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Rassie's narrative arc is turning us off

By Daniel Gallan
South Africa director of rugby Rassie Erasmus before the Bank of Ireland Nations Series match between Ireland and South Africa at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin. (Photo By Brendan Moran/Sportsfile via Getty Images)

Twitter is a hellscape as far as public discourse is concerned. But it has also been a thermometer for gauging public sentiment. Last week the temperature emanating from Springboks fans towards Rassie Erasmus became rather frosty.

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South Africa’s director of rugby, who has over 107 thousand followers on Twitter but follows no one, tweeted the day after the Springboks’ 19-16 loss to Ireland in Dublin:

“Tough test match, thanks for all the support from, also thanks to the Ireland supporters at the Aviva, you definetly [sic] understand the game and it’s great to play in an atmosphere like yesterday! Surely was a game of big battles, but small margins.”

No harm, right? But the accompanying video of Ireland’s second try, scored by Mack Hansen in the left corner, suggested that Erasmus wasn’t playing nice.

Just after the ball was turned over on the opposite touchline, there is the hint of a possible forward pass. OK, let’s be frank. Andrew Porter certainly shifted the ball forward to Finlay Bealham who then shovelled it on to ignite a slick move.

Erasmus watched the try in real-time from the coach’s box at the Aviva Stadium. It was his first game back after serving a ban for releasing an hour-long video criticising referee Nic Berry during the British and Irish Lions tour last year.

An equivalent would be a bank robber holding up an off-licence the day after he’s released from prison.

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Erasmus has earned his cult following. His disciples have cast him as a messianic figure who boldly stands up to the real bullies of the global game. In their minds South Africa has been stepped on and sidelined by the elites in Europe and the snobs in Australasia and it’s high time someone fought back.

Just this week French financial prosecutors raided the headquarters of the 2023 World Cup organising committee, suggesting that France’s successful bid was marred by “favouritism, influence peddling [and] corruption”. This will only entrench the conspiracy that the world is indeed against the Springboks given South Africa was betrayed in their campaign to host the tournament for the first time since 1995.

Be that as it may, Erasmus’ antics still smack of a man who can’t read the room. Whatever your views on a referee’s performance or the social importance of a Lions series, Erasmus’s sanction and fine – SA Rugby was forced to pay £20,000 – was deserving. This latest jab might not be as scandalous as his previous misdemeanor, but it enhances the perception that Erasmus considers himself above the law.

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Moreover, this whinging on social media is incongruous with the message that Erasmus has espoused for four years. “Let’s fuck them up physically” seems to be the mantra that underlines his entire rugby ethos. He might be a brandy and coke-swilling, barefoot dancing, flag waving eccentric, but first and foremost he presents as an alpha of the game, leading a pack of alphas that can stampede over all opponents by virtue of their might and muscle.

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This perpetual referee bashing can only be interpreted as weakness and insecurity. This isn’t the behaviour of a conqueror but of someone desperate for a scapegoat. South Africa didn’t lose the first Test to the Lions last year because of the referee. Same as they didn’t lose to Ireland because of the referee. Any suggestion that they did is a betrayal of the senses.

It was only three years ago that Erasmus was one of rugby’s most beloved figures. His decision to select Siya Kolisi as captain in 2018 was inspired and still resonates beyond the pitch. His transformation of the Springboks from chumps to champs in 18 months will go down as one of the greatest rebuilds in the sport’s history.

The sight of him sobbing on the Chasing the Sun documentary as he recounted the struggles of Makazole Mapimpi was deeply moving. It was impossible not to watch this burly man weep and keep your own eyes dry. Erasmus had morphed into the uncle you wished you had. Forget picking his brain to better understand his philosophies. All I wanted to do was give him a big hug.

Then the pandemic bit and the Springboks were indeed sidelined. South Africa had a harsher lockdown than most of the world’s rugby playing nations and an already teetering economy was put under immense strain. We all came out of that period a little jaded, even those of us who no longer live in the country. If you have roots on Africa’s southern edge you’ll know this to be true.

Perhaps this altered Erasmus in some way. Maybe he was always going to launch a tirade of some sort that would land him in hot water with the authorities. Whether it was preordained or the consequence of the world falling apart, Erasmus’ narrative arc has veered off course.

He has a chance to put it right. A documentary chronicling his life will be released this Sunday on SuperSport in South Africa. Erasmus tweeted twice to promote it. The first said, “I suggest flawless people give it a skip”, while the second addressed “all the ‘normal’ people”.

Is he being sanctimonious? It does feel like he is. Is he intimating that he’s not “normal” in the way misunderstood artists and musicians might self-identity as abnormal? Is he judging the rest of us for being judgmental? Is this attempt to unlock the mysteries that lie between his ears akin to untangling the Gordian Knot?

The trailer for the documentary, simply called, Rassie: The Official Film, ends with the respected journalist, Simnikiwe Xabanisa, stating, “What a coach”. That he is. Maybe the best ever produced in South Africa. Maybe the best ever anywhere in the world. That is a debate for another time but enough people will agree with that statement to warrant the discussion.

It would be a shame if he continues down this path. He’s already lost the neutrals, now he’s starting to lose some devotees. Let’s hope he shelves the moaning and goading and wins back our love.

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Jon 3 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 6 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.

28 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

28 Go to comments
T
Trevor 10 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.

21 Go to comments
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