How did World Rugby get away with snubbing Rassie Erasmus for coach of the year?
Rassie Erasmus’s exclusion from the World Rugby Coach of the Year nomination, despite leading the Springboks to historic victories and defending the Rugby Championship, highlights his controversial yet brilliant coaching style that challenges conventional boundaries. Picture: Anne-Christine Poujoulat/AFP
Image: Anne-Christine Poujoulat/AFP
If Rassie Erasmus is not the best coach in World Rugby at the moment, then South Africans don’t enjoy braais, and the fact that he was not even nominated for World Rugby Coach of the Year beggars belief.
It’s that simple. No one else comes close to what Erasmus has achieved this year. That’s no disrespect to England Women’s coach John Mitchell, who won the award after leading his side to the Rugby World Cup title earlier this year. It’s also worth noting that the winner was strangely decided in September, two months before the November internationals.
Which other coach in World Rugby follows just one account on X? With that one account being his upcoming opposition’s X profile.
The Springboks have won the last two Rugby World Cups on offer, and in 2025, they will continue that period of domination to three years.
Springboks’ Historic Achievements: Webb Ellis Trophy, Rugby Championship Defence, and Unforgettable November Tour
Since they lifted the Webb Ellis trophy in 2023, they won the Rugby Championship title in 2024 and defended it this year. It was the first time in Springbok history that they have defended the title, dating back to the inception of the tournament in 1996 when it was still known as the Tri-Nations.
Then there was the historic November Tour as South Africa produced incredible victories over Japan, France, Italy, and Ireland. Against France and Italy in particular, it was with controversial red cards which reduced their team to 14 players for the majority of both encounters.
Then there was the 24-13 victory against Ireland in Dublin. The Springboks absolutely dominated the Irish despite the less than convincing scoreline in what was South Africa’s first win in Dublin in 13 years.
At the helm of these phenomenal performances is Erasmus. In World Rugby, Erasmus is a divisive figure as his rugby genius means he is always pushing conventional boundaries.
Erasmus’s Controversial Tactics and World Rugby’s Snub
Who can forget when Erasmus donned the waterboy bib to find a loophole in World Rugby’s rules as he made his way onto the pitch? He didn’t have to do that, as he could radio the actual waterboys and get his message to his players just as effectively.
Then there were the flashing green and red lights from the coaching box, as he found another loophole about communication with his players.
Of course, there was also the controversial leaked video where he tore the officiating of referee Nic Berry to shreds in 2021. Whether this video was ever meant to be seen by the public is still debated, and that was one of the many times Erasmus landed himself in hot water.
Often controversial, sometimes he misses the mark, but he’s always brilliant, and that makes him a target for World Rugby, and this latest snub is just another example.
* The views expressed are not necessarily the views of IOL or Independent Media.
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