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.”
