Springboks director of rugby Rassie Erasmus has fired back at fresh criticism of South Africa’s 2021 British & Irish Lions series win, following renewed comments from a longtime critic who labeled the series an “abomination.”
The latest salvo came from respected rugby columnist Stephen Jones, who recently reignited debate around the tightly contested series, calling the Springboks’ tactics “negative” and accusing Erasmus of damaging the integrity of the game with his infamous video critique of match officials.
Erasmus, never one to shy away from controversy, responded with characteristic defiance during a media session this week. “People are entitled to their opinions, but we did what we needed to do to win a very tough series under exceptional circumstances,” he said. “The players performed with immense discipline and character after a long period without Test rugby. That’s what I’m proud of.”
The 2021 Lions tour was played behind closed doors in South Africa due to COVID-19, and tensions flared when Erasmus released a 62-minute video criticizing referee Nic Berry’s performance in the first Test. While the Boks went on to win the series 2–1, the video sparked widespread debate and ultimately led to a World Rugby ban for Erasmus, which he later served.
Jones, writing in The Times, argued that the video set a dangerous precedent and tarnished the series. He has long been a vocal critic of the Springboks’ style of play, describing it as overly reliant on physicality and territory.
Erasmus, however, sees things differently. “We’ve always played to our strengths. We’re not trying to please journalists in the northern hemisphere,” he said. “We’re trying to win Test matches for our country, and we’ve done that consistently.”
The latest exchange has once again highlighted the deep divisions in global rugby about playing styles and officiating transparency. But for Erasmus and his Boks, the focus remains on results and with back-to-back World Cup titles in 2019 and 2023, his record speaks for itself.