Intriguing and remarkable in its peculiarity, the “Rassie phenomenon” is a fitting label for the paradigm shift that has fundamentally altered the course of Springbok rugby. The responsibility for crafting Ireland’s strategic undoing in the approaching two-Test series, which kicks off at Loftus Versfeld this Saturday, has fallen to a Boks coach who has consistently caused ripples in international rugby over the past half-dozen years. Considering Johan “Rassie” Erasmus was born 51 years ago on Guy Fawkes Day, perhaps it should come as no surprise.
The impact of Erasmus on South African rugby cannot be overstated. His role as coach in 2019 and then as director of rugby in 2023 has seen him not only lead the Boks to consecutive Rugby World Cup victories but also play a pivotal part in transforming and modernising the sport in a country previously shaped by apartheid policies.
North-West University in Potchefstroom recognised his invaluable contribution, bestowing an honorary doctorate upon him earlier this year. The award hailed his unwavering commitment to fostering inclusivity and diversity within rugby. More than just reinvigorating the sport, Erasmus has also used it as a potent symbol of unity and reconciliation in a country grappling with a complex historical tapestry. Under his supervision, the Springboks transcended simply being a rugby team and became an entity bringing together individuals of varied backgrounds and faiths, the university noted when presenting the honour.
As a result, it is apt to now address him as “Dr Erasmus”. The legacy of another esteemed rugby personality, Dr Danie Craven, who had a penchant for the occasional provocative comment, looms large. Known as “Mr Rugby,” Craven once confidently asserted: “We can change South Africa on the rugby field.”
This is precisely what Erasmus is successfully executing. He operates under the adage: “If you want to achieve something you’ve never achieved before, you must do something you’ve never done before.”
I am inclined to believe that since the revered Danie “Doc” Craven, there hasn’t been a South African figure as influential or magnetic in the world of rugby as Erasmus.
Before shifting his focus to the art of coaching, Craven, similar to Erasmus, was a figure revered on the Bok’s playing field. He navigated South Africa to a complete victory over the All Blacks in 1949, and a historical Grand Slam Tour of Britain and Ireland in 1951, before accepting the role of President of SA Rugby, a position he held for almost four decades.
In 2007, Craven was honoured with an induction into the Hall of Fame of World Rugby. His daughter, Joan Roux, shared her thoughts about her father: “My father was a remarkable person. He was someone of utmost integrity. He was well-versed in the game. He brought forth innovation. He was a brilliant storyteller. He was a seasoned coach. He was, at times, short-tempered with journalists and referees. But, he had the power to inspire. Above all else, he harboured a deep affection for the game of rugby. According to him, the game had a way of uniting people, leading to unity in our nation. He believed in the necessity of rugby, seeing it as a beacon of hope for the future.”
In a fitting tribute to Erasmus, these words can be quoted directly when he is inevitably inducted into the Hall of Fame.
Erasmus is well-known in rugby circles for his tactical prowess and deep understanding of the game, the most admired of which is his drive for innovation that often belies reason.
From deploying his notorious ‘Bomb Squad’ to cause substantial disruption in the second half, to using a unique system of ‘traffic lights’ to relay instructions to his squad on the pitch, Erasmus takes daring steps into territories unexplored by other coaches.
Rassie’s suave approach aligns with his reputation as a charming conversationalist. Just recently, at press conferences in Pretoria, he had the foreign press captivated with his distinctive views on even the most trivial elements relating to his team’s training and selection.
The thing about Erasmus is that he isn’t shy about voicing his opinions, resulting in an engaging story. Naturally, his complex relationship with the press and officials is also clearly evident.
Similar to his audacious attitude towards innovation, Erasmus possesses an indomitable spirit in his quest for justice. Also, much like Donald Trump, Erasmus consistently presents his grievances on social media platforms. This habit, however, has landed him in trouble on numerous occasions. A noteworthy instance being when he received a two-month prohibition from the World Rugby for revealing a video that criticised the management of Australian referee Nic Berry during the inaugural test between the Boks and the British and Irish Lions in 2021.
Reflecting on the Craven analogy, it can be noted that the captain of South Africa’s victorious 1951 Grand Slam tour, the notable Hennie Muller, was recognised by the World Rugby. In his quote, he emphasized that a significant quality of a winning coach like Craven was his ability to comprehensively understand his team members including their quirks, insecurities, dreams, and deepest thoughts, essentially walking in their shoes.
This may be the chief correlation between the revered figures of Danie Craven and Rassie Erasmus.
In his self-titled autobiography, Erasmus unintentionally though significantly, echoes this sentiment expressed by Muller. He emphasises on having regular conversations and communication with the team members, failure to which, he suggests, would lead to misunderstandings and unwarranted assumptions.
Other famous sentiments from Craven include his belief that a rugby game can be considered a masterpiece. Echoing this thought, New Zealand’s legendary All Blacks and the brains behind the inception of the International Rugby Academy of New Zealand (IRANZ) – Murray Mexted, extends this philosophy further, proposing that “coaching is an art form”.
Following this assertion, Erasmus can widely be regarded as the maestro of coaching, likened to Pablo Picasso. Renowned for his bespoke style and keen eye for inventive coaching approaches, Erasmus has unfailingly stuck to his initial beliefs. As one of his successors as the coach of Bok, Heyneke Meyer, highlights in his book My Notes on Leadership and Life, Erasmus’ triumph with the Springboks in the 2019 World Cup was not solely a result of comprehensive planning and intense training camps, but the primary focus was on those aspects that distinguished South Africans as uniquely rapacious, their strength and work ethic, or as Rassie put it, ‘Let the main thing be the main thing.’
Springbok rugby has traditionally been marked by its physical prowess, a characteristic that has often dominated both scrum and ruck, enabling South Africa to demonstrate unprecedented back-to-back excellence in the World Cup arena. Nevertheless, Rassie Erasmus is establishing a more expansive vision. Through his endeavours, Rassie is uniting the South African nation. The fervour for Rassie within South Africa is rife, as he instills hope for what lies ahead.