VIDEO: Boks to get a 'different dimension'
WATCH as the Boks Office crew share their views on the Springboks’ big coaching announcement this week.
SA Rugby confirmed that Rassie Erasmus will be the team’s head coach until the end of 2027.
It was also confirmed that Jerry Flannery (defence) and Tony Brown (attack) will be the coaching group, while Duane Vermeulen was appointed to a roving coaching role.
Springbok legend Schalk Burger, in a discussion with fellow guest Jean de Villiers and Boks Office host Hanyane Shimange, believes South Africa will discover a new attacking edge under Brown.
“We played here [at the Stormers] with Tony Brown. He came here after his Highlander days and he spent a season with us.
“He was amazing and then he went off to Japan and played a bit there and then moved into coaching.
“He won a Super Rugby under Jamie Joseph for the Highlanders, so he is going to bring something different.
“We know he thinks about the game. Every time Tony Brown coaches a side you know he does something inventive on attack.”
“He will add a different dimension.”
Burger believes Brown will relish working with a team that has a big pack of forwards.
“He has got a different physical specimen to coach, so things that he had to be inventive with to get over the gainline will be a little bit simpler to coach.
“But if he can add the added dimension of the subtle offload or something inventive like he has done with the Japanese then it can only empower our physicality.”
On Flannery and Vermeulen, Burger added: “Flannery obviously has big shoes to fill after Jacques Nienaber.
“Duane will probably consult on the breakdown, mauling and defence. ”
“It’s a big step for Duane. It is always nice to have IP stay in South Africa.
“So often we see our coaches or great players play for extended periods of time in South Africa and the next moment he jets off overseas or moves onto something outside of rugby.
“To have him in our system is very comforting.”
Meanwhile, De Villiers says the additions to the Bok coaching group are proof of Erasmus’ ability to adapt to changes in the game.
“We talk about the innovation and trying new stuff, but he does it even from a coaching point of view. Not just sticking to what we have here in South Africa.
“I think it will be difficult for a foreign coach to be the head coach of South Africa, but the value lies in exactly what Rassie is doing now, by getting assistant coaches and experts in their field to come and add to the team.
“You might ask how the relationship will be with these new guys versus the guys that were there previously because they worked together for so long.
“However, Rassie was the guy that brought Tony Brown to the Stormers back in 2008 and Rassie has coached with Flannery at Munster.”
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