DESPITE the Springboks winning two World Cups in a row, 2024 marks the first time that Rassie Erasmus will have a proper four-year cycle to prepare the team for the next edition – and it may just result in a few different ways of doing things.
The former loose forward was first appointed as the Bok boss in 2018, which gave him an effective 18 months to get South Africa ready for Japan 2019.
The innovative Erasmus devised a plan to get the basics in place, concentrating on the defence system that Jacques Nienaber implemented, and ensuring that a percentage style of play – with box-kicking vital – minimised mistakes.
It worked a treat as the Boks went all the way and finished things off in style with two splendid tries in the 32-12 final win over England in Yokohama.
The next stage of their development was going to be set in motion in 2020, where more emphasis was going to be placed on their attacking game.
But then Covid-19 arrived to disrupt our lives, and the Boks didn’t even get onto the field in 2020.
By the time the British and Irish Lions landed in Mzansi for the 2021 three-Tesst series in Cape Town, the Boks doubled down and stuck with the 2019 World Cup strategy – and they just hung on via a late Morné Steyn penalty for an epic 19-16 triumph.
But then-director of rugby Erasmus and head coach Nienaber were able to start tweaking things and bringing in a more positive attitude on attack in 2022, and some selections also reflected that, with the likes of Kurt-Lee Arendse, Canan Moodie and Manie Libbok adding real pace and flair.
The gradual improvement in the Bok attack was evident, although the nature of the 2023 World Cup – where South Africa played five out of the top six teams – saw them relying on the boot of Handré Pollard for heart-stopping one-point victories over France, England then New Zealand in the final.
Tearing up the script like only the #Springboks can 🙌 #ChasingTheSun2 #StrongerTogether pic.twitter.com/GWSo9L1gHv
The introduction of former All Black flyhalf Tony Brown as the attack coach this week will definitely bring a new dynamic to the Bok attack as Erasmus takes charge as the head coach following the departure of Nienaber to Leinster.
“It feels as if it’s three years longer for me to get fired!” Erasmus quipped this week after introducing Brown and new defence coach Jerry Flannery to the media in Cape Town.
“In all honesty, it’s really lekker to be back with the boys again. When we had the alignment camp and you stand there as a coach, the highs are so high and the lows are low.
“Sometimes people hate you for what you do, but in South Africa currently, the fans, players and media are backing our plans.
“And even if we bugger it up, they sometimes understand. So, four years is a long time to mix and match, and we will certainly do that.”
Talking about mixing and matching, Erasmus stated that he will spread the net wider over the next few years to bring in fresh blood as the evolution of the Bok squad continues.
The 2019 World Cup squad formed the core of the 2023 group in France, but that is unlikely to be the case again in Australia in 2027, as the age profile of the players go into the 30s.
WATCH: Rassie Erasmus on why he has decided to take on another four-year cycle with the @Springboks to the 2027 @rugbyworldcup in Australia 🇿![CDATA[]]>🇦 🏉 🏆#Springboks #RWC2023 #Rugby pic.twitter.com/JLjOMsyRy6
That’s why the Wales Test on June 22 in London and the Portugal clash in Bloemfontein on July 20 will be vital to introduce some new faces, while the World Cup players will take on Ireland in July.
“I think it’s definitely going to be different than from 2019 to 2023. I think there will be more new faces in this cycle than there was in the previous cycle, without a doubt,” Erasmus said.
“Just if you look at the average age of the players, it is 32. So, if you keep the same guys, they will be all 36 – that won’t help!
“So, is there place for Deon (Fourie, 37, who was left out of the recent alignment camp)? He is always there when we pick a team – in the right-hand high corner there! Deon’s name is there because you never know with injuries.
“We know what Deon can do – we know he can play hooker and flank, and he is still playing – he’s been working with me since he’s 18.
“But if he’s at the time playing the rugby that he is playing, and we are playing Ireland, we are certainly not going to trial and test guys against Ireland – that might happen in other games.
OPINION | Deon Fourie can still bring warrior spirit to #Springboks effort#Stormers #BULvSTO #Rugbyhttps://t.co/uLgrI9ngWN
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“It depends if we get to 2027 if we have found two experienced, senior players slotting down that position, not knowing who’s the best if a young guy is barking really hard and trying to come in there.
“Us as coaches and management must accept that we are going to build on three things, as we said way back in 2018 – squad depth, experience and change, transformation.
