Flyhalf Handre Pollard has debunked some of the myths surrounding Rassie Erasmus’ man-management methods, saying the Springboks’ coach isn’t exactly a drill sergeant.

Speaking on the For The Love Of Rugby podcast with Dan Cole and Ben Youngs, Pollard said there is more to Erasmus than meets the eye.

During Chasing the Sun 2, Erasmus famously scolded the players after the 2023 Rugby World Cup defeat against Ireland, especially zoning in on some of the experienced players in the group.

However, Pollard says part of Erasmus’ “genius” is to keep his players focused on the job at hand and keeping them grounded, especially after they have achieved so much under his watch over the last six years.

“It’s not a militaristic, bash-you-down to keep you humble. It’s not that at all. It’s a real art. That’s what makes him so good. That’s why there’s not a lot of complacency in our group,” Pollard said on the podcast.

“The first thing he ever spoke about was entitlement. That’s the first thing that breaks a group up, if senior guys think they are important.

“That was way back when we started and it’s still something we live by. The influence that the older guys have on a group is so big. We’ve got a very different experience from our younger days to what we are giving the