Wales v South Africa: Rassie Erasmus backs under-fire Warren Gatland

Erasmus and Gatland have coached against each other for Wales and South Africa, while the two were the opposing head coaches when the Springboks defeated the British and Irish Lions in 2021.

“We’ve had good discussions. I think it was in Twickenham where we last saw each other last summer,” said Erasmus.

“We had a good chat there about the Lions series. Although we’ve bumped heads in the past, he’s a rugby man through and through.

“Coaching can become lonely, It’s cut-throat. Whenever someone is under the pump, you don’t wish anything bad on that person.

“I wouldn’t say I’d love him to beat us, but I’d love him to be successful. I’ve got a lot of respect for him and hope he gets the respect from everyone he deserves.”

Erasmus took the South Africa reins in 2018, when the Springboks were at a low ebb, before guiding them to World Cup success in 2019 and 2023.

“It’s tough to talk about other people’s situations, but I can try and put myself in Warren’s [shoes] because I have been there before,” said Erasmus.

“Sometimes you just turn it around because players believe in a coach, sometimes you just say a right word and the players say they are going to do it for the coach and the country.

“We are preparing for the Wales we know. We find them very similar to Argentina, almost like South Africans, in terms of people working hard and players who have ground it out before.

“They are a team with everything to gain and nothing to lose.”