By Lucky Vince Pienaar
At this stage, nobody can say for sure what will happen to the Springboks at the Rugby World Cup in 2027.
Even predicting what will happen with the Boks when they play Ireland and the All Blacks later this year is tricky.
But at this early stage, it is very difficult to fault the make-up of Rassie’s Springbok coaching unit.
Rassie himself has stepped down from the position of Director of Rugby to take on the role of Springbok head coach.
Whether he is sidestepping the entanglement of responsibilities at the other levels of the game (and deliberately deserting the sevens in an Olympic year) is not known, but there is no doubt that the Boks will benefit from his total focus.
Of course, replacing attack coach Felix Jones and especially Jacques Nienaber was a tough ask. These guys are the best in the business. But it appears that Rassie has come up trumps with the acquisition of Tony Brown and Jerry Flannery to replace them.
Highly sought-after former All Black Tony Brown will have declined a number of offers to join the Springboks as attack coach and former Ireland hooker Jerry Flannery will be responsible for defence.
Existing squad members Mzwandile Stick, Deon Davids and Daan Human have extended their contracts until after the 2027 World Cup and Andy Edwards stays on as Head of Athletic Performance. These guys are still the backbone of the team and their value must not be underrated.
And for the cherry on top, recently retired referee Jaco Peyper has been snapped up as National Laws Advisor — a very smart move.
It’s no surprise that Duane Vermeulen has become part of the structure. He takes up a role as a roving coach in the so-called Mobi unit.
Along with Franzel September and Bafana Nhleko, they will move around the country working at lower levels. Who knows if any of those three will move into the formal coaching set-up before the World Cup?
It’s early days, but for now, it’s shaping up to be a coaching dream team. The acid test, of course, comes in July and August when the Boks face Ireland and the All Blacks in South Africa.
Pictured above: Rassie Erasmus.
Image source: X
