Ex-Ireland star: Andy Farrell doesn’t have players ‘coming through’ like Rassie Erasmus’ Springboks
Springboks head coach Rassie Erasmus and an inset of Ireland boss Ireland boss Andy Farrell.
Former Ireland forward Alan Quinlan says that Andy Farrell would love to have the same quality of players coming through as Rassie Erasmus does.
The Munster legend has spoken glowingly about the Springboks head coach ahead of the meeting between Ireland and South Africa at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin on Saturday.
Erasmus vacated his role with Munster at the end of 2017 to return to South Africa and take over the reins from Allister Coetzee as the head coach of the Boks.
He has since played a pivotal role in turning the Springboks’ fortunes around with the team that was then-ranked seventh overall, going on to win back-to-back Rugby World Cups and a British and Irish Lions series.
Springboks’ depth
The core of that squad is well into their 30s now, but Erasmus has started to blood new talent, making use of 50 players in 2024 and nearly matching that number this year.
Quinlan believes that Farrell wishes he could do the same, but isn’t getting the same number of young players coming through.
“Andy Farrell has done a great job for Ireland; he is so well-respected, and players love him. He would, however, love to have more players coming through, the kind of depth that South Africa enjoys,” he told CasinoHawks.
“Rassie Erasmus didn’t just come in and say, ‘I’m going to coach a team and pick the best players’. His focus was the level of detail he has gone to.
“When he went back and took the job, leaving Munster, it wasn’t about the here and now. It was about developing a strategy, improving their whole system, aligning the regions and provinces in South Africa, and trying to get more people on board.
“It was truly ‘Team Springboks’. They would have had so many different challenges and difficult situations going on in South Africa. I read his book and I’ve heard from lots of different former Springboks that it’s really about improving the whole system and aligning it better.
“They’re always going to have players coming through, aren’t they? They’re always going to have power, strength and big rugby players.”
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Erasmus polarising opinion
The legendary Munster forward said that Erasmus had also made bold calls in the way he pieced together his coaching team, particularly after the departure of Jacques Nienaber following the 2023 Rugby World Cup.
He added that it was contrary to the way the Springboks would previously put together their coaching teams. “His brave decisions include building a coaching team up again in a way that traditionally didn’t happen probably before his time,” he said.
“There have been overseas coaches involved there, but to bring in Tony Brown, Jerry Flannery and Felix Jones. Duane Vermeulen has also gone through their system, so he is very intelligent.”
While Erasmus is a polarising figure, Quinlan holds him in high regard, particularly for his tactical nous and ability to get buy-in from his players.
“Has he divided people’s opinions at times? Is he quirky and has he done stuff from left field? Yes and it’s incredible to see,” he continued.
“You have to admire him, but he’s a very intelligent guy. So, could Andy Farrell do the same? I don’t think he has the same number of players. We have systems here that work really well in the provinces but could he make a back-row out of a centre? I don’t know. Could he make back-rows into hookers?
“He [Erasmus] is brave, obviously, with the innovation of going with the 7-1 split and all that kind of stuff. So, a very intelligent man. The lads at Munster loved him when he was there. They were probably not the most talented team at the time, yet he had a great season in 2016/17.
“He obviously has some very good players, but just the way they’re coached – they’re such a well-coached group and you can see that right across the board.”
