RASSIE ERASMUS ADMITS it’s ‘sad’ he will not be able to complete his full three-year journey with Munster, but says he is determined to leave the province in a better place before returning home.
Since handing in his notice during the summer, Erasmus has found himself in the midst of an apparent tug-of-war over the services of his potential successor as Munster director of rugby.
South African assistant coach Johann van Graan, who is under contract with the SARU, is hotly-tipped to replace Erasmus in the Thomond Park hotseat, but the 44-year-old last week said he’d prefer for van Graan to stay in his current position so the two can work together with the Springboks.
In front of the media again at Monday’s Champions Cup launch, Erasmus used the platform to ask the SARU not to put him in a position where he may compromise either his current or future employers.
While the whole situation remains clouded with uncertainty, Erasmus has made it clear that he will remain at Munster until a successor is installed to ensure a smooth handover of the reigns.
“I’m not sure, I honestly don’t know,” he said, when asked if he thinks he will see out the Champions Cup pool stages with Munster.
“My two children are currently learning Irish history and every evening they ask me ‘are we going to use this Irish history? Do we still have to learn it and how long are we still going to be here?’
“We really don’t know and we’ve decided to not know because the moment you know you’ll use your eye off the ball here. If I’m still here after the pool matches then that’s that, I’m here as long as Munster need me.
“It would have been great, it would have been awesome [to see out his contract] but it didn’t work out that way. It’s sad that it didn’t. That’s the way it goes and the way the ball bounces. You get unexpected opportunities and life changes and you have to handle it on the room. I wish I could plan exactly how my life would go for the next couple of years.”
Erasmus added that he feels a responsibility to Munster, who, in his opinion, are close to making the steady improvements required to go one step better this season.
“What they [Munster] did for me and my family life and for me personally. What I’ve learned this year off the pitch is probably what I’ve learned in four or five years with other clubs. They were good enough to allow me to go so I would never like them to point the finger at me and say ‘he did x, y, or z.’”
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