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Rassie has once again masterfully manipulated the storyline

By Daniel Gallan
South Africa director of rugby Rassie Erasmus during a South Africa rugby media conference at The Radisson Blu St Helens Hotel in Dublin. (Photo By Brendan Moran/Sportsfile via Getty Images)

It lasted only 20 minutes and 34 seconds, but the brief monologue from Rassie Erasmus on Wednesday evening contained multiple plot lines.

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First, there was the title. ‘Lekka Chat (15min only)’, four words that contained two lies. It might have been lekka (the Afrikaans word for nice) but it wasn’t a chat. A back-and-forth dialogue with the public was promised for a later date.

Nor was it 15 minutes. That is not surprising given Erasmus’ propensity for delving down cognitive tangents and providing caveats for his caveats. His is a mind constantly at work. The electrical activity in his brain could solve South Africa’s power shortages if only it could be harnessed.

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In truth, the two lies told in the headline are minor ones. They’re barely lies at all. But what they reveal is that Erasmus can’t be analysed at face value. Like an improvising jazz drummer he’s constantly playing on a different beat.

In the background, just over Erasmus’ left shoulder, was a shelf stacked with files. Who knows what rugby secrets are stored away in those documents? Does one contain a follow up to “The Move”, the famous maul that folded the English pack to win a penalty in the 2019 World Cup final? Is there a plan to beat either France or New Zealand in next year’s quarterfinal? Maybe it’s all a ruse and those folders simply contain recipes for the perfect braai.

Either way, Erasmus managed to encapsulate two important traits one looks for in a leader. His demeanor was approachable and relaxed. He’d be welcome at any braai in the country. But he still conveyed a sense of authority. There’s safety in his gruff voice and broad shoulders. If this was indeed a tête-à-tête and one asked him a probing question, it’s quite possible he would have swivelled on his chair, plucked down a file and flipped to the page with the right answer.

For those viewers who had not switched to a full screen, another narrative device was found in the top left corner, beyond the boundary of the video itself. Erasmus’ avatar on Vimeo is a clenched fist raised in front of a South African flag. The fist also bears the colours of the flag. This stock image – found on the first page of a Google search for ‘South Africa flag fist’ – speaks volumes.

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Ever since his appointment in 2017 as director of rugby he has remained conscious of the social importance of the Springboks. He has famously said that winning is his priority, that “keeping the main thing the main thing” is how he’d win the public’s love. But he has understood better than any of his predecessors that South Africa’s national rugby side is perhaps the country’s greatest cultural export. His job is inexorably linked with the ennoblement of those who support the green and gold.

We’re halfway through this article and not a word yet for the content of Erasmus’ speech. “Why would I do this?” he asked before explaining that he wanted to cut through the regular press conference guff and media tinted discourse. This was a chance for him to address the fans where they live, without the gatekeepers and watchdogs.

In truth, it was mostly forgettable. Players are impacted by social media? Who knew? The opinions of fans and journalists create a groundswell of conflicting emotions for coaches? You don’t say?

Where was the juice? Where was the friction? This was a fantastic opportunity to set the record straight on a number of topics including the way we interpret a referee’s performance and how we might fairly criticise them. We signed up for a five course meal and got just a small salad to nibble.

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One interesting point centred on the #StrongerToegther campaign launched in 2019. Erasmus outlined the three main pillars that would help cultivate a cohesive rugby culture in the country. The first two pillars would be the playing group, including backroom staff, and the fans who support them. Acting as a conduit would be the media. There would be a proviso.

“They would report, hopefully accurately, to the supporters,” Erasmus said. “We do the main thing as well as we can. We give access to the media as well as we can and they hopefully report correctly to the fans so that they can form an opinion on what they see.

“The narrative that the media puts out there will hopefully be correct and the truth from what they’ve seen during the week.”

Erasmus later goes on to say that he was “against” the media. That, as a developing coach in the mid-2000s, he was sceptical of the role of journalists and social media influencers who helped shape public opinion.

He’s come around since. So much so that he is now the master of his own narrative. On that front he is unrivalled. No other director of rugby or head coach manipulates the story like he does. He might not have always understood the machinations of social media but he certainly does now.

It is clear from hearing him speak of the power of a tweet that he knows exactly what he’s doing when he punches out a thought 280 characters in length. There’s no question he would regret the vicious and unfounded personal attacks directed at referees, but he most certainly is conscious that such an eventuality could play out once he hits the ‘Tweet’ button. Another such tweet in the future could not be dismissed with an ignorant shrug. If he repeats past transgressions he’d be doing so with the full knowledge of what that may bring.

This is why we, in the media, on social networks, in pubs and around the braai, can’t stop talking about Erasmus. He’s a blockbuster character. Equal parts pantomime villain and noble hero. Every dance posted online, every interview recorded, whatever he does, wherever he goes, he will command attention.

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john 20 minutes 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.

13 Go to comments
A
Adrian 2 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

13 Go to comments
T
Trevor 5 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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B
Bull Shark 9 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

Of the rugby I’ve born witness to in my lifetime - 1990 to date - I recognize great players throughout those years. But I have no doubt the game and the players are on average better today. So I doubt going back further is going to prove me wrong. The technical components of the game, set pieces, scrums, kicks, kicks at goal. And in general tactics employed are far more efficient, accurate and polished. Professional athletes that have invested countless hours on being accurate. There is one nation though that may be fairly competitive in any era - and that for me is the all blacks. And New Zealand players in general. NZ produces startling athletes who have fantastic ball skills. And then the odd phenomenon like Brooke. Lomu. Mcaw. Carter. Better than comparing players and teams across eras - I’ve often had this thought - that it would be very interesting to have a version of the game that is closer to its original form. What would the game look like today if the rules were rolled back. Not rules that promote safety obviously - but rules like: - a try being worth 1 point and conversion 2 points. Hence the term “try”. Earning a try at goals. Would we see more attacking play? - no lifting in the lineouts. - rucks and break down laws in general. They looked like wrestling matches in bygone eras. I wonder what a game applying 1995 rules would look like with modern players. It may be a daft exercise, but it would make for an interesting spectacle celebrating “purer” forms of the game that roll back the rules dramatically by a few versions. Would we come to learn that some of the rules/combinations of the rules we see today have actually made the game less attractive? I’d love to see an exhibition match like that.

29 Go to comments
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