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'I'd love Rassie in the England job, he sounds an absolute legend'

By Liam Heagney
(Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)

Ex-England out-half Freddie Burns has claimed he would love Rassie Erasmus, the controversial South African rugby boss, to succeed Eddie Jones after the 2023 World Cup. There has been much talk since the recently finished Guinness Six Nations about who the RFU should look to recruit with the Australian now entering the last 18 months of his English contract. 

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The RFU suggested they would prefer an indigenous coach to take over, something that ex-boss Stuart Lancaster agreed with. Burns, though, explained that he wants Erasmus, who guided the Springboks to 2019 World Cup glory against England, to take on the role as he has a similar extroverted personality as Jones and would be able to handle both the UK media and coach the team. 

If not, Leicester player Burns added that he is a fan of Irishman Ronan O’Gara, who last weekend claimed he would be interested in the England job. However, he reckoned the current La Rochelle boss would be best suited to a head coach role with England underneath a director of rugby, possible Exeter’s Rob Baxter.

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Freddie Burns & Max Lahiff – Dropped at Nandos, Loyalty & England’s next head coach | RugbyPass Offload | Episode 28

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Freddie Burns & Max Lahiff – Dropped at Nandos, Loyalty & England’s next head coach | RugbyPass Offload | Episode 28

Appearing on the latest episode of RugbyPass Offload, Burns said: “Here is the thing with it, there is so much media and stuff to deal with the circus with being England head coach, manager or whatever it is, so it’s whether they go for a DoR figure who does the media side of things, talks about that and then you have a head coach underneath who actually does the hands-on coaching – it’s quite a balancing act to do both. 

“I love the way Ronan O’Gara talks about the game. Whenever I hear him in an interview it is class, but I don’t really know. I’d love to see Rassie in it. Genuinely, I love the bloke. I have never met him, but just through social media and how he is, I absolutely love the bloke. He sounds like an absolute legend. 

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“But from a serious point of view, I don’t really know. I haven’t given it much thought. I should have more of an opinion being on a rugby podcast. Ronan O’Gara could be a great head coach but you would want someone above him to deal with the media side of things and all that so he can just get on with coaching.”

Having listened to Burns regarding Erasmus or O’Gara for England, show co-host and current Bristol prop Max Lahiff added: “I like the idea of Rog [O’Gara] in there, he would be outstanding. I know his acronym is KBA, keep ball alive. La Rochelle play some good code as well and he has got access to some really talented individuals in the England set-up and a lot of the players in the England lineup would suit that style of play, that wide momentum rugby. 

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“But do you want someone domestically? A lot of people have been praying for Rob Baxter to take the role. For a while, there has been that talk and Exeter’s success in the last few years has been a testament to that. But then there are guys like Mark McCall as well, would he do it? I don’t know. But I do like the idea of Rog, he is very contemporary and to play some sexy rugby would be pretty good. 

“I would agree with you, nowadays there is so much around it, the social media aspect in being DoR. Rassie and Eddie Jones have their own brand or feel in terms of what they bring to the press and stuff. He [O’Gara] would need someone above him so you would want a DoR.”

The conversation then reverted back to Burns, who continued to emphasise how strong a fit Erasmus would be for England. “Eddie Jones has got his critics and you can look at England’s results and performances in the Six Nations just gone, I know he is leaving anyway but he is unbelievable in what he does – to be able to handle the press the way he does, and let’s not forget England were in the final of the last World Cup. 

“People are very quick to criticise and to want change but there are not many like Eddie Jones out there. There is a reason why he has been at the top of the coaching game for 20-odd years now and that is because he is unbelievable at what he does.  Of course, he is off and England and going to need to change but there is going to be some big old shoes to fill because the way he gets that team going and the way he handles the media and that sort of stuff, there is not that many Eddie Joneses around.

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“So you need someone to come in who has got a big personality which is why if O’Gara was to come in and be given the reins as head coach, I believe they need to bring in maybe a Rob Baxter or someone like that above O’Gara to handle the media side of it and all that kind of thing.”

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Jon 2 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

