Rassie Erasmus

Johan "Rassie" Erasmus (born 5 November 1972) is a South African rugby union coach and former player.

It was the Cheetahs first Cup title since 1976.

The following year, Erasmus led the Cheetahs into their debut season in the Super 14 competition, finishing in tenth place with five wins from thirteen.

Later that year the Free State Cheetahs retained their Currie Cup title, however they had to share the trophy with the Blue Bulls after the score remained even after extra time, 28–28, and no other criteria separating the teams.

Erasmus started his elite rugby career with the Free State during the 1994 Currie Cup.

By the turn of professionalism in rugby union in 1995, Erasmus continued to develop as a leading loose forward for his province, and was selected for the Free State's debut season in the 1997 Super 12.

He won 36 caps for South Africa between 1997 and 2001, including playing at the 1999 Rugby World Cup.

As a coach, he has worked with Free State Cheetahs, Western Province and had spells as an adviser to the South Africa national team.

He is also the former Director of Rugby of Irish provincial side Munster, and previously served as General Manager of High Performance Teams for the South African Rugby Union.

Erasmus grew up in the small town of Despatch in the Eastern Cape Province, not far from Port Elizabeth.

His father battled with addiction.

Erasmus attended the University of the Free State.

By July 1997, he had been called up for national duties with the Springboks ahead of the 1997 British Lions tour to South Africa.

With the series already won by the Lions ahead of the third test, Erasmus made his test debut on 5 July in Johannesburg, which the home side won 35–16.

In his second match for the Springboks, on 23 August that same year, Erasmus played Australia, starting at flank, and scored a try, with South Africa winning 61–22 in Pretoria.

Erasmus featured in 15 of the 17-match consecutive win streak the Springboks recorded between 1997 and late 1998.

Had it not been for a 13–7 defeat by England on their 1998 tour, the Springboks would have completed a first Grand Slam tour since their 1960–61 tour.

During that time, South Africa secured their first Tri Nations title in 1998, with four from four victories.

Having firmly established himself as a starting flanker for South Africa, Erasmus joined the Cats ahead of the 1998 Super 12 season, where he continued to ply his trade until 2001.

He was captain between 1999 and 2000, which saw the Cats make the 2000 Super 12 season semi-finals, only to lose to the Brumbies 28–5.

In 1999, Erasmus was made captain for a single test against Australia during the 1999 Tri Nations Series.

He was later named in the 30-man squad for the 1999 Rugby World Cup.

He played in all but one game during the World Cup, which saw the Springboks bow out in the semi-final, losing to eventual champions, Australia 27–21, after extra time.

In the third-place play-off, South Africa defeated New Zealand 22–18 to take third place.

In 2001, he was controversially stripped of his captaincy during season by coach Laurie Mains.

Despite making the semi-finals again that season, both Erasmus and Mains departed the club at the end of the season, with reports citing their relationship one of the reasons.

After leaving the Cats at the end of the 2001 Super 12 season, and missing out on selection for the 2001 Tri Nations Series, Erasmus returned to the Free State ahead of the 2001 Currie Cup.

Later that year he was selected for the Barbarians match against Australia, but withdrew due to injury.

After a stop-start season in 2003, being brought in by the Stormers for their 2003 Super 12 season, Erasmus retired at the end of the season after a professional career lasting almost ten years.

Erasmus' coaching career began in 2004, after he became the head coach of his previous club, Free State Cheetahs, for the 2004 Vodacom Cup.

In his first stint at coaching, he led his side to Semi-Finals of the Cup, only to lose to the Blue Bulls 23–20.

In 2005, he made the step up to Currie Cup, leading the Free State to glory during the 2005 season.

Following the 2007 Super 14 season, Erasmus left the Cheetahs set up after being appointed technical adviser to the Springboks ahead of the 2007 Rugby World Cup.

However his time was cut short, after he joined the Western Province set-up as director of rugby effective immediately ahead of their 2007 Currie Cup campaign.

He was also named the new Stormers head coach for the 2008 Super 14 season, where he helped improve the side to narrowly miss out on play-off places in the semi-final – lifting the team from their tenth place in 2007 to fifth in 2008.

By mid 2009, Western Province and the Stormers revamped their structure, which saw Erasmus become a Senior professional coach for the region, and Allister Coetzee introduced as head coach for the province and Super Rugby side.

With this new system, the region gained great success in 2010, with both the Stormers and Western Province progressing to the finals, only to lose to come runner-up in their respective tournaments.

He was the head coach of the South African national team from 2018 to the end of their 2019 World Cup campaign, doubling up on his duties as the first ever SARU Director of Rugby, to which he was appointed towards the end of 2017.

He led South Africa to win the 2019 Rugby World Cup, and he subsequently won the 2019 World Rugby Coach of the Year award.

Erasmus played for the Free State, the Golden Lions, Cats and the Stormers.