Felix Jones has returned to the Springboks coaching set-up in what represents a significant coup for South African rugby as head coach Rassie Erasmus bolsters his backroom staff with a tactician who helped engineer back-to-back World Cup triumphs.

Felix Jones will rejoin the #Springboks management as Rassie Erasmus confirmed his support team on Thursday – more here: https://t.co/gHvHKZHmht 🏉#ForeverGreenForeverGold pic.twitter.com/CNJ5O8I7Jk

— Springboks (@Springboks) February 27, 2025

Jones, who left the Springboks after their 2023 World Cup victory in France to join England’s coaching staff, will resume his role as an assistant coach from 1 March following his departure from the England regime. The announcement, made on Thursday by SA Rugby, sees the Dubliner return to a system where he previously flourished, having been instrumental in South Africa’s global dominance in recent years.

Erasmus, who has meticulously constructed his support team ahead of the next World Cup cycle, made no attempt to downplay the significance of Jones’s return. “We are delighted to welcome Felix back into the Springbok team and we are excited to see him pick up where he left off in 2023,” said Erasmus.

“He was a vital cog in the coaching team from 2019 to 2023, and his experience, professionalism, and excellent work ethic will make him a great addition to the fantastic coaching team we built from the beginning of 2024.”
The 37-year-old former Ireland international’s appointment is part of a broader announcement that also includes the addition of Lance Lemmetjies as a physiotherapist and Robyn Moore as team dietician, with all three appointments extending through to the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia.

During his previous stint with the Springboks, Jones fulfilled a crucial role with the coaching staff while conducting detailed opposition analysis – work that proved invaluable during both successful World Cup campaigns.

His return sees him join a coaching team that already includes another Irishman in Jerry Flannery, who was appointed as defence coach in early 2025. “Felix worked very closely with most of our coaches in the past, and I have no doubt he’ll work equally closely with Jerry (Flannery) and Tony (Brown), who joined us last season,” Erasmus added.

Jones made the decision to move to England after the 2023 World Cup to be closer to his family in the UK, as noted in the SA Rugby statement. Despite this previous departure, Erasmus believes Jones’s experience during this period will prove beneficial to the Springboks.

“After spending some time in England, his experience of working in the UK and studying the opposition teams in the Six Nations and other international tournaments will add immense value in assisting us to adapt and improve as we cast an eye on a tough international season ahead,” he said.

The timing of Jones’s return is significant, with the Springbok coaches set to host their first in-person planning session for the year from 7 March, followed by an alignment camp with 56 players in Cape Town from 10 March. Further virtual alignment camps with Japanese and European-based players, along with selected domestic talents, will take place on 27 March.

Jones rejoins a comprehensive management team that features Tony Brown as attack coach alongside Deon Davids, Daan Human, Mzwandile Stick, and former Springboks captain Duane Vermeulen in a “Mobi-Unit Coach” role. The structure reflects Erasmus’s philosophy of surrounding himself with specialists while maintaining overall strategic control.

SA Rugby CEO Rian Oberholzer expressed confidence that Jones’s return would strengthen an already formidable coaching group. “We all know the value that Felix added to the team during his time with the Springboks and we are confident his presence will strengthen the coaching group even further,” he said.

“The management team behind the scenes plays an equally important role in ensuring that the team functions optimally from a player welfare and operational perspective so that the players have everything they need to perform to the best of their ability on the team, so it’s fantastic that Lance and Robyn are also on board to impart their knowledge and expertise. We believe these additions to the team will benefit Rassie and his support staff immensely.”

For South Africa, the reappointment of Jones signals their intent to remain at rugby’s summit. As Erasmus noted: “As a team we are well aware that we need to keep improving and growing if we want to remain one of the best teams in the world and to give ourselves the best possible chance to defend our World Cup title in Australia in 2027, and Felix, like all the other coaching and support staff, will play a key role in guiding us to do so.”

With Jones’s appointment, Erasmus has effectively reassembled key components of the coaching brain trust that masterminded consecutive World Cup victories, while simultaneously incorporating fresh perspectives through newer additions like Brown and Flannery. This blend of continuity and innovation suggests South Africa are leaving nothing to chance as they plot their path towards an unprecedented third consecutive World Cup triumph in 2027.

For Jones himself, the return to South Africa represents a homecoming of sorts, rejoining a coaching environment where his analytical skills and tactical acumen were not just valued but instrumental in creating rugby history. The Irishman now finds himself back in a set-up where his specific talents have already proven so effective on the game’s grandest stage.

