Rassie Erasmus’ exclusive interview with an English newspaper published on 6 and 7 March gave the impression he was testing the mood about the possibility of coaching England.
Rassie Erasmus has suggested that he may take the England coaching reins after the 2023 World Cup. The very suggestion of his defection prompts uncomfortable questions about the future of the Springboks and indeed a South African rugby system that remains in transition.
Fast forward to the present, where the man himself has suggested – via a wide-ranging interview with a British newspaper – that he might be off to England at the end of 2023.By this point, all and sundry – even those who doubted and dismissed him initially – will recognise Erasmus as the architect of the South African rugby revival. He has made a material difference at every level of the game.
In 2018, some questioned whether Erasmus deserved a six-year contract. In 2022, however, it’s hoped that SA Rugby will lock the director into the position well beyond the 2023 World Cup. Those who know him will vouch for the fact that Erasmus is a decent guy who has a peerless passion for the game. That part of the man is well represented across the two-part interview.
At the same time, he openly wondered if attitudes might change in future. The implication was that his appetite for the role might change too.“Maybe I am wrong. I hope I am wrong. Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that England are struggling in the current Six Nations tournament. There is a lot of talk about who should replace Jones in the coming months or when the Australian’s contract expires at the end of 2023. It’s a good time to plant a seed.Erasmus was given a six-year contract in 2018 because the systems, as well as the national team, required rebuilding.