Erasmus says no date set yet for his Munster departure

Rassie Erasmus has again insisted that the projected date of his return home to South Africa from Munster has not been decided, writes Brendan O’Brien

His lawyer Frikkie Easmus declared last week that the current Munster Director of Rugby would begin his new job as South Africa’s equivalent on November 1st.

However, the man himself gave a different take on his status after yesterday’s Champions Cup stalemate in Castres: the situation is still far more fluid than that, basically.

“The only people that can give that answer is Garrett [Fitzgerald, Munster CEO] and David Nucifora [IRFU High Performance Director],” said Munster’s head man.

“There are 60 million people in South Africa and if everybody on that side’s opinion is asked you will get a lot of different opinions.

“Now we know Johann van Graan is the new coach and once he and Munster are comfortable then I will leave. If that happens before the November 1st then I will leave but I definitely stay to welcome the new coach and help until he takes the reigns.

"I don’t know when he is coming over here. We are already into work permits and stuff that, and then it is a matter of handing over.”

So, is there a chance that Erasmus could still be domiciled in Limerick come December when Munster face into back-to-back European dates with Leicester Tigers?

“That’s where people are making assumptions. There are three tough games before that, with Racing 92 next week, and then there’s a three-week break.

"It depends on a work permit. If the work permit doesn’t come through then definitely I will still be here in December but if it comes through and he arrives in the next two or three weeks then it depends how long he, Munster and the players need me to stay.”