‘We basically killed our dreams’

Rassie Erasmus says the Springboks may have blown their chances of reaching the inaugural Nations Championship final after losing 21-19 to France in Paris. The world champions’ hopes of topping the southern hemisphere standings suffered a potentially fatal blow as...

Why Rassie made front-row switch

Rassie Erasmus has explained why he made another late change to the Springbok front row ahead of Friday night’s Nations Championship Test against France in Paris. The Bok coach promoted Gerhard Steenekamp, Jan-Hendrik Wessels and Thomas du Toit to the starting lineup,...

Dupont: Beating Boks a mental boost

France captain Antoine Dupont says Friday night’s 21-19 win against the Springboks was important to show that his side is capable of grinding out victories when it matters. Dupont’s men held off a stirring second-half Bok comeback in Paris to remain top of the...

Rassie: I’m not blaming the ref

Coach Rassie Erasmus stopped short of berating referee Andrea Piardi after the Springboks’ 21-19 defeat in Paris. However, he spent much of his press conference describing the pressure a referee faces in front of a partisan home crowd. Erasmus began by accepting...

Siya rues missed opportunities

Captain Siya Kolisi says the Springboks had only themselves to blame after Friday night’s 21-19 Nations Championship defeat by France in Paris. The Boks trailed 21-7 at half-time, losing Lood de Jager to a yellow card and France scoring three converted tries. Kurt-Lee...

Jones: Really fine margins cost Boks

Springbok assistant coach Felix Jones believes a handful of crucial moments proved costly in the 21-19 defeat to France in Paris on Friday night. Both sides scored three tries in the Nations Championship clash, but a missed conversion by replacement flyhalf Manie...