Rassie Erasmus Draws Criticism Over Social Media Post Amid All Blacks Turmoil

• Rassie Erasmus has found himself at the centre of fresh controversy in New Zealand, after a playful online post about Tony Brown landed poorly with pundits
• The reaction comes during a turbulent moment for New Zealand Rugby, with Jamie Joseph viewed as the frontrunner to rebuild the Test side
• Prominent voices in the Kiwi rugby landscape are now using the saga to interrogate deeper structural issues, including squad depth

Springboks head coach Rassie Erasmus has come under fire for a recent social media post that many feel disrespects former All Blacks head coach Scott Robertson, who was removed from his position last week.

The controversy unfolded following mounting speculation that Springboks attack coach Tony Brown could return to New Zealand to join Jamie Joseph. Joseph has emerged as the favourite to replace Robertson, reigniting talk of the former Highlanders coaching partnership being reunited.

Erasmus responded to the rumours online by sharing a widely circulated meme featuring Brown’s face edited onto Leonardo DiCaprio in the film The Wolf of Wall Street with the words

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“I’m not leaving.”

What was Rassie Erasmus' post about?

The post was clearly designed to reject talk of Brown departing the world champions, but it has sparked backlash in New Zealand.

Prominent broadcaster Scotty Stevenson described the post as childish during his Sport Nation programme. He argued that the tone trivialised the situation and did Robertson a disservice during an already chaotic period for New Zealand Rugby.

See the tweet below:

Stevenson added that while South African supporters may enjoy the moment, he considered the saga unprecedented and reflective of wider turmoil inside New Zealand Rugby. He also criticised the governing body for the manner in which Robertson was dismissed, referring to board members as “a pack of clowns.”

Eligibility debate and All Blacks depth

With Joseph expected to reshape the All Blacks setup, Stevenson noted that one of the key issues facing the national side is player eligibility. He questioned the value of current rules preventing overseas-based stars from representing New Zealand, pointing towards former Test lock Brodie Retallick’s strong form in Japan.

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Stevenson argued that South Africa have strengthened their competitiveness by selecting players based abroad and suggested that New Zealand should re-evaluate their stance. He said many All Blacks supporters would welcome the return of seasoned players if regulations allowed it.

He also pointed to the age profile within South Africa’s squad, hinting that several World Cup winners may be running out of time before the 2027 tournament. Despite that, he acknowledged South Africa’s depth as a major competitive advantage and warned that New Zealand have entered a period of rebuilding that will test the national system.

The fallout from Robertson’s removal continues to dominate New Zealand rugby news cycles, with calls growing for transparency from the national governing body as players remain silent due to contractual restrictions.

Sacha speaks of the Springboks legend; he is in awe of

Briefly News previously reported that Springboks young star Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu disclosed the South African legend he looks up to.

Mngomezulu spoke highly of the Test centurion and said he brings immense value to the team and is one of his favourite players.

Source: Briefly News