Siya Kolisi on how Rassie Erasmus keeps the Springboks grounded and united

When the former Munster head honcho was appointed in 2018, South Africa were at an all-time low, but since then they have won back-to-back Rugby World Cups.

Erasmus has been a central figure in that success and he will hope to oversee an unprecedented three-peat in Australia in 2027.

They have certainly not rested on their laurels since their victory in France last year and began the Rugby Championship with a dominant 33-7 win over the Wallabies.

After that triumph, Kolisi was asked about Erasmus moving back into the role of head coach from director of rugby and how it affected him and the players.

What followed was a heartfelt response that detailed how much the Boks boss is adored by the squad.

"It's amazing, he's always been there, it's not like he hasn't been there. He's been working with us as director of rugby," Kolisi told reporters.

"We love having him as players because he's played the game and is always honest with us and direct. He always keeps us in check.

"We become 'superstars' and then you feel good about yourself. He always tells us from his time when he played, it's how he keeps us humble and reminds us again who we play for and I think that's really important for us as a group."

Erasmus is a divisive figure outside of South Africa having been banned twice for criticising match officials, but he is loved within the country.

It is not just his ability to bring South Africans together, from the players to the fans, but also the way he looks at the game.

Erasmus is an incredibly astute thinker and is always looking at innovative ways of gaining an edge on their opponents. Equally, he is willing to listen to ideas from other people, including the players, which creates a harmonious atmosphere.

"We love the way he thinks. He doesn't think how everybody else thinks, he's always looking for other ways to make the team better," Kolisi said.

"What I love about our group is that we are always willing to try something. We don't say, 'ah no, that's not going to work'. Some players come with plans and coach Rassie is like, 'okay cool, let's try it.'

"That's really what we enjoy about the team, no egos at all. South Africa and the Springboks are the most important, so him being here and just keeping us in check has really been good for us as a group."

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