Rassie Erasmus will coach champions South Africa to the 2027 Rugby World Cup, with former Ireland hooker Jerry Flannery added to the technical team as defence coach and ex-New Zealand playmaker Tony Brown signed to sharpen the attack.
Erasmus returns as head coach after four years, a role he held when they lifted the World Cup trophy in 2019, before moving to director of rugby as they retained their title in France last year.
The 51-year-old has courted controversy with his comments on match officials, especially on social media. He was banned for two months by World Rugby in 2021 for “attacking, disparaging and/or denigrating the game and match officials”.
Rassie Erasmus will take charge of the Springboks following Jacques Nienaber’s departure. (Photo by Michael Steele – World Rugby/World Rugby via Getty Images)
The following year he was given another ban for two matches for social media criticism of referee Wayne Barnes.
Erasmus takes over the position vacated by Jacques Nienaber, who has joined Irish side Leinster. Highly-prized attack coach Felix Jones has also left to link up with Steve Borthwick’s England.
Flannery won 41 caps for Ireland before injury cut short his playing career. He had been working as assistant coach at English side Harlequins.
Brown won 18 caps with the All Blacks and was assistant coach with Japan at the 2019 and 2023 World Cups. He has also coached Super Rugby side Otago Highlanders and previously played in South Africa for the Stormers and Sharks.
“The main difference between the last four years and this season is that I will be more hands-on at the field sessions,” Erasmus said in a statement from SA Rugby on Tuesday.
“In my role as Director of Rugby I continued to oversee the team structures and strategy in conjunction with Jacques and the other coaches, so it should be an easy transition back into the head coach role.
“With the coaching team finalised, we can now focus on planning for the season and the next few years.”
Former referee Jaco Peyper has joined the Springboks’ coaching team. (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)
Former referee Jaco Peyper, who retired last month, will join the team management to assist with interpreting the laws of the game.
FORCE SIGN FORMER CRUSADERS SUPER RUGBY CHAMPION
Former Crusaders hooker Ben Funnell has been handed the chance to add a final chapter to his Super Rugby career after signing with the Western Force.
Funnell played 89 Super games for the Crusaders between 2011 to 2019, which included a major role in their charge to the 2017 crown.
The 33-year-old scored five tries in 16 games in that title-winning campaign, and he more recently played 11 of 12 games for Canterbury in their run to the 2023 National Provincial Championship semi-finals.
Funnell will add experience and depth to the Force’s hooking options, which already include three-cap Wallaby Feleti Kaitu’u and Tom Horton.
“The hooker position is one we’re trying to build depth in,” Force coach Simon Cron said.
“We’ve got some exciting talent in that position in our (academy) who we think will be great in the future.
“But Ben’s recruitment provides someone in the interim who can add to the group and the culture with his knowledge and experience.”
Funnell wasn’t sure whether he’d get the chance to play Super Rugby again after leaving the Crusaders.
“I was just playing it by ear. I wasn’t too worried either way,” he said in Perth on Tuesday.
But when Cron came knocking, Funnell knew the Force would be a good fit.
“Definitely Simon Cron was an influence and talked me into it,” Funnell said.
“He spoke the same lingo as me. That was the attraction.
“When I say the same language, I think the way he wants to play the game is the way I understand it.”
Funnell arrived in Perth over the weekend and has already joined Force training, with a view to playing in Saturday’s pre-season trial game against the ACT Brumbies at Revo Fitness Stadium in Claremont.
Perth is expected to swelter through a top of 40C on Friday, 41C on Saturday and 40C on Sunday.
“It’s a different kind of heat here,” said Funnell, who hails from New Zealand.
“You can breathe alright, it’s dry. But I’ve never experienced 40 degrees.”
The Force posted a 21-19 trial win over the Reds in Queensland last week.
Their season begins on February 23 against the Hurricanes in Perth.
FRENCH STAR COPS BAN FOR DOUBLE YELLOW CARD
France lock Paul Willemse will miss the Six Nations games against Scotland and Italy after receiving a four-week suspension for his red card against Ireland.
Willemse was sent off following his second high hit of the night around the half-hour mark in France’s 38-17 loss to the Irish in their Six Nations opener in Marseille on Friday.
He will miss Saturday’s game against Scotland at Murrayfield as well France’s match at home to Italy on February 25.
“Mitigating factors were applied by the Committee reducing the six-week entry point by two weeks, resulting in a sanction of four weeks for this offence,” an independent disciplinary committee said on Tuesday.
Willemse was sin-binned after seven minutes when his shoulder connected with Andrew Porter’s head.
