Player safety is priority for South Africa after HIA calls, insists Rassie Erasmus

South Africa’s director of rugby, Rassie Erasmus, says he and his coaching team called for multiple head injury assessments during the second half of Sunday’s quarter-final triumph against France because “there is life after rugby” and they are serious about prioritising the safety of their players whatever is at stake in the match.

Pieter-Steph du Toit, Duane Vermeulen and Bongi Mbonambi were all removed from the action under World Rugby’s HIA protocol during an attritional second half at Stade de France, with the Boks shading a thrilling contest against the hosts thanks to Handré Pollard’s long-range penalty.

The back-rowers Du Toit and Vermeulen were both able to return to the action having passed head injury assessments. Du Toit left the field on 61 minutes and returned 14 minutes later, while Vermeulen spent 10 minutes off the field from 51 to 61 minutes.

In a media briefing on Monday, Erasmus was unsure whether the HIA for the No 8, Vermeulen, was requested by the matchday doctor or by the Springboks’ team doctor. World Rugby confirmed that the team doctor, the matchday doctor and the referee are permitted to remove a player for an HIA.

“We really care about our players and rightly so,” said Erasmus. “I think it was [William] Servat, the French forwards coach, he said [before the match] he hoped the medical team and the HIA people are ready, because there’s going to be a lot of bumps and bruises.

“And obviously you could see when Pieter-Steph made a head contact, we had to do a HIA there, it was straight head-to-head, and then the same, I think Duane Vermeulen was actually called by the matchday doctor.” Clarification has been requested from the Springboks and World Rugby on who requested the Vermeulen HIA.

“Then I