Hansen warns New Zealand not to be drawn into Erasmus’ ‘sabotage’ ahead of Ellis Park Test

Former All Black coach Steve Hansen has urged New Zealand to ignore Rassie Erasmus’ public comments and focus on their own game plan as the first Test of the Greatest Rivalry series approaches.

Hansen described the Springbok coach as a “master of sabotage” and suggested Erasmus had been deliberately engaging supporters with his comments, particularly during Monday’s Springbok press conference.

Speaking on theDSPN podcast, Hansen was responding to host Martin Devlin’s question about how the Springboks might approach the opening match. Earlier this week, Erasmus indicated that South Africa could adopt a style similar to the one used in their two Tests against the All Blacks last year.

The Springboks lost 13-12 at Eden Park before producing a dominant response in Wellington, where they defeated New Zealand 43-10.

Hansen, who previously coached the All Blacks, said Erasmus’ comments should not be treated as a reliable indication of South Africa’s plans.

“Look, I wouldn’t listen too much to anything Rassie says,” said Hansen.

“He’s the master of sabotage, sending it one way and then going the other. So, personally, I wouldn’t be taking too much notice of what he says.”

The former New Zealand coach believes the All Blacks should concentrate on the aspects of the match they can control rather than become distracted by Erasmus’ well-known mind games.

His comments are notable because New Zealand themselves have been prominent in discussions about the tempo of the match, having raised the issue of a possible slow-play approach from the outset of the build-up.

“I’d just be concentrating on what I do know. But more importantly, I’d be concentrating on how I want us to play,” said Hansen.

“And I’m sure that’s what Dave and his team will be doing.

“Rassie, you know, he does that for all the fans. All of us fans jump into that bit.”

The exchanges between the two camps have added to the anticipation surrounding a fixture that forms part of one of international rugby’s most enduring rivalries. The public discussion has intensified throughout the week, with both sides contributing to the sense of intrigue before the opening Test.

However, the focus will shift from words to action when the teams meet on Saturday. The first match of the series will take place at Ellis Park, with kick-off scheduled for 17:10.

The Springboks defeated the All Blacks convincingly in their most recent meeting in Wellington, but New Zealand won the earlier contest at Eden Park. That contrasting pair of results has added further interest to the latest meeting and to the tactical questions surrounding Erasmus’ side.

For Hansen, though, the key message for the All Blacks is straightforward: prepare for the match they expect to play, rather than attempting to interpret every statement from the Springbok camp.

With the opening Test now close, the period of speculation and verbal sparring is nearing its end. On Saturday, the teams will finally provide the answers on the field.