South Africa captain Siya Kolisi says the absence of banned director of rugby Rassie Erasmus from Twickenham will be a blow to the team as they go up against England on Saturday. Erasmus is banned from any matchday activity until Sept. 30 next year after being found guilty of misconduct by an independent committee for his hour-long video critique of the match officials during the British & Irish Lions series.
He had been masquerading as a waterboy for the Boks during the Lions series, coaching from the sidelines, and reprised the role for this month’s test wins over Wales and Scotland. Yet he will not be involved at Twickenham on Saturday after his punishment was handed down by World Rugby on Wednesday.
“It will be tough to be without him as his presence makes a huge difference to us,” Kolisi said at a news conference on Friday that started with SA Rugby saying they would not comment on the case or the sentence handed to Erasmus. Kolisi, however, did respond to a question about having to do without Erasmus for Saturday’s test.
“His insight, the stuff that he sees that we don't see on the field is important. It helps a lot when someone has played rugby at this level. He is always motivating us and talking to us from the side of the field and also when the substitutions are made,” the captain said. “He makes a huge difference to us as a team and we’ll miss him. But I know the coaching staff have plans on how we can work around that as a group,” Kolisi added.
Erasmus was found guilty of all six charges brought by the governing body for various breaches of the game's code of conduct, but he will appeal the verdict, as will SA Rugby. Though Jacques Nienaber is now coach of the side, taking over from Erasmus after South Africa won the 2019 World Cup, he has made no secret of the fact that Erasmus has a heavy input, from training to team selection.
Erasmus was unhappy with numerous decisions by Australian referee Nic Berry in the 22-17 first test loss to the Lions in Cape Town in July, and further displeased when his efforts to engage with the official the following day were rebuffed. He made a 62-minute video critique that was posted online. (Writing by Mark Gleeson in Cape Town; Editing by Toby Davis)
Rugby-Springboks will miss ‘waterboy’ Erasmus after World Rugby ban
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