Chief agitator Erasmus makes move to get into English heads

Mind-games are back, but masterful Springboks' chief has so much more in his locker

- Nick Purewal

PREDICTING England's starting line-up for Saturday's World Cup semi-final was water off a duck's back for the masterful South Africa boss Rassie Erasmus.

Last night, in a village hall an hour north of Paris, the Springboks rugby director sat down and read 15 names from a piece of paper to the assembled media. The former South Africa No8 was not naming his own team for Saturday's Stade de France encounter, instead trying to second-guess England boss Steve Borthwick's selection.

At the last, Erasmus added a 16th name, because he could not work out whether he thinks England will pick Marcus Smith or Freddie Steward at full-back.

Erasmus has delivered high theatre to Test rugby ever since taking on South Africa's top job in 2017.

This latest press conference choreography is all part of a midweek dance designed to keep the spotlight and the pressure off both head coach Jacques Nienaber and the Boks' players.

England are not hugely keen at this stage of the week to run the rule back again over their 32-12 loss by South Africa in the 2019 World Cup Final in Yokohama. Erasmus met the issue head-on, fully accepting that England may well have "beef" with the Boks for that loss four years ago in Japan.

South Africa's third World Cup triumph crystallised Erasmus's total overhaul of Springbok rugby.