Eddie Jones isn't one to pull punches, especially not when discussing the Springboks under Rassie Erasmus. On the Rugby Unity podcast, he likened the team to an "old boxer," hinting that while they still have the moves, their agility isn’t what it used to be. This comes after a mixed bag of results against the Wallabies in the Rugby Championship, where a switch back to veteran players in the second Test scraped through a win for South Africa.
"Rassie went to the young guys in the first Test and he thought they could do the job. But they’ve still got some development to do in those young players. So he went back to the older players in the second Test. It was like an old boxer in the ring. You know, he had enough craft about his profession to win the game, and that’s what they did," Jones explained.
"The South African side is now in their ninth year of being together and they’ve obviously got an ageing issue – some of their best players are probably at the lower end of their careers."
While the Boks' seasoned warriors can still pull off show-stopping performances, Jones pointed out that the gap between their best and worst is widening—a sign that time is catching up with them. Meanwhile, he contrasted this with Joe Schmidt’s Wallabies, who are "starting to develop some consistency" with a blend of youth and experience shaping a more reliable team.
Despite his critique, Jones reserved high praise for Damian de Allende, whose performance against the Wallabies was nothing short of stellar. "De Allende comes out there on Saturday and I thought he was one of the best players on the field. I thought his influence was massive … his ability to straighten the line, his breakdown work is significantly better than any other centre in the world. He’s absolutely outstanding and I thought South Africa won the breakdown," he commended.
Looking ahead, the Springboks face a critical showdown with the All Blacks at Eden Park, a fortress where New Zealand has not lost for 30 years. It's a match loaded with pressure, but also an opportunity for South Africa to either reinvent or reassure their standing in world rugby.
The stakes are high, and the rugby world will be watching to see if the old guard can muster the strength for another knockout or if it's time for the younger contenders to step into the ring.
2,193 posts
Eddie Jones isn't one to pull punches, especially not when discussing the Springboks under Rassie Erasmus. On the Rugby Unity podcast, he likened the team to an "old boxer," hinting that while they still have the moves, their agility isn’t what it used to be. This comes after a mixed bag of results against the Wallabies in the Rugby Championship, where a switch back to veteran players in the second Test scraped through a win for South Africa.
"Rassie went to the young guys in the first Test and he thought they could do the job. But they’ve still got some development to do in those young players. So he went back to the older players in the second Test. It was like an old boxer in the ring. You know, he had enough craft about his profession to win the game, and that’s what they did," Jones explained.
"The South African side is now in their ninth year of being together and they’ve obviously got an ageing issue – some of their best players are probably at the lower end of their careers."
While the Boks' seasoned warriors can still pull off show-stopping performances, Jones pointed out that the gap between their best and worst is widening—a sign that time is catching up with them. Meanwhile, he contrasted this with Joe Schmidt’s Wallabies, who are "starting to develop some consistency" with a blend of youth and experience shaping a more reliable team.
Despite his critique, Jones reserved high praise for Damian de Allende, whose performance against the Wallabies was nothing short of stellar. "De Allende comes out there on Saturday and I thought he was one of the best players on the field. I thought his influence was massive … his ability to straighten the line, his breakdown work is significantly better than any other centre in the world. He’s absolutely outstanding and I thought South Africa won the breakdown," he commended.
Looking ahead, the Springboks face a critical showdown with the All Blacks at Eden Park, a fortress where New Zealand has not lost for 30 years. It's a match loaded with pressure, but also an opportunity for South Africa to either reinvent or reassure their standing in world rugby.
The stakes are high, and the rugby world will be watching to see if the old guard can muster the strength for another knockout or if it's time for the younger contenders to step into the ring.