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'It is not our role to have input on selection or gameplan' - Erasmus explains Super Rugby duties

South Africa boss Rassie Erasmus

South Africa director of rugby Rassie Erasmus and his backroom staff will be made available to assist the country’s Super Rugby teams in the 2019 season.

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SA Rugby announced on Tuesday that Erasmus, assistant coaches Matt Proudfoot, Mzwandile Stick and Jacques Nienaber and head of athletic performance Aled Walters can be utilised by the nation’s franchises.

The Bulls, the Lions, the Sharks and the Stormers can invite the coaches to join them, with Erasmus believing this will assist South Africa ahead of the 2019 Rugby World Cup.

Erasmus will join the Bulls for pre-season and said: “We will assist in generic areas, such as skills and conditioning, mauling, scrumming and line-outs.

“It will also give the national coaches a chance to discuss individual players with the franchise coaches and work on specific areas for specific individuals.

“But it is not our role to have input on selection or gameplan – that can only be determined by the franchise head coach.

“We believe this is an approach that can work for South African rugby in its broadest sense at the start of a very important Rugby World Cup year.”

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You may also like: Rassie Erasmus not staying on as head coach beyond 2019 RWC

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The Bulls also finally confirmed their new Super Rugby head coach to replace John Mitchell, who left to take a defence coach role with England alongside Eddie Jones.

Former Springboks lock Victor Matfield had been heavily linked to the role, but it’s believed he turned down the chance, forcing the Bulls to look elsewhere.

Southern Kings coach Deon Davids was also rumoured to be a contender, but instead they’ve chosen Pote Human, who led the Bulls during this years Currie Cup.

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He will step up for the new 2019 Super Rugby season, looking to improve their disappointing 12th-placed finish, with only the Reds, Blues and Sunwolves below them.

Watch: Bulls coaching announcement

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Nickers 32 minutes ago
Scott Robertson responds to criticism over All Blacks' handling errors

I thought we made a lot of progress against that type of defence by the WC last year. Lots of direct running and punching holes rather than using width. Against that type of defence I think you have to be looking to kick on first phase when you have front foot ball which we did relatively successfully. We are playing a lot of rugby behind the gain line at the moment. They are looking for those little interchanges for soft shoulders and fast ball or off loads but it regularly turns into them battering away with slow ball and going backwards, then putting in a very rushed kick under huge pressure.


JB brought that dimension when he first moved into 12 a couple of years ago but he's definitely not been at his best this year. I don't know if it is because he is being asked to play a narrow role, or carrying a niggle or two, but he does not look confident to me. He had that clean break on the weekend and stood there like he was a prop who found himself in open space and didn't know what to do with the ball. He is still a good first phase ball carrier though, they use him a lot off the line out to set up fast clean ball, but I don't think anyone is particularly clear on what they are supposed to do at that point. He was used really successfully as a second playmaker last year but I don't think he's been at that role once this year. He is a triple threat player but playing a very 1 dimensional role at the moment. He and Reiko have been absolutely rock solid on defence which is why I don't think there will be too much experimentation or changes there.

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