Job description: 'Winning structures'
The appointment of former Springbok captain and loose forward Rassie Erasmus as General Manager: High Performance Teams at the South African Rugby Union was made with a long term objective in view.
SARU Chief Executive Jurie Roux, in confirming the appointment of Erasmus at a media briefing in Pretoria on Sunday, outlined the ‘job description’ of the 37-times capped Erasmus.
“Rassie is one of the most astute brains in world rugby,” Roux said. “His appointment at SARU will ensure we have the best possible leadership at our national teams.
“He will work with all the national teams, but will be involved with the Springboks while they are in camp.
“Our aim is to always produce winning teams and Rassie’s main task will be to establish structures to do this.
“He will be tasked to create a blueprint for South African rugby that can be implemented from junior to senior level, for our men’s, women’s and Sevens’ teams.”
Roux made it clear that long-term was the key phrase in Erasmus’s job description.
“We are looking beyond the next World Cup, to the 2019 World Cup, in fact,” said the SARU boss. “Some of the players now in our under-16 structures will then be 23, 24 years of age.”
New Bok coach Heyneke Meyer, renowned for his meticulous planning and establishing the structures at the Blue Bulls and Bulls that made them the leading South African team of the new millennium, welcomed the appointment of Erasmus.
He also emphasised that the future and South African rugby as a whole should benefit from not only Erasmus’ appointment, but also the management and consultants of the Springbok team.
“Rassie’s input to the Springboks last year were lauded by everyone I spoke to and his coaching pedigree speaks for itself, considering the vast amount of success he’s had at the Cheetahs and Western Province,” said Meyer.
“I’m excited to have him on board [with the Boks] and I know he will add value to rugby in South Africa, which is ultimately what his job will be.”
Erasmus made his Bok debut against the British & Irish Lions in Johannesburg on 5 July 1997. In all, he played in 37 Springbok Tests, one Test as captain, was a Tri-Nations winner in 1998, played at the 1999 World Cup and was a member of record-setting Springbok team that won 17 consecutive Tests (when he played in all but two of these matches).
He also played in 117 matches for the Free State Cheetahs, seven for the Golden Lions and 56 matches for the Cats (the former Super Rugby franchise). Erasmus has an overall first-class record of 214 matches – scoring 58 tries and kicking two conversions in the process.
He held coaching posts at the Free State Cheetahs from 2005 to 2007, as well as with Western Province and the Stormers (from 2007 to 2011).
He was a technical analyst for the Bok teams that went to the 2007 and 2011 World Cup tournaments, but he did not travel to France with the RWC-winning side of 2007.
