England Rugby World Cup winner Mike Catt has explained what makes Rassie Erasmus\u2019 Springboks so special and why he rates Andy Farrell\u2019s Ireland as phenomenal.<\/p>\n
The 54-year-old South African, who went to play in England in 1992 and debuted two years later under Jack Rowell, is currently assistant coach at the Waratahs following 12 years working in Test rugby with Stuart Lancaster\u2019s England<\/a>, Conor O\u2019Shea\u2019s Italy<\/a> and Andy Farrell\u2019s Ireland<\/a>.<\/p>\n Catt\u2019s last involvement with the Irish was their series-levelling win over the Springboks in Durban in July 2024<\/a>, and he has now shared his overview of the international game with an appearance on Coaching Culture with Ben Herring<\/a>.<\/p>\n Midway through the hour-long chat, Catt was asked about his experiences of rugby from across the world and what bits the different teams do well that stand out for him. His answer started with his native South Africa, switched to England, hopped over to Ireland and Italy, referenced New Zealand<\/a> and then provided optimism for the game in Australia.<\/p>\n \u201cThe emotional drive\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGrowing up, the competitive nature of the game in South Africa,\u201d he began. \u201cGrowing up, you didn\u2019t walk back through the door at home if you hadn\u2019t won a game of rugby. There was this real like you only come home if you win.<\/p>\n \u201cSo, there is this real competitive, real tough, hardcore mentality growing up, which was just incredible. It really was, and it is still there now. With South African rugby, for me, it\u2019s more than just rugby. It\u2019s not just a game of rugby.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s the history and that\u2019s where Rassie Erasmus has done so, so well in terms of embracing that it\u2019s not just about the game of rugby, it\u2019s about you and your mates, about where you have come from, how you have got here, the country, what it has gone through over the past 30, 40 years, that sort of stuff that they really tie into.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s the emotional drive the South Africans have currently got and are winning games with the skillset and everything that is now coming through.<\/p>\n \u201cEngland would be very much, especially when I first went over there, it was very much 10-man rugby. You didn\u2019t play the big, free-flowing, throw-the-ball-around. You had Rob Andrew kicking it every time and 10-man rugby on the back of it. You sort of had the big physical stuff that happened.<\/p>\n Eddie Jones reveals where Springboks are \u201850% better than any other team\u2019 as he tables law tweak to weaken Rassie Erasmus\u2019 strength<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cAnd then with Ireland, they were students of the game, they understood it so well, they were, they are so fit. They are such a fit team, and from their background in GAA, hurling and football, the skill set is huge but they are punching so far above their weight. Like Italy.<\/p>\n \u201cHow many people actually play rugby in Ireland? How many people actually play rugby in Italy? For these guys to be competing and sitting at the top table and being the best in the world, honestly it is phenomenal if you look back at it.<\/p>\n \u201cYou guys in South Africa have got hundreds of thousands of people that play the game and it\u2019s your No.1 sport too. Same in New Zealand. There is only a small bunch of people who actually play the game, but it is their No.1 sport.<\/p>\n \u201cSo, it\u2019s different, it means to your South Africas, your New Zealands, it\u2019s more than just a game of rugby. Because the country cares, it matters. It matters, it\u2019s not just a game, it matters.<\/p>\n