Springboks legends Jean de Villiers and Schalk Burger have revealed their surprise at World Rugby’s decision to overlook Rassie Erasmus

Springboks legends Jean de Villiers and Schalk Burger have revealed their surprise at World Rugby’s decision to overlook Rassie Erasmus.

The Springboks boss led his side to 11 victories out of 13 matches, which included their Rugby Championship triumph and an unbeaten northern hemisphere tour.

Erasmus did that while also trialling 50 players as South Africa looked towards the 2027 Rugby World Cup, where they are aiming to complete an unprecedented three-peat.

Many thought that he was nailed on for the World Rugby Coach of the Year award, but it was instead claimed by France sevens boss Jerome Daret.

South African anger

It was a decision which caused outrage in South Africa, with some fans believing that the governing body gave it to Daret due to Erasmus’ previous misdemeanours.

He won the award after South Africa’s 2019 Rugby World Cup triumph but since then there has been friction between the Boks and World Rugby.

That was caused by the 52-year-old’s criticism of the officiating in certain matches, which led to the governing body handing down two suspensions.

It is a theory which Burger suggests has some credence after the Boks were yet again overlooked in that category, after Jacques Nienaber lost out to Andy Farrell in 2023.

“You can’t take anything away from the French coach for winning the Olympics but, geez, what more can Rassie do? You win a World Cup and then straight off the back of that we have our most successful year in our recent past,” he said on the Boks Office podcast.

“It’s the first time we’ve gone unbeaten [in the northern hemisphere since 2013], we win the Rugby Championship, halve the series against Ireland, but he doesn’t get the nod.

“I don’t think he’s a big favourite in World Rugby to be honest.

“South African coaches have no luck there. Jake White won it in 2004… but after the 2023 Rugby World Cup, Jacques didn’t get it, Farrell got coach of the year, and obviously this year Rassie didn’t get it.

“I don’t know what they’ve got to achieve because it’s been a hell of a year for being a Springboks fan.”

Burger’s former Springboks team-mate, De Villiers, also had his say on the matter and felt that Daret was fortunate to claim the title.

“France finished fifth on the SVNS Series, so it’s only based on the Olympic performance where you had one of the world players of the year playing for you, who made quite a big difference,” he said.

“How do they judge it? You win a World Cup, a Rugby Championship but you don’t get coach of the year. It’s so difficult.”

Could the Boks have done more?

De Villiers then posed the question of what more the Boks and Erasmus could have done to have been even better in 2024.

“As a coach, what can you do more? The question is, can you have a better year? Better performance?” he queried.

The home loss to Ireland, which levelled the series at 1-1, was a blot on their copybook, but podcast host and former Springbok Hanyani Shimange was in no doubt about who should have been World Rugby Coach of the Year.

“Everything, he ticks all the boxes,” Shimange answered in response to De Villiers’ question. “Fine, you’re going to lose one or two Test matches, it happens, but they’re Test matches that could have been won.”