Last year’s wins came under now-former coach Jacques Nienaber, before Erasmus returned to the helm at the start of 2024. All up, the record between New Zealand in South Africa reads 62-42 in the All Blacks’ favour, with four draws for good measure.
The two wins this year also saw South Africa reclaim the Freedom Trophy for the first time since 2009.
However, while South African fans can claim bragging rights until 2025 at the earliest, Erasmus - now in his second stint in charge of the Springboks - says his side still have plenty to do if they’re to hold the moral high ground.
From July 2015 to September 2018, South Africa failed to beat the All Blacks in a run of six straight tests that also yielded New Zealand’s biggest win - a 57-0 thumping on the North Shore.
And until that mark is at least matched by this Springboks outfit, Erasmus won’t rest on his laurels.
“It’s important to understand that for us four wins is nice to have, but they’ve beaten us six times in a row - that we were part of.”
Erasmus added: “57-0, 40 [points] in Durban. We’ve had big scores against them, six times in a row where they’ve beaten us.
“There’s nothing to brag about, they’ve done worse to us.
“But it feels good that we can pip a team like this. This game was like last weekend, if they’d won it, no one could say they didn’t deserve it.
“They have so many records they can brag about, we won’t ponder on that [for] too long.”
Both of South Africa’s wins on this tour have been thrillers, where Erasmus has masterminded two wins over Scott Robertson.
At both Johannesburg and Cape Town, the All Blacks held the lead in the second half, only for South Africa to turn things around and get home for victory.
That’s become a pattern for South Africa as well.
Rassie Erasmus. Photo / Photosport
At last year’s World Cup, the Springboks’ quarter-final, semifinal, and final wins over France, England and the All Blacks all came by a point respectively - the first time that’s happened.
And given this year has returned a series wins over Ireland before the victories over the All Blacks, you’d be hard pressed to argue South Africa aren’t the world’s best side.
“Because it’s the All Blacks, it’s special,” Erasmus continued. “I think we’re 20 from our last 23 games now.
“There’s been some great wins. The Ireland game was a drop goal, the game we lost at the World Cup, we could have scored from the last maul. A lot of games we only won by one point.
“We’re very realistic about where we are. A lot of games could have gone against us.
“We respect these guys unbelievably. I’m not talking nonsense. From the haka, to the individual players, to the make-up of their team, how they do things. It’s quite amazing what they’ve taught us.
“It’s not because it’s the All Blacks that it’s great. It’s because they’re the team we have a close relationship with. We’ve struggled a lot against them, and tonight we were able to beat them.”
What’s more, the rivalry between the All Blacks and South Africa can only continue to grow. If reports are to be believed, the two nations are close to finalising the return of old school tours, where every two years will see one host the other over multiple weeks.
It’s mooted that 2026 will see the All Blacks return to the Republic for three tests, a clash with South Africa A, and midweek games against domestic sides.
“Is it in 2025 [2026], where there will be three games? It will be huge, it will be something special. Hopefully I’m still here.”
Alex Powell is an Online Sports Editor for the NZ Herald. He has been a sports journalist since 2016, and previously worked for both Newshub and 1News.
