How Rassie Erasmus revitalised the Springboks: Insights from Malcolm Marx

Springboks hooker Malcolm Marx has credited Rassie Erasmus transparent coaching methods for the turnaround in the team’s fortunes following a tumultuous period in South African rugby.

Erasmus took over their reins in 2018 with Springbok rugby at a low following almost a decade of underachieving, which included heavy defeats against fierce rivals the All Blacks and historic defeats against Argentina, Japan and Italy.

Erasmus, in his roles as head coach and SA Rugby director of rugby, steered the team to back-to-back Rugby World Cup victories in 2019 and 2023, while they had a remarkable year in 2024, winning back the Rugby Championship and whitewashing the New Zealanders at home.

Marx, who had been part of the Springbok team that lost 57-0 against the All Blacks away in Albany in 2017, says Erasmus’ man-management and his unique way of thinking about the game.

“I think the transparency we get as players … there are open and clear messages. There is nothing done behind closed doors. If you have a question you can walk up to him and ask him that,” Marx, who plays his rugby in Japan, said in an interview with Sky New Zealand.

“Just the way that he thinks outside of the box, for me his knowledge of the game is incredible. Just the stuff he does around the team and his coaching is quite inspiring.

“To see what he has done from 2018 to 2024 is quite incredible. He is definitely the best coach I’ve worked with.”

According to Marx, it’s hard to pick a specific Test where the Bok turnaround under Erasmus started. But he did mention later in the interview that their win over the All Blacks in Wellington in 2019 - a first on New Zealand soil since 2009 - was a “landmark” moment ahead of the World Cup in Japan later that year.

I don’t think I can pin-point one specific thing or one specific tournament. But you could sort of feel things changing for the better. Getting into the right sort of space, doing the right things,” Marx added.

“From 2018 going into 2019 … I don’t think a lot of people gave us a chance going into the 2019 World Cup, even making it to the finals.

“The win in Wellington was definitely a landmark moment. I don’t think we had beaten New Zealand in New Zealand for some time before that.”

***************************

Can't ask for a better seal of approval than one coming from an icon....he would know.

Nice article. As you say, he would know.

Stop that - you will be attacked by Mozart and the other Erasmus haters on site, LOL

RooinekHall Of Famer

15,342 posts

Oct 26, 2023, 08:16

"& we picked 4 number 9s"

There's some irony there. Like I said earlier, if we win this RWC it'll be despite Rassie, not because of him.

The initial selection of 4 scrumhalves, the decision to exclude Pollard from the original squad, the selection of Am to replace Mapimpi when we didn't use him even once, the 7-1 split for the final, the kick-and-hope game plan . . . all stupid shortsighted decisions made by an egotistical fool trying to prove he's some kind of genius.

Oh well . . . Go Bokke!

2 You and 2 people like this

Yep best coach the Boks have ever had by some distance and arguably one of the best the game as a whole has ever seen

We are extremely lucky to have him

Yes he’s extremely lucky

No we are extremely lucky to have him something well beyond your rugby comprehension

But it’s ok Moz we get you and it’s worth the laugh on here

There are a good 1% of you out there - can’t expect 100% now could we - if it was 100% we would never have seen Mostert playing for the Boks :)

Mostert…magnificent

"Yes he’s extremely lucky"

Pure luck . . . the last refuge of a clueless and stubborn rugby noob who still can't admit he got egg all over his stupid face after getting Rassie so badly wrong.

LMAO!

RooinekHall Of Famer

15,343 posts

Sep 17, 2023, 19:07

The question is would you select Pollard over Libbok for the game against Ireland next week?

If the answer is "yes" then it's a sensible enough decision.

If the answer is "no" then it's a very stupid call.

Manie Libbok is not a world class goal-kicker but he adds a lot of flair to the backline and the Boks are looking good playing expansive running rugby.

If it was me I'd have called up Dweba to be my bench hooker and I'd have stuck with Manie, flaky goal-kicking or not.

