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No shortage of intrigue around Boks
By RICHARD KNOWLER IN Pretoria - The Press | Saturday, 23 February 2008
No shortage of intrigue around Boks - Rugby news & coverage - Stuff.co.nz
Rarely is there a slow day on the South African rugby news desks these days.
The country may still be wallowing in the afterglow of winning the World Cup, but there has already been enough infighting and controversy to punch the air out of their supporters' puffed out chests.
Successful World Cup coach Jake White had barely washed the celebratory champagne off his Springboks blazer before being shown the door, and, in a shock decision that smacked of politics, Peter de Villiers was appointed ahead of successful Bulls coach Heyneke Meyer. De Villiers, the first non-white to be named Springboks coach, has a modest coaching record. He has never headed a Super franchise.
His appointment is akin to handing a coach from an Air New Zealand Cup team the All Blacks job. It just wouldn't happen.
Meanwhile, the more experienced Meyer - who had the support of the majority of the Springboks players and won last year's Super 14 title with the Bulls - has been left to scratch around for work.
South African rugby president Oregan Hoskins acknowledged the union had not appointed de Villiers with purely rugby in mind.
With de Villiers in charge the national body has shown it wants to continue to distance itself from the dark days when it was seen as a white man's sport backed by a racist regime.
White often had to battle the authorities and last year's fracas, when he had to include Luke Watson in his squad for the pre-Tri Nations tests, was an embarrassment for all involved.
There has been no official word yet, but with de Villiers appointed there are now suspicions a quota system will be introduced to fast-track more non-whites into the Springboks.
White came under huge pressure to play more blacks and coloureds and when he did not move quick enough he was labelled unhelpful to the cause of transformation.
He counter-argued he was trying to pick the best team.
There has been plenty more to discuss in South Africa this week.
Firstly there were revelations de Villiers was still nutting out the final contract details with the South Africa Rugby Union (Saru). Then Saru deputy president Mike Stofile was upset that the organisation's leadership had not been consulted about skipper John Smit being reappointed as captain.
Some would say de Villiers' efforts to get Smit, who is playing under former Crusaders assistant coach Vern Cotter with French club Clermont Auvergne, were admirable.
It seems the Saru hierarchy does not agree.
Complicating the issue is that Clermont may not be so happy to release Smit for the Boks.
Meanwhile, another storm is brewing after a senior ANC MP accused those who signed a petition to the International Rugby Board protesting the political intervention in South African rugby as trying to undermine the country's laws.
Among those signing the petition were former Springboks Wynand Classen and Divan Serfontein, who toured New Zealand in the controversial 1981 tour.
The IRB is expected to reply to the self-styled civil rights group. But it would be a surprise if anything changes.
Meanwhile, former Liverpool and Zimbabwe soccer goalkeeper Bruce Grobbelaar this week harangued Liverpool coach Rafael Benitez over his club's rotation policy.
Take it away Bruce: "The ex-players are hurt - Ian Rush, Sammy Lee, Gary Gillespie, John Aldridge, Alan Kennedy, David Johnson. When we are together, that's what we talk about. The rotation policy has to stop."
Sound familiar?