Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus has opened up about the “nightmare” scenario that drives him every day.
Speaking on the Rassie+ podcast, Erasmus explained that while he is constantly looking for ways to keep the world champions ahead of their rivals, what truly motivates him is preserving the joy the Springboks bring to the country.
When asked what keeps him awake at night, Erasmus said: “Other people might not think about these things, but I do. I’m always asking, ‘Could this influence us? Could that influence us?’ Tomorrow morning we need another plan. Tomorrow evening we need another plan.”‘
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However, Erasmus said there was one concern that outweighed every result on the field.
“One of my biggest fears is … it’s not of losing,” he said. “I hate losing. Every Saturday I want us to win, but that’s not my biggest fear.
“It’s that feeling we spoke about – the satisfaction, the joy, that lekker feeling when we’re doing well and people are happy and we’re all smiling.
“I know we’re going to lose somewhere. Realistically, somewhere along the line we’re going to go through dips, or coaching changes, or whatever.
“I’m so afraid of that feeling going away – what it means for South Africans.
“I’m talking about that feeling when you stop at the petrol station and someone gives you a high five. They’re not sucking up – they’re genuinely happy.
“I’m so nervous of that going away. That’s my biggest fear. That’s my nightmare.
“Not the tap on the shoulder, but losing the satisfaction of how it feels now.”
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Springbok captain Siya Kolisi, sitting opposite Erasmus, said he knew exactly what the coach meant.
“For me, it’s because I know what it was like when [that feeling] wasn’t there. It was painful.
“Going to a stadium and seeing the seats empty when this is the team you’ve always dreamed of playing for … nobody wants to come and watch you, or they burn your jersey. That was a difficult period.
“What we give people now … it’s more about how happy people are.
“I see South Africans living in first-world countries saying they walk tall and talk proudly because of what this team is doing.”
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Photo: David Rogers/Getty Images
The post Rassie reveals his biggest fear appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.
Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus has opened up about the “nightmare” scenario that drives him every day.
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