Rassie Erasmus react as his lessons to Frans Steyn puts him at the SA cup semi finals.
Frans Steyn is applying lessons from mentors such as Rassie Erasmus as the double World Cup winner guides the Cheetahs through his rookie coaching season.
Speaking in a wide-ranging interview with Rapport, Steyn outlined his coaching philosophy: “I definitely base my coaching methods on guys who coached me. I try to do what has worked for me. I use what has been good from coaches.
“Then you just take advice from guys who are currently coaching and who have been coaching much longer than us.”
Steyn, alongside assistants Ruan Pienaar and Izak van der Westhuizen, recently secured Currie Cup qualification for the Cheetahs with a spot in the SA Cup semi-finals.
“We’re trying to find our way of exactly how we want to do things,” said the 37-year-old, who played 78 Tests between 2007 and 2022.
Appointed Cheetahs director of rugby in early 2024, Steyn has embraced his expanded role as head coach this season. “I see things differently than when I was a player or just the director of rugby,” he added.
“I get to deal with more things that happen behind the scenes. It’s going much better. We’re learning as we go, but it’s quite a challenge to find the right way to communicate with the players so that they understand exactly what you want.
“It’s nice to see when your plans work out.”
He only lasted half-an-hour against the Welsh region but, despite that setback, Plumtree’s men responded well.
They moved into the break 14-3 ahead thanks to tries from Jason Jenkins and Andre Esterhuizen before they secured the bonus-point in the second period after Ethan Hooker and Phepsi Buthelezi touched down.
“It was a workmanlike performance,” Plumtree said. “I was just saying how wet the pitch was. The boys found the ball quite dewy and that sort of took away a real attractive game of rugby from both sides.
