top of page
Search

The VTO, Rassie and What Does Winning Look Like in 2025?

Updated: Apr 10



In 2018, Rassie Erasmus and Jacques Nienaber didn’t just inherit a broken team – they inherited a system with no system. So they built one from scratch.


The Bomb Squad Operating System wasn’t just about World Cup trophies. It was about culture, clarity, and control under pressure. It was built using Rassie’s own intuitive version of the EOS Vision/Traction Organizer, reverse-engineered for high-performance sport.


Now, in 2025, a new phase begins – and the Springboks are doing something bold:


📈 They’re playing more games – not fewer.


Why? Because they’re stress-testing the system. Expanding the squad. Deepening the bench. And they’re doing it following the principles of one of the most underrated tools in elite team building: Geoff Smart’s WHO Method.


Why 2025 Matters

2025 isn’t just another season. It’s the setup for the final phase of a 10-year plan:


🎯 10-Year Target (2018–2027):

Become the most respected and dominant rugby system in the world.


With 2019 and 2023 locked in, 2025 is about capacity building. That means:

  • More test matches

  • More combinations trialled

  • More clarity around future roles and leaders


The scoreboard might get noisy. That’s okay. The Boks aren’t chasing perfection – they’re chasing proof points.


EOS Meets WHO

Under the EOS model, this year is all about Rocks – the priorities that build long-term advantage.


The biggest Rock of 2025?


✅ Recruitment and deployment

Not just who’s available – but who fits the future.


That’s where Geoff Smart’s WHO Method comes in. It’s not about hype or talent. It’s about alignment.


Every new selection runs through a ruthless four-question filter:

  1. What do we want this player to do? (Clear role description)

  2. What does success look like in that role? (Measurable outcomes)

  3. Does this player fit the system and culture? (Character + cohesion)

  4. Would we rehire this player today? (No sentimentality, only clarity)


This is how you avoid paper-thin depth.

This is how you build a team that doesn’t collapse when your stars go down.


What to Expect This Season

🟢 2025 is not about domination. It’s about discovery.


Expect:

  • New leaders being tested under fire

  • Tough losses that teach more than soft wins

  • A “lab-like” approach to selection, combinations, and game plans

  • Senior players rested strategically to prolong their leadership window


And through it all, WHO will shape the how.


Issues to Watch

Every big play has its pressure points. Here’s what’s on the Springboks’ Issues List this season:

  • Injury risk from an expanded calendar

  • Media heat from experimental lineups

  • Public pressure to win every test

  • Leadership gaps as veterans are rotated

  • Maintaining cohesion in a growing squad


But if you’ve read the Bomb Squad playbook, you know:

💬 Pressure isn’t the problem. Pressure is the plan.

PG’s PRO TIP:

“The best time to recruit your 2027 starters was yesterday. The second-best time is this test season.”

– PG, Bomb Squad Operating System


Upcoming Workshop: Master Recruitment with the WHO Method & AI-Hiring

April 16

Learn how to hire the right people with structured hiring techniques, including the WHO method, scorecard creation, and AI-driven coaching & onboarding.


📍 Location: Workshop17, Kloof Street

💡 Pricing: R1 000 per person 

📅 Secure Your Spot → 🔗 Register Now



 
 
 

Comments

bottom of page