Rassie Erasmus accused of having God complex as Kiwi pundit claims Springboks boss’ ‘shenanigans’ are ‘against the spirit of the game’
Springboks head coach Rassie Erasmus and front-row duo Gerhard Steenekamp and Deon Fourie, who were late starters for Test two.
New Zealand pundit Scotty Stevenson has slammed Rassie Erasmus for his latest “antics”, accusing him of having a God complex.
Stevenson has been a regular critic of the Springboks boss and he was not impressed by his decision to change the team just an hour before the start of the second Test.
Erasmus named the initial 23 on Monday but made five alterations in the build-up to the clash with Cheslin Kolbe and Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu coming in on the Friday and Gerhard Steenekamp, Deon Fourie and Thomas du Toit even later than that.
It has divided opinion and after All Blacks great Israel Dagg asked, “how boring would rugby be without South Africa?” Stevenson said his piece.
Rassie Erasmus crossed the line
“Rugby would be terrible without South Africa, but the problem for Rassie, and we’ve talked about this a lot, is it’s okay to get up to his shenanigans and his antics, but there is a line,” he said on Sport Nation’s Scotty and Izzy show.
“I just don’t think it’s right. You name a Test team, there is a convention around naming that Test team and barring injury or a late withdrawal, you don’t pitch up an hour before the Test match and arbitrarily change your front-row.
“You don’t do that in the spirit of the game. Whether he’s entitled to do that or not under the laws of the game, that’s one thing… but there is such a thing as the spirit of the game.”
Stevenson also reckons that Erasmus feels as though he can do whatever he wants due to how highly regarded the Boks boss is held in South Africa.
“Whatever Rassie does, he feels as if he’s got a God-given right to do it, and he is God there,” he said.
“He has cultivated a cult hero status in South Africa, through words and deeds, and through a team that has won World Cups.
“People in that particular country, most like him. I don’t think he is universally popular among his peers, among other coaches, but certainly among the hardcore Springbok fans, he is their God and what he says goes.
“When Rassie does it, to quote the words of [disgraced US president Richard] Nixon, it’s not illegal. There have been points during this series where he has seemed in control because he likes to control that narrative; he will be doing things in much the same way Dave Rennie has done things, but when he does it, he feels he’s okay to do it.”
Rennie-Rassie spat
Erasmus was not impressed by Dave Rennie’s comments about the Springboks scrum and appeared to criticise the All Blacks boss for using the media to potentially influence the officials.
However, Stevenson pointed out that the South Africa head coach sat alongside ex-Test referee Jaco Peyper in the build-up to the opening Test in Johannesburg where the Kiwi pundit felt his intentions were clear.
“Rolling out Jaco Peyper for that press conference around refereeing, I mean, come on, you don’t just roll out the henchman in a posturing exercise,” he said.
“Both coaches have engaged in the mind games through the media, but when you have at your disposal a sympathetic press pack on this side of the equation and certainly one of the other side of the equation, why would you not do that?
“If you are trying to get a message out there to your fanbase, and ask them to look at particular things, that’s how this has been done for time and memorial.
“Every coach has done it, every coach has had a subtle dig in a press conference – some more subtle than others – but I remember this during the World Cup in 2019, that semi-final week descended into a farce.
“It became a battle between Eddie Jones and Steve Hansen, not between the All Blacks and England.
“Let’s get through this week and get back to those 23 young men on both sides of the coin who are going out there to try and win a Test match.
“That’s what it’s about.”
Dagg then offered his two cents’ worth and agreed with elements of Stevenson’s argument but claimed that Erasmus’ antics ultimately benefit the sport.
“I agree with the spirit of the game but, on the flip side, I’m like, ‘Well, man, he does his homework, does his due diligence, looks at all the rules and pushes them right to the very limit every single week’,” the ex-All Black said.
“I’m not surprise that he does it and I said to you when Jaco came out, without Rassie it would be a boring week. We would have nothing to talk about, but now we’ve got something to talk about.
“70 per cent at least are going to play, there might be some changes right up to kick-off, but we have something to talk about.
“It’s a story and it’s in the headlines which we have been asking for as a sports show. We need more stories, we need more conversations and Rassie brings those.
“I’m not saying I enjoy what he does but I just think it’s great for the sport of rugby.”
Rassie Erasmus’ Lions series rant
Stevenson questioned Dagg’s final point, though, with Erasmus’ words having a very real impact on some of the individuals who have bore the brunt of his previous officiating outbursts.
“Yeah, but is it? There have been moments in his tenure where through intimidation and I would suggest crossing the line, you have put undue pressure on officials,” he added.
“I don’t think this should be forgotten, Nic Berry can’t referee in South Africa fearing his life is in danger after being savaged by this man in what felt at the time to be a rather unhinged rant.
“Those kind of things do happen when you have fired up and weaponised a fanbase in the way Rassie Erasmus has. It’s an extraordinary set of circumstances really, but I don’t want this to overshadow what should be a great contest this weekend.
“I hope that the contest prevails.”
