Cape Town – Rassie Erasmus may be loved by some and irritate many others in the greater rugby world, but there is no doubt that the current Springbok squad are loyal to their 2019 Rugby World Cup-winning coach.

Wing Cheslin Kolbe says Erasmus was “a really fantastic coach to play under and be coached by, and just a phenomenal human off the field” during an interview on The Telegraph Rugby Podcast this week.

The 50-year-old mentor had just returned from a lengthy World Rugby ban for the British and Irish Lions refereeing saga for the Test against Ireland in Dublin last November.

But following the defeats to the Irish and France on the end-of-year tour, the former loose forward was suspended by World Rugby once more for the Tests against Italy and England after he posted videos on social media highlighting a number of incidents from both games that could have been viewed as being critical of the match officials.

It led to social media threats against referee Wayne Barnes and his family after the Englishman had been in charge of the French Test.

“World Rugby condemns any public criticism of match official selection, performance or integrity, which undermines their role, the trust-based coach/match officials feedback process and the values of integrity, respect, solidarity and discipline that are at the heart of the sport,” the governing body said.

Before World Rugby’s statement was issued, Erasmus posted screenshots of his previous tweets with a caption: “Like myself, the referee of the French test (Wayne Barnes) & his family have received threats & abuse.

“Apparently it’s partly due to my tweets, which is totally unfounded. Tweets were not aimed at the officials, but to our (SA) fans on what we should do better. Have a go at me not the ref!!”

This week, Kolbe spoke about his admiration for Erasmus, who had provided him with his big breakthrough during the 2018 Rugby Championship, and he went on to excel in the triumphant 2019 World Cup campaign as well.

Asked what he thought of Erasmus – who is the director of rugby at SA Rugby at the moment – following the latest ban, Kolbe said: “It just shows you how much he cares about the Springboks and how much he cares about South Africa.

“He just wants the team to always be treated fairly, and he would go out of his way to make sure that that is the case.

“I think he is very passionate about rugby, and every person will know that by now – who Coach Rassie is. He’s just an incredible human, on and off the field.

“I got to know Coach Rassie when I started playing under him in 2018… Just his sense of the game and thinking is out of this world.

“I haven’t been part of a coaching team where there is so much detail, and a lot of thought that goes into preparation, and the way you see and analyse other teams.

“He’s taught me quite a lot, and I take my hat off to Coach Rassie for coming in at a difficult time, and managing to turn a lot around in quite a short period of time, obviously leading to a World Cup in 2019.

“A really fantastic coach to play under and be coached by, and just a phenomenal human off the field. He cares a lot about the players – their health, their families, and just wanting the best for them.

“As everybody knows, the ban that he got was all for the Springboks and the players at the time. But really exciting, and a really good guy to have on your side and learn from at the same time.”

It's just words and it's not like his lying about anything...so why all the noise? It's a professional sport afterall. 

"...after he posted videos on social media highlighting a number of incidents from both games that could have been viewed as being critical of the match officials.

It led to social media threats against referee Wayne Barnes and his family after the Englishman had been in charge of the French Test."

What horse manure. It was Barnes's officiating that led to the threats, juvenile as they were...giving it credence and blaming it on rassie is absurd. It was juvenile internet trolling...that's part and parcel of being a public figure...there's too many idiots with internet access for it not to happen.

"...after he posted videos on social media highlighting a number of incidents from both games that could have been viewed as being critical of the match officials.

It led to social media threats against referee Wayne Barnes and his family after the Englishman had been in charge of the French Test."

What horse manure. It was Barnes's officiating that led to the threats, juvenile as they were...giving it credence and blaming it on rassie is absurd. It was juvenile internet trolling...that's part and parcel of being a public figure...there's too many idiots with internet access for it not to happen.

awê Maaik!!!

Erasmus is one of the most ineffective coaches I have seen in any sport. I'd ask Kolbe this: Which player who has played under Erasmus has improved in any aspect of their game? No Bok has thrived. Am, Pollard, Eben, Faf, Marx, Willie, Mapimpi, Kolbe, De Allende... they have all shown regression. No player thrives, no player develops. Kwagga is currently the best Bok in the squad by a considerable margin, but he too will see a slide. Erasmus cannot coach, and that's why he is heavily reliant on the technical and coaching ability of others. Erasmus is the kak praat that Saffers are addicted to, telling them smooth words to help them accept mediocrity and feel better about failing to reach their potential. Saffers, sadly, love hollow feel-good words, and enjoy a life in passivity. Erasmus is highly manipulative, however, notice how he is very much in favor of submissive personalities amongst his players and coaching team. When the heat is on, he creates distractions to avoid dealing with his inability to simply coach the team, to develop the team. Erasmus is useless. His record throughout his sham of a coaching career attests to that. Strip away the work of his defensive guru, and there is nothing there. Simples. 

Nonsense...Eben is in the form of  his life.

