Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus says building personal bonds with players can cloud judgement, which is why he is more interested in makes his players perform on the field.
The Boks are putting the final preparations in place for their first match of the new season against the Barbarians, but within the team there’s already an understanding of how this season will be approached.
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Speaking to the media in the buildup to the non-cap match, Erasmus explained how he’s kept a healthy distance between himself and his players.
“I think there’ve only been about two or three players in my room who I’ve had conversations with. One of them was the captain and then one or two guys who had specific issues that I needed to help sort out.”
When asked about whether he’s given special attention to the newbies in the squad, Erasmus had this to say.
“I’m not trying to make any special effort to get to know the guys. I’m more interested in understanding them. If I concern myself more with a player’s personal life than his performances on the field, I may just make emotional decisions. For me it’s more important to understand what makes a player tick, what drives him and if he understands that everything revolves around the team. ”
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The Bok-mentor says even when teams are announced internally, he avoids having one-on-one conversations about the reasons why they’ve been selected or left out.
“It’s done via a spreadsheet for all to see and we discuss the team as a group. I hate going into a room with a guy, then later three different stories emerge of what had been discussed. Everything is out in the open, and I don’t have personal relationships with players. Apart from maybe the guys who’ve been part of the setup for the last eight years, or a guy like Eben Etzebeth who I’ve known since he was 18.”
Photo: Dirk Kotze/Gallo Images
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