Coetzee tipped for Bok job

Heyneke Meyer's days as Springbok coach are numbered and with Allister Coetzee favoured to take over next year. Ryan Wilkisky/BackpagePix

Heyneke Meyer's days as Springbok coach are numbered and with Allister Coetzee favoured to take over next year. Ryan Wilkisky/BackpagePix

Published Nov 26, 2015

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Heyneke Meyer’s days as Springbok coach are numbered and former Stormers boss Allister Coetzee seems to be the firm favourite to take over next year.

Coetzee, who is currently coaching the Kobelco Steelers in Japan, is set for a return to South Africa at the beginning of next year to take over the reins of the national team after Meyer’s performance in the past four years has been heavily criticised.

Coetzee’s Japan contract allegedly has an exit clause for an international coaching job in the same way that new England coach Eddie Jones was able to cancel his contract with the Stormers less than two weeks after being unveiled as Coetzee’s successor.

The 52-year-old Coetzee will be no stranger to the national team, having served as assistant coach to Jake White’s 2007 World Cup winning side while his domestic success with Western Province and his impressive transformation record as a coach, ticks all the right boxes for what is expected of a modern Springbok coach.

During his time in Cape Town prior to leaving for Japan in July, Coetzee’s Currie Cup side was led to domestic cup glory by a player of colour in Juan de Jongh, while most of his previous Currie Cup and Super Rugby starting teams were also made up of players of colour.

While Meyer’s stay at the helm of the Springbok team became increasingly untenable after the Springboks lost to Argentina for the first time this year in Durban and the team’s shock defeat to Japan at the Rugby World Cup, it has been the exodus of major sponsors such as Absa that has seemingly been the final nail in Meyer’s coffin.

It was revealed over the weekend that major sponsor Absa was not going to renew its sponsorship with the national team, citing the slow pace of transformation as one of the reasons.

BMW also said it would not be renewing its sponsorship, but said it was a decision that had been taken before the Rugby World Cup, which ended last month.

Meyer has been slammed for his lack of trust in players of colour. Decisions that may count against him include not starting Siya Kolisi against Japan and instead calling on lock Pieter-Steph du Toit to replace flank Willem Alberts and the delayed inclusion off the bench of scrumhalf Rudy Paige in the bronze medal match.

Meyer’s apparent failure to support transformation has not endeared him to the public or sponsors. His popularity has also been undermined by his inability to win any silverware.

Meyer further damaged his cause by stalling contract renewal negotiations with the South African Rugby Union prior to the Rugby World Cup in the hope that he would return victorious and able to dictate terms.

Meyer’s fate is to be decided when Saru’s General Council meets on December 11 in Cape Town. A pronouncement on his future is set to be made a week later.

A senior Saru source said Meyer’s contract would not be renewed and would expire at the end of the year. “It is becoming more and more difficult to see him staying on in the job.”

Coetzee did not respond to messages sent by Independent Media. - Cape Argus

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