Bok coach’s head on the block
Speculation rife as Saru meet to decide on Bok coach’s future
SPRINGBOK coach Allister “Toetie” Coetzee’s future employment could be counted in days after the SA Rugby Union’s executive council met on Sunday and yesterday to discuss it.
Coetzee’s job was not the only item on the scheduled agenda, but it was the most pressing.
The outcome of the gathering remains unclear at this stage.
The Springboks lost eight of 12 tests under Coetzee last year‚ which included a record loss to the All Blacks (57-15 in Durban) and a maiden defeat to Italy (20-18 in Florence).
The Boks also suffered a first home defeat against Ireland and a first away loss to Argentina.
They won no away games and conceded a mammoth 35 tries in 12 tests – matching the shambolic 2002 season under Rudolph Straeuli.
Despite Coetzee lamenting his late appointment and factors such as a player brain drain as contributors to the poor results‚ there is no justifiable reason to keep him on after a 33% win ratio.
But dismissing him is not an easy process under the labour law‚ which is why Saru have carefully and methodically undertaken a review of his brief tenure so far.
They are doing it all by the book – and even that might not be enough to show the coach the door.
One source said Coetzee‚ who still has three years to run on his contract‚ was “definitely going to be sacked”.
But other sources indicated that sacking Coetzee was unlikely because the sports ministry had urged Saru to give the incumbent another year.
The confusion mounts as a further source claims that big business and potential sponsors are threatening to withdraw their support for Saru if Coetzee is retained.
Saru would not be drawn on the matter‚ saying they would only comment once the review was complete.
Their initial timeframe for its completion was the end of this month.
Over the past week, unsubstantiated claims that former Stormers and Cheetahs coach Rassie Erasmus had been approached to replace Coetzee have surfaced.
However, Erasmus’s lawyer, Frikkie Erasmus, has denied the reports.
“Rassie has not been approached at all. It is pure speculation‚” he said.
Former Bok coach Jake White‚ who led the team to the 2007 World Cup title and will be out of contract with French club side Montpellier in June‚ also laughed off suggestions that he had been approached when asked.
Erasmus is only nine months into a three-year deal with Irish province Munster‚ where he is the director of rugby.
Extricating him from that deal would be costly‚ particularly as employing defence coach Jacques Nienaber would almost certainly be one of Erasmus’s demands.
White’s Montpellier are third on the standings after 16 rounds and in contention to win the French Top 14 championships as well.
But he would relish another shot at the Bok job.
Sacking Coetzee over his results would be perfectly legitimate, but even if wins and losses were overlooked‚ his position remains untenable because of the alarming way the Boks deteriorated throughout last year.
Seldom‚ if ever‚ has a Bok team looked so bereft of direction‚ leadership and planning as it did by the end of the season – arguably a bigger stick than poor results with which to beat Coetzee.
Saru’s decision on Coetzee’s future will basically come down to whether the organisation is strong enough to make the only logical choice it has‚ and sack the coach‚ or risk another year of substandard performances.