Rassie Erasmus talking about Springboks coaches.

Springboks boss Rassie Erasmus. Photo: SA Rugby website.

Rassie on Springbok coaches bickering: ‘Only thing we haven’t done is MOER each other’

Rassie Erasmus opens up about debate raging among Springbok coaches regarding the selection make up of the squad for the 2023 World Cup.

Rassie Erasmus talking about Springboks coaches.

Springboks boss Rassie Erasmus. Photo: SA Rugby website.

Rassie Erasmus has opened up about the fierce debate raging among the Springbok coaching team regarding the selection make up of the squad for the 2023 World Cup.

The Springboks will kick off a bumper 2023 season against Australia in Pretoria on Saturday, 8 July, in the opening round of the shortened Rugby Championship. This will be followed by clashes against New Zealand in Auckland a week later, and Argentina in Johannesburg on 29 July.

That clash against the Pumas will be their final match on home soil before the build-up to their Rugby World Cup defence starts. They will then travel to Buenos Aires in August to take on the Pumas before facing Wales and the All Blacks in Rugby World Cup warm-up matches in Cardiff and London, in the final build-up to the extravaganza in France.

South Africa will then kick off their Rugby World Cup title defence on Sunday, 10 September, against Scotland in Marseille. This will be followed by pool matches against Romania in Bordeaux (17 September), Ireland in Paris (23 September) and Tonga in Marseille (1 October).

INSIDE THE BOKS: ONLY THING WE HAVEN’T DONE IS MOER EACH OTHER

In the latest episode of a fascinating ‘Inside the Boks’ video series, there is a closer look behind the scenes at the Springboks’ recently-concluded regeneration camp in Cape Town.

In this episode, Rassie Erasmus is seen addressing the players who were in camp. And it was during this chat that he revealed how the Springbok coaches quarrel and bicker

“We’ve been picking a World Cup 33 every time we get together, and the only thing we haven’t done is moer each other, but everything else we’ve done,” Rassie Erasmus said.

“We don’t care if we argue, we know what our plan is. We’re not saying we’re the world’s best coaches, but we’re aligned. We’re in each other’s heads and understand each other,” added Rassie.

Rassie Erasmus talking in episode 2 of Inside the Boks:

SPRINGBOKS FIXTURES IN 2023

Rugby Championship

8 July: Springboks vs Australia (Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria)

✈ 15 July: South Africa vs New Zealand (Mount Smart, Auckland)

29 July: Springboks vs Argentina (Ellis Park, Johannesburg)

World Cup warm-ups

✈ 5 August: South Africa vs Argentina (Vélez Stadium, Buenos Aires)

✈ 19 August: South Africa vs Wales (Millennium Stadium, Cardiff)

✈ 25 August: Springbok vs New Zealand (Twickenham Stadium, London)

ALSO READ | FORMER SPRINGBOK LAUNCHES ANGRY TIRADE AFTER PEYPER CONTROVERSY

Rugby World Cup

✈ 10 September: South Africa vs Scotland (Stade Vélodrome, Marseille) 

✈ 17 September: Springbok vs Romania (Stade de Bordeaux, Bordeaux) 

✈ 23 September: South Africa vs Ireland (Stade de France, Saint-Denis, Paris) 

✈ 1 October: South Africa vs Tonga (Stade Vélodrome, Marseille)

ALSO READ | INSIDE ACCESS TO THE SPRINGBOKS LIKE NEVER BEFORE

Quarter-finals sequence of play is as follows:QF 1 — Winner Pool C vs Runner up Pool D
QF 2 — Winner Pool B vs Runner up Pool A
QF 3 — Winner Pool D vs Runner up Pool C
QF 4 — Winner Pool A vs Runner up Pool B

ALSO READ: D-Day for Springbok World Cup squad announcement revealed

Semi-finals sequence of play is as follows:
SF 1 — Winner QF1 v Winner QF2
SF 2 — Winner QF3 v Winner QF4

Third place playoff:
Loser SF 1 vs Loser SF 2

World Cup final:
Winner SF 1 vs Winner SF 2

ALSO READ: No need for Springboks to turn back to Elton Jantjies

SA Rugby director of rugby Rassie Erasmus making peace with World Rugby Springboks. Photo: Gallo Images.
SA Rugby director of rugby Rassie Erasmus. Photo: Gallo Images.