Rassie Erasmus confirms his Springboks future following Rugby World Cup triumph
will once again become the Springboks’ head coach and combine it with his position as director of rugby.
The two-time Rugby World Cup champion will assume the position going forward and confirmed the news to local media on Sunday.
Following the announcement by Jacques Nienaber that he would be leaving after the World Cup, South Africa began searching for a new head coach.
Nienaber is joining the Irish province Leinster, and Felix Jones has left the team to join England as an assistant coach.
Due to his connections to Ireland, there were also worries that Erasmus would depart following the international competition.
Although Erasmus swiftly put an end to those rumors in September, former Springbok Victor Matfield was “90-95 percent” certain that the Boks’ director of rugby would be traveling to the Emerald Isle.
In September, he stated, “No, I won’t be.”
There is no truth to the statement that there haven’t been any talks. It certainly didn’t start where I’m not sure.
“I have not communicated with them, and I will not be adhering to Jacques [Nienaber].”
Instead, Erasmus has taken on a greater workload as the head coach of South Africa, a position he held during their World Cup victory in 2019.
Challenging for third successive title
He was supposed to take over in an interim role this week, but no official timeline has been provided. Rapport claims that his new role is intended to prepare him to contend for the 2027 World Cup championship.
Former Boks forwards coach Matt Proudfoot told Sport24, “Where Rassie is very good is looking at the cause of the problem and saying, ‘this is what we need to fix’.”
“That process is what motivates him; he never stops searching for that edge. Rassie possesses a rare ability to identify the essential element that will ultimately determine the outcome.
Coaches Mzwandile Stick, Deon Davids, and Daan Human are anticipated to stay with the Springboks, along with important strength and conditioning specialist Andy Edwards, who continues in his role as head of athletic performance, despite the departures of Nienaber and Jones.
The Springboks have lost two not-so-secret weapons after World Cup triumph
When the Boks play again the following season, it will be a case of you never know what you have until it’s gone.
Rassie was always the center of attention, so Jacques Nienaber and Felix Jones weren’t exactly the coaching staff’s poster boys. Instead, they were content to blend in and keep their heads deep in their laptops.
Naturally, Rassie is aware of the extent of the information the two have unearthed about their players and the opposition. With both of them currently traveling to the northern hemisphere, Leinster and the England national team are going to gain a wealth of new information.
Don’t spill the beans, Jacques
As Ireland gets ready for a revenge tour to South Africa, one hopes that not many trade secrets will find their way to the top, even though Nienaber will be involved at the provincial level at Leinster. World Rugby has not confirmed that tour, but it is well known that the only team that defeated the Boks at the World Cup will be their customary June opponents the following year.
Although they defeated South Africa, Ireland will undoubtedly feel that they have something to prove given that the Boks took home the Cup. The Boks will be motivated to end a three-match losing streak in order to demonstrate their status as deserving world champions. They have not defeated Ireland since 2016.
Director Rassie will need to carefully consider who to replace attack coach Jones and master of all trades Nienaber, given their extensive “gopher” work for the director. As the World Cup was coming to an end, it was interesting to hear what the Bok players had to say about Irishman Jones. Teams need unsung heroes.
Veteran Willie le Roux remarked, “He’s an incredible coach and it has been a privilege to work with him.”
Kragga Smith, a member of the Bomb Squad, continued, saying, “He’s an amazing coach and person.” He has made all of us Springboks better players.
The intriguing aspect is that Jones and the players are not that much older. At the age of thirty-six, he was playing fullback for Munster in 2015 and had earned thirteen caps for Ireland before suffering an injury. He made the quick transition to attack coach and quickly established a rapport with the players due to his obvious work ethic and subject matter expertise.
Le Roux remarked, “I don’t think I’ve ever seen him without his laptop.”
“He is a big asset to our attack, strike moves, and overall back play, and I believe the Springboks will miss him.”
‘The finer details’
Smith remarked, “He just pays so much attention to the little things.” You constantly believe you have a clean slate until he posts video and says, “Listen, this is how you do it.”
Regarding Nienaber, Siya Kolisi recently stated that he was a priceless asset because of his human touch and attention to detail. Kolisi remarked, “Jacques truly shows an interest in you, your history, and your family.”
You want to perform for a man who will welcome you and your children individually at the beginning of the tour, asking how they are doing and knowing which schools they attend.
“People simply don’t realize how much effort Jacques puts into getting us ready for a game. For instance, when I see an opponent approaching during a game, I can predict his movements, where he will step, and which direction he will probably pass because of the information I have been given.
