Rassie Erasmus is once again pushing the boundaries of rugby law — but not everyone is impressed. Former Test referee Nigel Owens has weighed in on the Springboks’ controversial tactical moves during their 45-0 win over Italy, and he’s raising serious questions.
The match itself was a dominant display by South Africa, but the spotlight quickly shifted from the scoreboard to two eyebrow-raising plays: one involving a planned infringement from the kick-off, and the other — a bizarre open-field lineout during phase play.
Owens Sounds the Alarm
Nigel Owens didn’t mince words. On social media, the respected Welsh referee said the lineout-style maul — which involved lifting a player in the air during open play — posed a major issue.
“The problem with that play is that you are unable to tackle the player in the air or his support jumpers, so you can’t defend it or compete,” Owens posted.
While he stopped short of saying it clearly breaks the rules, his concern was unmistakable: it’s a tactic that leaves no room for fair defense.
Kick-off Shenanigans
The second talking point? The Springboks appeared to intentionally infringe at the kick-off to manufacture a scrum. Andre Esterhuizen caught a chip from Manie Libbok while offside, leading to a stoppage.
Owens’ take? That’s a clear penalty.
“PK for sure,” he wrote — meaning a penalty kick should have been awarded, not a scrum or free-kick.
Rassie Responds
Erasmus admitted post-match that the scrum plan didn’t quite work. Despite their intention to create a strong early platform, South Africa ended up conceding a free-kick for a front-row infringement.
“We wanted to get the scrum badly to get into the game early on,” Erasmus said. “It was a good plan in theory, but a bad plan from a practical point of view.”
The Bigger Picture
This isn’t the first time Erasmus has found himself testing the limits of the rugby lawbook. Known for his strategic genius and deep rule knowledge, the Bok boss is constantly searching for ways to create an edge.
But as Owens highlighted, not all innovations are welcome — especially when they exploit grey areas that could harm the integrity of the contest.
Whether World Rugby steps in to clarify the legality of these tactics remains to be seen, but one thing’s clear: the Springboks are changing the game, and not everyone’s on board.
