Rassie Erasmus

About

Coach for the South African Rugby Union and former professional rugby player who has led teams like Western Province and the Stormers, as well as the South African men's national rugby team. As a coach, he has led his teams to victories like the Rugby World Cup, The Rugby Championship, the Currie Cup, and the United Rugby or Pro12 Championship. He has earned a reputation for his often-controversial outspokenness and frequently harsh criticism of referees; however, his success as a leader is undeniable, having brought often record-breaking results to some of the many teams with which he has been given oversight.

Before Fame

He began his on-field career playing for the Free State Cheetahs in the 1994 Currie Cup, after having graduated from the University of the Free State. He commenced his career as a coach with the same team in 2004 and went on to hold the position of General Manager of High-Performance Teams for the South African Rugby Union, after which he was appointed the SARU's first-ever Director of Rugby.

Trivia

His direction of the South African men's national rugby team to its 2019 Rugby World Cup win led him to become the recipient of the 2019 World Rugby Coach of the Year Award. He has become well-known for following a superstitious tradition wherein, following a win for his team, he will re-wear the same shirt at the team's next game.

Family Life

He was born and raised in Despatch, Eastern Cape Province in South Africa. He and his wife Nicolene, who is a former nurse, are the parents of three daughters.

Associated With

In 2016, he simultaneously acted as both head coach for the Irish provincial side Munster and the SARU Director of Rugby, following the unexpected passing of Munster's head coach Anthony Foley.