Pieter-Steph du Toit has delivered a powerful endorsement of Rassie Erasmus on the eve of the Springbok coach's record-breaking 55th Test in charge, declaring him "the best coach I've played under, by a mile."
The milestone, which comes against Scotland at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday, moves Erasmus past 2007 World Cup-winning coach Jake White as the most-capped Springbok head coach. Erasmus enters the fixture with an impressive record of 41 victories, one draw and just 12 defeats — a win percentage of almost 76 percent. Since returning as head coach in 2024, that success rate has climbed above 85 percent.
For Du Toit and assistant coach Mzwandile Stick, Erasmus' greatest legacy has little to do with tactical innovation or silverware. Instead, they speak about his humanity, humility and the culture he has built around the Springboks.
"He really cares about everyone in that team room," Stick said at a media briefing on Friday afternoon. "He cares about the people of this country. For him to reach this milestone as the most-capped Springbok coach is something very special. Hopefully he can have many more. It's also nice to see his family around because it's not easy being away from your children all the time. Hopefully we can make it special for him on Saturday."
Stick, who has worked alongside Erasmus since 2018, believes the coach's greatest strength is his willingness to evolve while empowering those around him. "One thing about Rassie is that he's always been creative," Stick said. "He really works hard, understands exactly what he wants to achieve and isn't scared to be wrong."
SA Rugby president Mark Alexander praised Erasmus for the impact he has made since taking over the coaching reins. "Rassie understood his mandate from day one and implemented a strategy that truly transformed the way we play, the way we use our diversity as our strength and the way we drive social cohesion by using rugby as a vehicle," he said. "He galvanised all South Africans behind our team."
Saturday's Nations Championship encounter marks the 94th Springbok match played under Erasmus' guidance since his return to SA Rugby's coaching set-up in 2018. The 53-year-old, who represented South Africa as a loose forward in 36 Tests between 1997 and 2001, has already delivered back-to-back Rugby World Cup titles and established himself as one of the game's greatest innovators. The record-breaking appearance adds another remarkable achievement to a coaching career that continues to redefine South African rugby.