By Lucky Maree
It’s a measure of the man that he wouldn’t lift the World Cup at the airport.
The players, rightly so, passed the trophy around from player to player and held it over their heads to cheers from the crowd.
But when Willie le Roux offered the trophy to the coach, Erasmus declined and showed that it should be handed to a player instead. Le Roux gave it to Jesse Kriel who held up the cup towards the crowd.
Then Jesse looked down and again offered the cup to Erasmus who took it, but immediately gave it back to him, indicating that Jesse should give it to someone else.
Jesse handed the cup to Frans Malherbe. Malherbe gave it to Vincent Kock who handed it to Kwagga Smith.
Erasmus, wiping away a tear and acknowledging the crowd with smiles and a thumbs up, merely pushed his trolley towards the exit.
He did not want the spotlight to fall on him as the coach. This was the moment for the players and the crowd to savour and he was not going to take that away from them.
It is a reminder of humility for all coaches out there. Rugby is about the players and the people.
Pictured above: Rassie Erasmus.
Image source: X
