Springboks rope in former England analyst Joe Lewis ahead of 2026 season

Former England head analyst Joe Lewis has been appointed by SA Rugby to join the Springboks’ backroom staff ahead of their international season.

• Former England head analyst Joe Lewis has joined the Springboks’ backroom staff as a performance analyst ahead of their international season starting in June.
• Lewis brings extensive experience, including roles with England, Wales, and New Zealand teams, and holds advanced degrees in performance analysis and sports management.
• Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus expressed confidence in Lewis’ ability to enhance the team’s preparations for a busy season and the 2027 Rugby World Cup.
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The Springboks have roped in former England head analyst Joe Lewis to join their backroom staff ahead of the international season, which kicks off in June, SA Rugby announced on Monday.

Lewis, who has also been a technical analysist at Welsh outfits the Scarlets and Ospreys, has been appointed by the national rugby governing body in the role of performance analyst in the Bok management team.

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A key member England’s coaching staff under Australian Eddie Jones during the 2019 World Cup, where they were defeated 32-12 by the Springboks in the final in Tokyo, Lewis will join the back-to-back world champions before the South Africans’ international season begins.

The season kicks off against the Barbarians on 20 June before the Nations Championship and the Greatest Rivalry Tour.

Incidentally, the opening match of the Nations Championship is against his former employers, England, on 4 July at Ellis Park.

According to SA Rugby’s media release on Monday, the Welshman holds a master’s degree in performance analysis from Cardiff Metropolitan University and a degree in sports management from the University of South Wales.

“He served as England’s head analyst from 2017 to 2021, and senior analyst from 2022 until the conclusion of their recent Six Nations campaign,” it said.

Lewis has also worked as Wales’ national age-grade video analyst and head analyst of Taranaki Rugby Football in New Zealand.

“We are delighted to welcome Joe to the Springbok team,” said Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus.

“Given his vast experience in technical and performance analysis at international and club level, we believe he will add great value to the squad as we prepare for a busy and exciting season, and further ahead to the 2027 RWC,” said Erasmus.

“His roles have seen him gain invaluable experience at the highest level of the game – at the 2019 Rugby World Cup, in the Six Nations competition, and Autumn Nations Cup, among other big tournaments, and we have no doubt he’ll slot into our set-up seamlessly.”