South Africa’s controversial director of rugby Rassie Erasmus says he’d love to see the Springboks trade the Rugby Championship for the Six Nations and has refused to rule out coaching England in the future saying he would “love” the gig.
Erasmus, speaking the the Daily Mail, was aware his comments on the Six Nations might not go down well in the southern hemisphere.
“Just remember,‘this is purely my own personal opinion. I don’t need to get myself into any more trouble!” Erasmus said.
(Photo by Clive Rose – World Rugby/World Rugby via Getty Images)
“I’ve always been a massive fan of the Six Nations. Murrayfield is awesome, the Aviva is awesome, Twickenham is awesome. I love the atmospheres and their rich tradition of singing.
“Speaking from the South African side of the fence, I would love to see the Springboks in the Six Nations. The style of play, the travel and the time zones would all suit South Africa.
“You could fly in overnight on Thursday, play on a Saturday and fly back on Sunday. It would be easy. When we go to Australia or New Zealand, you wake up at 2am and don’t know what day it is!
“We are locked in with the Rugby Championship until 2025, so for now it is still hypothetical. Just please don’t mistake this for me saying the Rugby Championship is bad. I love New Zealand, I love Australia and I love Argentina.
“If someone with proper research showed me that South Africa joining the Six Nations would make the Rugby Championship weaker and damage the growth of the global game, then we shouldn’t do it. But right now, speaking as a South African, I think joining the Six Nations would be awesome.”
The idea that the Springboks could leave for the Six Nations has been floated for some time but recently gained momentum as details of the short term nature of their TRC commitment were revealed.
Join experts Brett McKay and Harry Jones and special guest Jamie Wall on this week’s edition of The Roar Rugby Podcast.
There has been a lot of opposition to it in both hemispheres – including World Cup winning coach Clive Woodward coming out in opposition to it and calling the idea “brainless”.
“I read the comments underneath Sir Clive’s article,” said Erasmus. “People were saying, ‘we don’t want Rassie Erasmus making a two-hour video after every game’ and ‘what about tradition?’
“Of course tradition is important but I don’t think we can hang everything on that. Traditionally, the Six Nations was the Five Nations. Traditionally, the Rugby Championship was the Tri Nations. “
England prop Joe Marler recently urged Erasmus to find a role with World Rugby, but he laughed that off.
‘I’m 50. I’m too old for World Rugby,” said Erasmus. “There are things in rugby that I think need to change.
“here’s too much microscopic stuff in the game now. We worked out that a referee needs to make between 800 and 850 decisions in one match. It’s impossible, man. It leaves the referee open to criticism — I would know! — and that’s not fair.
“There are too many grey areas to let the game flow. You are always going to get one team that’s pissed off, whether they say it publicly or not. Did you know there are 58 things you can be punished for at a scrum and 38 in a lineout?
“There are simple solutions but we need to be open-minded. World Rugby need to take control and simplify it. But me with World Rugby? Come on! I’ll leave that job to the younger guys like Joe!”
Erasmus also played down any thought of him taking over as England coach in the future, without ruling it out altogether.
“I don’t think the English people would ever want me there now,” Erasmus said. ” Maybe I am wrong. I hope I am wrong. Would I coach another country? If my own people were cool with it and the other country’s people were cool with it then why not?
“But if my own people are going to hate me for it, then I would never do it. I hate the fact that so many people hate me in rugby right now. I’m not a confrontational guy. I like to get on with people.
“South Africa has my heart but coaching England would be amazing because I think they can win. I would love to coach Ellis Genge.
“Any prop that looks the other prop in the eyes before a scrum, you know he’s a dog. You don’t want a prop that’s looking at his toes, scared. I want guys like Genge on my team.
“If South Africans accepted me doing that, like when Nick Mallett went to coach Italy, then of course I would love it. If I felt like South Africans were not going to hate me on the street then I would consider it.”
Pundit
Roar Guru
bark's louder than the bite. He promotes humility at all levels.
Perthstayer
Roar Rookie
I like England but I won’t coach them if they don’t like me. I won’t coach abroad if it makes SA not like me. I won’t coach overseas if it makes people not like me. . These comments are his way of applying for an overseas job. Snake in the grass.
Mick Gold Coast QLD
Roar Guru
Yes, Erasmus': "Hatred ...left ... no room for debate (and) polarised opinion (and) removed any prospect for intelligent debate or even discussion" He knew that before he embarked on his campaign. Now the poor innocent wonders why people hate him so. :laughing: What a deceitful, duplicitous, manipulative, self-serving, self-absorbed fool.
