Rassie: Stories of Life and Rugby

Rassie Erasmus dives into the intense ups and downs of his incredible life and career in the long-awaited memoir from the maverick coach of the South African rugby team.Rassie Erasmus has been called a genius. He's been called reckless. All his life, he's done things differently. Now, with his trademark candour, Rassie talks openly about his adventures and misadventures at the pinnacle of world rugby, both as a player and a coach.Recalling how, while his teammates relaxed, Rassie preferred to watch hours of video to devise winning strategies, this is a window into one of the most successful figures in the modern game. From how he became an important cog in Nick Mallett's record-breaking Springboks team of the late 1990s to the devastating injuries that cut short his playing career, this is a must-read for all rugby fans. Rassie discusses his revolutionary coaching methods, which were initially laughed off and then adopted with alacrity, how he fought the rugby establishment at the Stormers, and how he later earned the grudging respect of Irish fans at Munster.Most crucially, Rassie talks about his greatest contribution to South African rugby - appointing its first black captain, Siya Kolisi, without much fanfare or controversy. As his bold plans for effective racial transformation of the national team achieved immediate success, they culminated in glory at the 2019 Rugby World Cup. Entertaining and eye-opening, Rassie is full of revelations, telling the behind-the-scenes story of a towering figure in the world of rugby. Read more