Springbok boss Rassie Erasmus says he will not stay on as head coach beyond the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan but will remain as Director of Rugby.
Erasmus has a six-year contract as Director of Rugby that expires after the 2023 World Cup. But he says he wouldn’t stay on as head coach after the 2019 World Cup regardless of how well the Boks do at the tournament and will focus on his Director of Rugby duties from thereon instead.
“I’m only head coach until the World Cup next year,” the Bok mentor told Supersport.
“The six years (contract) is not there to protect myself … it’s there to protect SA Rugby. As we all know, if I don’t perform then the people will vote me out.”
The Director of Rugby role entails working with all ‘structures’ in SARU, including the junior sides, women’s sides and even the unions and franchises.
“When I was appointed Director of Rugby … at that stage I still thought Allister Coetzee was continuing. The leadership asked Allister to step down and then asked me to step in.
“The moment I am finished with this (head coach role) and for the next six months, I will be involved with them (the other SA Rugby structures) a lot.”
