SA Rugby
Rassie Erasmus, the mastermind behind the Springboks’ back-to-back Rugby World Cup titles of 2019 and 2023, has returned to the role of head coach for the next four years, following the departure of Jacques Nienaber to Leinster.
Erasmus, who coached the team in 2019 and was Director of Rugby four years later, will lead a modified coaching team in the absence of Nienaber and attack coach Felix Jones, who has left to join England.
Replacing them will be former Ireland hooker and Harlequins assistant coach Jerry Flannery, who will take charge of the team’s defence, and former All-Black flyhalf Tony Brown, who served as an assistant coach for Japan from 2016 to the 2023 World Cup and was also the Highlanders head coach in 2017, 2021 and 2022. His focus will be on attack.
The duo will complete the Springbok coaching team which consists of Mzwandile Stick, Deon Davids and Daan Human, as well as Andy Edwards as Head of Athletic Performance, who were key coaching staff in 2023 and whose contracts were extended midway through 2023 until the conclusion of the 2027 World Cup in Australia.
Jaco Peyper
Another exciting new addition to the Springbok team will see renowned international referee and four-time Outsurance Referee of the Year, Jaco Peyper who recently announced his retirement from refereeing join the team as National Laws Advisor.
Duane Vermeulen
Double RWC-winning Springbok eighth man, Duane Vermeulen, has also been appointed to a roving coaching role with all SA Rugby’s national teams, where he will become the third member of a mobi-coaching unit, joining forces with existing coaches, Franzel September and Bafana Nhleko.
Rassie Erasmus, who is recuperating from medical procedures after a freak accident, said he was thankful for the trust placed in him by SA Rugby’s leadership to steer the national team once again, and he was equally thrilled about the new appointments.
“With the coaching team finalised, we can now focus on planning for the season and the next few years,” he said
Rian Oberholzer, CEO of SA Rugby, said that the role of Director of Rugby had been mothballed pending a restructuring of the rugby department of SA Rugby to meet the evolving high performance and participation needs of the sport