Just Nuisance
Roar Rookie
That’s a distinct possibility . He himself says it’s an intriguing thought . There is no question the head coach of England for unknown reasons to me is seen as the most prestigious in World Rugby But since that video his popularity in the UK has plummeted and that may count against him . A lot depends on England at The World Cup . If they have a good tournament they may go the less controversial route but if they bomb Rassie will be in line for the job .
Jacko
Roar Rookie
Yes we do have a very sterile world when it comes to coaches and players comments etc. A bit of character does not harm anyone. I enjoy the antics of Eddie and probably will Rassie once all this dies down. We do jump on anyone who says anything outside of the normal tho. I do think the Video and all that it set out to achieve was very wrong but as they say he has done the crime and done the time but just like a criminal record he now has this on his record so it may take a bit yet to be enjoying his eccentricities
Gilbert
Roar Rookie
The next England coach.
Derek Murray
Roar Rookie
This story is done. Stick a fork in it. I have zero interest in Rassie's personal torture. I'm all ears for anything related to coaching SA or England however
Just Nuisance
Roar Rookie
Yes cut through all the stuff and he is a very , very good coach . He was the same as a player , always innovating , constantly challenging his own coaching staff . Famously did not get on with Laurie Mains when playing for the Cats because if it .
Just Nuisance
Roar Rookie
For the record my take remains consistent and damn it looked more like a production than a technical analysis for benefit of the coaching staff and players only . It was an error in judgement that as we now know Rassie has paid a high personal price for .
Tooly
Roar Rookie
We need more like Rassie in Rugby. Blokes with the guts to call crap out where they see it . Far better than the maggots who gnaw away at the game in glass castles. Rassie would lift any team even NZ . They might need hum.
Just Nuisance
Roar Rookie
Unfortunately social media often represents The noisiest opinion and not by any means can it be reliably used to accurately gauge the majority opinion . That is better served by polls and in fact SA Rugby mag ran an online poll where about 60 % of respondents disapproved of the video . My stand on it isn’t a lone voice at all .
Paulo
Roar Rookie
I knew you were quoting, and know your position on the video and all that whole thing. It’s all good. I didn’t mean to come across Mike I was having a go. It wouldn’t surprise me if it was leaked to discredit him. Although, it wasn’t just the leak, it was his attitude and lack of contrition afterwards which swayed most people and removed, for many people, any doubt about him being complicit. I’d imagine it would be almost impossible to find something that all SA agreed on, let alone rugby related. The general impression that a lot of SA posters on here have pushed though is that he was mostly supported and the SA general public widely supported him and his video. It’s interesting the narrative is changing now.
Just Nuisance
Roar Rookie
Rassie isn’t going to go away . Love him , hate him he is a flamboyant personality and in the sometimes overly sterile world of rugby management and coaches he is newsworthy . He is many things to many people but boring isn’t one characteristic that would come to mind . Expect many more articles going forward .
Jacko
Roar Rookie
Yes agree its a boards decision to make. Yeah the invitation is far from a done deal as yet. I say go. I see no point in staying where they dont want to be. Id look at leaving post WC. Get it done and sorted and dont blame others of it doesnt quite work as they think. I wont accept them in both comps tho.
Just Nuisance
Roar Rookie
Only quoting the article in SA Rugby magazine, those aren’t my numbers , but it’s a misconception that South Africans approved unconditionally of that video . Many didn’t. But generally yes Erasmus is highly regarded in SA amongst players and fans at least . But the possibility that the video was released by A.N Other with the deliberate intention of creating discord and discrediting Erasmus is a very real one . It may even have been someone within SA Rugby which is a known environment for having to watch your back .
Just Nuisance
Roar Rookie
it won’t be his call to make to leave the RC . That would require a majority vote by a full Board . My guess is that as long as the numbers look good moneywise , at least substantially better for leaving AND the 6 Nations invites us which isn’t a given at all only then can it happen. 2025 is a long way away .
Jacko
Roar Rookie
What does Rassie hate that motivates him? NZ? Aus? RC? Arg? I dpubt he has any hatred for all these things but he loves the attention.
Ex force fan
Guest
Hatred is a powerful motivator, it leaves no room for debate. It doesn’t take much to polarise opinion these days. Unfortunately it removes any prospect for intelligent debate or even discussion.
Jacko
Roar Rookie
Who knew senility kicked in so early for some.
Jacko
Roar Rookie
And when Aus, NZ and Arg go and start planning for a SA-less RC post 2025 this clown will say "See NZ is kicking us out of the RC" All NZs fault, Blame them...