Rassie Erasmus will begin to put a shape on his Munster team for next season after this weekend’s crunch Champions Cup clash against Leicester at Welford Road.
Victory would mark a significant step towards qualification for the knockout stages for the first time in three seasons, but the director of rugby is already looking further ahead with a coaching meeting planned for next Monday in which the futures of Jaco Taute and Francis Saili, the overseas midfield duo, will be decided.
Erasmus spoke last weekend of his eagerness to retain Taute, the South African, who scored two tries in the 38-0 win over Leicester at Thomond Park, but has yet to make a formal pitch to the IRFU.
He elaborated on the situation at Munster’s High Performance Centre at the University of Limerick yesterday, outlining the importance of last weekend’s wins at both senior and A level.
“It’s only the last two weeks we’ve really been thinking internally if that’s an option,” Erasmus said, on the potential to extend Taute’s contract, which ends on December 31.
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“We sat down as coaches this morning and said ‘the A side is playing, we’re playing (at the weekend), Francis is coming back next week, let’s take proper stock on Sunday and make the right decision’,” Erasmus said.
David Nucifora, the IRFU’s performance director, will have the ultimate final say on whether Taute — who is ineligible to play for Ireland — will be allowed to stay with the province.
Erasmus is keen to highlight the quality Taute has shown on the pitch, as well as the positive influence he has had off it, with the younger members of Munster’s squad.
“With the IRFU, Joe [Schmidt], David [Nucifora], everybody on that side, it’s a case by case thing,” Erasmus said.
“Even our plan, if it fits in well and we’re doing it the right way, they would accept it, and that’s what I want to make 100 per cent sure. I don’t want to go there and baffle anyone with plans. I want to have the real reasons for doing things, so, if it’s meant to be, I guess it will happen.”
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Erasmus has not spoken directly with Taute’s employers, South African team The Stormers, but said on Saturday that he believes they would be open to allowing the Springbok to extend his spell in Limerick.
“He’s a fantastic player, totally different to Jaco, and I can’t wait to get him back on the parkRassie Erasmus on Francis Saili
“He’ll be keen to stay, he really enjoys it,” Erasmus added. “I think he’s slotted in well. Him and the players enjoy one another, he’s liking the whole set up, so I think he would like to stay.”
Saili, the former All Black, is expected to return to the Munster side for the visit of Leinster in the Guinness PRO12 in two weeks’ time. His coach is excited to finally work with a player he coached against when the Kiwi was with the Auckland Blues.
“When I looked at the squad before I came here, and I looked at the players, and thought ‘do I have the players’, he was one of the guys that [stood out],” Erasmus said. “He’s a fantastic player, totally different to Jaco, and I can’t wait to get him back on the park.”
Saili, who has not played since undergoing shoulder surgery in August, is out of contract in the summer.
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“That’s the tough thing that we must now make the calls on after this weekend,” Erasmus said, when asked if a new deal would be offered.
Keith Earls, who has a groin problem, will be given until Friday to prove his fitness, but he is likely to feature against Leicester in a game that promises to be a hugely physical battle.
“I don’t think [Leicester] are going to change their plan totally but physically they’re going to be ten times more than they were and that’s enough to give us some sleepless nights for Saturday,” Erasmus said, insisting there would be no complacency following last weekend’s huge win.
“Just look at their team, look at their individual players and look where they are in the Premiership table. Look at Richard Cockerill’s coaching career, then all of a sudden [they’re] a bad team? They had a bad day, so we won’t be underestimating them for sure.”