Rassie wants warriors for Bok cause

Published on

Gladiators who are dedicated to the Springbok team cause will be preferred to entitled individuals in the coming Test season, writes JON CARDINELLI.

Rassie Erasmus joined the Twittersphere recently with the aim of sharing a message with the wider South African rugby community. The players, said Erasmus, must put the Springbok team and ethos before their personal interests. Entitlement in any shape or form should not be tolerated.

A series of behind-the-scenes videos show Erasmus speaking to his charges in the lead-up to the World Cup tournament and in one instant before the World Cup final itself. Erasmus talks about the sacrifices that the group will need to make in order to become the best team in the world. Using himself as an example, the former Bok flank speaks about entitled individuals and how they can poison a team environment and derail a campaign.

The videos were widely shared by fans around the world. Media houses reposted the clips after SA Rugby verified that the director of rugby was indeed behind the @RassieRugby account. Most concluded that Erasmus’ objective was to highlight the unique culture of that World Cup-winning team.

One has to wonder about the timing of those posts. When the videos were shot last year, Erasmus spoke directly to the players seated in front of him. When the videos were posted on social media several months later, however, Erasmus may well have been addressing all South African players who hope to be a part of the Bok set-up in the next four years.

Erasmus and Jacques Nienaber have spoken at length about building on the foundations that were laid in 2018 and 2019. Nienaber made the point that a strong culture and work ethic will be at the heart of any future success. He said that the team’s motto – ’Let the main thing stay the main thing’ – would remain unchanged and that every player – even those who were part of the triumph in Japan – would have a point to prove during this season of transition.

The Bok coach’s comments and Erasmus’ social media contributions may well be instructive. The World Cup winners will be measured by their attitude rather than they reputation in 2020 and beyond. The newcomers, and indeed any other players who harbour hopes of playing for the Boks down the line, may find it useful to know what the coaches are looking for and what kind of values the team holds dear.

Erasmus and Nienaber are mindful of what transpired in 2008. A team stacked with World Cup winners went into that season as favourites to claim the Tri-Nations crown. They did not maintain the high standards that were set in 2007, though, and were humbled by a sharper and more determined All Blacks outfit.

It’s also worth noting that the Boks were ranked seventh in the world as recently as two years ago. The team that featured in 2016 and 2017 was rife with entitled individuals. Few put their bodies on the line and the team went on to suffer a series of humiliating losses.

Erasmus often describes the Boks who featured at the 2019 World Cup as warriors. The description refers to the players’ work rate as well as their attitude in difficult situations.

Those players put their bodies on the line. They always put the team first. This is particularly true of the eight reserves who helped the match-day squad prepare for the World Cup final against England.

It’s important that the players don’t lose that drive to excel in the coming season, and that they don’t fall into the same trap as the class of 2008. The opportunity is certainly there to build on the successes of 2019, but it’s fair to say that the hard work has only just begun.

This column first appeared in the April edition of SA Rugby magazine

Post by

Jon Cardinelli