Omens are good for new Bok coach

Allister Coetzee is likely to be named on April 1 — no jokes!

THE omens aren’t good for the next Springbok coach, so hopefully he is not superstitious.

The South African Rugby Union (Saru) will unveil their preferred candidate on Friday — April 1. But this is not a joke.

To compound matters for superstitious types, the candidate will become the 13th post-isolation appointment since the Springboks’ readmission to test rugby in 1992. Hopefully there are no ladders to walk under or black cats crossing his path on his way to his first press conference in Johannesburg next Saturday morning.

The Sunday Times understands that former Stormers boss Allister Coetzee will be named as coach for one of the toughest jobs in world sport on Friday. Coetzee is currently coach of Japanese club team Kobe Kobelco Steelers, but will be freed from those obligations.

If omens are being sought though, there are some good ones for Coetzee as well. In 2004, when appointed Bok assistant coach to Jake White, the latter was appointed on Friday, February 13th, not a date usually associated with good luck. But under White that changed.

The Boks’ first assignment in 2004 was against a strong Ireland, just as it is this year, and South Africa won the series 2-0. Three-and-a-half years later they were crowned world champions in Paris, France.

The 2004 Ireland series also marked an overhaul in Bok rugby with a new coaching staff and a new captain in John Smit, and Coetzee will face similar POSITIVE FACE: Allister Coetzee was the obvious choice as Bok coach challenges although his time to prepare for the Irish is limited.

Coetzee will succeed Heyneke Meyer and will become the second black Springbok coach. Peter de Villiers held the position from 2008 until 2011.

Usually by this time of the year, when a new Bok coach has been appointed, he’s already been in the job for a couple of months at least. The last Bok coach to be appointed so late was Rudolf Streauli, who also started work on April 1 (is that another bad omen?).

Coetzee, 52, has lost a couple of months because of the slow grinding of Saru’s bureaucratic machine.

The appointment of the Springbok coach has to go through many stages, the last of which is the approval of the

A man who has shown commitment to transformation, has enjoyed success at a high level

general council. This body is made up of the 14 union presidents as well as Saru president Oregan Hoskins. The general council approves the appointment after the candidate or candidates have been shortlisted by the executive committee. It’s usually a rubber-stamping process and little more, but in the strange world of Saru, nothing can be ruled out.

Meyer only decided against reapplying for his job in December last year once he realised he has lost support within Saru’s corridors.

Trying to stay was futile, but his late decision affected the timing for the appointment of his successor.

Saru’s technical committee had not had time to scout for possible replacements before the last general council meeting in early December.

The general council meets quarterly and their next scheduled meeting is this Friday.

Saru’s broad criteria for the new coach were straightforward — no foreigner, a man who has shown commitment to transformation, has enjoyed success at a high level and someone who would be a positive face of the Springbok brand.