Springboks Hit 100 Games Under Erasmus, Eye Historic Win

In 2017, South Africa's national rugby team suffered their worst defeat ever, losing 38-3 to Ireland after a string of humiliating losses that made them the laughingstock of world rugby. This Saturday, that same team plays their 100th match under coach Rassie Erasmus as back-to-back World Cup champions.

The turnaround started in 2018 when Erasmus took over a broken squad that had lost to teams they'd never lost to before. He made a bold call that surprised everyone: naming Siya Kolisi as captain, the first Black captain in Springbok history.

That decision changed everything. Kolisi has now led the team to 54 Test wins, more than any captain in South African rugby history, surpassing the previous record just last week.

Erasmus didn't rebuild by starting from scratch. He saw potential in players others had written off after those dark years. Malcolm Marx, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Eben Etzebeth, and Handré Pollard all played during the losing streak, yet Erasmus believed they could become champions.

The coach's strategy was simple but effective: mix young talent with experienced players, and give them time to gel. In his first season, the Boks won just half their matches, but they beat New Zealand in Wellington for the first time in nine years.

By 2019, the faith paid off spectacularly. The Springboks became the first team ever to win both the Rugby Championship and the World Cup in the same year.

The Ripple Effect

This Saturday's match in Baltimore gives the Springboks a chance to beat New Zealand three times in one year, matching a feat achieved only once before in 2009. They've already won seven of their last nine matches against their fiercest rivals.

The transformation goes beyond trophies. Many players who debuted in 2018 under Erasmus are still with the team today, including stars like Cheslin Kolbe, now considered one of rugby's all-time greats.

The pandemic could have derailed their momentum in 2020, but the team bounced back to win the British and Irish Lions series in 2021. They captured a second World Cup in 2023, cementing their place as one of rugby's greatest dynasties.

Saturday's game means more than just another trophy. It marks 100 matches of proving that belief, patience, and giving people a second chance can create something extraordinary.