MUNSTER DIRECTOR OF rugby Rassie Erasmus says he has doubts if the province will be able to pry South African forwards coach, Johann van Graan, away from the Springboks to replace him in the Munster hot seat.
Speaking after his side’s 39-16 bonus-point win over Cardiff Blues at Thomond Park, Erasmus praised the talents of van Graan, but insisted David Nucifora and Munster CEO Garret Fitzgerald would do well to secure his services, considering he is so highly rated in the Springbok set up.
Erasmus will return home to take charge of South African national team in a director of rugby role once his replacement has settled into the job, but he admitted he has no idea how close they are to making an announcement.
“When it is I really don’t know. I know it is down to one guy and I thought it was Dave Wessels at one stage. It was a certain thing the way I read it,” said Erasmus.
“Now it seems like everyone is sure that it’s Johann van Graan. I’m not so sure if it’s Johann van Graan, I’m not sure if the Springboks will let him go, because he is really a brilliant coach.
“David and Garret have been busy with that the last four or five months, and I really cannot tell you how close they are.”
Two tries from JJ Hanrahan helped Munster to the win yesterday, but the outlook was not great for their centre Jaco Taute who appears to have picked up a serious knee injury from the game.
Taute was injured when tackling former Munster number eight Nick Williams during the first-half of the game, and according to Erasmus the early prognosis is not positive.
“It looks serious, looks like his knee ligaments. He’s in a brace, probably go for a scan tomorrow but it looks serious,” said Erasmus.
On a positive note Jean Kleyn is rated as ‘50-50’ to feature next weekend against Leinster at the Aviva Stadium, the same ratio is given to Simon Zebo’s availability, while Keith Earls is 90 per cent sure of making a return to the team.
Munster trailed 16-13 at half-time, but four tries after the break saw them canter to victory. According to Erasmus it took them some time to figure out Blues, who were this week rocked by the announcement that their own head coach Danny Wilson will leave them at the end of the season.
Erasmus added: “We felt during the first half we were making the same mistakes that we made against Glasgow. What Cardiff really do well is if you start playing in your own half, if you concede penalties, it’s three, six points.
“When we got out of our half in the second half, we didn’t concede a point in that period. (Before the break) I think we played too much close to our try-line, to our 22. When they got right, the second was better.”
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