FELIX JONES WILL team up with old boss Rassie Erasmus as part of the South African coaching team for the Rugby World Cup.

The former Ireland international has been drafted in as a defence consultant on a short-term basis, rather than as a like-for-like replacement for absent attack coach Swys de Bruin.

De Bruin will not travel to Japan for medical reasons, and Erasmus and the players have opted not to fill that vacancy directly.

“I spoke to the players after Swys decided to step down and the consensus was that we didn’t want a new attack coach,” Erasmus said.

“The feeling was that bringing in someone in that role now with new ideas now would be destabilising at this last stage of the preparations.

“But they were interested in having more analysis of defensive patterns and structures to assist in breaking down the opposition.”

Jones, 32, left Munster earlier this summer after three seasons as a coach with the province.

He was also involved as an assistant coach with Joe Schmidt’s national side during their summer tour to Japan in 2017.

“Felix will bring a fresh eye to our analysis and planning and I am looking forward to his input,” Erasmus said.

“He is a real student of the game and I believe the players will benefit from his contribution.”

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