Rassie Erasmus - 'I'm here as long as Munster need me'

Munster Director of Rugby Rassie Erasmus has not ruled out remaining with the Irish province until the new year.

The club announced in June that their Director of Rugby is set to return to South Africa to take up the same position with his home union.

Current Springboks forwards and attack coach Johann van Graan has been widely tipped to succeed Erasmus following Dave Wessels decision to join Melbourne Rebels for the 2018 Super Rugby season.

Following a 27-27 draw with Australia on Saturday, Springboks head coach Alistair Coetzee reacted angrily to questions regarding the future of a key figure in his management set-up:

''Have you seen his contract? Has he signed anything? How can it be official? Has SA Rugby said something? There is nothing official.

“I don’t want to talk about Johann van Graan,” Coetzee added. “Johann van Graan has got no signed contract (with Munster). He’s a contracted assistant coach to SA Rugby and those are the facts.”

Erasmus has previously admitted he would like to see van Graan remain in the Springbok set-up and would be surprised if the SARU were to release the highly-rated coaching to join Munster:

“Yes, I would be surprised,” he said. “Just because he is quality and he knows the system and everyone and the players really well.

Coaching against him when he was at the Bulls was really tough. We struggled to win games because he has got such knowledge across all the different disciplines from lineouts to attack to defence.''

At the Pro14 launch for the European Champions Cup yesterday in Dublin, Erasmus explained the uncertainty surrounding his exact departure date:

"We really don't know and we've decided to not know because the moment you know you'll use your eye off the ball here.

"If I'm still here after the pool matches then that's that, I'm here as long as Munster need me."

Munster have been drawn in Pool 4 of the Champions Cup alongside Castres, Racing 92 & Leicester Tigers. After exiting the tournament at the semi-final stage last year to eventual champions Saracens in Dublin, Erasmus will look to guide his side through a very tough pool stage.

Erasmus, who will celebrate his 45th birthday on Thursday, was widely believed to depart by the end of December but it remains to be seen whether he will be in charge for the final two Champions Cup fixtures.