Career
He served as captain of the Cats, leading them to the 2000 Super 12 semifinals, and also captained the Springboks once. In November he played another four games for the Boks, scoring tries against Italy and France as well. Erasmus had firmly established himself as a starting flanker for the Boks by the time the international season had come about in 1998.
He played three tests prior to the beginning of the Tri Nations that year, playing Ireland twice, and Wales once, scoring a try in two games.
He played in three Tri Nations games that year, in the wins over the Wallabies and All Blacks. He earned another four international caps at the end of the year, playing each of the home nations teams.
That season, after being capped three times prior to the Tri Nations, he skippered the side in the match against the Wallabies in Brisbane, though the Boks lost 32-6. After the Tri Nations he was off to the 1999 Rugby World Cup, where he played five matches for South Africa.
He was capped six times the following season, and after the, he moved back to the Free State Cheetahs for the 2001 season.
He played two tests in 2001, both against France. When the Central Cheetahs were accepted into the Super 14, Erasmus became their first ever coach in 2006. With the Springboks falling to five losses in a row, some media sources speculated that Erasmus had been sounded out to take over from Jake White, or at least become involved in some form.
Erasmus denied that he ever received a call from Société Anonyme Rugby.
