Ex-All Blacks Coach John Plumtree Praises Rassie Erasmus and South African Rugby Passion
- Former All Blacks assistant John Plumtree praised Springboks coach Rassie Erasmus for remaining completely authentic despite the pressures of elite coaching
- Plumtree, who stepped down as Sharks head coach in December, highlighted a key trait he believes separates South African rugby culture from New Zealand's
- The ex-forwards coach shared what he wishes the All Blacks could replicate from the way Erasmus runs the Springboks programme
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Former All Blacks assistant coach John Plumtree has spoken glowingly about Springboks head coach Rassie Erasmus, describing him as a one-of-a-kind figure in world coaching and identifying a South African rugby culture he believes New Zealand should work to replicate.
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Plumtree, 61, made the remarks during an appearance on the Coaching Culture podcast with Ben Herring. The ex-forwards coach, who departed as Sharks head coach at Kings Park in December 2025, is currently seeking his next role in rugby.
Plumtree on Erasmus's Authenticity
When asked what advice he would offer younger coaches, Plumtree stressed the importance of staying true to oneself rather than moulding into someone else's image. He used Erasmus as his primary example of a coach who has never lost his identity.
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"I love Rassie Erasmus because he is totally himself," Plumtree said.
"He is the only coach that can get away with drinking about two bottles of brandy, dancing to some Afrikaans music at probably one in the morning, posting it on Twitter and getting a good laugh out of it."
Plumtree acknowledged that Erasmus divides opinion and acknowledged that some coaches find his methods frustrating. He also drew a comparison with All Blacks coach Scott Robertson, noting that Robertson's playful personality appeared to become more restrained once he stepped into the top job.
"I loved it when Razor Robertson was doing his breakdancing... but when I saw him coach the All Blacks, he seemed to stiffen up and stop dancing so much."
Watch a part of the interview in the clip below.
What NZ Can Learn From South Africa's Rugby Passion
Beyond Erasmus's personal character, Plumtree pointed to the broader rugby culture Erasmus has cultivated around the Springboks as something New Zealand has not yet matched.
Plumtree, who has coached extensively in both New Zealand and South Africa, noted a stark difference in supporter intensity between the two nations.
"It's nowhere near as crazy as what it is here for the Springboks. Rassie drives that."
He added that the fervour of South African rugby supporters creates a sense of accountability among players that he believes is missing in New Zealand. Plumtree served as forwards coach under Ian Foster before being released following New Zealand's home series defeat to Ireland in 2022.
Springbok defeats show a blueprint for beating SA
Briefly News previously reported that an analysis of South Africa's eight Test defeats since 2023 has identified a recurring pattern that opposing coaches can draw on ahead of the November Nations Championship leg
The data shows that winning sides averaged 29.9 points, with six of the eight scoring 25 or more, but two of those victories came from just a single try each.
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Source: Briefly News