This is the problem with conservative mindsets and phycology, and homogenous sports, everybody wants to be the same, use the i-win template. Athlete wise everyone has to have muscles and work at the gym to make themselves more likely to hold on that one tackle. Do those players even wonder if they are now more likely to be tackled by that player as a result of there “work”? Really though, too many questions, Jake. Is it better Jake? Yes, because you still have that rugby of ole that you talk about. Is it at the highest International level anymore? No, but you go to your club or checkout your representative side and still engage with that ‘beautiful game’. Could you also have a bit of that at the top if coaches encouraged there team to play and incentivized players like Damian McKenzie and Ange Capuozzo? Of course we could. Sadly Rugby doesn’t, or didn’t, really know what direction to go when professionalism came. Things like the state of northern pitches didn’t help. Over the last two or three decades I feel like I’ve been fortunate to have all that Jake wants. There was International quality Super Rugby to adore, then the next level below I could watch club mates, pulling 9 to 5s, take on the countries best in representative rugby. Rugby played with flair and not too much riding on the consequences. It was beautiful. That largely still exists today, but with the world of rugby not quite getting things right, the picture is now being painted in NZ that that level of rugby is not required in the “pathway” to Super Rugby or All Black rugby. You might wonder if NZR is right and the pathway shouldn’t include the ‘amateur’, but let me tell you, even though the NPC might be made up of people still having to pull 9-5s, we know these people still have dreams to get out of that, and aren’t likely to give them. They will be lost. That will put a real strain on the concept of whether “visceral thrill, derring-do and joyful abandon” type rugby will remain under the professional level here in NZ. I think at some point that can be eroded as well. If only wanting the best athlete’s at the top level wasn’t enough to lose that, shutting off the next group, or level, or rugby players from easy access to express and showcase themselves certainly will. That all comes back around to the same question of professionalism in rugby and whether it got things right, and rugby is better now. Maybe the answer is turning into a “no”?

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j
john 5 hours ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

But here in Australia we were told Penney was another gun kiwi coach, for the Tahs…….and yet again it turned out the kiwi coach was completely useless. Another con job on Australian rugby. As was Robbie Deans, as was Dave Rennie. Both coaches dumped from NZ and promoted to Australia as our saviour. And the Tahs lap them up knowing they are second rate and knowing that under pressure when their short comings are exposed in Australia as well, that they will fall in below the largest most powerful province and choose second rate Tah players to save their jobs. As they do and exactly as Joe Schmidt will do. Gauranteed. Schmidt was dumped by NZ too. That’s why he went overseas. That why kiwi coaches take jobs in Australia, to try and prove they are not as bad as NZ thought they were. Then when they get found out they try and ingratiate themselves to NZ again by dragging Australian teams down with ridiculous selections and game plans. NZ rugby’s biggest problem is that it can’t yet transition from MCaw Cheatism. They just don’t know how to try and win on your merits. It is still always a contest to see how much cheating you can get away with. Without a cheating genius like McCaw, they are struggling. This I think is why my wise old mate in NZ thinks Robertson will struggle. The Crusaders are the nursery of McCaw Cheatism. Sean Fitzpatrick was probably the father of it. Robertson doesn’t know anything else but other countries have worked it out.

15 Go to comments
A
Adrian 7 hours ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

Thanks Nick The loss of players to OS, injury and retirement is certainly not helping the Crusaders. Ditto the coach. IMO Penny is there to hold the fort and cop the flak until new players and a new coach come through,…and that's understood and accepted by Penny and the Crusaders hierarchy. I think though that what is happening with the Crusaders is an indicator of what is happening with the other NZ SRP teams…..and the other SRP teams for that matter. Not enough money. The money has come via the SR competition and it’s not there anymore. It's in France, Japan and England. Unless or until something is done to make SR more SELLABLE to the NZ/Australia Rugby market AND the world rugby market the $s to keep both the very best players and the next rung down won't be there. They will play away from NZ more and more. I think though that NZ will continue to produce the players and the coaches of sufficient strength for NZ to have the capacity to stay at the top. Whether they do stay at the top as an international team will depend upon whether the money flowing to SRP is somehow restored, or NZ teams play in the Japan comp, or NZ opts to pick from anywhere. As a follower of many sports I’d have to say that the organisation and promotion of Super Rugby has been for the last 20 years closest to the worst I’ve ever seen. This hasn't necessarily been caused by NZ, but it’s happened. Perhaps it can be fixed, perhaps not. The Crusaders are I think a symptom of this, not the cause

15 Go to comments
T
Trevor 9 hours ago
Will forgotten Wallabies fit the Joe Schmidt model?

Thanks Brett.. At last a positive article on the potential of Wallaby candidates, great to read. Schmidt’s record as an international rugby coach speaks for itself, I’m somewhat confident he will turn the Wallaby’s fortunes around …. on the field. It will be up to others to steady the ship off the paddock. But is there a flaw in my optimism? We have known all along that Australia has the players to be very competitive with their international rivals. We know that because everyone keeps telling us. So why the poor results? A question that requires a definitive answer before the turn around can occur. Joe Schmidt signed on for 2 years, time to encompass the Lions tour of 2025. By all accounts he puts family first and that’s fair enough, but I would wager that his 2 year contract will be extended if the next 18 months or so shows the statement “Australia has the players” proves to be correct. The new coach does not have a lot of time to meld together an outfit that will be competitive in the Rugby Championship - it will be interesting to see what happens. It will be interesting to see what happens with Giteau law, the new Wallaby coach has already verbalised that he would to prefer to select from those who play their rugby in Australia. His first test in charge is in July just over 3 months away .. not a long time. I for one wish him well .. heaven knows Australia needs some positive vibes.

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