Cape Town – Rassie Erasmus has shocked the Western Province Rugby Union (WPRU) by resigning from his position as director of coaching.
News24
Erasmus’s lawyer, Frikkie Erasmus, confirmed the news to Die Burger newspaper on Monday.
“Rassie is looking at other options. There are other choices, especially overseas,” said Frikkie Erasmus.
Rassie Erasmus has already informed the Stormers’ management team of his decision to quit.
He was last year mentioned as a possible candidate to become the next Springbok coach after he assisted them as a technical adviser at the World Cup in New Zealand. However, the South African Rugby Union (SARU) will only comment on the new Bok coaching team on January 27.
Heyneke Meyer and Gert Smal are apparently the two strongest candidates for the Springbok head coaching position.
Die Burger further understands that clubs in England and France are after Erasmus’s services.
He started his tenure at the WPRU in late 2007. He then coached the Stormers to fifth position in the 2008 Super 14, just missing out on a semi-final spot. But he struggled to handle the constant media pressure and was appointed in his current role as director of coaching with Allister Coetzee taking over the coaching reigns.
We were warned that loyalty wasn’t in his vocabulary, but did we listen? He’s done a brilliant job of letting the good players go, kept has beens, signed some new players who may/may not make it, and as the season starts – in fact, on the first day back at work, what does he do? Up and leaves. Well thanks mate. Now we’re left with AC, the ostrich Burger, a couple of OAPS and a bowl of scrambled eggs. The circus continues.
Reading the comments on news24 one must conclude that WP is quite happy that he is leaving.
I am too, maybe they get a better guy in there now. With Rassie there i knew what to expect.
He sold our players and left!! No coach or player is bigger than WP.
Peter – January 9, 2012 at 22:24
LETS JUST HOPE HE DOESNT GET SPRINGBOK JOB, HE ALWAYS RUNS TO WHERE HE GETS MORE MONEY, ABSOLUTELY NO LOYALTY
Sedick – January 9, 2012 at 23:09
Who cares. Good riddance. He let the best players go and brought his buddies here for a retirement. AJ Venter, Fondse as a prime example – better players left. He turned Province rugby into boring Kick AND Hope…….Maybe he became depressed because he could you use his flags on the roof…..
Citroes – January 9, 2012 at 23:37
Kon nog nooit verstaan hoekom WP se “breins trust” met Rassie aan die voorpunt (ek gebruik die term baie los) soveel geld aan agterspelers en los voorspelers spandeer terwyl die probleem in die span by die vaste voorspelers en veral die stutte le nie! Hoe kan leke dit raak sien, maar nie die ouens wat die besluite neem nie?
Rassie has a “habit” of doing strange things.
Springbok coach anyone?.
Lol, I find the reaction to Rassie quitting hilarious. The man is a rugby genius, and as it is said, Ä prophet is never honoured in his own country” Come on people, if you were offered a substantial sum to change firms, are you going to decline, due to your loyalty? Pleeeeeaaaase! There is no such thing as loyalty in a professional sport enviroment. There are exceptions, but generally, if a player stays with a union, it’s because it’suits his objectives, or his personal circumstances dictate.
Wherever Rassie is going, he has clearly considered it a better option, than WP where he probably feels he has achieved, as much as anyone can, and that the path is downhill, and he isn’t going with!
@ Cheetah4eva:I’d like to believe you that he is a genius, but what has he really done to prove it? He never stays long enough to see it through. I don’t really agree with your “offered a substantial sum to change firms, are you going to decline” logic – any company hiring a top professional does so because they believe that they will stay and give valuable input to the company, help it grow, increase profits and see it through. If all businessmen had your logic, can you imagine how the business world would look. Yes, I agree that there are a few who go down the Rassie route, but they are few and far between. You know when you take a job offer that requires time, and you agree the salary package, then you remain loyal – or at the very least work out a proper exit strategy that won’t affect the business.
As to the downhill part and jumping off a sinking ship (I added that, but I think that is the gist of what you are saying), how much, I wonder, of the “downhill path” is his doing? – I would hazard a substantial amount.
@ Loosehead:….and he will do the same thing again, mark my words.
@ superBul:Agree with all the comments, but it doesn’t help our cause for this season.
There seems to be some strong opinions on Rassie, basically looks like WP okes are happy to see the man go, mentioning the failures but what about the successess? Super rugby knockout stages including the final, top of SA Super rugby conference, u-19 and u-21 titles the year before last… I know the Director of Rugby has a big responsibility for what goes on at a union but he is only one person and are there not problems at board room level at WP, a certain Mr Mallet who many are wanting to be next Bok coach and has been linked to England coach didn’t do that well at WP in similiar role to Rassie either if I remember correctly.
@ Just for Kicks,
Fair enough, I can agree with your succession planning idea, but surely, it’s also the responsibility of the company to ensure succession planning. As usual, the more logical explanation is that the powesr that be were aware of his planned move, but the communication to the public is dubious!
ou rassie het die selfde ding twee keer by die cheetahs gedoen eers as speler en toe as afrigter,hy is maar n trekvoel,snaaks dat hy net by die cheetahs bekers kon wen…..was dit hy of naka in die agtergrond wat die pot geroer het????
strange that the blame for “selling our best players” is laid before rassie’s door
..
this has always been the trend at wprugby (in the professional era that is) … letting promising youngsters go, bring has-beens here who keep promising youngsters from breaking into the big time, we then lose the promising youngsters and then bring has-beens here who keep …. (sigh) i would rather think our problem (especially this one) lies with the identification of talent at the union, which brings me back to the article on heyneke meyer and the bulls published here a while ago in which heyneke said that they ONLY BRING YOUNGSTERS TO THEIR UNION IF THEY BELIEVE THAT THOSE YOUNGSTERS WILL BECOME SPRINGBOKS …. no such thing at wprugby i’m afraid … maybe thats why he’s leaving!!
