RASSIE ERASMUS HAS extended the olive branch to Irish rugby fans in vintage, double-edged fashion, and says that being “very proud and outspoken” about their side’s recent success is part of Irish culture.
The Springboks head coach has been genially stirring the pot ahead of Saturday’s first game in a two-test series between his double world champions and the back-to-back Six Nations winners, ribbing his opposition by predicting Andy Farrell’s matchday 23 on Twitter and claiming the Irish media “don’t 100% understand the South African sense of humour”.
And Erasmus continued to poke fun at Irish rugby’s supposed hubris in a wry video released via the Springboks’ official social media accounts on Thursday afternoon.
Addressing his relationship with Ireland, where he lived for a year while in charge of Munster between 2016 and 2017, Erasmus began: “Contrary to what most people think, I can say nothing bad about the Irish. The media likes to hype it up a lot.
“I loved it when I was there. The Irish, certainly when I got there (with Munster), they minded me with my rough Afrikaans accent.
“I learned a hell of a lot when I was there. I’m very good friends with most of the players there.”
𝘙𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘦 𝘰𝘯 𝘈𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘴
— Springboks (@Springboks) July 4, 2024
Take your seats and get the popcorn ready! 🍿
Press play on Episode 1: Rassie on Irish fans.#ForeverGreenForeverGold #Springboks pic.twitter.com/xyAk1bDPJW
Erasmus then turned his attention to Irish rugby fans, claiming he “wouldn’t be too hard on them” for being overtly confident about a team that has become one of the world’s best under Andy Farrell.
Erasmus, who has never beaten Ireland while in charge of the Boks, said: “I just think sometimes — and I’m gonna say it as it is — people are a bit jealous that a country like them with only four or five million people (seven million) is number one or two in the world. They only have 160 professional rugby players.”
He added: “When they do really well, they are very proud and outspoken about it.”
The video footage then cuts to a montage of Irish rugby supporters goading South Africa before and after Ireland’s victory over the Springboks during the pool stage of the 2023 World Cup.
Erasmus continues: “They’re just: ‘But you guys were full of yourselves, you were a bit ‘windgat’ (show-off), and now you see,’ y’know?”
While Erasmus seems to be suggesting that Irish fans enjoy proving wrong the haughtiness of more traditionally powerful rugby nations, the video then briefly cuts to a dejected Bundee Aki following Ireland’s World Cup quarter-final defeat to New Zealand.
“It’s not something that’s frowned upon in the Irish culture,” Erasmus adds. “It’s passion. It’s, ‘We love our team,’ and, ‘Listen, if you’re going to come in our way, we’re going to give you some stick.’
“I wouldn’t be too hard on them. They’re proud for what they’re achieving and they want to be competitive and they rate themselves with the teams up there (as the best in the world).”
