After legendary Springboks flanker Schalk Burger revealed recently that he sees Felix Jones taking over from Rassie Erasmus as the world champions’ head coach, another former international back-row has backed that claim.
Alan Quinlan, who represented Ireland in 27 Tests between 1999 and 2008, and a former team-mate of Jones’ during his playing days at Munster believes the former full-back is the right man to take over the coaching reins from Erasmus if he decides to step down from his position.
Earlier this month, it was revealed that Jones, who was was an assistant coach when the Springboks won back-to-back Rugby World Cup titles in 2019 and 2023, has returned to South Africa to join the Boks’ backroom staff.
This, after he had a short stint as England’s defence coach during 2024.
‘Rassie Erasmus has obviously done an incredible job’
And although it remains to be seen whether Erasmus will stay in his position after the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia, Quinlan feels Jones could be next in line for the Boks’ head coaching role.
“Felix Jones has gone back to South Africa, and they have a great coaching ticket there. They have great players, and I think Rassie Erasmus has obviously done an incredible job,” Quinlan told Plejmo.
“He’s a strategist, isn’t he? So he’s not going to just walk away and leave South African rugby. I think they’ll certainly be lining somebody up.
“I would be surprised if they go outside of South Africa for a head coach. You never know. I think they brought some external coaches in, which is not that normal under Rassie’s tenure.