..
on rassie himself … i could never really make my mind up about the guy … maybe i’ll be able to do so when judging him in his new position (wherever it is)
..
did this come as a shock to wprugby or did they expect this … dont know, but the way wprugby handled a few things in the past, it may well be the latter!!
Rassie ‘n genius?! Dis nou kak snaaks so op ‘n Dinsdag oggend! ‘n Curriebeker en ‘n half by die Cheetahs? Met al die talent by die WP het hy in 4 jaar ‘n puik job gedoen om die trofee-kas leeg te hou en die jonges te ruil vir oues. Cheers boeta, en wil jy nie miskien jou eks-base saamvat, want WP Rugby is vrot vanaf die coaches boontoe.
Coaching England or assistant to Mallett ar England?
@ Rugbyprof.. Die vraag wat jy jouself moet vra is waar lê die fout by WP dan. Die WP het kwalaiteit spelers al in hulle geledere gehad, afrigters soos Mallet, Solomons ens en met Rassie daar het hulle darem dem naby aan ‘n trofee gekom. Van 1999 tot 2012, wie was nou al suksesvol by die WP?
Ek was nog nooit impressed deur Rassie nie, maar die fout by die WP se beker droogte le meer by die spangees die opbou van daai “familie gees” wat die Bulle so oor spog.
Dink aan die Bryan Habana koop, wie het WP toe ontwrig, Gio, Peterson,… So n gloryboy kan die hele span senergie beinvloed. Nee wat die manne wat die aankope doen by WP moet net bly dan hou ons hulle net daar.
Erasmus, a former Springbok flank, said he believed the WPRU had made significant progress in the last few seasons.
“I have enjoyed my time here in the Cape immensely and feel that I have contributed to building the structures that have taken us to the brink of success,” he said.
“I have no doubt that success is but a tiny step away now and I leave Province satisfied with the strides made.”
WP Rugby Managing Director Rob Wagner commenting on Erasmus’s decision said, “Rassie has made a huge contribution at WP. We are obviously very sorry to see him go, but understand his desire for new challenges. Rassie has been very good in keeping us informed of his decision and we have been waiting for the return of our senior players and team management before making the announcement. We understand that he is a big loss but we are also confident that the structures, players, coaching and management staff and the plans in place at all levels in the Province, are strong enough to allow us to make that final jump and secure the silverware that we are all working towards.”
Here is the Official WP Rugby Union Media Release, mailed to me:
WP Rugby today confirmed that Senior Professional Coach Rassie Erasmus will be leaving at the end of January 2012.
“The pieces are in place at Province” said Erasmus. “Over the past few seasons we have put the structures in place and they are working well. The management team and player base is settled and there are now a fantastic bunch of youngsters pushing the older guys hard. The squad is very close to taking that final step and winning silverware.” added the coach. “My job is largely done here and there is no doubt in my mind that Allister, Matt, Fleckie and the rest of the management and players have got what it takes to get there.”
Commenting on his reasons for leaving Erasmus said, “There are a number of new opportunities that have surfaced at a higher level and I am currently considering my options. Each is an exciting and massive new challenge, and that is a big attraction to me at this stage of my career. In the interim I have offered to continue to assist at Province whenever required. I have enjoyed my time here in the Cape immensely and feel that I have contributed to facilitating building the structures that have taken us to the brink of success. I have no doubt that that success is but a tiny step away now and I leave Province satisfied with the strides made. I am grateful to Province for the opportunity and Newlands, The Stormers, WP and the Faithful will always have a special place in my heart.”
WP Rugby Managing Director Rob Wagner commenting on the coaches’ decision said, “Rassie has made a huge contribution at WP. We are obviously very sorry to see him go, but understand his desire for new challenges. Rassie has been very good in keeping us informed of his decision and we have been waiting for the return of our senior players and team management before making the announcement. We understand that he is a big loss but we are also confident that the structures, players, coaching and management staff and the plans in place at all levels in the Province, are strong enough to allow us to make that final jump and secure the silverware that we are all working towards.”
Hi Everyone
Would just like to say that Rassie was an enormous player when playing for the Boks, he is to me a great example of the fact that being a great player does not translate into being a good teacher (Coach)
This being said I remember that I was so shocked when he just up and left the Cheetahs who were on one of their overseas stints in either Oz or NZ in the super competition, couldn’t even wait to finish their away leg before he left them. He left them high and dry!!!!
That is the day that I realized that his loyalty is rather questionable. I know this is the professional era and all but seriously one still needs a modicum of professionalism and loyalty.
Still think he was one of our greatest players though.
I certainly think he’s tainted his name now, I can’t believe anyone will completely trust him again.
@ Cheetah4eva:
Maklik! Onder Gert en Carel het WP in 2000 en 2001 die Curriebeker gewen. Soos ek weer se : Rassie is nie spesiaal nie, net soos daai gemors bestuur van die WP. Laat my dink aan Safa…
Hier is wat Gavin Rich daaroor sê, klink nogal asof dit waar kan wees?
http://www.supersport.com/rugby/blogs/gavin-rich/Rassie_was_forced_into_a_corner
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