Bok champ one of the best Eddie’s coached.

Renowned for his extensive coaching pedigree, Jones led the Brumbies to a Super 12 title (2001), coached Australia to the 2003 World Cup final, and helped the Boks win the Rugby World Cup in 2007 as a technical advisor. He famously also guided Japan to a historic 2015 World Cup win over South Africa.

As England boss from 2015 to 2022, the Australian won multiple Six Nations titles and reached the 2019 World Cup final. He took charge of the Wallabies again in 2023 but resigned after a disastrous World Cup campaign, before taking up his current post as head coach of Japan.

Speaking on The Big Jim Show with former Scotland lock Jim Hamilton, the 65-year-old Jones hailed former Bok scrumhalf Fourie du Preez as head and shoulders above Wallabies greats Stephen Larkham and George Smith.

Du Preez was one of the stars of the 2007 World Cup, where he started six matches, his tactical kicking and outstanding vision key to the Boks’ success. He played in two further World Cups – 2011 and 2015 – captaining his country in the latter, where he scored a famous try to beat Wales in the quarter-final.

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‘I’ve never seen people so big’ – Lawrence Dallaglio explains why South Africa is the ‘hardest’ rugby nation

Rugby World Cup winner Lawrence Dallaglio has mixed feelings over the Springboks’ remarkably successful head coach Rassie Erasmus.

The England legend was appearing on the Stick to Football podcast when he was asked about South African rugby culture.

Conversation duly moved onto the subject of Erasmus where Dallaglio mentioned the different sides to his character.

Dallaglio’s view on Erasmus

“Yeah, he’s a bit naughty but no one challenges him. He’s naughty, he’s quite provocative,” the former number eight said.

However, Dallaglio praised Erasmus’ intellect and ability to innovate, stating: “He’s also quite clever – he’s coming up with different things.”

The 52-year-old then added: “But he’s also brutal as a coach. His fly-half (Manie Libbok) missed a kick in the World Cup and he went ‘off you come’ and he brought on Handre Pollard, who ended up staying in the team for the rest of the tournament. You’ve got to make the big calls.”

Dallaglio also claims that the Springboks are the toughest team in the world. Asked who is “nastier” between them and the All Blacks, he responded: “The South Africans. They’re the biggest, hardest people you’ve ever seen in your life.

“I turned up on an aeroplane, I was 20 years old and flew to South Africa to play on tour with England. I got off the aeroplane and went, ‘I need to eat more.’ I’ve never seen people so big.”

While South African rugby is renowned for its physicality and toughness, the Springboks also have an ability to unite the country emotionally.

That happened in 1995 when they won the Rugby World Cup before Siya Kolisi and his team-mates did the same in 2019.

Kolisi’s influence

Kolisi in particular has become an inspirational figure having done an incredible job since becoming the Boks’ first black captain.

“Because of apartheid no one went to South Africa. When that changed, if you’d said to me there would have been a man of colour captaining South Africa in Siya Kolisi, I would have gone: ‘Absolutely no way’,” Dallaglio said.

“What they’ve got now is the physical attributes of what South Africans are and then when you hear him speak he’s so powerful because of his journey.

“When I used to say I was representing my country; there are 55 million people in England but only about three million people watch rugby. When I’m representing my country, I’m representing those.

“It might go up to eight or nine in a big game but, if you’re South African and you’re representing your country, the whole country is watching. That’s a big pressure.”