Westville Coach Zander Erasmus Joins Affies After Wife Lands Maths Teaching Post

• Westville 1st XV head coach Zander Erasmus is set to join Pretoria rugby powerhouse Affies on 1 September 2026
• Erasmus led the Westville Griffins to an unbeaten debut season in KwaZulu-Natal's competitive schools rugby environment
• His move to Affies was triggered by his wife Michelle accepting a mathematics teaching position at the school

Afrikaners High School (Affies) has secured the services of Westville Boys' High School 1st XV head coach Zander Erasmus, with both he and his wife Michelle set to begin work at the Pretoria institution on 1 September 2026.

The move came about not through a direct rugby recruitment drive, but through a teaching appointment. Michelle Erasmus accepted a mathematics position at Affies, and the relocation from Durban to Pretoria created an opening for one of KwaZulu-Natal's most highly regarded young coaches to join one of South Africa's most decorated schools rugby programmes.

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Erasmus brings unbeaten record to Pretoria

Erasmus arrives carrying significant credentials. In his first season at the helm of the Westville Griffins, the team went through the entire campaign without a defeat, a notable feat in a KwaZulu-Natal schools rugby landscape widely regarded as among the most competitive in the country.

Beyond the 1st XV, Erasmus spent three years as strength and conditioning coach for the Sharks Craven Week squad, working with the province's top schoolboy talent at the country's premier schools rugby tournament. In 2026, he also took charge of the Sharks under-16 Grant Khomo team, broadening his coaching profile across multiple age groups.

As seen in the Facebook post below.

Role at Affies still to be determined

Erasmus' precise position within the Affies rugby structure has not yet been confirmed. Current head of rugby Ruan Jacobs is departing for the Sharks at the end of the season, and the appointment of his replacement will determine where Erasmus fits into the coaching hierarchy. In the interim, he will contribute in the strength and conditioning department alongside his teaching duties.

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Erasmus has acknowledged the significance of joining an institution with Affies' rugby history, describing his involvement with the school as a privilege.

England call up SA-born ex-Junior Bok

Briefly News previously reported that a former Junior Springbok who is now eligible to represent the England rugby union national team could make his international debut against Fiji on 11 July 2026 after being named in the squad on Monday, 18 May.

Source: Briefly News