Skip to content
LyonvSharksSalevGlasgowBullsvStade FrançaisBlack LionvOspreysZebrevUlsterClermontvLeinsterStormersvBristolLa RochellevLionsConnachtvSaracensScarletsvNewCastle RedBullsMunstervRacing 92BathvMontpellier
All fixtures
We Talk Rugby
Sign in
We Talk Rugby
Rassie Erasmus, South Africa head coach
Photo: springboks.rugby

South Africa Head Coach

Rassie Erasmus

Role
Head Coach
Team
South Africa
Nationality
South African
Age
53
In charge since
Jan 2024
Tests
31
Record W-D-L
26-0-5
Win rate
83.9%
Latest news

Record in our match database since Aug 2024

as of
  • 31 Tests
  • 26 Won
  • 0 Drawn
  • 5 Lost
  • 83.9% Win rate

Rassie Erasmus has overseen 31 completed South Africa matches in our database since August 2024 — 26 won, 0 drawn, 5 lost. That is a 83.9% win rate, with 1200 points scored and 580 conceded.

Records are computed from the WeTalkRugby match database and cover matches we hold data for within this tenure. They are not an official all-time record.

Record by competition

— means no data from the provider
Rassie Erasmus, record by competition in our match database
CompetitionPWDLWin %PFPA
Tests · South Africa All Tests31260583.9%1200580
The Rugby Championship Aug 2024 – Oct 20251290375.0%396245
Int. Friendly Games Jun 2025 – Sep 202612110191.7%553175
Rugby's Greatest Rivalry Aug 2026 – Sep 2026430175.0%121111
Nations Championship Jul 20263300100.0%13049

Last five Tests

  1. Lost v Australia 38–42 Int. Friendly Games ·
  2. Won v New Zealand 43–28 Rugby's Greatest Rivalry ·
  3. Won v New Zealand 29–24 Rugby's Greatest Rivalry ·
  4. Won v New Zealand 33–26 Rugby's Greatest Rivalry ·
  5. Lost v New Zealand 16–33 Rugby's Greatest Rivalry ·

Every Test in our database

31 tests
The Rugby Championship 12P · 9W · 0D · 3L
  1. Won v Argentina 29–27
  2. Won v Argentina 67–30
  3. Won v New Zealand 43–10
  4. Lost v New Zealand 17–24
  5. Won v Australia 30–22
  6. Lost v Australia 22–38
  7. Won v Argentina 48–7
  8. Lost v Argentina 28–29
  9. Won v New Zealand 18–12
  10. Won v New Zealand 31–27
  11. Won v Australia 30–12
  12. Won v Australia 33–7
Int. Friendly Games 12P · 11W · 0D · 1L
  1. Lost v Australia 38–42
  2. Won v Argentina 17–10
  3. Won v Barbarians 80–31
  4. Won v Wales 73–0
  5. Won v Ireland 24–13
  6. Won v Italy 32–14
  7. Won v France 32–17
  8. Won v Japan 61–7
  9. Won v Georgia 55–10
  10. Won v Italy 45–0
  11. Won v Italy 42–24
  12. Won v Barbarians 54–7
Rugby's Greatest Rivalry 4P · 3W · 0D · 1L
  1. Won v New Zealand 43–28
  2. Won v New Zealand 29–24
  3. Won v New Zealand 33–26
  4. Lost v New Zealand 16–33
Nations Championship 3P · 3W · 0D · 0L
  1. Won v Wales 43–0
  2. Won v Scotland 42–28
  3. Won v England 45–21

Career

  • South Africa Head Coach 2024– 31 tests in our data
  • South Africa Director of Rugby 2020–23
  • South Africa Head Coach 2018–19
  • Munster Director of Rugby 2016–17

Honours

  • Rugby World Cup 2019
  • The Rugby Championship 2019, 2024, 2025
  • Currie Cup (Free State Cheetahs) 2005

About Rassie Erasmus

Rassie Erasmus is the head coach of South Africa, the architect of the 2019 Rugby World Cup win and of the Bomb Squad bench that changed how Test rugby is played.

Rassie Erasmus is the head coach of South Africa and the most influential figure in Springbok rugby of the professional era. Born in Despatch in the Eastern Cape in November 1972, he won 36 caps as a loose forward between 1997 and 2001 before moving into coaching almost immediately after retiring.

His early career built a reputation for organisation rather than flair. He won the Currie Cup with Free State in 2005, took charge of Western Province and the Stormers, then spent four years as SA Rugby’s General Manager of High Performance — a period that shaped his conviction that Springbok success is a systems problem, not a selection problem. A spell as Director of Rugby at Munster followed in 2016 before he returned home in 2017.

The 2019 World Cup and the Bomb Squad

Erasmus took the Springbok head coach job in March 2018 with the team ranked outside the world’s top five. Twenty months later they were world champions, beating England in the Yokohama final. The method was uncompromising: a forward-dominant kicking game, an aggressive rush defence, and the bench split that became his signature — six or even seven forwards among the replacements, used to reset the physical contest after half-time. The “Bomb Squad” has since been copied, banned in spirit by law tweaks, and argued about everywhere.

He stepped back to Director of Rugby for the following cycle, overseeing the 2021 series win over the British & Irish Lions and the 2023 World Cup defence under Jacques Nienaber, before formally retaking the head coach role in February 2024 on a contract running to the 2027 tournament.

Rassie Erasmus Style and reputation

Erasmus is a data obsessive who is equally comfortable using the media as a tactical weapon — his public interventions over refereeing have drawn sanction more than once. What is harder to argue with is the record. Back-to-back Rugby Championship titles in 2024 and 2025 followed the World Cup, and South Africa have held the world’s number one ranking for long stretches of his tenure.

As a player Loose forward. Free State Cheetahs, the Cats and the Stormers. 36 caps for South Africa between 1997 and 2001.

Latest on Erasmus

More coaches

All coaches

Players under Rassie Erasmus

Full squad

Frequently asked questions

Who is the head coach of South Africa?

Rassie Erasmus is the head coach of South Africa.

When did Rassie Erasmus take charge?

Rassie Erasmus took over at South Africa in January 2024, around 2 years ago.

What is Rassie Erasmus's record?

From 31 matches in our database: 26 wins, 0 draws and 5 defeats — a 83.9% win rate.

What nationality is Rassie Erasmus?

Rassie Erasmus is South African.

How old is Rassie Erasmus?

Rassie Erasmus is 53 years old.

What has Rassie Erasmus won?

Honours include: Rugby World Cup (2019), The Rugby Championship (2025), The Rugby Championship (2024), The Rugby Championship (2019), Currie Cup (Free State Cheetahs) (2005).