Rassie Erasmus dropped a bombshell on Thursday with the announcement of Felix Jones’ return to the Springboks coaching team.
The Irishman spent last year with the England coaching staff before tendering his resignation after reportedly becoming ‘unhappy’ with the work environment.
He now returns to Erasmus’ backroom team having enjoyed immense success during his previous stint, helping the team lift back-to-back Rugby World Cups after joining ahead of the 2019 tournament to fill Swys de Bruin’s void.
Jones quickly became a fan favourite particularly after supporters got a closer look at his keen eye for detail in the two hugely popular ‘Chasing the Sun’ docuseries.
“Welcome back Felix”
Erasmus welcomed the return of Jones and hailed his impact in helping the Springboks win the last two World Cups.
“We are delighted to welcome Felix back into the Springbok team and we are excited to see him pick up where he left off in 2023,” said Erasmus.
“He was a vital cog in the coaching team from 2019 to 2023, and his experience, professionalism, and excellent work ethic will make him a great addition to the fantastic coaching team we built from the beginning of 2024.”
Felix Jones makes shock return to Springboks as Rassie Erasmus welcomes ‘vital cog’ back
And Springboks fans have sung off the same hymn sheet and suggested that another double Rugby World Cup-winning coach will return in 2026.
The news of his return to the coaching team has been met with overwhelming positivity from fans on social media.
Several posts read along the lines of “Welcome back Felix Jones” as well as many fans being “pleasantly surprised” while others added, “He is coming back home.”
One fan wrote: “Absolutely brilliant news, I have wanted to see Felix back ever since he left, he absolutely deserves another RWC medal with us and I’d say the chances of us doing it again have improved with his return. That’s cheered me up immensely on an otherwise rubbish day!”
South Africa are chasing an unprecedented three-peat of World Cup titles and several fans feel that his reunion with Erasmus will go a long way in making that a possibility.
“Felix Jones really said ‘two wins were so nice, I had to do it thrice’,” Angus Usher wrote.
Nienaber next?
Many are now also predicting that Jacques Nienaber will also make a timely return with the ex-Springboks head coach penning a deal with Leinster that expires at the end of the 2025/26 domestic season.
“And I guess next year we have Jacques back from Leinster?” one fan remarked with another adding: “We told them he missed Rassie to much to go anywhere else Jaques is the next coach to return.”
This was a common theme on ‘SA Rugby Twitter’ with one fan stating: “Now Rassie will be fetching his 2nd in command from Leinster after scouting the opposition for the last two years.”
Another added: “As we wait for Jaques to finish his stint at Leinster, then the dream team is complete for 2027. #ThreePeat”
Jones’ espionage mission
Jones initially joined the England coaching team in order to be closer to his family. However, the situation got rather messy after he handed in his resignation after the tour to New Zealand and was subsequently barred from England training.
Commenting on Jones’ return to South Africa, British journalist Will Kelleher reacted by saying: “Perhaps inevitable, after his messy exit from England, but what a scoop for the Boks to bring Felix Jones back into the fold.”
Meanwhile, Charlie Morgan enjoyed a particular quote from Erasmus in the release which stated that Jones had collected intel from the northern hemisphere nations during his time with England.
“After spending some time in England, his experience of working in the UK and studying the opposition teams in the Six Nations and other international tournaments will add immense value in assisting us to adapt and improve as we cast an eye on a tough international season ahead,” Erasmus said in the release.
With Morgan remarking: “Fair play, this is a delicious paragraph from Rassie Erasmus in the release about Felix Jones returning to the Springboks.”
Src: Planetrugby.com - https://www.planetrugby.com/news/springboks-fans-are-all-saying-the-same-thing-after-felix-jones-return-to-rassie-erasmus-team
