WTC Final: South Africa’s Coaches Get Inspired by Rugby Icon Rassie Erasmus
As South Africa prepares for their first-ever ICC World Test Championship (WTC) Final against Australia, head coach Shukri Conrad and his coaching staff drew inspiration from an unlikely source — rugby legend Rassie Erasmus and his Springbok team.
Erasmus, the architect behind South Africa’s back-to-back Rugby World Cup triumphs, hosted the Proteas coaching unit at the Springboks’ alignment camp in Cape Town. The session was part of a cross-sport collaboration aimed at building a unified South African sporting identity.
The idea originated “not in a boardroom, but over a braai,” where Erasmus and Conrad bonded over shared challenges around leadership, pressure, and national pride. “Whether it’s a ruck or a run chase, the goal remains the same — to write victory stories that make the nation sing,” Erasmus told Sportsboom.co.za.
The cricket coaches observed Springbok training methods, tactical breakdowns, and team culture, finding parallels despite the different sports. Conrad described the experience as mentally sharpening, saying, “The language might be different—rucks versus reverse swing—but the messages are identical: play for the badge, trust your process, execute under pressure.”
Erasmus acknowledged that the Springboks also had much to learn from cricket’s endurance and psychological demands. “Five days of being scrutinized and still staying sharp — that’s spiritual stamina,” he said.
Conrad plans more collaboration with other national teams like Bafana Bafana and Banyana Banyana, emphasizing that the pride of playing for the the ultimate motivation. “We’ve got more in common than not,” Erasmus said. “The more we lean into each other, the more chance we have of both standing tall on the world stage.”
