Rassie Erasmus’ former rival Warren Gatland praises his Springboks success and mind games

Former Wales and British & Irish Lions coach Warren Gatland has praised Rassie Erasmus for building one of rugby’s strongest programmes, while also noting Erasmus’ reputation for provoking reactions through his media and mind-game tactics. In the interview, Gatland reflected on their long rivalry and discussed South Africa’s prospects for the 2027 Rugby World Cup and the inaugural Nations Championship, saying the Springboks remain strong but have some vulnerabilities.