He received his second yellow card and was sent off for a high tackle on Caelan Doris before halftime.
He will be able to return for France’s game in Wales on March 10. They round off their campaign at home to England the following week.
AAP
Muzzo
Roar Rookie
Main rival BBR? If you compare the for & against with say the Bokke, I do think that you'd see that the they are our biggest & are our main rival. There's no other nation, on the planet, have done to us, what the Bokke have done, in having the for & against over us for approx 60 years. Yes it's now in our favour, as it was turned around in the latter part of the 90's.
Just Nuisance
Roar Rookie
For sure Rassie is not responsible for others actions ..Thats their own doing ..But he and many others , Think John Kirwan , Jeff Wilson , Du Pont and many more didnt help things by climbing on the ref bashing bandwagon ..Its unhelpful …And poor strategy I might add ..To Rassies credit he has come to this realisation and himself implemented a policy that no player or member of the coaching staff can under any circumstance criticise a match official. Is this smart ? Yes it is ..No question Boks got the rub of the green from refs this past WC ….Others may do well to take heed .
Bliksem
Roar Rookie
Technically you are correct, practically the Erasmus-Nienaber coaching team won two RWC. They started to plan and prepare for the 2023 RWC in 2018 and the 2019 RWC was a pleasant surprise. As in business praise rise to the top (Rassie was always the leader) while blame tend to go to those at the bottom (the assistants).
Just Nuisance
Roar Rookie
Technically Rassie has only won 1 World Cup..2023 Nienaber was head coach ….Yes of course everyone will say Rassie was the real coach ..But he wasnt ..Jaques Nienaber was and deserves full credit ..I personally discount the Lions series ..No spectators for starters …It never for me meant anything ..And yes The Lions often have as many fans in red at a series in SA as the Boks do….
Ankle-tapped Waterboy
Roar Rookie
Brendan, perhaps a real leader then would have used his position to say, "I'm going to go against the flow" and speak out in support of referees, instead of taking the dribbles, turning on the taps full force and turning it into a flood.
Brendan NH Fan
Roar Rookie
Plenty of the early SA, AB and OZ teams were littered with players from Ireland and the UK. Does that mean that they weren't really national teams but more a collection of people living in the country at the time. NZ has always had a few players who only in NZ because of its economy relative to the countries around it. Maybe NZ and Oz people don't feel the same way but Europeans are very much always from a country and always tell their kids they are also that nationality. Read up on how Aki views being in Galway and Ireland he has brought into the culture. So in Rugby I don't think that international level was ever pure but has always been about selecting the best players playing for the Union clubs being selected by the Unions. If we get rid of the parent rules then Samoa and Tonga will be down to half the players they pick. Plenty players from Europe who pick other nations and we only wish them the best. Imagine if Negri could only play for the country he had to flee in the middle of the night when a mob came to do harm to his family. It only seems to be since European teams got better that it became and issue, wasn't a problem 20 years ago when it was a southern problem. Clubs like London Irish, Welsh and Scottish were set up to allow the people to be apart of their country, Marimon being an example of the exiles program that the Celts have run for 100 years. That is alot different to going to poor countries picking up the best teenager's and promising riches and telling them they can't play for their home country unless the Union approves it. Roots didn't come to England to play international rugby but was pick when he came and was good enough.
Bluesfan
Reply says it all really - Antonio cut from NPC Meafou who couldn’t get a SRP contract DvdM the great Scottish winger was without a club at 19 Cuts to the question of what International rugby is really - do you want it to represent the best of your nation or the best of your nation and whoever else you can pick-up to strengthen your side? Personally have zero issue with the likes of Carbery - anyone moving over as a kid just part of natural immigration and hopefully they go well. NZ has it as well due to immigration between NZ and the Islands. But when the likes of France, Ireland, Scotland and England etc - utilize strength of their economy and effectively go out and purchase adult players? Ethan Roots is the latest version, NZ Born, represented NZ Maori - Dad born in England and left at 15, picks up a UK rugby contract and bang representing England. I mean do you think he feels English? Think the term "Project Player" as coined by Ireland states it all really. But like I said it is what it is and makes International rugby into a glorified club comp.
Brendan NH Fan
Roar Rookie
Agree, this giving coaches a free pass for the first year or two because he is changing things does no one any favour in the long run. Why should a player get to start for their national team just because they will be the right age at the next WC. Make them fight for their place and tell the team and coach you expect the team to maintain standards. Believing it takes 4 years to implement a game plan with 50-75% of the previous WC players is what is causing financial issues for RA as who cares about the Wales tests its just the start of the 4 years. If selection for the test side was based on who was playing the best at SRP then more people might engage in it. Paying one player alot more than everyone else in his position lets us know who is getting picked for the next 4 years.
