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Joe Lewis has become the surprise sub-plot in this week’s massive clash in Johannesburg
Between Rassie Erasmus and Henry Pollock, there shouldn’t really be little room left for any other sub-plots ahead of South Africa’s Nations Championship opener against England in Johannesburg this Saturday.
Both are massive characters who naturally garner headlines and attention whatever they do. It’s perhaps a little amusing then that the most interesting sub-plot emerging ahead of this weekend’s clash at Ellis Park concerns neither, but rather a Welshman who does most of his work away from the spotlight.
Analyst Joe Lewis, who hails from Builth Wells, swapped England for the Springboks earlier this year – signing up to be Erasmus’ performance analyst after leaving Steve Borthwick’s staff following the Six Nations.
Ordinarily, a move by a backroom member of staff might not have caught the eye – but, perhaps because it’s England and South Africa, it’s become a talking point.
The two nations – and their respective media – do arguably have a sense of suspicion about each other.
The idea of an analyst going from one side to another – with knowledge of all of their former side’s quirks and secrets – has understandably set the narrative this week.
In fairness, Lewis was an important part of England’s staff for some time.
Under Eddie Jones, he was England’s head analyst between 2017 and 2021. After a year with the Scarlets, the former Ospreys technical analyst returned to England – serving as their senior analyst for the past four years.
Under Steve Borthwick, he specialised on the set-piece, defence and breakdown.
The likes of Jamie George and Maro Itoje, who have both skippered England in recent years, are said to have seen him as a second lineout coach.
Lewis, who holds a master’s degree in performance analysis from Cardiff Metropolitan University and a degree in sports management from the University of South Wales, could provide an advantage, then. Certainly, Erasmus sees it that way.
“Without a doubt [it is an advantage],” Erasmus said to the travelling English media this week. “It is like when Matthew Proudfoot moved away from us in 2019 and the next year we played England.
“There’s a guy called Byron McGuigan and he spent a whole week with us as Sale Sharks coach and I am pretty sure he has a lot of stuff. Eddie Jones moved from England to Australia and then Australia to Japan so obviously some IP gets transferred and it is the same with Joe.
“We always had only one analyst but when you look at any of the tier one nations some have five and I think the French have got eight guys. I know England also have a lot. We were looking for another analyst and Joe was available.
“Obviously we scan everywhere. Paddy [Sullivan] is an Irishman but he worked in the French league a lot so you get some good info and some good things that they do in the league analysis wise. If you get a guy of his calibre available it is just fantastic to have him here and he was available.”
Lewis was convinced to join the Springboks’ coaching staff by Felix Jones, who worked with him at England.
“Joe as a Welshman understands what Wales is going through, but was also involved with the English team,” said Erasmus. “Every single time you’re sitting in a meeting, you’re privileged to have this guy telling you about this league and that skillset.
“We learn from each other. We get together in camp and we make it work. It’s fiery. It’s like oxygen and a light.
“In the past people were going, “Let’s protect ourselves, let’s not let people infiltrate us and know how we do things”. There’s power in knowing what other teams know.
“The players learn things in the Japanese league. Thomas du Toit plays for Bath and tells us things that he learns. There’s no way an international team can be better if they just hide everything and have their own guys. It’s a massive thing for me.”
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