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Darren Stewart
Allister Coetzee and Rassie Erasmus worked together well at Western Province.
DESPITE John Mitchell’s success with the Lions in the Currie Cup, Rassie Erasmus and Allister Coetzee are the favourites to run Springbok rugby from next year.
A source in the top echelons of the South African Rugby Union (Saru) has said that Western Province and Stormers coach Coetzee is regarded as the “No 1 choice” to replace Peter de Villiers as Bok coach, with Erasmus earmarked for a new post of Saru director of rugby.
It is understood that all national team coaches will report to Erasmus, although it is unclear exactly what the director’s role and jurisdiction will be.
“At this moment, Allister is still the No 1 choice to be the Springbok coach,” the source said.
“Rassie is probably going to be the director of rugby, although we haven’t finalised anything yet.”
A number of other leading candidates for the Bok coach job have ruled themselves out of the running, among them being former Springbok coaches Nick Mallett and Jake White, as well as former Bulls boss Heyneke Meyer.
White is heading to Australia to coach the ACT Brumbies in the Super 15, while Meyer is head honcho at the Bulls.
Mallett will probably coach in either France or Italy.
His contract with the Italians expired after this year’s World Cup in New Zealand.
Erasmus also said recently that he was not interested in becoming the Springbok coach.
The posts will be advertised soon, with appointments expected to be made before the end of this year.
Lions coach Mitchell said a few weeks ago that he did not intend applying for the Springbok job, but became a popular candidate after guiding the Johannesburg-based side to their first Currie Cup title in 12 years last week when the Lions beat the Sharks 42-16 in the final.
In turn, both Erasmus and Coetzee’s posts at WP will become available. Current Springbok assistant coach Gary Gold is being mooted to take over at the Stormers and Province. Gold is a former Stormers technical director.
In 2006, he was part of Kobus van der Merwe’s management team, when Mallett was the Western Province director of rugby.
Gold served as a Western Province Vodacom Cup and under-21 coach in 2007 and was appointed Western Province head coach a few matches into the Currie Cup later that year when Van der Merwe agreed to step down after a disastrous Super Rugby campaign with the Stormers and a poor start to the Currie Cup.
Gold was also the head coach of English Premiership team London Irish from 2002 to 2005. WP Rugby Union president Tobie Titus, though, did not want to comment on whether Coetzee and Erasmus were leaving Province, or on Gold’s possible recruitment.
“I won’t comment on speculation as you hear so many stories,” said Titus yesterday. “I want to hear who has applied for the Springbok job and if anyone has been approached by Saru.
"I will find that out at Friday’s Saru President’s Forum meeting in Johannesburg (where all 14 provincial presidents will meet with the Saru executive committee to discuss various issues). In fact, I will ask at the meeting what the situation is with the process of the Springbok coach job.”
Titus said Western Province’s executive committee had not discussed the issue of possible replacements for Erasmus and Coetzee.
“It is a very sensitive thing. We have not discussed our coaches’ positions because I don’t know if they are going to apply for any other posts or if they will be approached,” he said.
It is believed that Gold will coach the Stormers and then probably take over Erasmus’s duties once the Super Rugby tournament is completed, with either current Stormers and Western Province forwards coach Matthew Proudfoot or Western Province Vodacom Cup and under-21 coach John Dobson then being promoted to the Currie Cup post.
Friday’s Saru President’s Forum meeting is also likely to discuss the issue of the six-team Currie Cup format for 2012.
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MK, wrote
Jan, Are you dof? Wait, let me rephrase that: How dof are you? The best of the Stormers are playing elsewhere, like Johan Sadie, JJ, Hougaard and Juandre Kruger. They tried to buy Bismarck, Jannie and the Beast, but they're all Sharks. And the list goes on. Magtag, I guess the reason your name is "Jan" is because you couldn't spell anything longer.
piet pompies, wrote
Alister coetzee has no answer for finals rugby his teams keep reaching the finals but can not seal the deal,look what happened to province when Rassie was away with boks , one just has to ask is Alister the answer.
Jan, wrote
Only reason why Stormers are good is they have Schalk Burger and enough money to buy all the best from the other provinces-I don't believe their coaching staff are that great
Greg Shark, wrote
i'd sworn never to 'play' with lionel ever again....he's not your average rugby supporter, hes simply challenged in all respects. @rugga bugga i suggest you too give lionel a wide birth....you dont want to lend credence to his futility as a...commentator. you do seem to have rattled him though because guys like him always revert to political slanging when challenged for ideas. you go boy! i've been having a good laugh at this!!!
R.C., wrote
@ Lionel, Kabous: I think Lionel should be made SA National Coach and Kabous could be Stormers coach. I'm certain you guys will bring a fresh perspective to the game. In fact maybe Kabous will be able to better Robbie Deans' record at Super rugby and Lionel can teach Graham Henry a thing or too about being a National coach. Just because the people with whom you associate have a similar perspective on Peter de Villiers doesn't give your argument any additional merit...it is your opinion and yes you are entitled to it. Just as I am entitled to mine.
