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Rugby scribe Jacques Van der Westhuizen believes that Saru should retain Peter De Villiers services in some capacity.
I’ve never quite understood why there’s so much “bitterness” when national coach’s contracts aren’t renewed or extended.
Jake White left his job at the end of 2007 a bitter man because, after winning the World Cup, he wanted to continue in his role as Springbok coach.
His contract was for four years and he knew his time was up ... and Saru simply weren’t keen to keep him on. That’s their choice.
The same goes for Peter de Villiers. He, too, knew his contract would end following last year’s tournament in New Zealand.
There was also never any hint from Saru they were going to keep him on. It was their choice and they wanted someone else to take charge from this year.
It didn’t stop him though from having a bit of a go at his former employers last week when he said, “There was no exit strategy for me. There wasn’t one for John (Smit) or Victor (Matfield). This is what caused me some bitterness in the fact that there was nothing. We didn’t talk about anything.”
If that is the case (that no one spoke to him) then he should have just accepted his contract was coming to an end and that that was it.
However, what I also don’t understand is that surely there is a place for De Villiers in Saru. Sure, his record on the field of play wasn’t too flash and he may have upset his bosses at times with some of his media utterances, but are Saru really not interested in using him in some capacity.
If the players he’s worked with are to be believed, then De Villiers is one of the better man-managers and likable people in the game. The Bok players of the last four years appear to have “connected” with De Villiers and they liked the fact he viewed rugby as no bigger than life itself. He was compassionate, caring and understanding and built good working relationships.
De Villiers, like White before him, also achieved success with the SA Under-21 team and many have said he is the perfect candidate to guide young players.
When he took charge of the Bok job he’d most recently coached at junior level and before that in the Currie Cup with the Falcons.
Now though, he’s got four years of Test rugby experience behind him and surely he is better off now than he was five years ago.
De Villiers is extremely patriotic, he loves rugby and I’d like to think he loves coaching.
I also think letting him get away – as Saru have done with so many other quality coaches this country has produced – would be a huge loss.
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matt, wrote
Managing Directors get the boot for reasons mostly associated with lack of suitable performance. Life generally, and so it should be, is dictated by the ability to perform. If not you fall by the wayside and perish. This at times is cruel but the only credible solution in the given circumstances. Did PDV perform as he was expected to ? Not really and now we have Heyneke to test his skills. PDV will be financially well-off into the future and need not be given an opportunity to be involved in the SARU in future. There is life after being a so-so Springbok Coach.
Greg Shark, wrote
eddie, xricky....right on the button fellas. i had a chance meet up with PDV and i left with a huge smile and thinking what a great fella. had the BOKKE won the RWC what would have been said by the naysayers...ahh lucky, was the players, huh? the same naysayers who decry the players as has beens, past sell by dates and abuse them! as @jandr0 mentions - PDV has great qualities that could quite well be of great value to SA rugby. prejudice clouds good judgement.
eddie , wrote
well according to me, and im not a rassist or anything like that but when PDV was winning games all of us stood behind him and like xricky said our last game was the best game of rugby ever and no one can disagree with me there but all these negative comments are coming for all the boere with the exception of some commenting here, im sorry to say yous need to get your facts straight, if we have won the worldcup and we should have was it not for things outside our control, it would have been a different situation
Anonymous, wrote
Jacques van der westhuizen........ u clearly have lost it! if you didnt have a story to right then say so....SARU lets go of Mallet, Jake whit, Gert Smal and decide to keep De Villiers MAKE ANY SENSE NOW Jacques!!!!!
jandr0, wrote
@Braaimaster: Not absolutely denying the article may be a spoof, although "If the players he’s worked with are to be believed, then De Villiers is one of the better man-managers and likable people in the game" doesn't sound like spoof to me. While I also have reservations about PDiv's abilities as Bok coach, he does have a passionate heart for rugby, and those qualities may very well be of great value to us in another position. I believe Dok Craven would have found a good spot somewhere for someone with PDiv's heart.