I don't believe Pollard's goal-kicking is so much better than Manie's that it warrants us playing a lightweight non-specialist hooker for 30 minutes in each game from here on

Moffie, you can put up as many of my pre-WC final quotes as you can find if it makes you feel less stupid. I've never denied I didn't like Rassie as a coach up to that point.

The difference between you and me is I was able to admit I was wrong about Rassie after he won us back-to-back RWCs . . . while you're still trying to convince everyone he remains a useless coach who just got lucky.

I was wrong, I admitted it and I took my licks. You just look like a stubborn old fool.

The difference between you and me is I was able to admit I was wrong about Rassie after he won us back-to-back RWCs . . . while you're still trying to convince everyone he remains a useless coach who just got lucky.

Moffie, we are allowed to change our minds, it's a normal practice and you are allowed to grip the bone and refuse to let it go.......an abnormal practice.

It's funny how an article carrying an insight from one of the players, an iconic player who has played under more than one coach has no impact on your view point. Besides that all you are doing is regurgitating your same old boring views.

Why don't you just front up and say Marx doesn't know what he's talking about.....I know best.

Nine minutes for Hysteria to leap to his Master’s aid…give her a biscuit for heaven sake.

But all very true Moz

You keep looking the fool but I’m guessing you don’t register that

What the fuck does Marx know, much like Jean and Schalk being clueless as well

Oh boy

Now to your point. Erasmus’ disgraceful behavior during the Lions tour isn’t changed by winning the WC….nor are his subsequent water boy and other antics.The man had to apologize to a referee.

As for his coaching, he did what was the obvious path….he rebuilt our forward play. The obvious path, but I have given him credit for that. What he hasn’t done is develop the other skills in rugby. Nothing last year showed any real progress.

And he did win 2 WCs with the best Bok talent since readmission….depth in every position. But it was all desperately close, Barrett or Ramos make kicks they routinely do..,,we lose.

So while I have never trashed his competency the way you did, I also think he is no genius. as for what the current players say, of course they will be complimentary it’s their legacy as well. And all these players have to live in the world he dominates SA rugby.

Moz you are funny

"Moz you are funny"

Moffie is very funny . . . until he tries to be funny and then it's cringeworthy.

Moffie, stick to the subject matter and answer my question.....it's not about Erasmus and how lucky he was, we've heard all of that.

Here, do you know better and different from Marx? If you digress just simply come out and say that Malcom Marx doesn't know what he's talking about and that you believe different.

And OBTW, I don't know what prompted Marx's comments but he didn't have to make them.

Tell you what Hysteria….you apologize for your Rickleton lie in the Cricket Section and I’ll school you here.

Deflect, deflect....what happened to ' a bit of honesty' and 'show some integrity'......don't worry, I know, those who know you....know....you will never admit to being wrong.

A bit of honesty is correcting your lie….any decent person would but apparently that excludes you.

Same old, deflect, deflect, deflect and then some.

You can't stand the thought of being wrong......you insecure and immature little marvel.

Now shut-up you make me sick!

I can’t stand the thought of being wrong…..try this for size Hysteria:

DennyHall Of Famer

11,571 posts

Apr 03, 2025, 07:50

Rooinek

Just an early warning, Rickelton will become the newest dartboard......it will start slowly and build momentum, a minor error is all that's needed for our resident Bitterbal to build an agenda. You might regret giving him a tick.

The funny thing is until you mentioned the name he would not even have known of his existence.

I kid you not!

Apr 05, 2025, 04:05

MozartHall Of Famer

44,623 posts

Mar 06, 2025, 05:00

Because 4 veteran world class players came through….Kane Williamson 34, Mitchell Santner 33, Virat Kohli 36 and Hardik Pandya 31 stepped up in both games, at exactly when needed. For the Proteas only Miller 35 played a potential match winning role, but Rassie van der Dussen 36 was strong support.

