Former Springbok captain Bobby Skinstad has lifted the lid on his turbulent relationship with Rassie Erasmus during their playing days.
Speaking on The Good, the Bad and the Rugby podcast, Skinstad said that although the rivalry never reached the point where they stopped speaking, their relationship was “terrible”.
“We were competing for the same position,” Skinstad said. “He played No 7, I played No 7. I was such a jerk at the time that I wasn’t interested in anything except what was best for me – and he was probably the same.”
Their Springbok careers overlapped in the late 1990s and early 2000s, a period Skinstad admits was fuelled by ego and individual ambition. But with their playing rivalry long over, the 2007 World Cup winner says his respect for Erasmus has grown immensely.
“It’s his transition I’m talking about,” he said. “He reached a different level of insight as a coach. I was a commentator for 10 years while he was developing, so I could see the change and what he did.”
ALSO: Ex-All Blacks coach rips into Rassie
Skinstad credited Erasmus for reshaping not only the Springboks but the way the national team is perceived in South Africa.
“He worked incredibly hard to make the Springboks something that makes most South Africans feel good. It used to be a small white base, but now the whole country comes to a standstill when the Boks play.”
MORE: Jantjes defends Rassie against Mains’ jibe
Despite joking that he could still tell stories of training-field scraps between the pair, Skinstad says Erasmus’ success and work ethic have earned his full admiration.
“I have no reason to sit here and sing his praises – we hated each other. But the respect is sky-high. He has worked extremely hard for what he does and how he applies his craft. It’s incredible.”
Photo: Duif du Toit/Gallo Images
The post Skinstad: Rassie and I hated each other appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.