The fate of Heyneke Meyer will be decided in the week of December 14 and I can’t help but wonder how many coaches around the world are just as eager as the public to know what will happen to the Springbok boss.
Will he be retained for another four years – or, perhaps two – or will he be asked to vacate his position to make way for someone else?
There’s a feeling among many that Meyer should go; that he’s failed to deliver the goods, but there are also those who believe he will be in a stronger position to get the best out of the Boks if he’s retained as the national coach. But, what if he were to be axed; who’d be next in line? Who’s best suited to take the Boks forward, to help grow them into a team that can play “total rugby” and challenge the All Blacks on a regular basis and reach that No1 position?
There are not too many locals who’ve stuck up their hands over the last four years – perhaps only Johan Ackermann, but many critics feel “he’s not ready” (whatever that may mean) – so then why not rope in a foreigner?
Saru have never been keen to appoint someone from outside our borders for the Bok job, but perhaps, in this professional era and out of desperation to beat the All Blacks, is it not time to look elsewhere? To someone who thinks slightly differently about the game, who doesn’t have any allegiances or favourites.
Of course, the Bok coaching job has challenges unlike any other in the world game; what with the person in charge having to keep every race group and political party in the country happy and satisfied. Would a John Plumtree or John Mitchell or Eddie Jones be okay with this? There is no doubt that whoever takes charge next year simply has to do more to involve the black player group, but that shouldn’t be difficult. There are more than enough quality black players around to be part of the Bok team going forward, but I doubt a foreign coach would like being dictated to when it comes to who he selects.
The fact of the matter a foreign coach can come in, assess the talent and pick form players who he has no history with and who he believes can get the job done. Period.
Mitchell would be the favourite, but I’d not write off the chances of Jones, a man who knows Bok rugby well and has proved himself on the biggest stages of the world. Yes, he’s signed up with the Stormers, but if Michael Cheika can take charge of a Super Rugby team and the Wallabies, then so can Jones – even if it’s only for one season.
Whatever happens in December, the 2016 international season will be an interesting one as there will be plenty of new faces doing the rounds and who knows, maybe even a new coach. Until next year then. - The Star