We need to add a few new players, but WC after WC the lesson is clear, these things are decided by a few world class experienced players. That kind of player doesn’t need to be given a key, they knock down the door. Rickleton and Breetzke perhaps have done that…..but they lack the depth of experience that reliably yields the Kohli or Williamson semi contributions

Now just go ahead and say you were wrong and I’ll school you further.

Listen Desperado, it's very simple, stick to the subject matter........the subject matter......the subject matter.

Here say after me.....Marx is right, Erasmus is a very good coach, no not saying he's a genius just very good.

There don't say I haven't helped you.

You just can't can you????

DennyHall Of Famer

11,572 posts

Sep 26, 2023, 11:20

the test against Ireland was ours to lose as well. The stumbling block is not the players, the players do not select themselves, the team does not select itself, the team does not decide the gameplan. Rassie is responsible for all of it, he gets the credit when the team wins and rightly so but he also carries the blame when the team loses. At his disposal is a solid pack of forwards and a brilliant backline loaded with talent, skill and speed which starts at 9 and seamlessly flows to 15.

He ought to know he's top 15 by now..... does he? I doubt it. Combinations and confidence should have been in place by now. On the eve of the quarterfinals he should have had a settled side instead he's still playing musical chairs, he's still experimenting and he still persists with duds like Deon Fourie, Jesse Kreil and the crashball maestro Da Allende???

Starting with the squad....Deon Fourie???......4 Scrummies???.......2 specialist Hookers???.....a Deadend centre pairing...an anorexic lock not suited to the physical demands of the gameplan....an attacking flyhalf with a goal kicking deficiency(more about this later) and a loose trio who leave a lot to be desired.

Starting with the much maligned Libbok...Rassie knew about his kicking woes from way back but decided against employing a kicking coach.....you would think that once he'd decided on Libbok as his starting specialist flyhalf he'd employ the kicking coach Libbok relies on for his confidence. Libbok in his own words says that he gains a lot of confidence from his coach and that his only assistance is via phone in between games.

Deon Fourie, a Rassie tjommie is too old and doesn't belong on the world stage.

Marx and Vermeulen were a foil for a very ordinary loose trio, Kolisi is not a ball carrier, neither is Mostert and neither is Kwagga. Kleyn has to be the reserve Lock and Van Staden has to be in the starting lineup. The starting lock pairing should be Snyman and Etzebeth. The bomb squad is not working, our much hyped physicality is being matched and so is that other favourite the rolling maul. The opposition are aware of the Bok gameplan and plan accordingly and in so doing render our two main attacking options toothless. The absence of Marx makes Mostert a much bigger liability.

The backline......Da Allende and Kreil are not going to buy you a try.....we know that....and there's more chance in AE and CM or AE and Willemse. And whatever CM lacks in defence he makes up in bucket loads with skill, speed and flair. And if you agree that there's not a lot of difference between the top three teams I would argue that our blokes do whatever the opposition does but we do it faster. Speed will always win

Followed by this typical Vaccine attack on somebody he sees as stupid:

RooinekHall Of Famer

15,347 posts

Sep 26, 2023, 17:40

Agree Dense, this RWC is ours to lose. Such a good pool of players to pick from and so many bad decisions but even with Rassies's "look for me I are such a genius" picks, we can still win this thing.

Evan Roos would have added a lot to this team and the 4 scrumhalves instead of an additional flyhalf or hooker is just plain stupid Then he compunds it by picking a 7-1 bench and tries to control every aspect of the game with his stupid lights (and gets all the key decisions wrong).

I get so frustrated with our overrated and egotistical coach but I think we can still win this despite him.

Go Bokke!

So according to Hysteria and Vaccine, Erasmus is an opportunistic, self promoter who got virtually every selection and all the tactics wrong.

But now because he beat a 14 man below par NZ team by one point, only because Pollard who they didn’t want, made his kicks and NZ didn’t….he is a genius.

