Huge punishment teams could face for copying Rassie Erasmus tactic
- Here’s how much South Africa & New Zealand will make off their USA Test match - September 12, 2026
- Dave Rennie sends fresh referee message after Springboks ‘piggyback’ penalties - September 12, 2026
- South Africa v New Zealand: Where to watch, TV channel, Kick-off time & Team news for fourth Test - September 11, 2026
Punishment.
Teams could face fines, points deductions and even expulsion from competitions if they attempt to copy Rassie Erasmus’ recent Springboks selection tactic.
Erasmus caused a stir ahead of South Africa’s 33-26 victory over the All Blacks in Cape Town after making a series of changes to his side following the usual team announcement deadline.
The Springbok boss initially named a 24-man squad, with Siya Kolisi and Paul de Villiers effectively bracketed together at flanker before Kolisi was confirmed to start.
Further changes followed on Friday, with Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu replacing the injured Handre Pollard at fly-half and Cheslin Kolbe coming into the starting XV in place of Kurt-Lee Arendse.
Erasmus then made his most unusual move shortly before kick-off, swapping his entire starting front row.
Gerhard Steenekamp, Deon Fourie and Thomas du Toit were promoted from the bench, with Ox Nche, Malcolm Marx and Wilco Louw moving in the opposite direction.
Erasmus later explained that the front-row reshuffle was a tactical decision influenced by a change in the weather forecast.
However, The Times reports that coaches attempting similar tactical changes in several of rugby’s major competitions could face serious consequences.
Teams competing in the Six Nations, Nations Championship and Rugby World Cup must announce their sides 48 hours before a match, with subsequent changes permitted only in the event of injury.
According to the report, World Rugby would have the power to issue a fine if a coach attempted the same tactic at next year’s Rugby World Cup in Australia.
The regulations are even stricter in the Champions Cup and Challenge Cup, where changes after the announcement deadline are permitted only for documented medical reasons and must be approved by EPCR.
A breach could result in a misconduct charge, with potential sanctions including a fine, points deduction or, in the most serious circumstances, disqualification from the competition.
Prem Rugby also requires medical justification for changes made after the team announcement deadline.
There is no suggestion Erasmus broke the regulations governing the Greatest Rivalry series.
The participation agreement between South Africa and New Zealand is understood to be more flexible than those used in other major competitions, allowing Erasmus to take advantage of grey areas in the regulations.
