men’s
international rugby
South Africa head coach Rassie Erasmus has attempted to clear up the uncertainty over why Eben Etzebeth was substituted in the second half of the Springboks’ thrilling 42-38 loss to Australia in Perth.
The Wallabies, coached by Les Kiss, secured an incredible win at Optus Stadium on Sunday, claiming the Mandela Challenge Plate and maintaining their undefeated streak in 2026, hanging on during a chaotic final period when they were temporarily down to just 11 players.
The encounter also saw a baffling series of events regarding experienced lock Etzebeth, who went off in the second half, came back on for a brief spell, and then exited the pitch once more before the final whistle.
Around the 64-minute mark, the physical Springbok forward seemed to leave the pitch for a suspected concussion check. However, he returned to action three minutes afterwards, though his reentry seemed to be contested by a medical official on the touchline.
As the South Africans pushed for a match-winning try in the dying moments of the game, he was substituted once again.
In his post-match comments, Erasmus acknowledged the misunderstandings regarding the forward’s physical state and noted that it was a teaching moment for everyone involved.
“To be fair, he received a blow to his neck, leading me to assume he was off for a concussion assessment. Those of us in the coaches’ booth do not determine the reason a player goes off,” Erasmus explained to journalists.
“Thus, once the medical staff informed me about the blow to his neck, I assumed a head injury assessment was underway, which I believe is where the miscommunication began.
“It seems he was designated as injured rather than undergoing an HIA. Under those rules, a replacement cannot be fielded. It serves as an educational moment for ourselves as well as the sideline officials, including the fourth and fifth referees, to fully grasp.”
The coach did, however, offer reassurance that the giant lock had avoided any major damage despite the chaotic situation.
“Fortunately, he got through it. He is feeling quite sore and tight in the locker room at the moment, but thankfully, there doesn’t seem to be any severe harm done.”