Of course the only way that works is if they admit they are complete rugby idiots who never had a clue. And when proven 100% wrong jumped on the Rasmus bandwagon in a belated attempt to save their blushes.

Pathetic.

Mozart

Lets get back to facts. Lets go back to 2018 when Erasmus was appointed By SARU and you stated that it was a huge mistake and that it would have been better for SARU to retain Coetzee as coach. That is hen you starte with your attacs against Erasmus. It started off wih false acts about his career as first the Free State coach when t he Cheetahs did very well and even won the CC by beating the Bulls. H then went to the Stomers s coach and then in 2008 and wa the oach there until 2010 when he ws appointed as Stormers Direcor of Rugby and Coetzee was promoted to Head coach. Initially there were close co-operation between Erasmus and Coetzee - but in 2011 that stopped and in 2012 Erasmus was appointed as SARU Director of Rugby and Meyer a Head Coach.

After 2011 the Stormers started going down and and neve recoverd under Coetzee - while under Meyer the route was the same. In four seasons Meyer got progressively worse as coach and his bottom mark was losing against Japan in the 2015 RWC. His squad selection for the 2015 was supersht and his beleif to try and convince retiorees to return to play - as well as selection of injured players were poor and that is here the wheels came off the team and he was told not t bother toa pply or extension of his contract as Springbok coach. So he was effectively fired as Head coach - yet his failure in player development and shit squad selections were NEVER ciriticized by you with only one case where you claimed he made a mistake in team selection.

Erasmus knew Coetzee's appointment would be a disaster for the Springboks and he decided to go to Munster as Director of Rugby. The head coach of Munster suddenly died of a heart attack and Erasmus took over as Head coach and that year Munster did excptionally well and in 2017 Erasmus became the coach of the year as best coach in what is today the URC.

Your criticism of Coetzee as coach of he Springboks and although you did criticiize Coetzee for taam selectio from time to time there wasno daily criticism by you in the case of Erasmus, The teams coached by Coetzee became totally demoralized and the loss at the end of 2017 against Italy was te end of his Springbok coaching career and the Springboks became the 7th ranked team in the world, It was soon clear why both Meyer and Coetzee failed as Springbok coaches, After theiringMeyer and ended up as Head Coach of Stade Francais and Coetzee Head coach of Canon Eagles. Both teams started losing and both Meyer and Coetzee was fired based because continaution fo oahing b them ws gettng ner demotion to a lower level and both showed total incompetece as coaches/

But now back to Erasmus and he made certain conditions that were since applied by SARU and those include that he would decide on coaching staff appointments and SARU would confirm his choices, The second issue relates to the fact that the Selection Committee was disesablished and the coaching staff would select squads and teams in future, He was to be aappointed as Director of Rugb and in view of the proximity of the RWC Erasmus would fil both positons of Director of Rugby and Head Coach of the Springboks until the end of 2019 RWC.

Since 2018 your criticism of Erasmus ws a daily feature on this site and your hysteria levels became worse and worse, he fact that the Springboks in both the Rugby Chanpionship and RWC in 2019 led to another hysteria attacks especially since Erasmus recommended Nienaber who was since 2007 seving under Erasmus in various capacities as Head coach fo the Springboks. Nienaber was never a coach of anthing and all his knolwedge o coaching came from Erasmus who was his mentor and taught him anyting he knew about coaching. But your reaction was supershit - and said that Erasmus dod was what is to bee xpected from him and he was a coward who would not cotinue with the job as Head Coach - while it as a part of the agreement siged between SRU and Erasmus in 2018 that Erasmus recommended.

