Eddie Jones says Rassie Erasmus has reshaped South African rugby from the ground up to give the Springboks a structural advantage over every rival.
The four-time world champions host England, veteran coach Jones’ former team, in Saturday’s blockbuster Nations Championship Test at Ellis Park.
Writing for Daily Mail, the Japan boss traces Erasmus’ influence beyond the Boks, pointing to a schoolboy pipeline and a mobile scouting unit that consistently unearths talent from across South Africa.
Jones credits this system for producing the likes of Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu and Cheslin Kolbe, arguing the depth it generates lets Erasmus run a level of internal competition for places that no other nation can match.
“Rassie has changed South African rugby at every level,” Jones writes. “The nationalistic pride in South Africa is extraordinary.
“The players have massive financial incentives to play for their country. When you factor in the cost of living in South Africa, they are probably the highest-paid rugby players in the world.
“Everyone sees the national team and the guys in the Springbok jersey, but his influence runs deeper. He’s very involved in the politics of it all, where other national coaches have their hands tied a little bit.
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“The youth development system in South Africa is very good. That’s working because you’re now seeing brilliant backs come through like Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Damian Willemse, Cheslin Kolbe and Edwin van der Merwe. They’re getting picked up because Rassie has created a system that works.”
The ex-Wallaby tactician predicts the Boks to win comfortably this weekend, and warns that an early 15-point burst would make for a long afternoon for England.
Even so, Jones believes England can shift the pressure back onto the South Africans if they stay competitive through the opening 20 minutes.
On the controversial yet talented Henry Pollock, Jones expects the home crowd to jeer him, but suggests the 21-year-old forward thrives on that atmosphere.
Photo: Sydney Seshibedi/Gallo Images
The post Eddie: Rassie has the perfect system appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.
Eddie Jones says Rassie Erasmus has reshaped South African rugby from the ground up to give the Springboks a structural advantage over every rival.
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