Rugby World Cup-winning Springbok Bobby Skinstad has revealed that he and Rassie Erasmus did not have a good relationship as teammates.
In fact, the former loose forward goes as far as to say that they hated one another, not to the point that they didn’t speak, but there was no love lost.
Erasmus‘ and Skinstad’s Springboks careers overlapped in the late 90s and early 2000s, where the pair were battling it out for a place in the Green and Gold loose trio.
The former Bok captain admitted that he was looking after his own interests at the time, and they have buried the hatchet since ending their playing careers.
“I’ve got no reason to sit here and sing his praises”
Appearing on the Good, the Bad and the Rugby podcast, Skinstad spoke glowingly about his former teammate’s transition from his playing career to coaching, which he witnessed when he was employed as a commentator with SuperSport.
He also hailed the success that Erasmus has had with the Springboks and how he has changed the perspective of the team in the eyes of the South African public.
“He has worked incredibly hard to make the national rugby team of South Africa a very important part of what generates a lot of the feel-good for most of South Africa,” the 2007 Rugby World Cup winner said.
“It used to be a small white base, and now the whole of South Africa just shuts down when South Africa are playing rugby, and it doesn’t matter where they come from.”
He later explained: “I’ve got no reason to sit here and sing his praises because we hated each other. He was playing for seven, I was playing for seven.”
Show host Alex Payne was taken aback by Skinstad’s admission and asked: “What was your relationship like as players?”
“Terrible,” Skinstad replied.
“It wasn’t non-speak, but I mean, we competed for the same position, and I was such a prick at that level that I wasn’t buying into anything except what was best for me, and he was probably doing the same.
Rassie’s transition
“But his transition is what I’m talking about, where he’s just gone to another level of understanding, and I’ve got so much respect for that.
“We’ve absolutely buried the hatchet because I was a commentator for 10 years while he was evolving as a coach, so I could see the development and what he was doing. I mean, on a respect level, it’s straight through the roof, but he turned me around in terms of hard work, application to his craft, skill, etc.”
Having put their playing day rivalry to bed, the former number eight has huge admiration and respect for what Erasmus has achieved as a coach.
“I could still easily come up with stories of, you know, him punching me in a bloody ruck or whatever, when we were supposed to be in the same team and me doing the same to him,” he said.
“This is not me just jumping on the bandwagon because the Springboks are doing well, and let’s sing Rassie’s praises.
“I’m saying this guy has ground out what he’s doing and its application to craft, it’s amazing.”