Stellenbosch University and Maties Sport have announced Sean Erasmus as the new Head Coach of Maties Rugby.
Erasmus joins Maties after a successful period as Head Coach of Paarl Boys’ High School, where he helped build one of the country’s leading school rugby programmes. His coaching background covers school, provincial and professional rugby, including roles as Emirates Lions Super Rugby Assistant Coach, Lions Currie Cup Assistant Coach, Lions U19 and U21 Head Coach, and Lions SuperSport Rugby Challenge Head Coach. He has also coached at the Sharks, as well as within the Western Province Rugby Institute and Western Province structures more broadly.
Erasmus brings national coaching experience too, having served as South African Schools Coach and South African Schools Girls Coach, along with a stint as a Western Province Craven Week coach.
Over more than 30 years in the game, he has built a reputation for developing players, establishing high-performance systems, and shaping team cultures that produce consistent results.
He holds World Rugby Level 3 Coach accreditation and is a World Rugby Educator. Erasmus will take up his new role on 1 September 2026.
Speaking on the appointment, Erasmus described it as a significant honour, noting the responsibility of following coaches such as Oubaas Markötter and Danie Craven, along with more recent figures who have come through the Maties system. He said his focus would be on building a culture the club can be proud of and creating an environment where players can develop and pursue their ambitions while studying at Maties. Given the club’s standing as one of the country’s largest rugby institutions, he said he was keen to honour that legacy and was looking forward to working with the wider Maties community at Danie Craven Stadium.
Drikus Hancke, Head of Rugby at Maties Sport, said the appointment followed a thorough and competitive selection process. He described Erasmus as one of South Africa’s most respected high-performance coaches, with a strong record of building successful programmes and developing players and staff. According to Hancke, it became clear during the recruitment process that Erasmus’s coaching approach aligns closely with the values and goals of Maties Rugby.
Hancke pointed to Erasmus’s ability to build team culture, develop players, and provide the kind of programme leadership needed for long-term success as key factors in the decision. His experience spanning school, provincial and professional rugby, combined with a consistent track record, made him the clear choice for the role. Hancke added that Maties Rugby looks forward to supporting Erasmus as the programme continues working toward sustained success in the Varsity Cup, USSA and Western Province Club Rugby competitions.