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The valuable lesson Rassie Erasmus taught Alex Sanderson
By Jon Newcombe
Whenever Sale Sharks Director of Rugby Alex Sanderson addresses questions from the media in his weekly Zoom call, or in person, it feels like he is happy to be there and enjoys the cat-and-mouse nature of the conversation.
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Engaging, witty, and transparent, are all adjectives to describe his easy-going manner, and long may it continue, because not many others in his position treat this aspect of their job the same, with them it’s more of an obligation than a shared experience.
So far, so good. It is pretty much five years to the day since the former Saracens coach conducted his first media session as Sharks boss from his new home in the North West, and nothing – other than a few more grey hairs – has changed.
Sanderson has sometimes wondered whether he’d need to take on a different persona and not be himself if he wanted to climb the greasy pole of professional coaching. However, South Africa’s double World Cup-winning coach, Rassie Erasmus, has taught him that you can be totally authentic and still be in authority at the highest level.
The Springboks’ first Test of the year, at Twickenham against Wales in June, allowed Sanderson to meet up with Erasmus and his team, unannounced, and begin a relationship that has since grown.
“I just rocked up and sat in their hotel when they had that game against Wales at Twickenham and put myself in front of them, and cold-called it,” he said.
“I said, ‘Look, I would really like to spend a bit of time with you and, slowly, I probably wore them down.”
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Sanderson already had a summer visit to the Blue Bulls lined up, and whilst he was over in South Africa, he touched base with the Springboks again.
“I knew they were training in Pretoria so we were on scene around Loftus, and as the trust and the relationship that we fostered at Twickenham grew, they invited us into camp. By the end of it, we were drinking brandy and cokes and sharing thoughts and ideas.
“That shows you what kind of group they are, it is built on trust, everything is face-to-face, not formal emails, and once you get past the velvet curtains they are a really open and warm group.
“I was a bit star-struck by their guys coming up to me in the session and post-session and saying, ‘What do you think coach?’, and shaking my hand and stuff.
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“On the last day, it was like, let’s get the books out and share everything, that’s what I found outstanding, that they were able to have discussions around how you are using methodology and all of that, which has helped us shape what we do.”
Rassie Erasmus, the man, the myth, the legend, was largely a stranger to Sanderson up until his bold-as-northern-brass approach. But the former England flanker left South Africa, where he has returned this week for the Investec Champions Cup game against the Stormers, in no doubt as to his influence.
“They are the best team in the world and I guess that is where they get that tightness and cohesion from, because it is important to them, all those intangible things,
“There is no magic wand here, no potion or secret, it’s genuinely core basics done really, really well with a 100% buy-in as to what they are about as a team and what drives their game model.
“That’s what I came away from there with, and Rassie and the man that he is. I’ve spent some time with some very senior coaches of international organisations and I just thought to myself, ‘Do I have to become like that, do I have to change who I am, 10 years down the line if I am lucky enough to hold a position like that?’
“And then I meet him and understand how tight he is with the players, and how is still very much himself, very vulnerable at times, whilst still commanding that respect.
“All the coachdes say, ‘Look, he’s got the special sauce, it’s him that pulls it all together. It gave me personally, affirmation I don’t have to lose myself in this job, that I can continue being daft and feeling like I am 19 a lot of the time.”
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)
