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Rassie Erasmus to work remotely 'due to a pre-existing health condition'
By Ian Cameron
Rassie Erasmus won't be present at the Castle Lager Springbok Showdown and is set to work remotely due to health concerns, SA Rugby have revealed.
In 2019, Erasmus was diagnosed with microscopic polyangiitis with granulomatosis, but kept his illness private in the lead up to and during the Rugby World Cup campaign in Japan. The SA Rugby Director of Rugby and Springbok Green team commissioner will be shieled from the virus for the foreseeable future.
A statement from SA Rugby reads: "Media are advised that due to a pre-existing health condition, Rassie Erasmus, South Africa’s director of rugby, will continue to work remotely to minimise his risk during the pandemic and will therefore not be with Team Green during the build-up to the Castle Lager Springbok Showdown, nor at the match on Saturday.
"Erasmus was diagnosed in 2018 with a rare condition that causes inflammation of the blood vessels including in the throat and lungs, which increases vulnerability to the impact of a potential COVID-19 infection.
"The condition is managed but until all risk is eliminated, Erasmus will continue to work remotely."
The Springboks are building up to the Castle Lager Springbok Showdown at DHL Newlands on Saturday, 3 October, which will see two teams face off and against each other in a trial match. Erasmus said it was great for the players to get together again after such a long absence because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“During lockdown, Jacques and his assistant coaches kept in touch with the players by means of regular virtual meetings,” said Erasmus.
“However, nothing beats that feeling of being back in an actual team environment. Apart from the few training activities, which will not be heavily loaded, we will also spend a lot of time on aligning the players in both squads regarding our team objectives for the Castle Lager Springbok Showdown.
“Everyone are excited to be together again and we are looking forward to working with the players in the build-up to Saturday’s match.”
Deon Davids and Mzwandile Stick, the respective coaches of the Gold and Green squads, will announce their match day squads on Wednesday afternoon.
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Latest Comments
There is this thing going around against Siya Kolisi where they don't want him to be known as the best national captain ever, so they strike him down in ratings permanently whenever they can. They want McCaw and reckons he is the best captain ever. I disagree.
Just like they refuse to see SA as the best team and some have even said that should the Boks win a third WC in a row, they will still not be the best team ever. Even if they win every game between now and the WC. That is some serious hate coming SA's way.
Everyone forget how the McCaw AB's intimidated refs, was always on the wrong side, played on the ground etc. Things they would never have gotten away with today. They may have a better win ratio, but SA build depth, not caring about rank inbetween WC's until this year.
They weren't as bad inbetween as people claim, because non e of their losses was big ones and they almost never faced the strongest Bok team outside of the WC, allowing countries like France and Ireland to rise to the top unopposed.
Rassie is still at it, building more depth, getting more young stars into the fold. By the time he leaves (I hope never) he will leave a very strong Bok side for the next 15- 20 years. Not everyone will play for 20 years, but each year Rassie acknowledge the young stars and get them involved and ready for international rugby.
Not everyone will make it to the WC, but those 51/52 players will compete for those spots for the WC. They will deliver their best. The future of the Boks is in very safe hands. The only thing that bothers me is Rassie's health. If he can overcome it, rugby looks dark for the rest of the rugby world. He is already the greatest coach in WR history. By the time he retires, he will be the biggest legend any sport has ever seen
Go to commentsWas it? I just brought it up in some of my posts to rub it in that the AB last year nearly put 100 on a top 6N side lol
I agree to be honest. The biggest key to me that they might be jadded was none of them had mom performances, or even as good as their last three games.
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