No one has approached the game of Rugby like Springboks coach Rassie Erasmus.
The polarising figure has established himself as one of the most influential minds in the history of the professional era after guiding South Africa to the top of the world.
The former Springbok, who has an Honorary Doctorate in Philosophy (majoring in Coaching Science) has been involved in the national program since 2017, helping them to history as the first nation to win back-to-back World Cups.
Controversy has followed Erasmus, but the results speak for themselves as the 52-year-old continues to guide a golden era of South African Rugby.
Rugby.com.au breaks down the best of Rassie Erasmus' innovations that the Wallabies will or may have to contend with ahead of Sunday's (AEST) Rugby Championship opener at Ellis Park.
Erasmus has already thrown a curveball in the build-up by naming his side for this week's match several days before the 48-hour cut-off.
Generally, teams will name their side on Thursday for a Saturday game, with the Springboks generally bucking this trend by going on a Tuesday.
Erasums flipped this script even further, with the team to face the Wallabies revealed on Monday.
"We've been preparing three weeks for Australia, it doesn't normally happen. Normally after the incoming series, the next Test match is a little bit closer or a shorter period. Why we are announcing it early is to get the speculation out of the way so you guys can actually speculate about the team that I'll play," he explained.
"The team knows already who's playing so getting this out of the way, we can just focus on really training well and preparing."
The former back-rower also noted that this team could change even further, depending on the Wallabies' bench make-up, adding to the mind games before the whistle is even blown.
The Bomb Squad has been the most popular innovation by Erasmus and has underpinned their forward-heavy game plan that has delivered the success.
In simple terms, the Bomb Squad refers to the forwards that come off the bench to finish the game in the final 30-40 minutes.
Conventional bench splits have seen teams opt for a five-three split (with five forwards and three backs on the bench), often with three front-row replacements, two covering second and back row along with a scrum half, playmaker and outside back cover.
However, the Springboks have opted for maximum impact with a six-two split and even a seven-one split at certain stages of last year.
“It’s actually if a guy gets selected in the starting lineup off the bench, we say, ‘I’m sorry man, maybe next game you will be back in the Bomb Squad’,” lock RG Snyman says in ‘Chasing the Sun 2, a documentary about their 2023 World Cup success.
“We take that role very seriously.”
Players filling in at multiple positions isn't uncommon in Rugby, but the Springboks have turned it into an art.
As discussed, the make-up of the bench has become a massive tactical weapon for the South Africans, able to deploy their Bomb Squad better than anyone thanks to the unique set of skills their players have.
Kwagga Smith is the perfect example; the Sevens star as comfortable in the backline as he is in the back-row.
At the 2023 Rugby World Cup, flanker Deon Fourie was selected as the back-up hooker when Malcolm Marx went down, allowing Handre Pollard to come into the squad and make the difference with his kicking. In that final, Cheslin Kolbe was the cover at scrumhalf after he was named on the wing.
The Wallabies have experimented with this in the past, with Eddie Jones famously naming Josh Kemeny and Dylan Pietsch as 'Utility' players during different stages of his tenure.
But it's the Springboks that have mastered the art of versatility that continues to this day, with centre Andre Esterhuizen the latest hybrid player after spending a full half at flanker.
In recent times, Erasmus and the Springboks have turned their attention to how they can interpret the rules to play to their strengths.
This was on full display against Italy with the formation of a mid-play lineout/rolling maul, inspired by Paul Roos Gymnasium's under-14 B side out of all places.
Twice, they created a maul in general play from which they gained penalty advantage and scored tries on both occasions as lock Ruan Nortje was lifted to receive a pass, creating a driving maul from which the Springboks could use their powerful forwards.
This drew in the Italian defence and provided the space for their explosive playmakers to create chances to score.
"You get all the benefits from a line-out if you lift a guy in general play and it worked for us. But obviously now people will be alert for that," Erasmus notes.
"We tried a few things and sometimes those things work and sometimes they don’t, and you have to take it on the chin if they don’t work."
The other play the Springboks tried was deliberately infringing off the kick-off to trigger a midfield scrum, although World Rugby has since come out and said the play was illegal.
