Boks water boy Erasmus: ‘The earpiece is not to tell me the bottle is only half full’

South Africa’s director of rugby Rassie Erasmus has for the first time publicly, but not surprisingly, admitted his ‘additional’ job as Springbok water boy is a ruse.

Erasmus took on the role of Bok water carrier when his former assistant Jacques Nienaber became head coach of the national team soon after the Springboks won the World Cup in Japan in the latter stages of 2019.

Erasmus said at the time he needed to fulfil his responsibilities as SA Rugby’s director of rugby. He, however, continued to play a big role with the Boks alongside Nienaber, and was especially visible as team water carrier during the three Test-series against the British and Irish Lions last year.

It was a “position” that didn’t go down well with the Lions and their coach Warren Gatland, and other coaches around the world also had a fair bit to say.

Erasmus, in his column for the Daily Mail, addressed the matter on Sunday, stating he had no problem with the “waterboy thing.”

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“Every organisation is different. The MD of Apple has a different job description to the MD of Microsoft. The director of rugby role with Italy is different to the director of rugby role within South Africa.

“Franco Smith does not run on water for Italy because that does not work for them. Fine. I run on water for the Springboks because it works for us. If Eddie (Jones) wants to run on water for England, good for him.
“World Rugby have a working group and they want to stop directors of rugby from running on the water. If I change my job title to director of coaching, can I run the water on then? Maybe I can be the ball boy and chat to (Bok hooker) Bongi Mbonambi at the lineout!

“Personally, I don’t see the problem with the water boy thing.

“Of course the earpiece is not for the coaches to tell me that this bottle is only half full, let’s be honest about that. It’s not Jacques Nienaber saying, ‘S**t, Rassie, you only have 300ml left in your bottle!”

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Erasmus then goes on to explain the benefit of having one senior coach or management member up in the stands, in the traditional coach’s box, and one on the field, close to the action.

“You can read defensive systems from the top of the stands that players can’t see on the pitch. Is that making a joke of the game? Or is it taking the game forward?

“When Jurgen Klopp is standing on the side shouting instructions to his Liverpool players do you honestly think he is not receiving information from guys in the stands?”

In his column, Erasmus also addresses the situation facing under fire England coach Eddie Jones, and the Boks joining the Six Nations, but only if the competition expands to seven teams, to allow Italy to stay involved.

To read the full column click here.