New Zealand-based rugby writer Ben Smith says it’s the Springboks, and not England, who are desperate for Rassie Erasmus to swoop in and save them from “a bloodbath” at the 2023 World Cup.
SA director of rugby Erasmus has been tipped to replace Eddie Jones as the next England boss – sooner, rather than later, according to some of Jones’ critics, after a disappointing 2022 Six Nations campaign for the Red Roses.
Smith, a RugbyPass.com columnist who has previously penned several pieces criticising the Boks and their 2019 World Cup triumph under Erasmus, argues that replacing Jones with the ex-Bok mentor before rugby’s showpiece in France next year would be foolhardy.
In his latest offering, Smith writes that current Bok coach Jacques Nienaber will need all the help he can get from his predecessor in order to navigate a tough group stage at next year’s tournament.
“England aren’t going to be any better off with Erasmus, and actually don’t need him anyway as they have been handed a red carpet through to the semi-final based on the form of their future opponents,” Smith writes.
“On the other side, it will be a bloodbath. South Africa has a much tougher task than last time and this time will be a real test of their credentials. By the time they reach the semi-final, the Springboks would already have played a tougher schedule than their 2019 win. England will barely get out of second gear into the semi-final stage.
“South Africa need Erasmus on board to prepare for their encore, England don’t.”
Smith also argues that Erasmus has been given too much credit for the Boks’ remarkable turnaround to win the 2019 World Cup, after SA were written off as contenders a year earlier.
He writes: “The Springboks’ rise to World Cup glory wasn’t just 18 months in the making. The pieces were already there for Erasmus and his staff to do what they wanted to do, based on years of work beforehand with the Stormers, and the playing group in place.
“The starting Springboks pack for the World Cup final was 75% current or ex-Stormers players. They had the cattle for Erasmus and Jacques Nienaber, his assistant coach at the time, to run their defensive systems and gameplans, similar to what they had already done years beforehand at the Stormers in the late 2000s and early 2010s.
“It was a Stormers defence, run by Stormers coaches, with largely Stormers forwards, moulded together in a two-year period to take advantage of the World Cup draw after losing to New Zealand.”
