One intriguing subplot in the build-up to the Test will be the presence of former England staff members Felix Jones and Lewis in the South Africa set-up. Another Englishman, Andy Edwards, is the head of athletic performance. Lewis was England’s senior analyst as recently as this year’s Six Nations, but with no gardening-leave clause in his contract, Erasmus swooped to add him to the Springbok set-up. However, he pointed out that intellectual property has flown both ways between England and South Africa in recent years.
“Without a doubt [it is an advantage],” Erasmus said. “It is like when Matthew Proudfoot moved away from us in 2019 and the next year we played England. There’s a guy called Byron McGuigan and he spent a whole week with us as Sale Sharks coach and I am pretty sure he has a lot of stuff. Eddie Jones moved from England to Australia and then Australia to Japan, so obviously some IP gets transferred and it is the same with Joe.
“We always had only one analyst, but when you look at any of the tier-one nations, some have five, and I think the French have eight guys. I know England also have a lot. We were looking for another analyst and Joe was available. Obviously we scan everywhere. Paddy [Sullivan] is an Irishman, but he worked in the French league a lot so you get some good info and some good things that they do in the league, analysis-wise. If you get a guy of his calibre available, it is just fantastic to have him here and he was available.”