All Blacks legend’s theory on how Rassie Erasmus’ ‘diversity of thought’ keeps the Springboks ahead of the curve
Springboks head coach Rassie Erasmus and ex-All Blacks skipper Tana Umaga (inset).
Tana Umaga has praised Rassie Erasmus’ innovative approach to coaching and how “a diversity of thought” from the Springboks head coach keeps him ahead of the curve.
Erasmus, who has been coaching South Africa since 2018, is widely regarded as one of rugby union’s great thinkers, and the Springboks have had great success since he took charge of the team.
Under Erasmus‘ guidance, the Boks have won back-to-back Rugby World Cups in Japan (2019) and France (2023) while also clinching a 2-1 series victory over the British & Irish Lions in South Africa in 2021, and they were also crowned Rugby Championship winners in 2024 and 2025.
Despite those outstanding achievements and his innovative approach to coaching, the Boks are not everybody’s cup of tea as their modus operandi and tactics have been criticised on a regular basis.
Among the innovations that Erasmus has set the trend with is his usage of replacements in matches, where he moved away from a traditional five/three forwards-backs bench split in internationals.
It was during the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan that Erasmus introduced a forwards-heavy six/two bench before presenting a seven/one split at the 2023 global showpiece in France.
Other sides followed Boks’ example
That has led to other sides also having similar formations on their replacement benches in the international arena and at club level, and another example of how Erasmus’ innovations keep the Boks ahead of the chasing pack was his decision to add ex-All Blacks fly-half Tony Brown to his backroom staff as their attack coach.
Over the years, most of the Boks’ success have been built on their pragmatic approach to the game, where they employ a conservative game-plan in which they rely primarily on forward dominance and a fly-half with an accurate kicking game, out of hand and at goal.
However, since Brown has joined the world champions’ coaching group in 2024, they have looked more dangerous with ball-in-hand.
While appearing on the Behind The Ruck podcast, with ex-Springboks backline duo Juan de Jongh and Rudy Paige, former All Blacks skipper and utility back Umaga was asked by the latter whether he felt the Brown innovation in changing the identity of the Springbok attack was a way for Erasmus to continue being a trendsetter and he replied: “That’s Rassie just being smart. You know how it is. You only have to show it two or three times before everyone else starts to adopt it.
“If you’re leading the trend, it’s always going to happen. And dare I say it, as All Blacks, we used to be at that stage and trying to keep ahead of the trend is difficult, but that’s exciting as well.
“Because, you know, like he (Erasmus) sees, this is where I think the game’s going.
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‘I haven’t got that knowledge’
“Bring in Tony Brown, because I think that’s the way the laws are going here. So, we need to get better here. I haven’t got that knowledge. Oh, actually, if I get another South African coach, we kind of think similarly. Actually, who’s going to bring a different thought pattern to what we do?
“And then, you know what I mean? ‘And compliment what we’re doing’. I think that’s really smart. I call it a diversity of thought.
“If we all come through the same system and we’ve all got the same answers to the same question, well, we’re all going to make the same mistake.
“You know what I mean? So, having different backgrounds of different thoughts from those people around you, one that takes a bit of, ‘Oh, there, that’s not about ego’. That’s about what’s best for this group, because I’m going to say: ‘Hey, my way is the way’.
“And then all of a sudden, he’s going to come over and say: ‘No, actually, have you thought about this?’ And then you think: ‘Actually, I haven’t’. And then you have to say: ‘Oh, okay, you’re right. We’ll go with that’. Cause I think that’s (best) actually, now that I’ve thought about it.
“And that’s, again, that’s just smart.”