After seven years coaching abroad, former Springbok lock Johan Ackermann is set to make a triumphant return to South Africa as a coaching consultant for the Junior Springboks. The 54-year-old Ackermann brings a wealth of experience to the role, having spent the past four years coaching in Japan with the Red Hurricanes and Urayasu D-Rocks, following a three-season stint with Gloucester in England.

Ackermann’s last coaching position in South Africa was with the Emirates Lions from 2013 to 2018, during which time he led the Johannesburg-based franchise to three consecutive Vodacom Super Rugby finals. The three-time SA Rugby Coach of the Year winner also served as head coach of the SA ‘A’ team in 2016 against the England Saxons and in 2017 against the French Barbarians. As a player, Ackermann earned 13 Test caps for the Springboks between 1996 and 2007.

Dave Wessels, General Manager of SA Rugby’s High-Performance Department, praised Ackermann’s return, stating, “To have someone with Johan’s experience return home and join the Junior Boks is fantastic for South African rugby, and he’ll be a great mentor to both our staff and players. Following our review of the SA U20 campaign earlier this year, we identified certain areas for improvement, and bringing in Johan is one of the many ways we aim to address these. The goal of our junior programme is to develop players who can one day go on to become champion Springboks.”

STELLENBOSCH, SOUTH AFRICA – 4 JULY: Alvaro Garcia Iandolino of Argentina u/20 (R) tackles Tiaan Jacobs of Junior Springboks (C) during the match between South Africa and Argentina on 4 July, 2024 during match day two of the U20 Championship held at Danie Craven Stadium in Stellenbosch, South Africa. (Photo by Nic Bothma/World Rugby)

Ackermann is set to join the Junior Springbok coaching team in January, working alongside head coach Kevin Foote and assistants Lumumba Currie and Melusi Mthethwa. He will remain with the team through to the conclusion of the 2025 World Rugby U20 Championship. Currently, Foote, Currie, and Mthethwa are in camp with the SA U19 Academy squad, preparing players who are all eligible for Junior Springbok selection next year.

The addition of Ackermann to the coaching staff is expected to significantly boost the Junior Springboks’ performance, particularly in areas such as lineouts and driving mauls, which were identified as areas of concern during the recent U20 World Championship in Cape Town. With his extensive experience and proven track record, Ackermann is poised to play a crucial role in developing the next generation of South African rugby talent and guiding them towards becoming future Springboks.

The Sharks have officially confirmed the homecoming of inspirational Springbok captain Siya Kolisi. The double World Cup-winning leader, who spent a season abroad playing for Racing 92 in France, has elected to return to Durban after the French club agreed to terminate his contract two years early.

The homecoming we’ve all been waiting for! Welcoming our back-to-back RWC Bok captain, Siya Kolisi, to Hollywoodbets Kings Park 🖤

Read full media release on https://t.co/fEbI5vmPgo pic.twitter.com/tuh51cH6CS

— The Sharks (@SharksRugby) September 9, 2024

Kolisi previously played for the Sharks in 2021 before heading to Paris following South Africa’s triumph at the 2023 Rugby World Cup. The 33-year-old loose forward thanked both the Sharks and Racing 92 for facilitating his return, expressing his excitement to reunite with his family in Durban and represent the Sharks once again.

“My family and I have enjoyed a wonderful year abroad that has given us cherished memories. We have missed South Africa though and it is time to come home,” Kolisi stated. “I would like to thank Racing 92 for accommodating my request to return home and for the exciting opportunity they gave me to play abroad. It is a great club steeped in tradition with an impressive group of players, who I can now call brothers for life.”

Sharks director of rugby Neil Powell praised Kolisi’s leadership qualities and the positive influence he has on younger players. “Siya is an influential player, whose leadership and passion is known and celebrated across the globe,” Powell said. “We are glad that he has chosen to return to Durban and don the black and white jersey once again. The positive influence he has on young players and the high standards that he sets for himself and those around him, is beneficial to any team he is part of. Off the field, the immense contribution that he makes can never be underestimated.”

Kolisi’s signing completes an impressive transfer window for the Sharks, who have also added Springboks Andre Esterhuizen, Jason Jenkins, Trevor Nyakane, Ruan Dreyer and Jordan Hendrikse to their roster, along with loose forward Emmanuel Tshituka. The Sharks will be looking to build on their recent triumph in the EPCR Challenge Cup as they prepare for the forthcoming United Rugby Championship season.

Kolisi is currently completing his duties with the Springboks in the Rugby Championship, having led South Africa to back-to-back wins over the All Blacks in Johannesburg and Cape Town. He will join up with the Sharks upon the conclusion of the international season, ready to contribute to the team’s ambitions in both domestic and European competitions.