Rassie backs continuity and scramble defence for Baltimore series decider

With the Springboks holding a 2-1 series lead after their 29-24 victory in Soweto, Erasmus made only two changes to the starting matchday 23, retaining Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu at flyhalf while promoting Morne van den Berg at scrumhalf and restoring Damian Willemse at fullback in place of the injured Cheslin Kolbe.

Speaking after naming the team, Erasmus addressed the flyhalf selection and the decision not to rush Handre Pollard back into the side.

"Handre is almost ready. We could have selected Handre as well, and he'll probably play against Australia. It's about consistency," he said.

He expanded on the choice to stick with Feinberg-Mngomezulu despite Manie Libbok's strong cameo off the bench in the third Test.

"The game is different in the last 30 minutes when everybody is a bit more tired, forwards are a bit more heavy-footed and struggle to fill the gaps. Apart from the skill that Sacha has, he's a really good defender, and normally one of the big things that the All Blacks try and get is attack," Erasmus said.

"Manie definitely did really well for us. With Sacha, there are some areas where he's not 100% hit his straps for us yet, but we must remember he was out for a very long time, and it's only his fourth game back.

"Manie, we feel he can come on after five minutes if Sacha gets injured, and we know he can handle the pressure, but we might need him later in the game like we did last weekend."

Erasmus was particularly focused on the challenges posed by New Zealand's attacking threat. He stressed that even the best systems can be breached and that scramble defence will be decisive.

"When the All Blacks make a linebreak, they put all of their speed into it. They certainly can cut us apart and finish some awesome tries, like they have been," the Bok boss said.

"There's not a defence system which I think they will not breach with the way they're playing, and then the scramble defence becomes really important.

"When you have young, energetic guys like Sacha, those kinds of guys in your team, that helps a lot because they bring the energy and the speed. But the older guys bring calmness too. That combination is really important."

On the unique setting of a neutral-ground decider at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, Erasmus played down the absence of a home advantage while acknowledging it is something both teams will miss.

"A neutral ground is still 70m by 100m. I guess it's going to be a good crowd. The only thing that we'll really miss is our home support, and the All Blacks will also miss their home support.

"We have played them on neutral ground many times, at World Cups, at Twickenham - pool matches, World Cup semi-finals, finals and things like that. So it's going to be a hell of a match.

"We played a British & Irish Lions series in front of no crowds in South Africa, when we were 1-0 down. We've played in Covid times in the Rugby Championship in Australia when there were almost no South Africans there because you couldn't get out of the country.

"So we try to remind ourselves a lot of that.

"The big thing is, although the people are not here - and New Zealand are in the same boat, their people are also not here - we've had this experience many times against New Zealand, and many times we've been on the losing side.

"But our motivation is never about something else.

"We saw last weekend again how South Africa supports us. After the first one we lost, some people turned against you, but the majority stayed positive and supported.

"We remember those things and we're obviously going to play for them."

READ MORE: Damian Willemse returns to fullback as Boks seek to seal Rugby's Greatest Rivalry