More than two months after his historic appointment, new South Africa rugby coach Peter de Villiers didn’t sign off on his contract this week because he wouldn’t have final say on team selection.
De Villiers, in contract negotiations since his appointment on January 9, backed off from agreeing to the two-year contract on Monday and Tuesday, forcing the South African Rugby Union (Saru) to scramble to appease the first black coach of the Springboks.
On Wednesday, Saru proposed to change its constitution to give the national coach the last word on team selection, and finalise De Villiers’ contract.
The constitution says national teams must be picked by the coach and national selectors, even though it was common for previous coaches to have the last say, including Jake White, who coached the Springboks last year to their second World Cup triumph.
De Villiers’ agent, Rian Oberholzer, said De Villiers will not accept a contract without having the final word.
”Peter did not apply for the job only because he wanted to be the Springbok coach. He did so to be a successful Springbok coach, and he wants to be accountable for his sides, not those selected by others,” Oberholzer told the South African Press Association.
Oberholzer wondered why the ”constitutional issue” wasn’t brought up in January when De Villiers was appointed.
Only last month, Saru president Oregan Hoskins agreed to drop the president’s right to veto Springboks squads.
De Villiers was reportedly also unwilling to accept R200 000 less than White was paid.
SA Rugby, the commercial arm of Saru, was happy to grant De Villiers his wish on selection, and said in a statement it ”will do everything in its powers” to make sure he has what he needs to be successful.
”This includes the right to have the final say in the selection of national teams,” SA Rugby said. ”There is a definitive linkage between selection responsibility, and success or failure with regard to performance.
”An interim suspensive or conditional clause has been proposed [to the constitution] to allow the parties to move forward, while this matter is being urgently addressed.”
The Inkatha Freedom Party called the delay in finalising the contract ”appalling”. – Sapa-AP