/ 3 December 2007

New Bok coach only to be named next year

The appointment of Jake White’s successor as Springbok coach has been postponed until the president’s council meeting, which is being held on January 9.

Johan Prinsloo, CEO of the South African Rugby Union, on Monday confirmed that the four candidates’ final interviews with the appointment committee, chaired by SA Rugby deputy president Mike Stofile, will be held on January 7 and 8.

The candidate decided upon would then be put forward to the president’s council.

”It makes much more sense that we do it this way, rather than interview the candidates now and then wait for more than a month for the president’s council to decide on the matter,” Prinsloo said.

The appointment committee had earlier decided on a shortlist of Bulls coach Heyneke Meyer, former Valke and present national under-21 coach Peter de Villiers, Springbok assistant coach Allister Coetzee and former Cats and Pumas coach Chester Williams.

The candidates’ interviews were originally scheduled for the first week of December. — Sapa