Here’s a question for casual rugby fans. Who are the head coaches of the Springboks and the All Blacks? If the first half of your answer is Rassie Erasmus, don’t worry, you’re certainly not alone. However, the innovative and often confrontational former coach is now in fact South Africa’s director of rugby, having been bumped upstairs after his success at the 2019 World Cup. And don’t worry if you drew a blank on the second part of the question. The man in charge of New Zealand for Saturday’s final isn’t exactly a blockbuster figure.
The names we’re looking for are Jacques Nienaber and Ian Foster, two men who could conceivably go unnoticed in a lift. In an era of head coaches hogging headlines and providing regular soundbites in fiery press conferences, they both possess the gravitational pull of a deflated rugby ball. Maybe therein lies the secret to their success.
