Hailing from South Africa, Erasmus won 36 caps for the Springboks. In a playing career that spanned 8 years Rassie lined out for the Free State Cheetahs and the Golden Lions in the Currie Cup, and for the Cats and the Stormers in the Super 12. He served as captain of the Cats, leading them to the 2000 Super 12 semi-finals, and also captained the Springboks in 1999.
After retirement, Erasmus moved into coaching and guided the Cheetahs to Currie Cup glory in 2005 - the Bloemfontein-based team's first Currie Cup title since 1976.
The following year, his Cheetahs side shared the Currie Cup trophy with the Blue Bulls and he became the first ever coach of the Cheetahs Super Rugby franchise when they were accepted into the Super 14 that year.
In 2007, the Eastern Cape native served as technical adviser for the Springboks during their Rugby World Cup winning campaign in France before becoming Head Coach of the Stormers and Director of Coaching at Western Province.
Erasmus served a second term as technical adviser to the Springboks during the 2011 Rugby World Cup in New Zealand before assuming the General Manager High Performance role where he remained until joining Munster at the beginning of the 2016/17 season.
In June 2017 SARU announced that Erasmus would return to South Africa to take up the role of Director of Rugby. He will leave his role with Munster at the end of December 2017.
Following the sacking of Allister Coetzee in February 2018, Erasmus was named head coach of the national team, alongside his duties as Director of Rugby at SA Rugby.
Under Erasmus, South Africa claimed one of their greatest victories by winning the Rugby World Cup for a third time despite a loss to New Zealand in the group stages.
Following the tournament, Erasmus moved into the Director of Rugby role.
Tuesday 6 Feb 2024 is was announced that Rassie would be Head Coach of the Springboks until 2027.
🇿🇦 Test Career
3⃣6⃣ Test caps
0⃣1⃣ Tests as captain
2⃣7⃣ Wins
0⃣7⃣ Tries
🇿🇦 Coaching record
2⃣6⃣ Played
1⃣7⃣ Wins
0⃣8⃣ Losses
0⃣1⃣ Draw
7⃣5⃣6⃣ Points scored
4⃣6⃣8⃣ Points against
8⃣9⃣ Tries scored
4⃣9⃣ Tries conceded
🏆 TRC
🏆 RWC
Career
South Africa Head Coach |
1997 - present | |
Cheetahs Blindside Flanker |
1997 - 1997 | |
Free State Cheetahs Blindside Flanker |
1996 - 1998 | |
Golden Lions Blindside Flanker |
2000 - 2000 | |
Lions Blindside Flanker |
1998 - 2002 | |
Munster Rugby Number 30 |
2016 - 2017 | |
Barbarians Coach |
2018 - 2018 |