Stick believes Rassie has got work ethic with Boks down pat

ASSISTANT coach Mzwandile Stick and flyhalf Elton Jantjies took a sideways swipe at the previous Springbok setup when they pointed how much the camp had changed for the better under current boss Rassie Erasmus.

Previous coach Allister Coetzee was sacked earlier this year after two years of record defeats‚ muddled game plans and a poor transformation record.

In his first series in charge Erasmus has guided the Boks to a 2-0 home win over England with the third Test at Newlands to come.

He has also appointed the first ever black Springbok Test captain and met his transformation targets.

Stick was the Springbok backline coach in 2016‚ an appointment that Coetzee didn’t endorse.

After spending much of the year as a peripheral figure‚ Stick was axed at the end of a season that saw the Boks lose eight of 12 Tests.

How Stick was the only staff member to lose his job after such a poor year remains one of rugby’s great mysteries.

Jantjies‚ who was first choice flyhalf under Coetzee while Handré Pollard was injured‚ clearly believes that the current culture is more positive than before.

“I think it [the positive attitude] comes down from the top‚” said Jantjies.

“If the coach’s mind-set is a certain way obviously it influences the other management group‚ the medical team and the playing group.

“That’s something that I’ve picked up and that we’ve picked up as a group. It comes from the boss straight down to the last player.

“Everyone has got the same mind-set and work ethic‚ and everybody just wants to achieve something.

“That’s something you will see off the field; this group looks happy and they’re enjoying rugby and that’s something that comes from the boss.”

Stick praised Erasmus’ honesty and willingness to meet the sometimes-delicate issue of transformation head-on.

“We live in a very unique country and to have someone like Rassie who doesn’t shy away from the challenges that we’re facing is great‚” said Stick.

“He’s a very honest guy and he doesn’t play hide and seek about stuff.

“I remember the first alignment camps we had with the players‚ Rassie mentioned three things to them.

“He said we had to go back to a winning culture‚ we had to transform the team and the third thing was improve the image‚ which would come after the first two were met.

“That was the message that was sent to everyone; players and management.

“Everyone is working towards that direction.

“When the coach is honest with you and he tells you where you stand‚ the players will believe in him and make sure that when they get an opportunity they grab it with both hands‚” said Stick.

“We took 13 debutants to America ... and then we came back and had a couple more.

“It shows that Rassie does give players opportunities.”

Jantjies‚ who missed the second Test in Bloemfontein after sitting bench in the first Test in Johannesburg‚ said that it was a rotational move and it had been explained to him. —