Former Springbok coach Nick Mallett has hailed Rassie Erasmus for building a united South African rugby team.
Erasmus took over as head coach of the Springboks in 2018 and led the team to victory in the Rugby World Cup the following year. The 52-year-old coach played a vital role behind the scenes, ensuring that the Springboks retained their title in 2023. After Jacques Nienaber resigned, Rassie returned for his second tenure as head coach.
Speaking on the Rassie+ podcast, Mallett applauded Rassie’s openness on transforming the Springboks team.
“What you’ve done is not go out and ask them to support you, it’s giving them information. Enough that they understand what you’re trying to do,” Mallett told Erasmus.
“Then they understand better why you play a certain way or make certain changes. And what you’ve created – and the only Springbok coach who’s done it – is to make the Springboks bigger than the provinces, which it always should be.
Mallet says Rassie Erasmus built a united team through transparency
“To transform the team and still win – that was your biggest challenge. And hell, you’ve done that well,” Mallet added.
In terms of winning over the media, Malltet said he was not so fortunate. Between 1997 and 1998, the 68-year-old coached South Africa to a record 17 straight Test wins.
“A media person can turn the public against you in no time at all,” Mallett said to Rassie during the podcast.
“With the Gary [Teichmann] thing, the whole of Durban and Natal turned on me. I couldn’t go and visit there without getting something thrown at me.
“Because I was English-speaking and didn’t speak Afrikaans, I didn’t have support in Bloemfontein. And in the end, I was probably not supported by any of the media.”
Mallett coached Rassie Erasmus during his tenure with the Boks from 1997 to 2000.
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