- Former Springbok loose forward Teboho ‘Oupa’ Mohoje said mid-cycle coaching changes can go both ways for any country, especially for those who aren’t accustomed to that chaos.
- New Zealand Rugby parted ways with Scott Robertson on Thursday, marking New Zealand’s first mid-World Cup cycle change since Wayne Smith’s exit in 2001.
- Mohoje played under three Springbok coaches in Heyneke Meyer, Allister Coetzee and Rassie Erasmus.
- For more, visit News24 Sport’s dedicated rugby section HERE.
Former Springbok loose forward Teboho ‘Oupa’ Mohoje, who knows better than most how a change of coaches can impact a rugby team, believes the axing of Scott Robertson as New Zealand coach could be a double-edged sword.
The New Zealand Rugby Union parted ways with Robertson on Thursday after an internal review, even though the decorated former Crusaders player and coach had won 20 of his 27 Tests as All Black coach since his appointment in 2024.
Robertson had an extremely difficult 2025 with the All Blacks, with defeats to Argentina, South Africa and England blotting their annual copybook.
Under him, the All Blacks struggled to find any footing against the Springboks, losing three of the four Tests he coached against them.
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Mohoje’s 19-Test career straddled the reigns of Heyneke Meyer, Allister Coetzee and Rassie Erasmus between 2014 and 2018.
Coetzee’s exit in early 2018 was the last time the Springboks had a mid-World Cup cycle change, with the one before that being Harry Viljoen’s departure at the end of 2001, when he was replaced by Rudolf Straeuli ahead of the 2002 season.
Coincidentally, that was around the time of New Zealand’s last mid-cycle change when John Mitchell replaced Sir Wayne Smith at the end of the 2001 cycle.
Mitchell went on to win the Bledisloe Cup and Tri-Nations, but not the World Cup, where they finished third in 2003.
He was replaced by Graham Henry, who delivered the Webb Ellis Cup in 2011, before Steve Hansen took over in 2012 and went on to win a consecutive world title in 2015, their most recent, during a seven-year tenure considered to span one of the greatest periods in All Blacks rugby.
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With the Springboks winning two World Cups, a British & Irish Lions series and back-to-back Rugby Championships since Erasmus and Jacques Nienaber took over from Coetzee at the helm, it certainly paid off for the Boks.
“A change of coaching can be a good thing for a team, especially when you look at the transition between the Rassie and Allister eras,” Mohoje told News24.
“There was a massive change, and the guys went on to win two World Cups, and there was the management of egos that needed to be done in the correct way.
“There were high class players there and the egos needed to be managed, which is what is needed with the All Blacks at the moment.
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“The coaching change could make them dangerous because they’re unpredictable.
“Or, they could be worse off and players could be unhappy, so the key is about how well and quick strategies are implemented.”
Mohoje only played one Test in the Erasmus era: the 22-20 loss to Wales in Washington at the start of the period in 2018, but fully understood why Erasmus’ plans came off.
Mohoje said Erasmus’ ability to get players to buy into his ideas, along with honesty, while also being able to tap into a playing tapestry that works for everyone and the strengths of the players made the coaching change from Coetzee much easier.
“Under coach Rassie, the buy-in from the senior players was the most important thing,” Mohoje said.
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“There’s the need to learn that South Africa is a diverse country, along with the need of getting the best players to show up on the day.
“There’s also the need to learn to be fair with every single player, which is very important for players.
“Also, Robertson trusted what worked for him at the Crusaders, so it only made sense for him to move up with the players who understood his game-plan.”
Mohoje though said the proof of the pudding would only be seen once the journey has been undertaken.
That could be as early as this year’s full tour of South Africa that will also involve franchise matches and three Tests in the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry.
“The journey has to be undertaken for the project to be seen to be working or not,” Mohoje said.
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“But, when a coach comes in, they’ll make changes and instil the way they want the team to play.
“There will be different identities that’ll be implemented and how the players take in those changes will also matter.
“Their buy-in also matters because, if they buy in, then the changes will be a success, and the world will be your oyster.”