Larry, wrote
@Jacques van der westhuizen.......are u serious !......you press guys never cease to amaze me !
Robin G, wrote
The problem with sporting control 'boards 'is that tthe committee get to a point where they think they are bogger than the game, and they are some sort of deity. This goes for rugby, cricket and all sport. Its time the players were allowed to have the final word and have their representative run their sport. If they don,t like what the committee are doing, hey, the players must have the right to make a change. There is a lot more to say, but this is a start.
Joe, wrote
@ Braaimaster bet you only heard him on TV and drew your conclusions.. speak to him on a one on one and you'll draw different conclusions. a rugby man thru and thru.
allan, wrote
xricky, wrote
That SA is ranked 4th after the world cup behind France and Australia we all know is a complete and utter JOKE. PDivvy had nothing to do... we all know who is to blame for that. Get a life you lynch mob lunatics.
Piet, wrote
I think Jacques is just pulling our leg. Maybe he is looking for a bit of publicity. One thing though - he isn't being serious.
HENK STRAND, wrote
Retain PDV so that he can pull the rat out of the hat again!! ha ha They have opened all the windows in his office for a week...to get rid of the helium!!
Bokfan, wrote
xRicky Thanks for the sane comments. As you rightly point out the same people screaming abuse at Pietsnor for being a failure were blaming the REF for our early exit. Sorry chaainas you cant have it both ways. If the Boks were the team to beat at the WC we have Pdivvy, at the very least partially, to thank. I agree also that the waste of rugby talent at all levels in SA is a howling shame and should be remedied.
come on, wrote
If you put him in control of the national swimming team you'd have the same ending. results based on raw talent of our sporting skills rather than coaching input. Cheers Divvy, i won't miss you.
xricky, wrote
What a stupid lot you saffas are. Yes, Jake White left as a world champion coach. But the Boks are not 'poorer' after the wc BECAUSE of PDV. Go and watch that last game again... they played better than any bok team I had seen, let alone a team on the losing side. Any other ref and their opposition would have been blown out of the park by 30 to 40 points. Jake White did not run into a situation where Bryce Lawrence [via Paddy O'Brien] pre-determined the outcome of the tournament.. You lot did not turn on PDV during the world cup because you know the team played well enough to win the tournament. But now that the dust has settled, it is back to hating on the man whom the players loved... This lynch mob mentality is proof that you idiots don't deserve a world champion!! LawrenceOBrien was right to rob you.
sando, wrote
What's the fuss about this guy....he had his chances.Let him do what he is good in and tell stories to SA public. Please sir, it was always about PDV and not about SA Rugby. He was to arrogant and and thought that he was god given gift to SA Rugby. He failed dismally. Pieter I think you should move on and stop irritating the SA community.
Braaimaster, wrote
@Joe, @jandr0 - you are way too serious.. van der Westhuyzen is just spoofing you. Anyone who has heard PdV speak knows he is a clown. This is a funny article man, loosen up !!
Anonymous, wrote
at least PDV is for real. we need more 'people' working with people. PDV i'm your no 1 supporter and would love to meet u!!
mark, wrote
the whole point is why the journalist is punting for a job for pdv. if he is so special, then why does he not get any offers? even ol' chester recently got a job in romania. so a good coach like pdv should be able to contribute somewhere else. he talks abt exit something for him, john and victor. DUH.... they made tens of millions. what is he asking ror? handouts for him and his buddies who refused to step aside for the greater good of his country. i think not.. div, you dont have a job cause nobody believes in you. even saru admitted that you were selected based on race. what now??
biggy smalls, wrote
I think Divy put up a great show and a great squad for the world cup. We were written off by the pundits and experts only to emerge as one of the strongest teams ever (the stats say it all). We were robbed, plain and simple. Divy deserves respect for what he accomplished. He's gained a lot of experience and it really does seem silly to let all that go to waste. The fact that he's SA's favourite comedian is a bonus :)
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