Nick Mallett has recalled a remarkable moment from his time coaching Rassie Erasmus with the Springboks that hinted at the coach he would become.
Erasmus played 25 of his 36 Tests under Mallett between 1997 and 2000.
Speaking to Planet Rugby, Mallett reflected on the buildup to a 2000 Tri-Nations Test in Durban, when Erasmus approached him after a team analysis session with a suggestion to exploit the Wallabies’ predictable attack.
“Rassie said, ‘Coach, I’ve been through their exit lineout strategy and they always seem to do the same move.’
“‘[Lock John] Eales goes forward, plays down to [hooker Jeremy] Paul, Paul plays to [scrumhalf George] Gregan and Gregan plays behind [No 8 Toutai] Kefu’s back to [centre Stirling] Mortlock’.
“‘Mortlock then sets up the ruck and they’ve got a left foot with [fullback Chris] Latham and a right foot with [flyhalf Stephen] Larkham. That’s how they exit’.
“I said to him, ‘I don’t see a problem there, we’ve got all defensive guys in position’.
“He came back at me with, ‘Ja, but you’ve got me tackling Kefu, and he never gets the ball. I’d like to go for the interception. Can we just get our scrumhalf to move into my position, just in case he does give it?’
“I thought for a moment and said, ‘OK, let’s do that.’
“Blow me down, 25 minutes into the game, Australia ran exactly that move and there was Rassie darting in to make the interception.”
Although Erasmus crossed the line, the try was controversially ruled out after the TMO could not confirm the grounding.
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“That day he showed himself to be a player ahead of his time in the way he thought about rugby,” Mallet said. “An incredible innovator.”
He added that Erasmus’ evolution as a coach accelerated during his spell at Irish side Munster, where he learned how to build culture and manage elite players.
“That was the start of his understanding of what you have to do as a coach,” Mallett said.
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Photo: Adam Pretty/Getty Images
The post Mallett: Rassie a player ahead of his time appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.
Nick Mallett has recalled a remarkable moment from his time coaching Rassie Erasmus with the Springboks that hinted at the coach he would become.
The post Mallett: Rassie a player ahead of his time appeared first on SA Rugby magazine. Read More
