De Villiers linked to EP Elephants coaching job
Flamboyant former Springbok coach Peter de Villiers has applied for the position of coaching EP s Elephants in the SA Cup and Currie Cup next year.
According to a well-placed source in the Western Cape, De Villiers application is among a flood of candidates for the EP head coach job.
Peter de Villiers application for the EP coaching job is in,” the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said.
During his time in charge of the Boks, De Villiers masterminded a Test series win over the British and Irish Lions and a memorable first victory over New Zealand in Dunedin.
The outspoken Bok boss also courted controversy during his time at the helm of the national team with his off-the-field comments.
If De Villiers gets the job, it is understood he wants a say in choosing his backroom staff when the SA Cup kicks off in March.
The EP Rugby Union, who are determined to make the Elephants a powerhouse in SA Rugby, have launched a national advertising campaign to find a new coach.
Applicants have until Friday to submit their CVs. An announcement on the new coach is expected to be made within two weeks.
The advert states that applicants for the post must take ownership of the Currie Cup and SA Cup squad across all areas and have a World Rugby Level 3 certificate or its equivalent.
De Villiers would be a popular choice in the Eastern Cape if he is appointed.
This is not the first time that the man known as PDivvy
“” and Snorre has expressed an
” interest in landing a coaching job in Port Elizabeth.
In 2019 an angry De Villiers hit back at claims that he did not possess the World Rugby Level 3 coaching certificate required to coach the Isuzu Southern Kings in the Guinness PRO14.
He claimed there had been attempts to malign him and prevent him from succeeding in his interview process with the Kings. One of the requirements for the Kings coaching post was that the new man had to possess a World Rugby Level 3 qualification.
Speculation then followed that De Villiers would be ruled out of contention because he did not fulfil the requirements, despite coaching the Springboks.
De Villiers however, countered those claims and shared photos of his coaching certificate on his social media account.
Attached is confirmation of my certificate which was verified before I coached the Springboks.
As a matter of fact I attained my International Level 3 coaching certificate in 1997 in Wales. Kind regards, coach Peter De Villiers.”
The SA Cup kicks off in March and EP have set their sights on qualification for the Currie Cup Premier Division by finishing among the top three teams in the coastal stream of the SA Cup. In an advert posted on social media the requirements of the new Elephants coach are laid out.
The successful candidate will be expected to shape and implement
“a rugby philosophy that can be consistently applied by all teams across the senior squad in pursuit of clearly defined competitive objectives ”.
Apart from a senior coach, EP are also advertising for an U20 coach.
Applications can be sent to