Former All Blacks fullback Israel Dagg believes the theatre created by Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus is great for the game.
Erasmus raised eyebrows on Monday when he brought Bok technical adviser and former Test referee Jaco Peyper to his press conference ahead of Saturday’s opening Test of the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series at Ellis Park.
It came after the All Blacks had pushed the narrative that South African teams – including the Boks – deliberately slow matches down to disrupt New Zealand’s high-tempo approach.
Erasmus rejected the allegation.
“Over five games that we’ve played [this year], we’ve not had one feedback that we slowed down the game,” said Erasmus. “Maybe [the All Blacks] have played against teams in pre-season mode. It’s like playing those Super Rugby warm-ups in January.”
Peyper then provided a detailed breakdown of what happens after a referee marks a scrum or lineout and the time teams have before play resumes.
MORE: Peyper shuts down ‘slow down’ talk
Speaking on Sport Nation’s Scotty and Izzy show, Dagg admitted Erasmus’ approach is increasingly winning him over.
“I can’t believe that I’m saying this but the more and more I see him in the media and at press conferences, the more and more I enjoy him, and that is Rassie Erasmus,” Dagg said.
“The way that the thug life, he brought out Jaco Peyper to his press conference knowing exactly the question line that was going to be brought to him from the media pack there in regards to slowing the ball down.
“I just think it’s great for rugby in general. Yes, there’s some things we have a laugh about and talk about a lot with the way that he approaches certain things, but there’s something in me that’s drawing closer and closer to Rassie.”
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Co-host Scotty Stevenson was less impressed, arguing that Erasmus and Peyper had answered a different question to the one being raised about South Africa’s tactics.
“I’ve got no issue that Jaco Peyper is now officially part of that management team or coaching team and he’s there to impart his knowledge,” Stevenson said.
“The interesting issue for me is it was a strawman argument that he brought to a genuine question.
“The genuine question here is how you slow ball down in the game flow. It’s a very different point that people are trying to make about the game and Rassie chose to take that argument just over here to the left to make it look like that’s what the point is, and it’s not.
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“It was very clever diversion and he’s very good at it and he has been for a very long time.
“Wheeling out Jaco Peyper and throwing out the question to him, who gladly picked up on the tactic and ran with it, I thought was quite intriguing.”
Photo: Sydney Seshibedi/Gallo Images
