Rassie awards snub: there is favouritism, then there is Bias

South Africans have had a lot to say about World Rugby's Coach of the Year, but few will know Jérôme Daret is from Bias.

Bias, a commune in the Landes department in the Nouvelle- Aquitaine region of France, gifted the host country a coach who helped earn them a first Olympic gold medal in rugby in Paris earlier in 2024.

Some might suggest it appropriate that he should hail from this hamlet in southwest France.

Daret scooped the award at Salle des Étoiles in Monaco ahead of firm favourite Rassie Erasmus. Some believe World Rugby still has it in for Erasmus after his agent provocateur tendencies that saw him cop two bans.

Let’s for a moment, though, reflect on the achievements of France’s men’s Sevens coach.

The former Dax scrumhalf became the second Frenchman after Bernard Laporte (2002) to scoop the award. He became the first Sevens coach to earn the distinction.

It is worth noting France had not won a World Sevens Series title in 19 years before this year. They won the titles in Los Angeles and Madrid before they struck gold in Paris.

Many will argue it would not have been possible had France not redirected the vast and irrepressible talents of their brilliant XV’s captain Antoine Dupont. The little general did not play all the time, but when he did he made an impact and he won the World Sevens player of the year award as a result.

World Rugby was desperate to shine a flattering light on the sport at the Olympics and it certainly illuminated the Games’ biggest stage, the Stade de France. The Sevens tournament captivated the French with the stadium sold out across the six days of the event.

They were able to put rugby front and centre and even got to romanticise about the result that saw the home team grabbing the honours in the men’s tournament in the city of love.

If they had a bias then, it would perhaps be understandable.

Fans though have reason to question why a coach in the Sevens arena would for the first time be elevated to such lofty status.

What Erasmus achieved this year aren’t the fruits of 12 months’ labour. The Boks were the international game’s top performers this year with 11 wins from 13 matches with Erasmus putting his coaching skills to the test by using more than 50 players in the process.

Meticulous planning and the building of trust between coaches and players would have been at the core of the effort.

Erasmus though, is not the first Bok coach to be overlooked for the accolade. In 2023 Jacques Nienaber was overlooked for the award despite guiding the team to the Rugby World Cup title, with Ireland’s Andy Farrell walking off with the prize.

Erasmus won the award in 2019 on the back of the Boks’ success at the Rugby World Cup in Japan and their Rugby Championship triumph.

Erasmus, who then became director of rugby, was eligible again this year as he took the position that Nienaber vacated.

Many now point to his brushes with World Rugby as the reason he was overlooked. Erasmus was twice banned by the game’s governing body for criticising their match officials. He has admitted his folly and has made a concerted effort to patch up with officialdom. Erasmus was keen to enlist the help of Nigel Owens as a consultant to help them, more often, fall on the right side of the law. It would also have been a PR coup but the retired top ref declined the offer.

The Boks instead got help closer to home when Jaco Peyper was roped in as their laws adviser.

Erasmus knew he had to go on the charm offensive to help make up ground lost with the game’s legislators.

The Boks may be squeaky clean on the field but off it they are not universally liked, much less applauded. If captain Siya Kolisi is the face of their on field endeavour, then Erasmus is their embodiment off it. He deserved to win coach of the year award but as the Boks have increasingly discovered conquering on the field doesn’t mean all hearts and minds are willing to be captured.