New Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus says assistant coach Mzwandile Stick will be used in a ‘specific role’.

Stick, who lost his job as Bok backline coach under Allister Coetzee after a disastrous 2016 Test season, was on Thursday confirmed as one of Erasmus’ assistant coaches, along with Jacques Nienaber and Pieter de Villiers.

‘I know him really well, and I think he offers a specific skill,’ said Erasmus when asked about Stick’s return to the national team. ‘He was the Springbok Sevens captain as a player, and he’s then coached the U19s at EP, in the Vodacom Cup and [the Kings] in Super Rugby. He’s also more recently been an assistant coach with the Springboks and Junior Boks.

‘I don’t think he should be seen as just a backs or attack coach, but instead we’ll use him in a specific role, which was the intention two years ago.

‘So that will include things like off-the-ball work rate, getting players into position early, and those sort of things that he’d have been familiar with due to his sevens background. I think he will add massive value.’

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Photo: Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images