Ex-All Blacks captain: Rassie is the absolute king

Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus is playing the refereeing game better than anyone, according to former All Blacks captain Kieran Read.

Erasmus and New Zealand counterpart Dave Rennie have traded verbal blows through the media over officiating during the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series, particularly around the scrum following the Boks’ 33-26 victory in Cape Town.

Rennie again questioned the Boks’ scrum tactics after the second Test, claiming they were able to “walk around” and attack New Zealand’s tightheads. xsportfeed.life

That drew a furious response from Erasmus: “We’re not f**king walking around!” He insisted the Boks scrum straight and accused the All Blacks of attempting to create a narrative through the media.

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While some have criticised Erasmus’ approach, Read was more understanding.

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“I don’t mind it because all he’s trying to do is influence slightly what’s going to come in the next two Tests around refereeing decisions,” the 127-Test All Black said on the GBRANZ podcast.

“They’re going to watch Dave Rennie complain about their angles, so both of them are planting little seeds for the refereeing teams to maybe look at when they’re reviewing the footage.

“It’s part of it and with Rassie you’ve got to expect it. Coaches have been doing this for a long time, but Rassie is the absolute king of it.”

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Erasmus also kept the All Blacks guessing with changes to his team in the buildup to the Cape Town Test, including reshuffling his entire starting front row shortly before kick-off.

“He was up and down this week, wasn’t he? Making changes the day of the game, just as he’s handing in the team sheet half-an-hour before kick-off,” Read said.

“It’s his reasoning and he’s good at telling his story and good at the narrative around it.

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“The thing around that, though, is that if this was a World Cup game or maybe a Nations Championship, you can’t do that, you’ve got to name your team [48 hours before] and that’s what it’s got to be,” Read added. “You can’t swap out unless there are injuries.”

Photo: Sydney Seshibedi/Gallo Images

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Kaizer Chiefs defender Thabiso Monyane has been ruled out of action for four weeks after suffering an injury at training on Monday.

KAIZER CHIEFS SUFFER MONYANE BLOW

Monyane has been key for Amakhosi this season, featuring in all the five matches that they have played so far.

This injury comes at a time when Fernando da Cruz is busy trying to find a winning combination.

In his absence, Da Cruz may have to bring back either Dillan Solomons or Reeve Frosler to play at right-back.

The Amakhosi technical team may also call on Zitha Kwinika to fill in the right-back position depending on the opponents.

Chiefs take on Siwelele FC on Sunday, and this will be their first game without the services of Monyane who is only expected back in October.

Monyane joins a long list of injured Chiefs players, including Langelihle Phili, Ethan Chislett, Flavio Silva, Paseka Mako and Khanyisa Mayo among others.

The 26-year-old right-back has featured in 29 competitive matches since his arrival from arch-rivals Orlando Pirates last season.

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WHO SHOULD FILL IN FOR MONYANE?

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The Kaizer Chiefs head coach has rehashed Langelihle Phili‘s setback, while right-back Thabiso Monyane has also been ruled out.

However, Da Cruz has received a boost with several defenders returning to training.

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Da Cruz confirmed that Langelihle Phili is the latest major injury concern at Kaizer Chiefs, with the winger facing around eight weeks on the sidelines after suffering a serious ankle injury in training.

The setback comes after Phili had been brought in to strengthen the Chiefs squad, meaning the Glamour Boys will now have to manage without the youngster for a significant period.

Thabiso Monyane is another absentee, with the right-back expected to miss at least four weeks following a training-ground injury.

“Monyane will not be available before the FIFA window because he’s injured for four weeks; Phili is the same thing; he’s injured for eight weeks,” Da Cruz said at the Chiefs training grounds.

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KAIZER CHIEFS WELCOME DEFENSIVE BOOST

There is some positive news for Kaizer Chiefs. Paseka Mako, Bradley Cross, Kabelo Nkgwesa and Reeve Frosler are all returning to training.

Their returns are particularly important given the defensive shortage facing Da Cruz. However, the coach has warned that none of the returning players are yet ready to immediately handle a full match.

“But we have players who came back: Mako, Cross, Kabelo and Reeve Frosler. They are not 100% physically,” Da Cruz explained.

That leaves Chiefs with a delicate balancing act ahead of their meeting with Siwelele FC.

Da Cruz now has more defensive options available to him, but their lack of match sharpness means the French coach will have to carefully assess his selections before the Betway Premiership encounter.

John Dobson wants the Stormers to honour the legacy of the Western Cape next season as the club gears up to kick off its 2026-27 Vodacom URC campaign on foreign turf, reports DEVIN HERMANUS.

The Stormers will face Connacht in Galway in round one on 25 September, followed by a clash against Edinburgh six days later, before returning to the Republic for their first home game of the campaign – a 10 October coastal derby with the Sharks.

“This is the most well-rounded squad we have assembled in recent years,” Dobson said during a Stormers event on Tuesday night at Cape Town Stadium, where the side’s new kits were officially unveiled. The away strip pays tribute to the Men in Black era.

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“While we face challenges at lock following the departures of Salmaan Moerat and Ruben van Heerden, the return of Siya Kolisi, Cheslin Kolbe and Wilco Louw, alongside exciting young talent like Riley Norton, Markus Muller and Oliver Reid, gives us confidence.

“Our first two fixtures are away against Connacht and Edinburgh on 4G surfaces … that’s a tough start. Then we come back for that amazing sequence of four home games, including the Sharks.”

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The director of rugby said seeing youngsters debut in Stormers colours, whether for the Bolts or U23s, carries real weight, and a clear pathway would inspire every young local talent.

He pointed to Kolisi, Kolbe, Frans Malherbe, Scarra Ntubeni and Damian de Allende as products of Jacques Hanekom’s former Stellenbosch institute, calling its revival a major long-term ownership commitment to Stormers rugby’s future.

“We sometimes face scrutiny over recruitment, such as bringing back Siya Kolisi at 35,” Dobson added. “I have never understood any resistance to a player of Siya’s calibre; he remains one of South Africa’s finest players and leaders, as shown by his recent Test performances.

“In European football, Athletic Bilbao adhere strictly to their Basque policy, fielding only players raised or trained in their region. Our environment is similarly unique. The people of the Western Cape understand this region, its culture and its communities implicitly.

“While there are moments when injuries at tighthead prop might force you to look elsewhere, our foundational core must understand this union.”

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Dobson also shared the team’s season theme, ‘Connected’, which covers both on-field cohesion and authentic players-fan alignment off the pitch.

“Rugby in this region carries a heritage stretching back nearly 150 years to the founding of Hamiltons in 1875. Our goal this season is to honour that legacy by staying deeply connected to our purpose, our rugby and our people.”

Photo: Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images

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