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Former rival explains why Rassie Erasmus is the world's greatest coach

South Africa's director of rugby Rassie Erasmus on the pitch during warm up before the Rugby World Cup 2023 Final between New Zealand and South Africa at the Stade de France on October 28th 2023 in Paris, France (Photo by Tom Jenkins/Getty Images)

Leicester Tigers boss Michael Cheika believes “you can’t go past” South Africa head coach Rassie Erasmus when picking the best coach in the world currently, whose Springboks side he says are looking “harder to stop”.

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Cheika has been Erasmus’ adversary over the past decade with both the Australian national team and the Argentinian, and highlighted the consistency the former Springbok has built with his team as one of the pillars of his success.

Of course, winning back-to-back World Cups is what makes Erasmus stand out in the Australian’s eyes, which is understandable.

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Joining Ben Youngs and Dan Cole, two members of his Leicester squad, recently on the For the Love of Rugby podcast, the former Rugby Championship winner explained what he believes makes a successful coach and why he holds Erasmus up in such high regard.

Erasmus has a chance to add to his burgeoning trophy haul this Saturday when his Springboks host Argentina in the final round of The Rugby Championship, knowing just a losing bonus point will bring them the title.

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South Africa
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“I’ve always seen coaching, in my eyes, being about the right person, for the right team at the right time. It’s three-dimensional,” Cheika said on the podcast.

“So one coach could do a brilliant job in one place, and then perhaps that same coach, when he goes to another place, might struggle a little bit because what you need to be in that environment is not what your skill set is.

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“You really can’t go past a coach who’s led his country to two World Cups.

“It’s pretty hard to go past that. That’s eight years’ worth of continuity and success. People can say, ‘Oh yeah, he’s got a great playing pool and all that,’ but you’ve still got to make those players play better and stay at that consistent level.

“So Erasmus has been able to acquire such consistency with his team, and he’s building like a bit of a monolith there. They’re even looking harder to stop. Along the way, they’ve created success by winning The Rugby Championship several times. They’ve had a lot of success on November tours when they’ve come up to the north, and then, as well, they’ve been able to have success in two World Cups. You can’t go past that.”

But as someone who has coached in both codes – leading Lebanon at a Rugby League World Cup and serving as an assistant with the Sydney Roosters – Cheika is also full of admiration for some of the legends of the 13-man game.

“I go to the people with longevity,” he said. “If I go to NRL, you’ve got Craig Bellamy from Melbourne Storm, who’s been nearly 20 years there. They would have been finalists, top four, probably 18 or 17 of those. Trent Robinson, Wayne Bennett— those guys who have had long stints and have been able to create success over long periods of time.”

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Related

Watch the highly acclaimed five-part documentary Chasing the Sun 2, chronicling the journey of the Springboks as they strive to successfully defend the Rugby World Cup, free on RugbyPass TV (*unavailable in Africa)

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Comments

21 Comments
L
Lulu 50 days ago

When Razor gets more experience and settles into his rythym, we are going to witness an All black backlash. Back to days where we are beaten regularly by them.

C
CR 49 days ago

If he doesn’t get fired after losing all three games on eoyt

R
RugCs 50 days ago

When it comes to coaches then Rassie must be considered the GOAT. I doubt that many will match his RWC record of two wins.

T
Terry24 50 days ago

There is a considerable amount of luck to winning a RWC.

In 2019, the two big teams NZ and England met in a semi final. SA got Wales in theirs.

England knocked NZ out who were better than SA having beat them, and England put so much effort into that they were a spent force in the final.


In 2023, Ireland were better than SA but NZ knocked them out and SA needed an enormous slice of luck to beat NZ. That's a fact.


Everything is GOAT this and GOAT that with SA these days. I think a bit of humility may be necessary.

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H
Hellhound 22 minutes ago
The 'one difference' between Boks and the back-to-back All Blacks

I mean overall talent, not that they will all play 20 years. That is impossible with rugby. The younger players like Elrigh is of course not world class yet. With more experience they will become world class. They are already exceptional players. Not even Eben and the current boys was world class when they started. They were exceptional yes, but not world class. Only experience brings that.


Generational players is very few and far inbetween who is world class from the off. The younger players can only become world class with the proper training and experience isn't something that can be bought. It's something they have to earn through their careers.


As for SRP being a good competition, I disagree. It's slanted in NZ favour and always has been. It's not what it used to be. The URC is now rated as the top club competition in the world next to the top 14 outside of the CC, and I didn't make up that rankings. You feel SRP is better because of our bias towards the NH, but it simply is not.


Yes, I don't know all the young Bucs of NZ coming through, but most of those you named I've seen and they are very good players but not exceptional nor world class. Just as with SA youngsters, that is something that will come with experience and they will become world class and is definitely the future for them.


NZ and Australia don't have the player pool depth that SA have. NZ's are bigger than most, but then most of their stars came from the Island nations like Fiji, Samoa and Tonga. If you count them, then maybe yes, they have as big a pool.


NZ will always be a top 3 team, as will SA. At least for the next 2 decades. That doesn't mean that other countries don't have some world class youngsters coming through either.


I don't claim that SA will win everything for the next 20 years. Nor that they will win the next 5 WC's. A lot depends on players, coaches, law changes and how the game keeps changing. There is too much variables. SA do have a bright future for the next 20 years , players who will hold the flag high. Same with NZ.


Nothing and no one can stop the Rivalry. I know the Irish is trying to replace the Boks with themselves as the main rivals. Everyone tunes in to watch the Boks vs AB's, all over the world. Every year. That is the most anticipated Tests by everyone every year.

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