Brendan NH Fan
Roar Rookie
Ankle Tapped maybe you should do some research into Barnes and 2007. Even Henry in 2013 said that Barnes letting that forward pass go should have been investigated as it looked like it could have been on purpose. Barnes received plenty death threats (surprisingly from the same place as in 2023). Rassie pushed the envelop for the players and coaches but the fans were well able to take the hint from Henry and McCaw in 2007 to threaten the ref and the Media were happy to egg it on aswell.
Brendan NH Fan
Roar Rookie
Rassie is the only coach to win two WCs and a Lions in 5 years. Even Henry had to be in the job for 8 years before he won the WC. I am more shocked that Dweba is in SA contention as he throws as well as Fourie on a good day, on a bad day he is terrible. For all the complaints of Fourie he played 80 minutes against the 2nd or 3rd best scrummaging team facing their first and second choice frontrows and did fine in the ruck. He was great in the lose and his throwing was no worse than Dweba. The one issue I do have is that SA didn't make the throws easier for him and they had the pack to win the ball cleanly and move the maul however they wanted.
Brendan NH Fan
Roar Rookie
Wasn't Barnes who got SA to the final, though he did play a big role in another team.
Brendan NH Fan
Roar Rookie
Most of the 6N teams apart from Scotland have as many OS players are Oz or NZ. In certain places in Scotland, Wales and England the nearest hospital might be in another country so being born in England and playing for Wales may be just down to where your village is. I am not sure any player that any of the 6N teams have were even on the radar before getting capped. Then you have players like Posolo Tuilagi but was a baby when he moved to England and then moved to Perpignan at aged 3 which is the hometown club he plays for. Yes his Father was Samoan but he is very much French. Peato Mauvaka another born a French citzen in France but he looks like he should play in for one of the PI teams. Yes New Caledonia is down that way but its the French who live there. Carbery's parents moved to NZ and had a few kids but were always going to bring their kids back to Ireland, is he a new Zealander or is he an Irishman born OS. Even DvdM the great Scottish winger was without a club at 19 unwanted by French or SA clubs in whose systems he had played in, part of this was due to a recurring hip injury. The SRU stepped in and paid for his treatment and also offered him a professional contract. Should they not be rewarded for taking a chance on a player who SA did not want and were not willing to pay for the medical treatment to make him into who he has become. Antonio cut from NPC because he was not good enough or Meafou who couldn't get a SRP contract both see them picking France as a thank you for taking a risk and making them the players they are. Its not like 6N teams are buying up all the best underaage talent in the area and making them pick their new home as the only home they can play for without permission.
Brendan NH Fan
Roar Rookie
Should point out Paul Willemse had both yellow cards upgraded to reds but will serve the bans at the same time. Its only fair as its not his fault he was allowed back on the field. The failure to wrap for the 1st yellow was a big issue. But yet again it shows that unless players are held accountable (not just say oh it ruins the game0 they will not change. The price for Willemse is his international career could be over. When you look at other locks his size who like the physical stuff as much as him they are much better at how and when they tackle.
Malmesbury Missile
Roar Rookie
So let me understand this. Daft people making death threats to referees is Rassie’s doing? Despite numerous other high profile coaches like Hansen (ex), Gatland, and Jones also publicly blaming match officials too. Without sanction I may add!
Malmesbury Missile
Roar Rookie
You will be sorely missed I am sure ????
Jacko
Roar Rookie
Nah Barnes has gone mate.
Jacko
Roar Rookie
Razor never asked him.
Jacko
Roar Rookie
New NZ, Boks, Aus and Arg coaches.....The whole RC.
Bluesfan
It's a professional game and it's where they generate their income. Just as we now see with players swapping and changing so do coaches. Personally can't stand that it seems or feels like every team in the 6 nations has their quota of Kiwi's, Aussies and Boks but reality is that they have to earn a living, so for me International rugby is just glorified Club rugby now given how players swap in and out of teams! Black Jersey in lot's of senses has lost a lot of meaning as to a lot of players now - it's just a job..
Muzzo
Roar Rookie
So looking forward to the Rugby Champs, this year, with the virtually all new coaches happening on our SH scene. I was happy to see Duane Vermulen & Jaco Peyper coming on board with the Bokke, as they will be assets, along with Tony & Flannery. Know doubt Razor will be keeping a wary eye on his opponents, as we see him starting off to hopefully bring in new talent, that is available. Great season coming up, it appears .