“We have to tick all the boxes while trying to win. So, we won’t just sommer (suddenly) against the number-two team in the world, Ireland, chop and change – that would be stupid.”
But the big talking point this week was Siya Kolisi and the Bok captaincy, with Erasmus mentioning during the press conference that he preferred a skipper based in South Africa.
He added that he was going to “suss out” whether having Kolisi as captain while playing for French club Racing 92 would be viable.
OPINION | Why Siya Kolisi must remain Springbok captain#Springboks #SiyaKolisi #Rugbyhttps://t.co/4JxmubRgcL
Asked by Independent Newspapers afterwards if there are currently worthy leadership options playing at the SA franchises to replace Kolisi, Erasmus said: “Maybe not of the quality of Siya... But there are good leaders.
“And we don’t always take it to leadership – we take it to ownership. If you get the right people on that bus for the first squad of let’s say 42, and there’s the right people, they don’t need as much a leader, (and rather) all players must take ownership of their individual positions.
“But you would have to look far to find a leader like Siya again. So, that will weigh up very heavily when we make the decision.
“We would definitely have to adjust a little bit with Duane (Vermeulen) retiring and Siya might not be captain... As I say, it will be a big call not to make him captain – because there are so many things going for him that he does well.
“But yes, we will definitely have to fine-tune a little bit. But that’s why we have Jaco Peyper (Bok laws advisor) helping out with small (things) when we coach a player – not just on the field, but also in the lecture room about the referee, his protocols, when do you speak to him and how do you show respect to him without sucking up to him...”
One of the major omissions from the 43-strong group for the alignment camp was Stormers star Hacjivah Dayimani, who has produced consistently good performances over the last three years.
He has also shown his versatility by dovetailing between blindside flank and No 8, while his pace and side-stepping skills as a loose forward is something that can bring a fresh edge to the Bok attack.
Dayimani himself has spoken about the need to not “shy away” from doing the hard yards and getting involved in more physical battles, having often been used in the wider channels.
OPINION | Stormers star Hacjivah Dayimani has ‘proven his worth’ to be a Springbok#Springboks #Stormers #URC #Rugbyhttps://t.co/r5UFegVSm5
— Ashfak Mohamed (@ashfakmohamed) February 21, 2024
Erasmus, though, hasn’t closed the door on Bok selection.
“We certainly looked at Hacjivah, but when we looked at his roadmap, sometimes, especially for a loose forward – and I’m not talking specifically about him, but talking about other loose forwards comparing with other loose forwards – how many battles do you get into? And how many of those battles did you win?” the Bok coach said.
“If you take hookers and you just take how many tries they score, all of them should be Springboks – because they are at the back of the maul and they score eight tries.
“But your work-rate, your understanding, when you make a tackle, do you dominate that tackle?
“If Cheslin (Kolbe) was just stepping guys, we would never have picked Cheslin. But Cheslin is tackling guys, he is stealing balls, he’s going up for the high ball – so, he is a complete player.
“And I think – I’m not talking about Hacjivah specifically – there are a lot of players who are really, really good, but they are not complete totally.
“But Hacjivah is not out of the mix to play a Test match this year... There is always a possibility.”
The Sharks’ struggles in the United Rugby Championship this season has raised the question of whether it might impact the Boks, seeing that they have a number of top players such as Ox Nche, Bongi Mbonambi, Eben Etzebeth, Lukhanyo Am and Makazole Mapimpi in their squad.
Eben Etzebeth goes Bok to Bok as the king of SA rugby#Springboks #SARugbyAwards #Rugbyhttps://t.co/kteXhzYNHs
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But Erasmus is not concerned: “No, not really, because the way they coach and what they do is what their current coaching staff and structures are trying to do with them.
“Some of the franchises are successful, and two or three are not successful. I’ve been there as a franchise coach where I’ve tried a few things, or took a specific angle and was not successful.
“So, we look at fundamentals of the players: what they do on the field, what we are going to accept at the level they must do things for us.
“We don’t look at their tactical play, because we can’t have an influence on that – that is for their coaches and their staff’s job.
“But we know their performance when it comes to the fundamentals, and if they can do those fundamentals, they can pretty much fit into our game-plan.
“As a South African supporter, I would love them to do better, but as a Springbok coach, it doesn’t have such a big influence.”