Your hysteria about Erasmus was really funny because it was absed n hatred you showed from 2018. When teh Government banned rugby playing in South Africa in March 2020 due to the Covid pandemic and only lifted that ban in September 2020 SARU decided not to participate in the 2020 Rugby Championship in Australia - you claimed it was Easmus who chickened out of the Championship - while the decision was not the decision by Erasmus but by SARU. Fact is some Springbok players was stuck overses and travelling between SA promises was forbidden by the Government until September 2020. Al those factors was blanmed on Erasmus "Chickening out" by you,

Due to a variety of factors SA win against the BRI Lions was only important by you was the fact that Erasmus was banned as coach for months when a video surfaced in 2021 in which Erasmus criticized the reffing of Berry in the one Lions amtch. Erasmus did not make the video public - it as leaked in Australia and WR decided to suspend Erasmus as being the official coach for 6 months That is where the comedy reach hysteria levels on your part, According o you Erasmus was a failure a coach and his potegee was better than the failing Erasmus.

Your hysteia reached crisis level inthe 2023 RWC - wher the fact that the Sprinboks won the RWC was due to somethng unbelievable since Erasmus was a failure as Director of Rugby. .The widening of the rugb pool to include more playes f Clour was not entioned once as a positive due to Erasmus efforts,

Now after winning the Rgby Championship in 2024 the enw stor si that he was lucky in 2023 and 2024 to win is now the latest BS you come out now. After you posting thousands of negaive hatred attacks on Erasmus since 2018 hysteria levels on your part showed unimaginable supidity on your part. It is seriously stupid to ignore what the players says about Erasmus s a coach and Marx is not the first one who praised Erasmus as coach. Every Springbok coached by him praised hims a coach and they are all wrong and you are correct.

.

. .

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Well these articles does not mean a whole lot, as it contains the same old rhetoric as usual.

These articles also do not really contain in depth information about strategies being implemented to improve us.

Its always a superficial plot of Rassie the hero and he saved SA Rugby blah blah blah..,..

Denny if you want to talk about deflecting, look no further than these Puff articles full of nothing new…

The only purpose is to uphold the Magical Brain washing….No discredit to Marx, he is a magnificent Rugby player….

Compare that babbling to this pre knockout take:

Forum » Rugby » Boks by 7

MozartHall Of Famer

44,731 posts

Oct 13, 2023, 18:44

The considerations that predicted the exact Irish match result is suggesting a Bok win against France. Pollard is positioned to play the Morne Steyn role, but I think Libbok will kick better on Sunday after his better kicking performance against Tonga. The Bok bomb squad scrum won’t be as much of a factor, Koch is not a dominant scrummager. But we will test their lineout and mauls.

The backline is an odd contradiction with Libbok/Arendse/Kolbe looking to run the ball….and the absence of Faff limiting the kicking. But then we have the mielie pap centres. Seems odd, I can only assume Am is a long way from peak condition.

But we have never relied much on our centres anyway and the French centres aren’t their strong point.

More critically we are playing France. They were actually completely contained by the ABs in the first half. In the second half they found some space and pinned the ABs deep, forcing them into a lot of penalties. Mostly that came from forward breaks. Boks tend to defend that well with the umbrella defence limiting inside space.

France actually won that match with 4 penalties to NZ’s 12….with 449 metres to NZ’s 631 metres. They were incredibly disciplined for a French team. But the emotions will be running high on Sunday…they will be under more pressure. And a card wouldn’t surprise me.

Then you have WC pedigree. This Bok team has been in these kind of games at the WC, France has generally failed at this hurdle. That helps.

And brave as DuPont is, and as awkward as it is playing against a wounded player, it’s hard to see how he could be better for this….and easy to see how this would handicap him.

Put it all together I think the Boks will be totally focused and win this one….by 7.

…….

A grasp of why the Boks would likely win vs a plea for Moodie and a complete misunderstanding of Rasmus’ approach.. Off for 2 days of golf, try to keep it real.

A win is a win and no amount of wishing by you would change the result and and no amount of if's and buts take away the fact that the Springboks in 2023 won the WC - while winning a stack of trophies in 2024.

It is amazing that your hatred is based on the fact that Erasmus and not White won any torphies ince 2017 when Montpellier in the European Challenge Cup - the one and oly one since 2007. Lking at his record there is NO WAY that the Springboks would have collected any trophies since 2018..