Kabous, wrote
R.C., wrote
Right and so I think we should also get Dan Carter to play as flyhalf for SA. May be Ma'a Nonu to play for SA as centre as well...John Mitchell may have won the Currie Cup this season (fantastic achievement btw) but as I've said previously we have the skills and talent to have a homegrown coach. Coetzee's team was the best performing SA team in the Super Rugby season. None of the other coaches are interested in taking the job of coaching SA so please can some unpatriotic bright spark explain to me why we should sell our souls to coach of another nationality. My blood is green and gold!!!
Lionel (All Blacks), wrote
@Rugga Bugga. Why the hell then do you read my comments if you find them so boring and lacking of intellect? Comments on this forum are not only exclusive to you and your type. My opinion of you, seen that you have formed some sort of opinion of my persona, is that you are still trapped in that the old Broederbond mentality, where another person does not have the democratic right to have or state their opinion. It is only your opinion that counts and everyone else is wrong in your eyes. With reference to my comments on de Villiers, many Bok supporters that I am acquainted to, some very staunch supporters, share the very same opinion that I have of de Villiers and I stand by my opinion that he is an embarrassement. In ending, do not even bother responding to this reply as I am not interested in reading your blah, blah, blah, as I am starting to feel exact the same about your comments as you do about mine, so may be we do have one thing in common, so with further a do, take a hike.
Anonymous, wrote
JOHN MITCHELL is the best candidate available, and it's a no brainer but once again SARU has to make this political. Shame!!
Rugga Bugga, wrote
dear lionel...contrary to your beliefs my interests are wide and varied and expert in some fields. on the subject of constructive comment your previous and certainly present comment has nothing constructive to add to the article. i have read your comments as well as others, you sir have simply rolled out what is common knowledge i.e. as you say 'old hat'. as i stated previously you despise sa rugby and the BOKKE and your views on that are already in the public domain. your comment on div is surely in poor taste...he had a few embarrassing moments and so have many others in the international coaching and player fold. to label him as embarrassing 'to the sport of rugby in general' speaks volumes of your personal lack of intellect and self inflated opinion of yourself as a 'constructive' commentator. you're no expert on SA rugby and quite frankly are simply annoying, attempting to parade psuedo expert knowledge. a little bit of knowledge on the game world wide is not broadening but rather limiting your perspective. lionel you are boring at the best of times...so take a hike!
Benson, wrote
Skipper, wrote
Oh No!! In my opinion, AC is a journeyman Currie CupSuper 15 coach at best. His best result is being the bridesmaid even with the support of the Bok defence coach and Rassie. We need the very best coach to enable us to dominate world rugby with the fantastic raw tallent that the Currie Cup has unearthed!
Anonymous, wrote
I stand to be corrected but are we talking about the same Lion's coach who coached them in the super 15, if so how did that turn up for them? Comparing Currier Cup rugby and International rugby? am I the only who sees that as total madness? The Super 15 is the closest club competion to International rugby and the best South African side was the Stomers. Because we love our country, we need to be coached by one of our own, we give them all the support we as a Nation we can, trust him to do what's best for the country.
Anonymous, wrote
@Anonymous (08:41am on 3 November 2011) You need to be realistic too. The world cup was won by a combination of Jake White, Eddie Jones and world class players and master tacticians. It's known that Alistair's role was tiny. Also, he's had the best team on paper in the CC and Super rugby, with no silverware won as yet. I don't think he's the answer.
Frank Dlamini, wrote
Joe, wrote
Sipiwe, other than the CC, what else has John mitchell won. Frankly, he dissappointed with the Western Force and was fired as AB coach failing to win the WC with a star studded AB lineup. I am not saying he is a bad coach, but we get all excited and throw thinking out the window. Twice Stormers have made it to the seim's for the S15 and twice with WP. Is that sooo bad.
GF, wrote
Anonymous, wrote
Just a quick heads up for the uninformed on this site squealing about silverware. Coetzee won the WC as assistant coach. He also has coached SA's top team in the last 2 Super competitions and he got a U21 WP side to the semi's of the CC. Keep it real chaps
Patrys, wrote
I hope that common sense will prevail in the appointment of the Bok coaches. How on earth could we expect to be successfull if the proposed coaches could not even win any title with a "star-studded" squad. Mitchel has shown that you do need star players to be a successful - you need a REAL coach, not Mickey-mouse coaches who talk success but cannot get it on the field. How can anyone reckon that Coetzee is the right person. By the way I am black before somebody thinks this is a racist viewpoint.
Lionel , wrote
@Rugga Bugga. I take a keen interest in all rugby at various levels and watch most games that are televised from all over the world, in order to broaden and keep abreast of the game worldwide. I feel that I am in a position to make comments based on my own observations and do not just walk around with blinkers on when it comes to other international teams. Pity you could not add something constructive about your thoughts on the article itself, instead of your idiotic comment. I trust you are one of those that only watches international games that the Boks play in. Pity as you are missing so much about the game.
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