The Springbok director of rugby Rassie Erasmus said that the defeat to Ireland has not added pressure to their campaign, because the pressure was always there to get out of this slippery pool, qualifying for the 2023 Rugby World Cup playoffs.
"I wouldn't say it has added pressure. Certain departments functioned very well against the number one team in the world, who had won 15 games in a row. We came within three points of them last year and this time it was five points. At the end we had an opportunity to snatch the match away but I think they deservedly won the game. You just want to get out of your pool. I think it would be brave to say you want France or New Zealand in the quarter-finals. We will let destiny decide that because they're both formidable opponents.
"There's no added pressure because the pressure was always to get out of this slippery pool. We will see how Scotland get on against Tonga later. But it doesn’t add pressure. It is nice to see how different combinations are working and things are starting to come together but there were two or three obvious departments [which didn’t work so well]."
Erasmus said the loss to Ireland had positives and negatives:
"The negatives are that we were building nice momentum. Although we know the Tonga game will be a tough one, as the Scotland game will be for Ireland, that will probably determine who will be number one or two or three in the pool. I thought Scotland was always going to be a slippery game and it might be a tough one for Ireland as well, and so can Tonga be for us. Getting one [losing bonus] point out of the game is a bit of a positive, but losing the match is a negative.
"There were 11 points out there which we couldn't kick. I don't know how many teams have kept Ireland to 13 points, but it is the first time we haven't scored double figures against them since way back. So it was a great tussle between the number one and two teams in the world. Now it is about focusing on the next game to see if we can get out of the pool."