Eben had his least effective season last year. He was outplayed in both NZ tests, and against Australia. He was inconsistent on the EOYT, though he, along with Kwagga, saved our blushes against Italy. It's a worrying sign. Our best players are not playing to their potential. 

l'Grande Merde

It is amazing how you manage to come up with the amount of BS you manage to do.   After destruction of Rugby by De Villiers - the disastrous non-coach Meyer - and the simpleton Coetzee - the Springboks who played under the three coaches were totally demoralized and could not beat Italy in 2017.   Erasmus caused a major turnaround in the team and he had 100%  support from the senior players,   Within 18 months after turnover the team won the most successful WC performance campaign since re-admission in 1992.   

How the hell does that show regression by players?    That is where idiots like you come up with all kinds of BS showing you have zero idea about rugby.   

After the 2007 WC and the termination of White's Springbok coaching - the worst criticism of White came from the senior Springbok players.   After the 2019 WC Erasmus was never criticized by any of the Senior players and praised by everyone of them.    That shows he is a good coach able to inspire players to improve performances.

So think about the issue before you come up with standard unproved BS and comments based on prejudice.    People may then think you do have some rugby knowledge and not have shit instead of brains disease.       

Mike I often just skip over what Alucard posts. He makes one absurd comment after another. 

As Kolbe said Rassie just wanted a fair deal for the Boks. He was willing to pay the price of speaking out against the incompetent/corrupt refs.

As Kolbe says Rassie is an incredible coach and great human being.

But we are supposed to dismiss what Kolbe says and believe armchair critics Moz and Alucard's never ending smear campaign against this great coach. Bwahahahaha. It's hilarious that they don't have enough self awareness to understand they are making total jackasses of themselves. 

The Boks are the least penalized team in world rugby by a considerable margin. They are the primary beneficiaries for bad calls and 50/50 decisions going there way. We had two instances of Boks taking players clean out of the air with intent in 2021, no red card, and one was let off completely. The three wild throat slams by Kolisi that were never called. The Wiese head butt on a Wallaby. The nine forward passes of 2021 to 2022 that were never called, several resulting in tries. Endless streams of penalties at maul time. All the belly flopping at scrum time that never gets called. The seven consecutive skew lineouts of Dweba and Marx. Where has the injustice been? Erasmus looks like a total fool when the full body of material is laid out for all to see. Not only does he bring the game into disrepute, he uses the race card. You call out refs, accuse them of racism, and then dare them to pinged the Boks or talk to Kolisi as they should. Erasmus isn't merely a shoddy coach who has regressed each and every Bok, he is a scumbag. 

Card we all saw videos of that ref I the ions test talking to theions captain and ignoring Kolisi. 

Rassie was 100% correct to po int this out and demand some respect for the Bok captain. 

Next bit of drivel! 

No he was playing the race card….you know it and I know it.

You are talking nonsense and you know it. 

That’s your specialty.

Kolisi has the field presence of a timid little door mouse. It was utterly ludicrous to make someone so utterly lacking in leadership quality the position at any level. I could think of twenty South Africans better than him for the captaincy! And to make matters worse, he isn't even a good player. His production from 2013 till the present day has been consistently abysmal. What are we supposed to do? Have a special reprieve in play where the coach kneels down beside little Kwotalisi and asks us all to be quiet as he expresses his sheepish self? It only serves to underscore how lacking Kolisi is as a leader. Erasmus attacked the referees in multiple areas, and used Kolisi to instill the fear of G-d in them to even think of penalising the Boks. This in the same season where a referee was sacked for identifying personnel who were all clothed the same by the colour of their skin as that was the only distinctive marker between all of them - that amongst other ignorant racist issues. Erasmus knew very well what he was doing, and the implications thereof. Either he is as smart as you say he is and a selfish manipulator, or he is as recklessly stupid as Snor. 

Rassie is a clever operator and he used the Race Card to gain a Power edge….just like his public showing about the refs and now lately yet again, with trashing Mallet on social media….Let see if all the talk, can be backed up with Action ….heavy season coming up with WC 23.

Doos stop speaking utter fucking horse shit

Eben has been in the form of his life and by some considerable margin the best lock in the game

He has NEVER been out played and if he has please provide the evidence

I given up on the BS spreading by Mozart and l'Grande Merde.    They never had any real proof of what they are writing on site.    Everything they write is based on prejudice  and they are too childish to admit it.    It does not count iro rugby alone - the express it t other codes of sport as well.   Sick minds influenced by prejudice is certainly not the way to deal with rugby - or for that matter - any code of sport.    One wonder where they get the shit from they write above.         

8/5

Oh cute Lomp manages to raise his right shoulder….the other one was a bit buggered. Do you have the shots for the 21 and 22 RC?

8/5 is a lie as Rassie was not present

Unless coaching via a mobile is the new way

Kolbe says it all Rassie is pure class and loved by the players

All within Harrassmiss’ control….he was given the reigns, discriminating fans expect results, not a frigging Punch and Judy show.

Either Rassie will become a Master to win back to back WC,s or Just Director of Rugby I suppose ….but that will be tough to keep if the Ship Sinks….besides a Ref, we need a Attack Consultant like Swys….so we can harness all our chances this season and WC.