Heyneke Meyer asked to coach Springboks
By AP, 26 Jan 2012 AP is a Roar Pro
- Tagged:
- Heyneke Meyer, Rugby Union, Springboks
Heyneke Meyer has been approached by the South African Rugby Union to coach the Springboks but his Blue Bulls employers are reluctant to let him go.
SARU confirmed on Wednesday it met with Meyer a day earlier, without yet making an appointment.
The new coach is expected to be announced on Friday in Cape Town.
Blue Bulls said in a statement it would not release Meyer but added it would not stand in his way if he agreed to replace Peter de Villiers as the national coach. De Villiers was contracted to the end of this month.
“It would not be in the Blue Bulls interest to release Meyer,” the club said on Wednesday.
The club noted it “would be disappointed” if Meyer left to coach the Boks.
Meyer coached the Bulls in 2007 to become the first Super rugby champion from Africa in the professional era, and was favoured to succeed Jake White as Boks coach. But after he lost out to De Villiers, he took over at English club Leicester.
He lasted only six months, resigning to return to South Africa for compassionate reasons.
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January 26th 2012 @ 4:42pm
waratawu said | January 26th 2012 @ 4:42pm | Report comment
@ last looks like Boks get a real coach
January 26th 2012 @ 5:21pm
J said | January 26th 2012 @ 5:21pm | Report comment
With the amount of talent South Africa have and with this guy as coach, they should be a force to be reckoned with!
January 27th 2012 @ 2:52pm
Green Lantern said | January 27th 2012 @ 2:52pm | Report comment
Now expect the Boks to win even more games while playing boring “koppe-stamp” rugby like the Bulls. But The Bulls went about their bussines pretty easy winning the Super titel in 2007/2009 and 2010. Making it look almost simple to win matches. If Meyer can use the exciting talent that SA has without any political interference, The Boks could be back to #1 by the end of this year.
January 30th 2012 @ 7:33am
Misha said | January 30th 2012 @ 7:33am | Report comment
Back to #1 – when have the Springboks last been #1?
January 30th 2012 @ 10:08pm
Mario said | January 30th 2012 @ 10:08pm | Report comment
2009, The year they had a clean sweep against the All Blacks and won twice against Oz.
January 28th 2012 @ 5:01am
Ben S said | January 28th 2012 @ 5:01am | Report comment
Not sure how much of a forward move this is. Meyer has been out of hands-on coaching for quiet a while now, and hi achievements have been based on lineout supremacy. In terms of style he took Leicester back about 10 years, so I can’t see what he’ll bring to the table sans Matfield.
January 30th 2012 @ 3:03am
Loftus said | January 30th 2012 @ 3:03am | Report comment
Meyer helped out with the coaching at Tukkies last year in the Varsity cup,taking an average,struggling Tukkies to the final.If you can’t see what he brings to the table then you don’t know anything about SA rugby.He’ll surround himself with the best assistants and people he can trust.Everything de Villiers couldn’t bring to the table,this guy will.
January 30th 2012 @ 10:04am
Ben S said | January 30th 2012 @ 10:04am | Report comment
Tukkies, eh. Ooh… fearsome logic.
January 28th 2012 @ 6:58pm
johnny-boy said | January 28th 2012 @ 6:58pm | Report comment
He surely couldn’t be worse than ‘de clown’ as someone so amusingly describes him. PDV might know a thing or two about rugby but if your coach is doing silly things like acting like a goose in the media (or playing players out of position or who don’t deserve their spot – similarly to the wallabies) then it’s hard for the team to trust or believe 100% in the coach and his plan. If Meyer can get the Boks believing in what he is doing and is not being a dickh …, the Boks will be a lot harder to stop. This could be good for Australia because it might force the ARU to face up to its cock up and get a real coach too.
January 30th 2012 @ 7:35am
Misha said | January 30th 2012 @ 7:35am | Report comment
I don’t think PDV was “acting” a clown – he just was a political appointment without any skills or rugby knowledge. As such the Boks had to do with their assistant coaches and players to survive.
January 30th 2012 @ 4:42am
Gerrard said | January 30th 2012 @ 4:42am | Report comment
Anything is better than ol snor!!!
January 30th 2012 @ 4:42pm
Green Lantern said | January 30th 2012 @ 4:42pm | Report comment
Misha, the last time the Boks were #1 was in 2009. The time has come for some proper SA rugby.