Rassie Erasmus will return as coach of the world champion Springboks, a high-ranking South African Rugby Union (SARU) official advised AFP on Sunday 5, November 2023.
The South African director of rugby succeeds head coach Jacques Nienaber, who introduced a number of months in the past that he would give up after the World Cup and be a part of Irish facet Leinster.
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Springboks coach Rassie Erasmus to mix his duties
A high-ranking official inside SA Rugby who wished to stay nameless advised AFP: “I can confirm that Rassie Erasmus will combine his duties as director of rugby with that of Springbok coach.”
The affirmation that Erasmus would proceed to be concerned with the Springboks got here regardless of hypothesis that he would possibly comply with World Cup-winning coach Nienaber and settle for a profitable job in Ireland.
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Erasmus and Nienaber have shaped a tight-knit crew since working along with the South African franchise, the Cheetahs. They additionally joined forces with Munster in Ireland earlier than Erasmus was appointed South Africa’s director of rugby and coach in 2018.
He introduced Nienaber on board, they usually guided the Springboks to victory in the 2019 World Cup in Japan. Nienaber took over as head coach in 2020 when Erasmus stepped apart, however his affect remained apparent as the Springboks clinched a second successive world crown.
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Huge loss gap in the Springboks coaching crew
Erasmus mentioned in an interview with the Afrikaans language newspaper Rapport on Sunday that the lack of Nienaber left an enormous gap in the Springbok coaching crew.
But he added that nobody was irreplaceable, citing the lack of star hooker Malcolm Marx early in the 2023 marketing campaign, which was adopted by an harm to Bongi Mbonambi early in the last towards New Zealand, leaving the crew and not using a specialist in the place.
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With the majority of the 2023 winners having been a part of the 2019 triumph, Erasmus mentioned succession planning was important in a number of positions.
He singled out lock Eben Etzebeth.
“He is so athletic, but I don’t know whether he has another World Cup in him.” Erasmus mentioned hooker was one other place through which South Africa’s assets could possibly be skinny.
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Marx will likely be 33-years-old in 2027
Marx will likely be 33 in 2027, whereas Mbonambi will likely be 36 and Deon Fourie, who changed Mbonambi early on this 12 months’s last, is already 37. But Erasmus mentioned he was assured about the key fly-half place.
Handre Pollard will likely be 33, however Manie Libbok is solely 26, whereas there are a number of proficient younger fly-halves enjoying in home rugby.
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“We will work nice and hard on his place-kicking,” Erasmus mentioned of Libbok, who missed essential kicks throughout South Africa’s group part loss towards Ireland. Erasmus paid tribute to assault coach Felix Jones. The Irishman is set to be a part of England’s coaching staff.
“England has gained a jewel in Felix,” mentioned Erasmus. “He works himself to death, morning, afternoon and evening. Jacques is the same.” The subsequent huge problem for the Springboks is two matches towards Ireland in July subsequent 12 months. Ireland was the solely crew to beat South Africa at this 12 months’s World Cup.
© Agence France-Presse
