Rassie Erasmus is a former South African rugby player and coach who achieved one of the greatest achievements in the history of the sport: leading the national team to victory in the 2019 Rugby World Cup.
He is widely regarded as one of the most innovative and unique coaches in the game and one of the most controversial and outspoken.
He has also coached a number of clubs and provincial teams in South Africa and Ireland, winning a number of titles and awards.
File
- Full name: Johan Erasmus
- Nickname: Rassie
- Date of birth: November 5, 1972
- Age: 51 years old
- Gender: Male
- Place of birth: Despatch, Eastern Cape, South Africa
- Nationality: South African
- Occupation: Football coach and former player
- Height: 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)
- Parents: None
- Siblings: None
- Spouse: Yolanda Erasmus
- Children: Two
- Relationship status: Married
- Net worth: $5 million
Early life and education
Rassie Erasmus, now 51, was born on 5 November 1972 in Despatch, a small town in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa.
He grew up in a rugby-loving family and started playing the sport at a young age. He attended Hoërskool Despatch, where he became an outstanding rugby player and captain of the school team.
He also represented Eastern Province at various age group levels. He then enrolled at the University of the Free State where he studied sports science and continued his rugby career.
He graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in 1994.
Personal life
Rassie Erasmus is happily married to Yolanda Erasmus and they have been together for over 20 years. They have two children: a son named Rassie Jr. and a daughter named Jeanne.
He lives with his family in Cape Town, South Africa. He is a devout Christian and prays before and after matches. He is also an avid hunter and enjoys spending time in nature.
Career
Rassie Erasmus had a successful playing career as a winger or number 8 for a number of teams in South Africa.
He debuted for Free State in 1994 and played for the team until 1999, winning the Currie Cup in 1996 and 1997. He also played for the Golden Lions in 2000 and 2001 and for the Cats and Stormers in the Super 12 competition.
He made his test debut for the Springboks in 1997 against the British & Irish Lions and won 36 caps by 2001. He scored seven tries for South Africa, including a hat-trick against Wales in 1998. He retired in 2002 due to a chronic knee injury.
Erasmus then embarked on a coaching career, starting as assistant coach for the Free State Cheetahs in 2003. He became head coach in 2005, leading the team to another Currie Cup title in 2005. He also coached the Cheetahs in the Super 14 competition from 2006 to 2007.
In 2008, he moved to Western Province, where he was director of coaching and then head coach. He also coached the Stormers in Super Rugby from 2008 to 2011, reaching the 2010 final.
He resigned in 2012 and joined the South African Rugby Union (SARU) as general manager of high performance.
In 2016, Erasmus left SARU and moved to Ireland, where he became director of rugby and head coach of Munster.
He led them to the Pro12 final and European Cup semi-finals in his first season, winning the Pro12 Manager of the Season award.
He also helped develop a number of young Irish players, such as Conor Murray, CJ Stander and Peter O’MahonyO’Mahony.
He left Munster in 2017 and returned to South Africa, where he was appointed director of rugby and head coach of the Springboks.
Erasmus faces a huge challenge as coach of the Springboks, with the team in a weakened state after a series of disappointing results and performances under his predecessor Allister Coetzee. He must rebuild the team’s confidence, culture and identity, while improving their skills, tactics and fitness.
He also faced political and social pressure to transform the team to reflect the country’s diversity. He turned the team around in remarkable fashion, leading them to some historic victories, such as beating the All Blacks in New Zealand for the first time since 2009, winning the Rugby Championship for the first time since 2009 and winning their third Rugby World Cup in 2019.
He also made history by becoming the first person to win World Rugby Coach of the Year and World Rugby Team of the Year in the same year.
Erasmus stepped down as Springboks coach after the World Cup and remained as director of rugby. He appointed assistant coach Jacques Nienaber as the new head coach and became his “water bearer”, a role that allowed him to communicate with his players and staff during matches. He also continued to oversee the strategic and operational aspects of the team, as well as the development of the game domestically.
Net worth
According to various sources, Rassie Erasmus has an estimated net worth of around $5 million.
He earns his income from his salary as director of the Springboks rugby team and from previous coaching and playing contracts.
Argumentative
Rassie Erasmus is no stranger to controversy, as he has frequently been involved in a number of hot and controversial issues throughout his career.
He is known for his outspoken and provocative comments and his creative and unique methods. Some of the most notable controversies he has been involved in include:
In 2018, he made the controversial decision to appoint Siya Kolisi as the Springboks’ first black captain, a move that was praised by some but criticised by others.
He also faced accusations of racism and bias from several former players and coaches, who claimed that he did not select the best players for the team but only selected those who met government-imposed racial quotas.
In 2019, he was accused of cheating and manipulating the rules by feigning injury to replace substitute Trevor Nyakane in a World Cup quarter-final against Japan.
He denied the allegations and said Nyakane suffered a genuine calf injury that kept him out of the game.
In 2021, he caused a major controversy when he posted a 62-minute video online in which he accused referees of bias and incompetence during the first test of the British & Irish Lions tour. He also criticised World Rugby officials for a lack of communication and transparency.
He faced backlash from the rugby community and media, who condemned his actions as disrespectful and unprofessional. He also faces a disciplinary hearing and possible sanctions from World Rugby.
Social media
- Instagram handle: @rassieerasmus
- Twitter Username: @RassieRugby
