I’m being undermined, says Bok coach
JOHANNESBURG: Underperforming South Africa coach Al l i ster Coetzee says in a leaked letter that officials are undermining him and creating a public impression that he is incompetent.
After only 11 victories in 25 Tests during two years guiding the Springboks, there has been media speculation that the 54year- old faced the sack.
But the forme r inter - provincial scrum- hal f says his efforts to build a team capable of winning the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan are being severely hampered by some officials.
Coetzee believes that i f he does not qui t , he r i sks b eing reduced to a “ceremonial coach” r epor t ing to recently appointed national director of rugby Johan “Rassie” Erasmus.
In the letter from Coetzee to SA Rugby, leaked to the med i a , t he coach alleges that of f icials “embarked on a d e l ib e r at e attempt to undermine me from the word go. “( Thi s) creates a publ ic impression of incompetence on my part while wilfully obstructing my efforts to be successful. “I will fight to protect my hardearned reputation, which is in the process of being deliberately soiled publicly by elements within SA Rugby.” When Coet zee belatedly succeeded Heyneke Meyer in 2016, he did not have time for preseason camps and had no say in the selection of support staff. South Africa lost a calendaryear record eight Tests, including at home to Ireland, away to Argentina and to Italy for the first time. The Springboks were also humiliated 57-15 by greatest rivals the New Zealand All Blacks in Durban, a record home loss. Last year, Coetzee got the assistant coaches he wanted after a reshuffle and the team underwent extensive pre-season training, but there was only a slight improvement in performances. South Africa did win seven Tests, but six came against poorly performing France and Argentina, and the o ther against traditional European minnows Italy. — AFP