Johan "Rassie" Erasmus is six weeks into his new role as Munster's first director of rugby, an acclimatisation process that is beginning to offer greater clarity in defining squad composition, parameters of play, a revised coaching team and a new dimension in the one centre training base at the University of Limerick.
The 43-year-old former Springbok international, who previously served as head coach for the Cheetahs and the Stormers before taking on the role of general manager high performance with the South African rugby union, inveigled Springbok defence coach Jacques Nienaber to accompany him to Ireland.
Munster identity
Anthony Foley (head coach), Felix Jones (skills/attack coach) and Jerry Flannery (scrum coach) guarantee the retention of the Munster identity, something that Erasmus stressed was important.
“The most important thing is to have Munster guys helping drive the Munster culture,” he said. “You get myself and Jacques coming in and if you were looking at another (foreign) assistant coach or say five different (foreign) players you would just bugger up the Munster culture.”
He confirmed that the recently retired Paul O’Connell will have a role to play in the medium term outside of the three days a week he currently spends with the Munster academy. “Yes, for sure. He can do technical coaching things, he knows so much we can definitely use him.
“With the academy boys he can do a wonderful job. He’s with them three days a week, just mentorship and how to be a pro and he’s been helping the coaches with the technical things, lineout, breakdown, he knows it all.
“We will certainly use him but I think for now it’s just for the players to get used to us and our set-up, I definitely think we will get him involved as much as possible to pick his brain on off- and on-field stuff.”
A primary concern for Erasmus is the current injury profile. Peter O'Mahony, who has been out since the game against France in last season's World Cup, won't play again before October, most likely in round two or three of the Guinness Pro12. Ditto Francis Saili.
On O’Mahony, Erasmus explained: “As I said he’s touch and go until round two or three [in the Pro12]. We won’t push it. We will be conservative with him because he is such a leader in the team. It’s a long few months ahead.”
There are issues at outhalf although Erasmus was relatively upbeat about the current prognosis for the luckless Tyler Blehendaal: "Johnny [Holland] has got a hamstring that's been there for a while and because Tyler has got that [quad]. Keats [Ian Keatley] is there and Billy Johnston played for the under-20s and he got a shoulder [injury].
“We are thin there but Johnny and Tyler can be ready for next week. That’s up to three guys and Billy is ready in two months.”
Perhaps the most distressing news on a personal level is that Australian secondrow Mark Chisholm is still affected by a concussion suffered last March. Erasmus clarified: "It's a medical thing we're all waiting on. It's tough to give an answer on that. It's the same as last year at this stage.
“We don’t have a date dotted down there which is worrying for everyone, for Mark, ourselves, the club, everybody. Unfortunately he still has some symptoms and he’s not ready yet.”
The South African explained that if there wasn’t a change in the injury profile in three weeks’ time he would be tempted to recruit.
He had earlier clarified his position in terms of recruitment. “There is no point in bringing in a bunch of guys because you know them really well. It’s a slap in the face to those who are there already and [with whom] you haven’t worked.
“Maybe a small little thing triggers a player to do better and be more focused. I will be very conservative.
“If you bring somebody in, he must be so much better than the guy that’s here and I’m not in the position to do that currently.
‘Certain positions’
"We are in a position obviously with the blessing of the IRFU and David Nucifora that we can strengthen in certain positions. The moment we are sure about that we will do it."
Erasmus was smilingly coy on who did the courting, whether he approached Munster or the province contacted him initially but there was no ambiguity in what he understands to be the expectations for the season ahead.
“Target wise, I would be naive to think that if we don’t show massive, massive improvement from last year, people will accept us saying that ‘we are trying hard, we’re improving slowly and we’ll get there’.”
Erasmus maintains that he won’t lean on the notion that he inherited a squad and that they will improve season on season based on an exposure to his methods. He eschews the “next year” philosophy, admitting: “I would say with this group now I want to get the best of them now and get the results as quickly as possible.”
