Is Rassie Erasmus getting the old band back together before an assault on the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia where the Springboks will be gunning for a third consecutive title?
Last week the Springboks announced the return of assistant coach Felix Jones, who was part of the backroom staff for the triumphant 2019 and 2023 Rugby World Cup campaigns. It felt like the return of the prodigal son, as South Africans have come to love the popular Irishman.
Jones then left the Springboks to join Steve Borthwick’s England staff in 2024. But he reportedly grew unhappy with what was described as an “unstable working environment.” The RFU then held Jones to the 12-month notice period on his contract, despite his desire to leave the position after just eight months.
That period has since expired and Jones will rejoin the Boks at the start of this month.
Jones brings a wealth of experience, tactical expertise, and a meticulous work ethic to the Springboks. Jones is renowned for his analytical prowess and attention to detail, playing a key role in analysing opposition teams and devising strategies to exploit weaknesses.
Jones’ insights will be invaluable this year ahead of the Springboks Rugby Championship matches against the All Blacks in New Zealand. The All Blacks haven’t lost at their Eden Park fortress since 1994 and that is the match that Erasmus and the Springboks will surely prioritise as a must-win encounter.
Last year Jones would have done a lot of work around the All Blacks before and during England’s two-Test series Down Under.
Jones rejoins a coaching team which saw the seamless additions of Jerry Flannery and Tony Brown, who respectively worked on the Boks’ defensive and attacking departments.
Jones, however, may not be the last familiar face who joins the Springboks ahead of the World Cup in Australia.
The chances that former Bok coach and defence guru Jacques Nienaber will also join the side for the attempted “threepeat” is extremely good.
Nienaber and Erasmus had worked together on and off for the better part of two decades before Nienaber left the Boks after the 2023 World Cup to join Leinster.
Nienaber’s current role at Leinster, where he serves as senior coach under Leo Cullen, runs until 2026. There has been plenty of speculation about a return to South Africa a year before the World Cup, but nothing has been hinted or confirmed. Nienaber has also stated that he is enjoying life in Ireland.
The current defensive setup under Flannery, who replaced Nienaber, performed well in 2024, with the Boks keeping the All Blacks tryless in their Rugby Championship matches in Johannesburg and Cape Town. So there isn’t an urgent need to get Nienaber back.
However, it would just be a logical move to try and involve Nienaber again, especially with the experience of playing a massive role in the last two World Cup wins.
Nienaber is also familiar with the core of the team, and has earned the players’ trust. He would be like a fresh pair of eyes, but eyes that have seen it all before.
The allure of making history and becoming the first team to win three successive World Cups could be what sways Nienaber to come back if Erasmus does ask him to saddle up for another adventure.
Erasmus looks intent on striking a familiar tune with his band of brothers come 2027, and it's likely that we could see Nienaber back on the base after Jones' return.
@JohnGoliath82