Rudolf Straeuli is still the Springbok coach.
The under-fire Bok mentor will keep his job for at least another week after the board of SA Rugby deferred judgement on his position until next week’s South African Rugby Football Union annual general meeting in Cape Town.
Straeuli was called before an urgent meeting of the board in Johannesburg on Thursday to explain, among other things, issues pertaining to the now infamous Kamp Staaldraad (Camp Steel-Wire).
SA Rugby managing director Rian Oberholzer told journalists that the board felt it would be better if Straeuli had more time to defend himself.
”His report is not yet available and we [the board] have requested that the incidents at Kamp Staaldraad be fully addressed in this report as well,” said Oberholzer.
”The coach has a contract until 2005 and we have a duty to give him a chance [to defend himself],” added Oberholzer.
Silas Nkanunu, Sarfu president and SA Rugby chairperson, refuted rumours that Straeuli was on his way out.
”That was never an issue,” he stated. ”The point of the meeting was to discuss issues of the camp.”
Although Straeuli has been given a week’s reprieve, he did divulge some details of the camp to the board on Thursday.
However, when pressed on the issue, Oberholzer declined to say just what those details were.
Nkanunu released a statement in which he said that the board did have prior knowledge of the camp.
”The board was made aware of and authorised camps to be held in preparation for the Rugby World Cup. The board was never required to consider the details and methodology to be used in the camps,” the statement said.
And in a move that seems to indicate that Straeuli’s days are numbered, the board has distanced itself from the shocking incidents at the boot camp.
”The board takes note of certain incidents that have been reported to have taken place at the so called Kamp Staaldraad and expresses its serious concern about some of the elements employed at the camp and distances itself from these incidents,” said Nkanunu.
Oberholzer added that while no official decision had been made on Straeuli’s future, several board members ”have their own views”.
While Kamp Staaldraad is at the centre of the current controversy, Straeuli’s tenure as coach has been littered with disasters.
Record losses to France, Scotland, England and New Zealand coupled with allegations of persistent foul play have dogged Straeuli’s team from the outset.
Then the racism row involving Geo Cronje and Quinton Davids further soured the team’s World Cup preparations.
The team’s performances in Australia left a lot to be desired and the Boks’ quarterfinal exit at the hands of the All Blacks completed a miserable year.
Results achieved this year have been well below par and leave the Boks floundering, at best fifth in the world rankings.
Straeuli was unavailable for comment. — Sapa