My condolences to all rugby nations.

But Pieter de villiers will NOT be retained as the Springbok coach. Your national teams might just have to contend with a Springbok team which by all accounts seem they will have a coach worthy of the position.

This extract from the sunday times.

"Divvie is out," Golden Lions president Kevin de Klerk and member of the South African Rugby Football Union's (Saru) last technical committee said yesterday.
"There are lots of dynamics at play. I sense Saru is about to turn the page and there is the realisation that we need to grasp this moment and be bold," said De Klerk.

Another senior member of Saru's president's council also gravitated towards a new dawn for the Springboks.

"I think he (De Villiers) says too much," said a council member who did not wish to be named, about the coach's garrulous streak.
"I don't think we should advertise the position. We should get together a group of astute rugby brains and decide on who the best candidate is. We should then headhunt that person," he said.

Some decision makers in Saru are in favour of some kind of coaching overlord who will oversee not just the performances of the Springboks but all national teams. This coach, or coaching manager, will be responsible for inculcating a playing style that will be adhered to throughout the national teams.

Western Province director of rugby Rassie Erasmus has been heavily tipped for the post, while the name of his counterpart at the Blue Bulls, Heyneke Meyer, has also been mentioned. The search for the best coach or coaching manager should, however, not be confined to our shores.

"I would not close the door on foreigners," said Oregan Hoskins, Saru's president. "We have to get the new coach at all cost. "This is one of the most important decisions we can make as an organisation," said Hoskins.
He said he expected the process to run its course early in the new year.

Stormers coach Allister Coetzee may have been mooted as the man who will succeed De Villiers but the performances of the Stormers and Western Province in the latter stages of Super Rugby and the Currie Cup would not have advanced his cause.

Lions coach John Mitchell has ruled himself out. "I'm not going to apply. I'm contracted to the Lions until the end of 2013, with the option of going into 2014. "I'm 16 months into this and I'm not going to let something go that is just getting momentum," said Mitchell.

That De Villiers would want to return to the position in which he wholly underwhelmed since 2008 would have surprised many. By losing in the quarterfinals of this year's World Cup the Springboks emulated their earliest exit from the tournament.

De Villiers' predecessor, Jake White, was at the helm when they won the Webb Ellis Cup in 2007 and he was not afforded a contract extension. Like White in 2007, De Villiers found himself writing a book during the World Cup, the contents of which may seriously compromise his relationship with his current employers when it is released in the middle of next year.

Assistant coach Gary Gold has already resigned himself to the fact that he will no longer be part of the set-up. "I don't have anything," he said when pressed about his immediate future. His less-than-rosy prognosis of his own prospects, however, may partly be based on the fact that even if De Villiers got the nod again, he would not be part of the coaching team.

De Villiers at various stages tried to off-load his assistant coaches.

Saru's executive council will meet on November 17 to flesh out details of the process that will be followed in the appointment of the new coach or coaching structure. It will also fall to them to appoint the coach pending ratification from Saru's general council.

At least that is a step in the right direction.

Gutted

Good signs biltong. One of the good things that can come from the early exit is a clear need to change and a good showing would only have been ammo for the detractors to halt or at least slow the process.
Theres nothing to hold them back now.
Good idea about the national 'overseer' type role to impose a particilar style. Hard to see it work in unison with the actual bok coach position if it isnt the same person and just as hard to see the workload spread if it is- clearly the most influential and important role in the business.

It works in NZ without that role because that weve largely demanded a style from all sides for a while now but very interesting.

Good times ahead if this has any weight behind it.

Good signs biltong. One of the good things that can come from the early exit is a clear need to change and a good showing would only have been ammo for the detractors to halt or at least slow the process.
Theres nothing to hold them back now.
Good idea about the national 'overseer' type role to impose a particilar style. Hard to see it work in unison with the actual bok coach position if it isnt the same person and just as hard to see the workload spread if it is- clearly the most influential and important role in the business.

It works in NZ without that role because that weve largely demanded a style from all sides for a while now but very interesting.

Good times ahead if this has any weight behind it.

Hi,Biltong what is the take on the Bok RWC performances?The MIA were coached by Erasmus not PDV.
Despite the REF in the Australia game even without Franny Steyn,the traditional Bok style of kicking for position.
Then kicking Goals would have been more sensible than,changing to a style they plainly were`nt comfortable with.
What is the position with Senior players,are Smit,James,Du Preez,Matfield,Botha,DeVilliers,Roussow.
Now no longer Bok Players ,or are they still available for selection as overseas players.
IF the Bulls Coach is selected,then I cannot see there style changing,of course 3Ns and RWC styles are sadly different.
RWC`s at the knockout stages are governed by,Luck with injuries,officials decisions,and a no risk style.
The Boks running Rugby,frankly they are not inthe same class as the All Blacks or Wallabies.
Nor have the forwards fronted up much this year,THAT was down to selection true .
What I Hope to see is a REAL Bok side,so that when the All Blacks beat you[if they do].It Is THE BOK side not a lot of wannabees the SAv NZ is the greatest rivalry in Rugby.NOT whoever is RWC holder my respect for your side is a given they are NEVER easy to beat.

Hi Alan.

Officially the only guys that has retired from international rugby is Smit and Matfield.

Whether the new coach would look at overseas players will most likley only be seen once he has been appointed.

I sincerely hope we get a coach who plays open cards with the media and sticks to word.

I agree Frans Ludeke should not be the coach, as you say he will not change anything.

As far as running rugby is concerned, what do you expect from a bunch of players who didn't run the ball for 8 years?

The new generation of players can hold the candle to anyone of OZ or NZ, just look at players like Lambie, Hougaard, Sadie, Hollenbach, Taute, JJ engelbrecht.

You just need to look at Coenie Oosthuizen who has more ability to run and pass than Jean de Villiers, and he is a prop.

Biltong,I don`t question the ability of those you speak of as individuals.
BUT the other two SH teams play the Counter attacking game better than
any in the world.BAR France when there on blob,but who can predict that they don`t know themselves.Don`t get the idea i`m knocking SA players far from it i`ve far too much respect for them for that.
It is usual that your top two S15 sides are the back bone of your test side,that applies to all the SH sides.IF for example you are in the Crusaders squad.
You have a better chance of an All Black cap than otherwise.
As to not running the ball for 8 years,they did so very effectively in the 2010-3Ns almost as a nact of desperation.
They won one of those v OZ,shouldor could have won the second,the Final All Black match they nearly turned them over.
2010 they should have won at lesst 3 games,2 OZ,1 NZ

SA have gone up in my estimations Biltong. Another few steps and they'll be my second fav team

Cool.

This is indeed depressing news.

What about Marc Lievremont as his replacement?? An excellent choice I think, and would provide some continuity in terms of madness.

How about taking some of the Ospreys 'management' team - they have 'creative' ideas about how to be the best in the world - though some of the SA players might be in trouble as apparently Holley doesn't like tans...

funnyExiledScot wrote:This is indeed depressing news.

What about Marc Lievremont as his replacement?? An excellent choice I think, and would provide some continuity in terms of madness.

I know SARU considered him, but he cannot understand Afrikaans and hence won't be able to understand our lineouts.

I don't think he understands lineouts in any language.

Still think Mitchell/Spencer would be your best bet,you already have the talent.They at least may get a Bok side running the ball happily too,often wonder how the All blacks would have gone if Mitchell /Deans had still been coaches rWC 2007 maybe they would have won that one too.