SA Rugby ramping up efforts to secure Rassie Erasmus amid overseas interest

Erasmus has been part of South Africa's coaching staff since 2018, leading the Boks to Rugby World Cup glory in 2019 as head coach and director of rugby.

In 2020, Jacques Nienaber took over as head coach with Erasmus focusing on his director of rugby role. When the former departed to Leinster after successfully defending the World Cup title in 2023, Erasmus was reinstated as head coach.

The 52-year-old's contract with SA Rugby expires after the 2027 Rugby World Cup, and according to Rapport, two overseas teams are interested in Erasmus' services, which led to the ramping up of contract negotiations for the head coach and his coaching team.

The report adds that the double World Cup-winning coach not only wants certainty around his future beyond Australia 2027 but also for his Springbok assistants, whose contracts all expire at the same time.

SARU and Erasmus are currently ironing out the finer details of the deal, the report adds, while it adds that on the recommendation of the executive committee, CEO Rian Oberholzer has been offered an extension of his contract until 2028.

It is understood that Oberholzer and Erasmus have a good working relationship with the former not interfering with his team selections and providing the coach with as much freedom as possible in his role.

Under the CEO's stewardship, SA Rugby's finances have boomed, as have the performances on the pitch with the Springboks defending their Rugby World Cup title while the Junior Boks won the World Rugby U20 Championship for the first time in 13 years. The Blitzboks are also the current World Rugby SVNS champions.

During his two stints as head coach, Erasmus has taken charge of 42 Test matches with the Springboks and boasts a 73.8% win ratio, the sixth best in the history of the team.

Of the coaches who have overseen at least five Test matches, only Kitch Christie (100%), Cecil Moss (83.3%), Nelie Smith (80%), Ian Kirkpatrick (76.9%) and Danie Craven (73.9%) have better success rates than Erasmus, who has been in charge for at least 19 Tests more than those ahead of him.

The report does not name the two clubs that are interested in Erasmus' services, but considering his success with the Boks, which includes two Rugby Championship titles, a British and Irish Lions Series win and back-to-back World Cup successes, he is bound to attract more suitors if SA Rugby fail to extend his contract.

The same would be true for his assistant coaches Mzwandile Stick, Daan Human, Felix Jones, Jerry Flannery, Deon Davids, and Tony Brown, as well as roving coach Duane Vermeulen and National Laws Advisor Jaco Peyper.

After beating the Barbarians, Italy (twice) and Georgia during the mid-year internationals, the Springboks' focus now turns to defending their Rugby Championship title with back-to-back matches against the Wallabies in South Africa up first.