When Rassie Erasmus returned from overseas to coach the Springboks in 2018, there were numerous issues throughout South African rugby.
Of course, the main priority was taking the prized asset – the Springboks – back to the top of the game after a series of ignominious defeats in addition to numerous other deeper problems around team unity and transformation.
In double quick time, Erasmus not only led the Springboks back to the top of the game – which has included back-to-back World Cup titles and a British & Irish Lions series victory – but he completely altered the way transformation is tackled.
Speaking to BBC, the 51-year-old said he is determined to continue changing perceptions of his team from outside South Africa.
“We aren’t just a bunch of bullies who want to bully their way right through,” he said.
“There’s much deeper things in this team, some serious, intelligent guys who have business brains, farmers and guys who have had tremendous struggles.
“We want [the media] just to see we aren’t just about fight and hate – and all of those kind of words.”
Rassie Erasmus has sought to create a space where the Springboks “feel safe if they work hard”
“If you buy in and you take ownership, you’ll be safe here,” he said.
“And you’ll never be embarrassed by the group or us or the coaches if you tried something and it didn’t work. That is probably my philosophy…
“You ask why I keep going after another World Cup. For me, this team in South Africa, whatever I do reflects on the team,” Erasmus added.
“And I don’t want them to have that tag, that we would do something like that on purpose. I hated what came out of that and I’m sorry about that.”
Do you think he is the greatest Bok coach of all time?
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