Springboks director of rugby Rassie Erasmus is set to reclaim the head coaching reins after the Rugby World Cup.
Jacques Nienaber will vacate the role after the tournament in France, and South African Rugby are set to turn to Erasmus to fill the position.
Erasmus to take the reins
According to Rapport, SA Rugby will recruit a new defence coach instead of a new head coach, with Erasmus returning to the head coaching position.
A new head coach would be appointed in 2025, with the likely candidate coming from within the coaching staff.
This comes after Daan Human, Mzwandile Stick and Deon Davids signed contract extensions until after the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia.
The report adds that the current plan would only be derailed if the ‘wheels fall off completey’ for the Springboks in 2023.
Erasmus would be fulfilling the director of rugby and head coach roles as he did in 2018 and 2019.
He will also be assisting SA Rugby in finding his successor for the latter position in 2025.
Assistants
The Boks will also recruit a replacement for Felix Jones, who joined their coaching team before the last World Cup. Jones is off to England and will join Steve Borthwick’s coaching ticket after the 2023 World Cup.
Rapport adds that England approached Bok scrum coach Human to replace Richard Cockerill, but instead, he opted to remain in South Africa.
Meanwhile, Davids and Stick are understood to be the early frontrunners to take the head coach reins in 2025, if necessary.
Following the news that Nienaber is heading to Leinster after the World Cup, several coaches have expressed their interest in the head coach role to Erasmus, according to a Rapport source.
“Remember, the position as the Boks’ head coach in extremely sought after because South Africa beat the British and Irish Lions and are World Cup champions,” the informed source noted.
“Depending on what Rassie himself decides, it will not be difficult to find a world-class coach in Jacques’ place.”
⬅️ Jacques Nienaber is off to Leinster after the #RWC2023
🇿🇦 Who are the candidates to take over as the Springboks' head coach?
✍️ @jaredwright17 https://t.co/uT7wGGmE2T
— Planet Rugby (@PlanetRugby) April 15, 2023
Rassie Erasmus’ Springbok record
Erasmus took charge of the Springboks in 2018 and led the side to World Cup glory in Japan in 2019.
The Springboks won 17 of the 26 Test matches under his tutelage and drew once.
He endured a slow start in 2018, winning just 50% of their matches but beat the All Blacks in New Zealand and lost narrowly to their arch rivals at home. They also claimed a 2-1 home series win over England.
In his second year in charge, the Springboks claimed the Rugby Championship defeating Argentina and Australia while drawing with New Zealand.
They defeated Japan, Canada, Italy, Namibia, Wales and England on their way to lifting the World Cup title but did lose to the All Blacks in the pool stages.
His second year in charge ended with an 83.3% win ratio. The Boks also won the Rugby World Cup-Rugby Championship double, and Erasmus took home the World Rugby Coach of the Year award.
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