@RassieRugby on the pros and cons of Social Media
Rassie Erasmus, SA Rugby’s Director of Rugby, “shocked” fans and the media alike a few months ago when he posted a video on Twitter from the inner sanctums of the Springbok change room.
The first video posted by @RassieRugby showed a part of his pre-match team-talk before the Rugby World Cup Final in Japan last year. It was a ground-breaking move and something very few have had the privilege to be party to in the past.
And in the first episode of SA Rugby’s new podcast series, (also available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts) Erasmus explained the thinking behind his move to social media, where he now has accounts on Twitter and Instagram.
“I was one of the guys who was never into that – we have a family Facebook page, but that was probably the closest I got to social media,” said Erasmus.
“But I have 16-year-old twin daughters, who are very much into Instagram and those things.
“At the Rugby World Cup, with very full days – from 7am to 5pm you have training, team meetings, physiotherapy, treatments and meals – I quickly realized the amount of time we (as coaches) are exposed to the players, is limited to what they are exposed to social media.
“It was actually a medium that almost irritated me, until I saw the light and understood the place for it in sport, or even in any facet of normal life, and decided to stop fighting with it and rather work with it.”
According to Erasmus, he realized at the Rugby World Cup that social media can be used to bring outsiders closer to the action.
“When we started the #StrongerTogether campaign, we saw – with our fans and the media – the more honest and open you are and not hide anything, you get tremendous support, so that we really are stronger together,” he said.
“So the first thing was to give the supporters and the media a little bit of insight into how we did things at the World Cup, and also for them to see that in a team sport, like rugby, it’s not always about the best player, there are a lot of other things to also take into consideration.
“I think that is one of the big reasons why we won the World Cup – we didn’t have any entitled players or players with egos in the squad.
“And then also new players who want to break into the squad, it’s a way for them to see (what the Springboks are all about), and just a way to show people how we operate and how we do things.”
The rest of the podcast with Erasmus can be accessed here, and the second episode features Blitzbok Branco du Preez, Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber and Aled Walters.
And we would like to get your thoughs too – what would you like to see @RassieRugby post on his social media accounts? Click here and sign up to our database – we’ll be in touch!
Not Sure I would know what to say to any other team before a W Cup Final. Not Happening !!!
