"Rugby Belongs To No One" - Erasmus Launches Scathing Attack on Rugby's "Gatekeepers"

SOUTH AFRICA, 14 July 2025 - In a fiery press conference ahead of South Africa's test against Georgia, Rassie Erasmus launched an extraordinary broadside against rugby's establishment, declaring "rugby belongs to nobody'' while defending the Springboks' much-criticized tactics against Italy.

READ: Erasmus vs The World: Springboks Coach Ignites Rugby Philosophy War

The World Cup-winning coach responded to accusations of violating rugby's "spirit" by highlighting historical innovations from other nations: "When Jannie de Beer kicked five drop goals in 1999, was that against the spirit? When France ran the ball from everywhere? When New Zealand ran that Tony Woodcock lineout move?" Erasmus pointedly asked who gets to decide what constitutes acceptable innovation in the sport.

His comments come after the Boks employed a deliberately forced opening scrum and experimental open-play lineout maul against Italy - tactics some pundits called "against rugby's values." Erasmus remained unrepentant: "We don't do this for the world's approval. We do it for South Africa." The coach emphasized all tactics were legal, questioning why northern hemisphere teams aren't similarly criticized for kicking strategies that nullify scrums.