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Boks coach winning over his critics
Wayne Smith | July 18, 2008
PETER DE VILLIERS insists he was destined to become Springbok coach and in a sense that's undeniably true. Only destiny could have placed a black man at the head of what was once the flagship team of white South Africa at the very moment the Boks had climbed to the top of world rugby.
On the other hand, destiny was not so much responsible as crass, transformation politics. Jake White was tolerated, if only barely, in the run-up to last year's World Cup because it would have been too disruptive to remove him, but clearly nothing was going to save him in the long run, not even winning The Webb Ellis Cup.
De Villiers' credentials at the time of taking over in January might have been the equivalent of White's when he was chosen in 2004 - both men had taken South Africa to the under-20 world title - but not even South African Rugby president Oregan Hoskins in announcing the appointment made any attempt to disguise the fact it was a political selection.
On pure coaching merits, Bulls maestro Heyneke Meyer was regarded as easily the best man for the job, the candidate preferred by 77 per cent of the Springboks.
But with the government of Thabo Mbeki committed to transformation, the debate fizzled as quickly as it had flared. De Villiers had the job, albeit by a single vote, the first black man ever awarded it.
Boks coach winning over his critics | The Australian