Meyer has failed and must go, says WP’s Wakefield

ONE of the men who will decide Heyneke Meyer’s fate next month says the Springbok coach has failed and must quit.

Western Province Rugby Union president Thelo Wakefield is one of the 14 provincial presidents who will vote yea or nay when the South African Rugby Union’s (Saru) general council meets on December 11.

They make up Saru’s biggest decision-making body with Saru president Oregan Hoskins, deputies Mark Alexander and James Stoffberg plus CEO Jurie Roux.

Wakefield, who heads one of the most influential provinces, said his executive had yet to draw up a mandate to take to the general council meeting, but his personal opinion was that Meyer must go.

“Meyer cannot continue in this position,” Wakefield said.

“The team did not perform well at the World Cup. We didn’t play a good standard of rugby and it was difficult to follow what the team was doing.

“Meyer was appointed four years ago to mould a World Cupwinning team. He needed to get as many talented and skilful players as possible and to bring them up to speed with the rest of the world. He was meant to keep us competitive in world rugby but he failed dismally to do this.

“Meyer failed the country by preparing the team inadequately. And his utterances that we don’t have skilful players to beat the All Blacks were utter rubbish. We have skilful players and I respect the quality we have in SA.”

The Springboks finished third at the World Cup and were booted out by two-time reigning champions, New Zealand, in the semifinals — a seventh defeat in eight against the All Blacks during ‘He [Meyer] was meant to keep us competitive in world rugby, but he failed dismally to do this’ Meyer’s time.

Meyer blamed the South African rugby system for the team’s failure. He said he wanted to be part of the solution.

Rumours suggest that Saru offered him a four-year contract extension prior to the start of this year’s international season.

Border Rugby Union’s Pumlani Mkolo said they would meet on Tuesday to discuss their standpoint on Meyer’s position, while Free State Rugby Union president Lindsay Mould said they would decide this Thursday. This was the trend among the majority of the 14 unions contacted, who said Saru had yet to send the general council agenda by Friday afternoon.

One union president, who asked to remain anonymous, supported regime change.

“If South African rugby has a goal of becoming No 1 in the world it needs to seriously consider the things it needs to do to get there,” he said.

Meyer’s win percentage of 66% matched Jake White’s but Wakefield was particularly scathing of Meyer’s proclivity to exclude black players in his match 23s. In the semifinal against the All Blacks, the defining game of his reign, Meyer fielded just four players of colour. Of the 32 players that went to England, just eight were black.

“Transformation is a non-negotiable,” said Wakefield.

“I’m very outspoken about transformation because my union is setting the pace as far as transformation is concerned.

“The days of playing two or three players in the national side are over. We have quality young guys of colour: Scarra Ntubeni, Siya Kolisi, Oupa Mohoje, Lwazi Mvovo, Juan de Jongh, Cheslin Kolbe, Travis Ismaiel, Warrick Gelant and Elton Jantjies. But the coach opted not to be serious about players of colour. He fielded a guy [Rudy Paige] two minutes from the end, in a nothing game [against Argentina], playing for third place, who ended up touching the ball only twice.”

Wakefield said he would present his views to his executive in the coming days.

“This is my personal opinion but I can’t go to my executive singing a different song. I don’t want to impose my view on them. We must accept that this is not the coach to take South African rugby forward. I would strongly advise Hoskins to do the necessary. We cannot allow one individual to gamble with a national asset,” he said.