As the Springboks grapple with a fluctuating form under Head Coach Rassie Erasmus, rugby icon Schalk Burger voices his concerns over the team’s inconsistent game strategies. Under Erasmus’s tenure, the team has oscillated between a robust, set-piece and defense-oriented style that won them two World Cups and a newer, expansive game plan introduced by attack coach Tony Brown in 2024, which initially seemed promising. However, 2025 has seen a worrying dip in their performance.
Last year’s strategy brought some success as the Springboks clinched 11 victories out of 13 matches. However, the recent matches have painted a different picture with disheartening losses to the Wallabies in Johannesburg and the All Blacks in Auckland. The encounter with Australia was particularly alarming, as the team, opting for a high-tempo, expansive game, fell hard with a 38-22 scoreline after conceding 38 straight points.
In Auckland, the Springboks reverted to a more conservative approach, focusing on rugby fundamentals, yet still leaving much to be desired in terms of outcome and strategy integration. Burger highlighted the team’s strategic dilemma.
“I think our biggest worry will be, where’s our balance in the game? We obviously went from a pass-to-kick ratio of 12 to one, to almost playing like 2019 – one pass and kick, and quite conservative,”
he expressed during a segment on The Verdict.The oscillation between these two extremes – from the dynamic ‘Tonyball’ to a stringent, kick-centric approach – has seemingly confused the team’s identity and performance.
“What we’ve built on with Tony Brown coming in is shape, but that shape disappeared. The problem is if you’re chasing the game and you haven’t run that shape, and you don’t have those options in and around, instead of saying, ‘listen here, let’s run that shape but let’s play the tighter options’, we’ve gone completely the other way,”
Burger added.Post-Eden Park, Erasmus hinted at strategic shifts, particularly in the backline, aiming to reintegrate ‘Tonyball’ with new, younger players. Burger remains skeptical about the constant flip-flopping of strategies in high-stakes matches. With key players like Eben Etzebeth missing, the team dynamics are further challenged, though Burger finds a silver lining in emerging talents like Damian Willemse, whose playmaking skills he lauds.
As the Springboks continue to search for the right blend of old and new, the rugby world watches closely. Will they find their rhythm, or will the strategic indecisiveness cost them more than just games? Only time will tell.