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Why Rassie Erasmus will no longer be the Springboks' water boy
By Paul Smith
South Africa have confirmed that unless he is banned following next weekend’s World Rugby disciplinary hearing Rassie Erasmus will return to the coaching box for the Autumn International Series.
The World Cup winning director of rugby created a stir by donning a hi-viz jacket to act as a water boy during the Springboks’ summer series against the British & Irish Lions. This located him within the playing enclosure close to the action from where he could easily deliver messages to his team.
Although he subsequently sat out South Africa’s Rugby Championship trip to the Australian Gold Coast, opting instead to remain at home, Erasmus is a confirmed traveller for the Springboks’ November games against Wales, Scotland and England.
Speaking from an online media briefing from Paris, where the team is staging a one-week training camp, head coach Jacques Nienaber confirmed that a reduction in the permitted number of water carriers from three to two has caused a rethink in Erasmus’ in-match role.
“Rassie is here in his capacity as Director of Rugby,” Nienaber said.
“The normal trend was always only two water carriers in the technical box, but for the British & Irish Lions series World Rugby made a special dispensation to have three available and that was a role that we thought we are going to fill internally.
“That gave Rassie the opportunity to be the water carrier, but we are now back to two water carriers in the technical zone, so there is no space for him.”
“We normally had certain individuals that would fulfil that role of water carrier and they will continue. He (Erasmus) will fulfil his normal role as Director of Rugby and he will be in the box with us at the top.”
South Africa face Wales in Cardiff on November 6 before moving to Edinburgh to face Scotland on November 13.
Their tour ends with a match against England at Twickenham on November 20.
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Latest Comments
Agree with Wilson B- at best. And that is down to skilled individual players who know how to play the game - not a cohesive squad who know their roles and game plan. For those who claim that takes time to develop, the process is to keep the game plan simple at first and add layers as the squad gels and settles in to the new systems. Lack of progress against the rush D, lack of penetration and innovation in the mid-field, basic skill errors and loose forwards coming second in most big games all still evident in game 14 of the season. Hard to see significant measureable progress.
Go to commentsKeep telling yourself that. The time for a fresh broom is at the beginning - not some "balanced, incremental" (i.e. status quo) transition. All teams establish the way forward at the beginning. This coaching group lacked ideas and courage and the players showed it on the pitch. Backs are only average. Forwards are unbalanced and show good set piece but no domination in traditional AB open play. Unfortunately, Foster - Mark 2. You may be happy with those performances and have some belief in some "cunning plan" but I don't see any evidence of it. Rassie is miles ahead and increasing the gap.
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