Denise really is a little ankle biter.

She never has, nor is there any way in hell, that she could ever put together a piece like the one Moz re-posted two posts up from here.

She's barely coherent enough to read it...let alone write something like that. It's very obvious that she doesn't have much of a clue when it comes to the main sports on Ruckers, and that's why she either C&Ps articles or some regurgitates what others have said. A textbook intellectual coward.

The poor darling is nothing more than a pigeon on a chessboard.

And I full agree with MPower "Denny if you want to talk about deflecting, look no further than these Puff articles full of nothing new…"

These puffed up articles are actually nauseating.

Rassie is a great human, excellent at motivation and a guy that turns those around him into family. That's a special trait and it deserves plenty of respect. But the praise that is being levelled at him, it's like he won every WC game by 30 points. Rassie isn't a better coach than Swys. He's probably a better person, but not tactically more astute and his gameplan has always been inferior to what Swys conjured up out of nothing.

Let's see how we go this year. The time for experimenting is klaar. 2024 was one massive experiment with the musical chairs reaching symphonic levels. 2025 and the fixtures that lay ahead are going to demand that Rassie pick his best side and utilise his best gameplan.

I hope he succeeds and I hope we win all our away games.

What I hope he doesn't do is to carry on with the "experimenting" and use that as an excuse for losing against the ABs, France, and/or Ireland.

"Rassie isn't a better coach than Swys. He's probably a better person, but not tactically more astute and his gameplan has always been inferior to what Swys conjured up out of nothing."

Swys has other problems which prevent him from reaching the top level of coaching...and I don’t think he's a better person as Swys...Swys looks like a real good person...probably that's part of the mental issues...too nice for that world.

From the second Chasing the Sun I got the impression that Nienaber was calling a lot the shots in the coach meetings. He seemed to be the one to nail down the 7-1 bench decision against Ireland in the WC. There's a whole team of coaches involved. Has anyone given Daan Human credit for the work he's done with our scrum, for example? How many games have our scrum won for us? The England semi 2023, for one.

Well when did Swys,s so called mental issue’s start? Was it before he joined the Boks?

Cant remember him having problems at the lions

I think maybe Swys never had any mental issues, until he joined control freak Erasmiss…..??

And Pakie you just gave Daan Human credit, he is doing a great job….I like his hat.

So the people who knows bugger-all about what happes inside the Springbok set-up say they now who was coaching the team and that is not Erasmus - it was according to them Nenaber and Swys with zero conribnution by Erasmus. I am really amazed about the situation.

or them facts meas nothing. When Ackerman left the Lions Swys became their coach and lasted less than a year before on docters' advice he esigned as Lion's coach nearly a year before Erasms returned s Springok coach, Erasmus brought im in a protected environment with less stress and that is were he is at present.

Why the ahtred of Erasmus? The anwser is simple - they dislike players Erasmus believe is part of a very difficult game plan they do not understand and is not electing players they promote, The act is that every coach in SA is bette than th despicable Erasmus and that inclues Whie who sine 2004 coached eams that wone 3 trophies in he period 2004 to date, namely the following:-

1. The Rugby Campionship in 2004 -wn on poin difference with each of the All Blacks, he Wallabes and Springboks winning 2 tests.
2. The RWC in 2007; and
3. The Europen Challenge Cup in 2016-17 - a second tier competion in Europe

So those were better than he 9 trophies the Sprngboks won in the years 2019 to 2024. The criciscism of Erasmus sems from their persnal dislike of certain players was a dissappointment in terms of performances like the case was of serhuizen who in 22 tests played scored zero tries - but he is so much better than De Allende - recognized woldide by experts as a top class 12 - according to them he is a total failure that needs to be replaced , .

it was according to them Nenaber and Swys with zero conribnution by Erasmus

Said absolutely no one.