top nation.”
