Rassie Erasmus says having insight into the Irish set-up following his spell at Munster can be a double-edged sword for the Springboks ahead of Saturday’s Test in Dublin.
The world champion Springboks face Ireland, the No 1-ranked team in the world, at Lansdowne Road on Saturday less than a year out from the World Cup where they are in the same pool.
Erasmus was director of rugby at Munster while current Springbok head coach Jacques Nienaber was his assistant from 2016-17.
Second rower Jason Jenkins, who is in the Springbok squad but not in the match-day 23, plays for Leinster.
“Insights, me knowing the Irish set-up very well, but then the Irish players and coaches know me very well,” said Erasmus.
“I know the question of Jason Jenkins comes up but you can look at it the other way around as well. He’s going back to Leinster and he will obviously know a lot about the Boks.
“It’s something that people always ask but we’d never pick a guy for that reason.”
Erasmus said that both sides will have done their homework on each other without having to fall back on insider knowledge.
“There’s a lot of plans that we made and analysis we did for them but they will have done the same,” he said.
“It will be great to see on Saturday which of those two plans and tactics work.
“We’re fairly confident but we know they’re fairly confident. It will be a great match-up.”
RASSIE: Boks have moved on from 2019
The last time that the two sides met in Dublin, Ireland thrashed a hapless South Africa 38-3 in November 2017.
Erasmus, knowing he was set to become South Africa’s director of rugby the following month, was sat beside Nienaber in the stands that day.
He turned to Nienaber and said they had to go back and turn things around. Springbok head coach Allister Coetzee was sacked in February 2018 and Erasmus replaced him in that role as well.
Just over a year later and with most of the players who played in the 2017 match, they delivered the Webb Ellis trophy.
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“I guess five years since then [2017], both teams have changed dramatically in terms of how they do things and how they play,” he said.
“Obviously, the way Ireland have played and the teams they have beaten to be where they are currently, they’re doing a lot of things right on and off the field.
“But we’re looking forward to it, we’re in for stiff competition.”
.@mark_keohane and Zels give their predictions for the Boks vs Ireland, and it’s not all smiles for the World Champs… pic.twitter.com/M8nfg4aKUF
— SA Rugby magazine (@SARugbymag) November 2, 2022
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Photo: Steve Haag/Gallo Images
