Erasmus: Boks need another 20% to stand chance of winning World Cup
Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus has cautioned South African rugby fans not to get too carried away after the team's performances in the Rugby Championship.
South Africa thrashed Argentina 46-13 in Salta on Saturday to win the Rugby Championship for the first time.
The Springboks last won a competition in 2009 when they finished first in the Tri Nations, the forerunner of the Rugby Championship.
This has led to a growing belief among Bok supporters that the men in green and gold could lift the William Web Ellis trophy for a third time in Japan later this year.
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The Boks landed at OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg on Monday, with Erasmus admitted that winning the trophy will give the players belief heading into the Rugby World Cup.
"It's really baby steps. We only had three games and we could have lost the New Zealand game so easily, you know. We were a bit lucky there.
"So we will keep on going and hopefully when we reach, after the pool stages (at the World Cup), those big semi-final games we'll be another twenty percent better. 'Cause I think that's how far we are still off from having a realistic chance of winning the big title."
Erasmus also addressed the issue of the captaincy, with regular skipper Siya Kolisi missing the Rugby Championship due to injury.
He confirmed Kolisi will be involved in Saturday's World Cup warm-up game against Argentina at Loftus Versveld on Saturday.