Rassie Erasmus and Steven Kitshoff reveal the key role that the legendary Tendai Mtawarira played in the world champion Springboks’ famed replacements strategy.

On the latest episode of the Rassie+ podcast, the Bok head coach and retired prop revisited how the forward-heavy bench became a game-shaping tactic that helped power South Africa to back-to-back World Cups.

Mtawarira earned 117 caps during an 11-year Test career, dominating scrums and setting the standard for Bok looseheads.

Kitshoff won 83 Test caps and two world championships, first lifting the Webb Ellis Cup as Mtawarira’s backup at the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan.

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“You called all the front rows together [in 2019] … and it was in this little boardroom,” Kitshoff reminded Erasmus. “You asked, ‘Would you prefer to be on the field at the beginning or when the final whistle goes?’

“And I remember Beast [Mtawarira] standing up and saying, ‘Coach, I want to be on the field from the start.’”

Erasmus recalled asking: “Would you rather sing the anthem or be on the field when the final whistle goes?

“You [Kitshoff] were saying, ‘I don’t care, No 1 or 17,’ and Beast said, ‘No, I want to start.’ So we always started Beast because he didn’t accept it.”

“Rightfully so,” Kitshoff added. “Beast went flat out and played well from minute one.”

Erasmus believes the Bomb Squad would’ve failed to launch, had that group six years ago not bought into the plan.

“If you guys didn’t say, ‘I don’t care if I’m 17,’ it would’ve never worked,” he said.

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