FRIDAY, 8.00AM:
NEW Springbok coach Nick Mallet, appointed on Thursday, hinted that unlike his predecessor, he won’t sideline a world-class star like Japie Mulder. “Japie does not have to play a match to prove anything,” said Mallet, who said he is simply watching to make sure Mulder has recovered from injury.
Mallet, a former Springbok loose forward with wide coaching experience here and abroad, including a successful season this year for Boland, is a popular choice. But he takes on a post that has had seven incumbents in five years, three of them sacked. “It hasn’t escaped my attention that there have been so many changes of coach,” he said. “But I have accepted the job through to the 1999 World Cup.”
Mallett was one of 40 applicants for the job of Springbok coach. For the time being, he said, he does not plan major changes, with a tour of Italy, France and the UK looming only six weeks ahead. “We are short on preparation time, so I don’t imagine there will be much tampering with the basics.”
Mallett’s assistant coach will be appointed next week. The front-runner is Natal’s Hugh Reece-Edwards. Mallett also said he will make informal arrangements with respected coaches like Kitch Christie, Ian McIntosh and Harry Viljoen.