Top 5 popular rugby coaches: See the South Africans in the chart
As one of the biggest sports, rugby is incredibly popular in many countries worldwide, including South Africa. People love watching the best players in action, and they often get a lot of attention. That said, some fans forget that these players are led by a coach who is equally as important as they are.
Behind every great team and exceptional achievement is a world-class coach with the talent to turn the rugby odds in their favour.
This person's vision and strategies help the team reach the results it wants, so it is time to take a look at some of the best rugby coaches of all time. Unsurprisingly, half of them come from South Africa, one of the best rugby countries out there.
Rassie Erasmus
The first name on the list of the world's best rugby coaches goes to Johan Erasmus, also known as Rassie. The 52-year-old South African is the Springboks' current head coach (this is his second run in this position). Considering his impressive achievement, it is no surprise that many people consider him the greatest player of all time.
Speaking of the achievements, Rassie Erasmus was one of the main reasons why South Africa won the Rugby World Cup 2 times (in 2019 and 2023). After achieving these impressive results, he was named the World Rugby Coach of the Year in 2019.
Aside from helping South Africa's national team, Erasmus also worked with other clubs. He was a part of the western province and the Free State Cheetahs, Stormers, Munster, and Barbarians. Despite that, most people always associate him with the Springboks and the impressive results that the team achieved during his leadership.
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Kitch Christie
When talking about legendary South African rugby coaches, Kitch Christie is one of the first options that comes to mind. He was the Springboks' head coach between 1994 and 1996 and led the country to its first Rugby World Cup trophy. This happened in 1995, and it's safe to say it was a defining moment in post-apartheid unity.
Under Kitch Christie, the Springboks won 14 out of 14 tests. He was famous for his disciplined play style and the team's strong leadership in the face of Francois Pienaar.
Christie's success is legendary because it came during a time when Nelson Mandela was South Africa's president. Considering what happened in the years before that, everyone can agree that this coach will go down in history.
Steve Hansen
South Africa may be one of the best rugby countries in the world, but the same is true for New Zealand. The Blacks have many impressive results over the years, and some of them became possible because of Sir Stephen William Hansen, also known as Steve Hansen.
The 65-year-old rugby coach is one of the biggest names in the sport. Under his leadership and tactics, New Zealand won the 2015 Rugby World Cup, and Hansen became one of the biggest names in this sport.
Speaking of the New Zealand national team, Steve Hansen was in charge between 2012 and 2019. Before that, he was the coach of Canterbury and Wales. Interestingly, he was also an assistant coach for the Crusaders (between 1999 and 2001) and New Zealand (2004-2011). In other words, he has been involved in his country's national rugby team for 15 years.
While he was NZ's assistant coach, the country also won the Rugby World Cup in 2011, so it's safe to say he has the same achievements as Rassie Erasmus, at least when it comes to World Cup trophies.
Jake White
Number four on the list of the greatest rugby coaches of all time is another South African. Jacob Charles White, also known as Jake White, is another living legend in the sport. He coached South Africa's national team between 2004 and 2007 and won the Tri Nations in 2004 and the 2007 Rugby World Cup.
Alongside his impressive results with the Springboks, he also coached South Africa's under-21 team. In 2022, Jake White helped the team win the U-21 World Cup. Considering these achievements, it is no surprise that he is a part of the World Rugby Hall of Fame.
Besides coaching South Africa's national team, Jake White helped many other teams over the years. He was a part of the Brumbies, Sharks, Montpellier, and Toyota Verblitz. Currently, he is the coach of the Bulls and has been in this position since 2020.
Graham Henry
Another world-class rugby coach that all fans are interested in is Sir Graham William Henry. The 78-year-old coach from New Zealand has an impressive history because he has coached various top teams over the years.
Between 2004 and 2011, he was NZ's coach and helped the team win the 2011 Rugby World Cup. A few years earlier, however, he was involved in controversy following the All Blacks' loss in the 2007 Quarter-Final. After spending several years with his home country, he stepped down in 2011 after 140 matches, 1 World Cup trophy, and 5 Tri Nations titles.
Apart from his impressive achievements with New Zealand's rugby team, Graham Henry also coached Wales between 1998 and 2002. He also helped Auckland, Auckland Blue, and the British and Irish Lions. Henry has also been an assistant coach in Argentina, a consultant in Leinster, and since 2018, he is an assistant coach for Auckland.
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