Rassie Erasmus and Steven Kitshoff reveal the key role that the legendary Tendai Mtawarira played in the world champion Springboks’ famed replacements strategy.
On the latest episode of the Rassie+ podcast, the Bok head coach and retired prop revisited how the forward-heavy bench became a game-shaping tactic that helped power South Africa to back-to-back World Cups.
Mtawarira earned 117 caps across 11 years in the green and gold jumper, dominating scrums and setting the standard for South African looseheads.
The 83-Test Kitshoff started the 2023 World Cup final at No 1, after first lifting the Webb Ellis Cup as Mtawarira’s understudy at Japan 2019.
MORE: Rassie promised Kitsie Bok captaincy
“You called all the front rows together [in 2019] … and it was in this little boardroom,” Kitshoff told Erasmus. “You asked, ‘Would you prefer to be on the field at the beginning or when the final whistle goes?’
“And I remember Beast [Mtawarira] standing up and saying, ‘Coach, I want to be on the field from the start.’”
Erasmus recalled spinning the idea cleverly: “I said, ‘Would you rather sing the anthem or be on the field when the final whistle goes?’ You [Kitshoff] were saying, ‘I don’t care, No 1 or 17,’ and Beast said, ‘No, I want to start.’ So we always started Beast because he didn’t accept it.”
“Rightfully so,” Kitshoff added. “Beast went flat out and played well from minute one.”
Had that group six years ago not bought in, Erasmus believes the Bomb Squad would’ve been dead on arrival. “If you guys didn’t say, ‘I don’t care if I’m 17,’ it would’ve never worked,” he said.
Photo: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images