Munster, Ireland – Munster head coach Rassie Erasmus and his lawyer have scotched rumours the South African will be lured back to coach the Springboks if Alistair Coetzee gets the boot.
There are plenty of rumours circulating that Coetzee is primed for the sack and that SA Rugby chiefs are eager to repatriate Erasmus, their one-time former high performance director. One report says a five-year deal could be offered to the highly-regarded coach.
"Rassie has a contract with Munster and won't travel to South Africa for discussions while doing so well with Munster," Frikkie Erasmus, Erasmus's lawyer, told rugby365.com.
"Rassie is very happy in Ireland. He doesn't have to deal with interference as is the case in South Africa. He still has plenty of time left on his contract, which is a very good one."
Erasmus is considered to be arguably the biggest loss to South African rugby in the last decade in Irish rugby circles, if the Irish Independent newspaper and Munster players and officials are to be believed.
They are singing his praises in Limerick in the wake of the way he helped turn around Munster's fortunes. A report says Erasmus has handled himself with dignity and class at all times, hardly putting a foot or a word wrong.
The most telling point he made was that Erasmus has brought "emotional intelligence" and a "razor-sharp rugby brain" to Ireland. Erasmus was linked to the Springbok coaching job before he moved to Ireland last year.