Why Rassie has turned to two ‘foreign’ coaches for Springboks

gamehuzc February 2, 2024

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It’s thought that Rassie Erasmus brought two foreign coaches to the Springboks. Here are some ideas about how he might be thinking.

Soon, Rassie Erasmus will be officially announced as the Springboks’ head coach once more, succeeding Jacques Nienaber. It has been claimed that the director of rugby has brought in former Ireland hooker Jerry Flannery to manage the team’s defense.

Currently employed by the English rugby team Harlequins as a defense coach, Flannery actually began his coaching career under Erasmus at Munster as a forwards and scrum coach.

In a related development, it’s also said that Rassie and SA Rugby have turned to Tony Brown, a former All Blacks flyhalf, to fill the position of assistant coach and help influence the Springboks’ attack.

The 49-year-old has an extensive coaching background, having had positions with the Highlanders and in Japan, where he was well-regarded for his achievements.

WHAT IS RASSIE THINKING WITH THESE NEW APPOINTMENTS FOR THE SPRINGBOKS?

Former Bok captain Jean de Villiers gave an explanation of why he believes these additions to the management team will be beneficial in an interview with Netzwerk24.

“You could tell that Tony is quite inventive when he makes suggestions in Japan as well. If he were to be given that responsibility, I believe he would be a great benefit to Springbok rugby.

The fact that he played for a very long period before jumping right into coaching is his greatest asset. Ever since, he has constantly been involved in coaching. You can gain from the knowledge he has gained throughout his playing career, whether it was in South Africa, Japan, or New Zealand, as well as from his work as a coach.

“I believe it’s crucial for Rassie that the coaches who come in are guys he knows and trusts,” he continued.After Rassie took over Munster, Jerry became involved in coaching shortly after his playing career, having experienced a fantastic period of Munster rugby. After that, they collaborated, and he’s succeeding at Quins as well.

Experience and fresh perspectives may have led to a different approach to the game than that of the individuals in the current setup. Getting a new viewpoint is usually beneficial.

In other news, Bloemfontein has been announced as the location for the historic first Test between the Springboks and Portugal on Saturday, July 20, in the Castle Lager Incoming Series final. This match is part of an exciting itinerary for the 2024 home Tests.

The home Test calendar is now complete with Bloemfontein confirmed as the location for the Springboks Test match. The series will start on July 6 in Pretoria and end in Durban against Ireland, one of the team’s fiercest adversaries on the international scene. The Portugal Test will be one week after this.

SOUTH AFRICA SET FOR BLOCKBUSTER 2024 SCHEDULE

The Springboks will next play two Test matches against New Zealand in the Rugby Championship, on August 31 and September 7, respectively, in Johannesburg and Cape Town. On Saturday, September 28, they will play Argentina at Mbombela.

Director of rugby for SA Rugby Rassie Erasmus said, “We are thrilled to be going back to Bloemfontein for this historic match, and we are determined to continue making our passionate supporters proud.”

Now that the location has been established, we can move full speed ahead with operational preparations for the house tests.

“It has definitely increased the anticipation for the upcoming season, especially after successfully defending the Rugby World Cup title to close out 2023.”

The full details of the six Tests’ ticketing will be revealed soon, although fans are advised to only purchase from authorized retailers and avoid using services like Viagogo.