After legendary Springboks flanker Schalk Burger revealed recently that he sees Felix Jones taking over from Rassie Erasmus as the world champions’ head coach, another former international back-row has backed that claim.
Alan Quinlan, who represented Ireland in 27 Tests between 1999 and 2008, and a former team-mate of Jones’ during his playing days at Munster believes the former full-back is the right man to take over the coaching reins from Erasmus if he decides to step down from his position.
Earlier this month, it was revealed that Jones, who was was an assistant coach when the Springboks won back-to-back Rugby World Cup titles in 2019 and 2023, has returned to South Africa to join the Boks’ backroom staff.
This, after he had a short stint as England’s defence coach during 2024.
‘Rassie Erasmus has obviously done an incredible job’
And although it remains to be seen whether Erasmus will stay in his position after the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia, Quinlan feels Jones could be next in line for the Boks’ head coaching role.
“Felix Jones has gone back to South Africa, and they have a great coaching ticket there. They have great players, and I think Rassie Erasmus has obviously done an incredible job,” Quinlan told Plejmo.
“He’s a strategist, isn’t he? So he’s not going to just walk away and leave South African rugby. I think they’ll certainly be lining somebody up.
“I would be surprised if they go outside of South Africa for a head coach. You never know. I think they brought some external coaches in, which is not that normal under Rassie’s tenure.
“I don’t think it’s happened much before.”
Quinlan was asked whether Jones would be interested in taking charge of the Boks and admitted that it is difficult to say.
“Felix, would he take on that role as the head coach? Particularly so far away from home,” he said. “But he’s obviously gone back there and he’s missed it, and we still don’t know why he left the England situation.”
Another candidate who Quinlan believes stands a good chance of taking over from Erasmus, if he decides to relinquish the Boks’ coaching reins is former Munster coach and Bath’s current head of rugby Johann van Graan, who has guided the West Country outfit to the top of the Premiership standings.
‘I think he’ll certainly put himself in the frame’
“I think Johan van Graan is someone. If he has success with Bath, and consistent success, I think he’ll certainly put himself in the frame,” added Quinlan.
“It didn’t work at Munster with a different culture, different team, different budgets, all that kind of stuff.
“He didn’t have his start at Bath, but he’s put them in a position now where they’re very powerful, very strong, and, I would imagine, he would be in contention to possibly go back there.
“I’d be surprised if South Africa, if Rassie said he’s finishing after the 2027 World Cup, that they’re not looking now, they’re not lining up coaches, which would be very sensible.
“Obviously, you can’t get people to commit to that, but just having drawn up a list of people who potentially could be in the mix to monitor them and keep in touch with them and all that kind of stuff.”
👀 READ MORE: 👉 Springboks coach hails ‘dedicated’ Felix Jones and his ‘valuable insight’ after returning from brief England stint
Src: Planetrugby.com - https://www.planetrugby.com/news/former-ireland-star-backs-schalk-burgers-bold-claim-about-rassie-erasmus-replacement-as-springboks-coach
