Prop Beast Mtawarira says Rassie Erasmus is the most honest and open Springbok coach he has played under since his debut 11 years ago.

Mtawarira made his Test debut in 2008 and has since made 116 Test appearances to become the third-most capped Springbok of all time.

In his 11-year international career, Mtawarira has played under the tutelage of Peter de Villiers, Heyneke Meyer, Allister Coetzee and now Erasmus.

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And on the eve of South Africa’s World Cup final match against England in Yokohama on Saturday, Mtawarira has lauded Erasmus’ transparency and excellent managerial skills, saying the current boss is the most honest Bok coach he has worked under.

‘Rassie is a really good coach. He has come in and changed a lot of things. We have to go through certain scenarios we are going to face, like pressure moments in a game, and we always chat about what we are going to do in those moments,’ Mtawarira said. 

‘He’s very honest. He says it as it is. That’s one thing I’ve never had before with most Springbok coaches. That is something I really appreciate, and that’s a lot of the reason why the players really respect him. He really adds a lot of value before a Test match.’

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The 34-year-old Mtawarira also credited Erasmus for how he had transformed the Bok team’s race demographic with merit-based selections to meet transformation targets.

‘It is really important that the team is well represented. I’ve had the privilege to see the team evolve to get to now. So many guys of colour who have been excellent and are deserving of their places in the squad.

‘It is something Rassie was honest about, that we need to get the balance correct and we need to get a team that really represents our country. I think we have now achieved that. I think it has been good so far.’

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Photo: Steve Haag Sports via Hollywoodbets