Former Springbok flank Schalk Burger believes Rassie Erasmus has an opportunity to bring in new ideas following assistant coach Swys De Bruin’s departure.
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Speaking at a Laureus Sport for Good function in Cape Town, Burger was able to spot a silver lining to the news that Erasmus will need to find a new attack coach for the World Cup, and pointed out how Jake White brought Eddie Jones into his coaching staff before the 2007 World Cup.
‘It does give the opportunity to bring in someone else as well,’ Burger said. ‘In 2007, Rassie Erasmus was with us for our pre-season buildup and we were split into two groups.
‘Rassie left, I don’t know if he was meant to go to the World Cup or not. But then we brought in Eddie Jones. He was a breath of fresh air. It was a masterstroke by Jake at the time.
‘It is obviously sad not to see Swys see it out in a World Cup year. Saying that, it is an opportunity to bring someone on board who brings something extra. Every World Cup is a testing time; it is the only time in modern-day rugby where a team is forced to be together for four or five months.’
Erasmus will consider a number of options before naming De Bruin’s replacement on a short-term basis.
The Springboks face Argentina in a World Cup farewell match in Pretoria on Saturday.
