‘Villain’ Rassie Erasmus’ innovations labelled ‘bullsh*t’ by Ireland legend ahead of Dublin clash
Keith Wood on 'villain' Rassie Erasmus
Ireland legend Keith Wood has called on World Rugby laws to be changed to reduce the number of substitutions allowed in a game to just five, claiming that it will make the game more “interesting” and will require the players to be “fitter”.
Speaking to rugby hospitality company, Vision 4 Sport, Wood credited Springbok head coach Rassie Erasmus for his innovative ideas, which could allow for the reduction of substitutions.
“I like some of the innovations; others are bullshit,” the former World Player of the Year said.
“He’s pushing the laws, but he has the ability, and this is where the innovation has been excellent, to identify players who can actually play in, say, four positions.
“That wouldn’t have been thought of before. It’s Esterhuizen going into the back row at the weekend. I would like there to be only four or five subs in a game. And what Rassie has done is proven that actually is possible because you can get players who cover different positions.”
Rugby is about creating space
It’s all well and good calling for fewer replacements, but what’s the benefit? Well, Wood has the answer – space.
“You have five subs, and that makes it interesting. You’re also asking players to be fitter and able to last longer, and not to have an expectation of going off.
“There is not a great amount of joy in a front row for 70 minutes or 50 minutes, then they bring on a whole new team when you’re just getting on top of them. I liken it to being in the eighth or ninth round of a boxing match and they just changed the boxer!
“Rassie’s thinking has been phenomenal in that multi-use of player. Within that thinking could be, in my view, the saving of the game.
“You actually want people to be fitter and smaller. We’re happy to have big guys, but we want space. There are a couple of guys who bely that, Will Skelton being one who can play 80 minutes, which means he’s truly extraordinary. But an awful lot of others can’t.
“I’m sure coaches would hate that. But you’re trying to have something that is affordable, so you’re talking fewer players, less match fees, and a whole variety of other things, maybe a couple fewer coaches, maybe smaller squads.
“It might take a period of time to do that. It might take a World Cup cycle to wean teams off 23 players down to 20.”
Springboks squad strength
Ireland will welcome South Africa to the Aviva Stadium on Saturday, and Keith Wood knows that his former side needs to be prepared.
“I know Rassie, but not very well,” said the 53-year-old.
“We kind of collided with each other a bit when we played against each other. I got to meet him when he was in Munster. He plays the villain, and at times, he is the villain!
“He also deflects everything away from the team. He has built breakaway thinking from a lot of South African teams of the past. Yes, he has a huge pack of forwards; in fact, he has two huge packs of forwards.
“South Africa has big forwards that play really well and a good kicking ten, but they are promoting speed and attacking wingers, smaller players, better than anyone else. I love watching them play.”
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Springboks’ incredible strength in depth
The Springboks have strength in depth like no other side in world rugby, and Wood does not expect that to end any time soon.
“The blooding has happened and will continue to happen. On the age profile, rarely does that get mentioned with South Africa, who are two-time world champions in a row. A lot of those guys are on the far side of 30, which is extraordinary.
“They’ve managed those resources incredibly well. I don’t get it cut up about it. You have to be cognizant of it.
“Loyalty is a two-way street. If those players can do a job in the wider squad and you end up with two squads, almost, and you can keep them all intact, I’m really good with that. I don’t want to get rid of people for the sake of it.
“To be honest, I am not a huge fan of the number of subs that are there. But I would still say if you’re looking at what the method to try and win, it’s to try and have 30 players that are interchangeable.
“South Africa have actively done that, and they’ve done it in a different way from everybody else. They’ve done it by letting players go overseas and still picking them and managing them and using that as a really good model.
“It works when you have the number of players that are coming through the system, like South Africa have. It wouldn’t really work for Ireland. We’d suffer quite heavily if our players all went overseas and we didn’t get to pick them.”
