Attendees of the upcoming Pulse Media Leadership Conference – to be held on 26 February in Sandton – are in for a rare treat when double Rugby World Cup-winning director of rugby and Springbok head coach, Rassie Erasmus, takes to the famous ‘couch’ for an unscripted, in-depth conversation with Park Advertising Group CEO and renowned media industry leader, Chris Botha.
The session, titled Leadership, Life and Building high Performance Teams, will see one of global rugby’s most innovative minds share the principles that have redefined South African rugby success over the past seven extraordinary years under his leadership.
“I’ve followed Rassie’s journey since his playing days,” says Botha. “What he has achieved with the Springboks goes far beyond rugby – it’s a masterclass in culture-building, resilience, innovation under pressure, and uniting a nation. I can’t wait to sit down with him and unpack the thinking behind some of the boldest and most successful leadership decisions in modern sport. “
Rassie Erasmus – A record of sustained excellence unmatched in world rugby
- Back-to-back Rugby World Cup victories as director of rugby in 2019 (Japan) and head coach in 2023 (France)
- Bronze medal for Rugby Sevens at the 2024 Paris Olympics as director of rugby
- Rugby Championship titles in 2019, 2024 and 2025
- Series victory over the British & Irish lions in 2021
- First Springbok coach to achieve a winning record against every major rugby nation
- World Rugby Coach of the Year 2019
- Pioneered the ‘bomb squad’ 7-1 bench split, the use of water carriers for tactical messaging, and traffic-light performance tracking – innovations now studied worldwide
- Transformed the Springboks from No. 7 to No. 1 in World rugby rankings
Fireside chat
Botha, one of South Africa’s most awarded and respected media and advertising executives, is a lifelong rugby fanatic and has long admired Erasmus’s leadership philosophy.
The fireside-style interview will take place on the main stage of the Pulse Media Leadership Conference and promises to deliver powerful lessons for business leaders, creatives, and anyone fascinated by high performance culture.
Go to www.pulsemedialeadership.co.za for more detail and to buy tickets.
