Rassie Erasmus admits no margin for error for Springboks at 2027 Rugby World Cup

The Springboks’ old World Cup habit — dropping a pool match early and then storming through the knockout stages with their backs against the wall — won’t be part of the Rassie Erasmus playbook this time.

A revamped tournament format has stripped away that margin for error, meaning South Africa will have to treat every fixture, from the opening whistle in Pool B to the final in Australia, as must-win territory if they hope to claim an unprecedented third straight title and a record fifth crown overall.

Under Erasmus in 2019 and the 2023 World Cup-winning coach Jacques Nienaber, the Boks were able to lose a pool game and still go on to win the trophy. Every match after those losses — to New Zealand in 2019 and Ireland in 2023 — effectively became a knockout for the side.

However, with the format change and the expanded number of pools, the world champions will have no scope to lose a pool match, as every fixture counts towards Round of 16 and quarter-final placement.

They have been drawn in Pool B of the tournament in Australia and will face Italy, Romania and Georgia.

Erasmus realises that the luxury of losing a pool game and still advancing has probably been taken away. He even joked in an online press conference that he should have a chat with the Italians to see what they could do to help keep up the Boks’ tradition of losing one pool match.

“We might have a chat with Gonzalo Quesada and tell him, let’s see what happens in the game between Australia and New Zealand, and maybe we can lose one,” Erasmus joked.

“But then you play your Round of 16 game against a tougher side, maybe. It has happened before that we lost a pool game. However, I don’t think we want to lose a pool game in this World Cup.

“I have not been through something like this, but you can actually be knocked out in the Round of 16. We are not too sure how to approach this. However, it is probably a good thing for the lower-tier sides to have another chance (of an upset).

“All of the teams will play it, but we can’t complain about it. If you get kicked out, you get kicked out.”

According to Erasmus, in the past the World Cup was normally four tough games to claim the Cup, but with the extra knockout it becomes five difficult clashes. So they will prepare to play five knockout matches if and when they reach the playoffs of the tournament Down Under.