In a dramatic turn of events, South Africa’s Springboks were stunned by Australia in their Rugby Championship opener, falling 38-22 after a promising 22-0 start. Captain Siya Kolisi issued a heartfelt apology, admitting their performance was “unacceptable” and saying, “We let ourselves down today.” Despite their strong beginning, they struggled with errors, particularly at the breakdown, which proved costly against a relentless Australian side.
Kolisi, making his first Test start at No.8, acknowledged the Wallabies’ perseverance, commending them for never giving up. “Credit to the Australian team – they kept on fighting. From us, you can see we’re not proud of the performance we put out today. We’re not going to drop our heads. We’ll go again next week and fight.”
Head coach Rassie Erasmus did not mince words post-match, expressing embarrassment at the fallout. He admitted, “We made them better with our poor performance,” drawing unvarnished parallels to past games where they let leads slip. Despite his disappointment, Erasmus vowed introspection and renewed effort, acknowledging the road to redemption starts with personal accountability.
The Springboks are set on bouncing back, with Kolisi promising renewed vigour, urging fans to stay hopeful for forthcoming matches. They’re determined to learn from this setback, eager to show fans the true spirit of South African rugby. Keep supporting, they say; the battle is far from over! 🏉🇿🇦
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