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Fri 2 Feb 2018 | 12:20
Allister Coetzee is officially out, but SA Rugby refuse to name successor

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Allister Coetzee has officially parted ways with Springbok rugby after an announcement by SA Rugby Ceo Jurie Roux today. The worst-kept secret in South African rugby will no doubt be revealed soon too, as everyone speculates about who will become head coach.

SA Rugby announced on Friday that it had reached an agreement with Coetzee to part ways with immediate effect. This follows a record of just 11 wins from 25 Tests (44%) in the last two years.

Coetzee was admittedly thrown in at the deep end, but his selections and the performances to date have meant that his tenure coming to an end was inevitable.

Former Springbok flanker and Cheetahs and Munster coach Rassie Erasmus will take over as Springbok coach, however, SA Rugby are not prepared to make that official publicly just yet. Erasmus is currently in the Director of Rugby role.
 
"The Rugby Department of SA Rugby will manage the responsibilities of the Springbok coach, until the national team’s coaching and management group for 2018 is confirmed later this month," said a statement today.

"I have always held Springbok rugby dear to my heart and will continue to do so and for that reason I think now is the time the team and me strike out in new directions," said Coetzee, after the two parties 'agreed to terminate the relationship after a two-year association'.

"I wish Springbok rugby every success in the future – as I have always done."

Erasmus said this week that planning has been taking place as per normal.

"We are ranked sixth in the world‚ so my immediate focus and the big ticket is to fix things as soon as possible. All of us want things to be in place as soon as possible‚ but I don’t see it as a massive problem.

"I can take you back to 2012 when Heyneke (Meyer) was appointed and we (the Rugby Department) did all the planning. A lot of the support staff were only confirmed shortly before the start of that first test series‚ and we beat England in that series. It was the same with Allister two years ago‚ and we beat Ireland 2-1.

"So there has been planning going on behind the scenes‚ and of course we want to get that clarity‚ but there is a process that has to run its course. However‚ it’s not hindering us in the background and it isn’t affecting my role as director of rugby‚ which is to ensure that we are as well prepared as possible to be able to beat England in that first test series."
 
Confirmation of the Springbok management set-up will be revealed before the end of the month.

Posted By: Grant Constable

8 Comments

  • katman
    11:08 AM 06/02/2018

    Under Coetzee the Springboks lost:
    57-15 to the All Blacks at home
    57 - 0 to the All blacks away
    38-3 to Ireland
    20-18 to Italy
    Any one of those results should have cost him his job.
    Worst Bok coach ever, and we've had some extraordinarily poor ones.

  • drg
    1:43 PM 03/02/2018

    ....a flower...really?...

    I mean don't get me wrong a springbok isn't exactly high on the food chain in it's fine predatory prowess....but it's certainly higher than a flower...

    *Before it's mentioned, I've not forgotten the Japanese blossoms, the Kiwi silver fern and the English rose...

  • finedisregard
    12:55 PM 03/02/2018

    50 years from now white South African culture will be over.

    The Boks have a fantastic sporting history but the organization in charge, the ANC-appointed Minister Department of Sport and Recreation despises rugby. You won't even see rugby mentioned on the front page of their website: http://www.srsa.gov.za/.

    They are also trying to replace the iconic springbok with the protea.

  • thefrontrow
    1:40 AM 03/02/2018

    But reading New & Improved's comment again, I see what he was saying. That's not what I'm talking about.

  • thefrontrow
    1:21 AM 03/02/2018

    Ah, the whole ethnicity/selection thing, never occurred to me, I'm talking about letting all their best players disappear into French clubs.

    Fine speech though : )

  • drg
    12:04 AM 03/02/2018

    Well why not? Is this not the natural social progression we all crave?

    If homosexuals can't join in on the game because of the fear of potential negative language being used, then why would black kids bother joining in on a sport in a predominantly black country where the international team is historically predominantly white?

    Homosexuals historically underdogs due to their orientation. Black kids historically underdogs due to their skin colour... The oppressors have to change their tack these days, whether they're a player using an offhand insult or a white man taking the place of what could have been a black man's position had the black man been given the same opportunities available...

    Granted this is a step further, but in our world of medals for participation, no body and everybody is a winner, why shouldn't there be a political intervention to better a historically discriminated group?

    Or is that all a step too far?

  • thefrontrow
    10:33 PM 02/02/2018

    You're right and it's a damn shame, but even still I'd love to see this as the start of a return to greatness for the Springboks. Hope it is.

  • 6:19 PM 02/02/2018

    They can bring in the best coaching team in the world, as long as their policies remain things will never get better. Who wants to coach a team where you are not allowed to select the best players?

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