Former Springbok centre and current Sharks coach Dick Muir and Stormers assistant Gary Gold were on Friday named as new South African coach Peter de Villiers’s right-hand men.
Muir, who led the Sharks Super 14 team to the final of the southern hemisphere inter-provincial competition last year, will take charge of the Springbok backs, a position filled by Allister Coetzee over the last four years. Coetzee is now in charge of the Stormers’ back division.
Gold, a former head coach of London Irish in England and currently in charge of the Stormers’ forwards, takes over from Gert Smal.
The Stormers have enjoyed their best Super 14 season since 1999 when they reached the semifinal, and they are challenging for a last four place again in 2008.
De Villiers, who became South Africa’s first black coach in January after taking over from World Cup-winning coach Jake White, will lead the Boks against Wales in two Tests in June and then face Italy. The 45-man Springbok training squad will be named on Saturday week.
Peter Maimane of the Golden Lions will serve as technical adviser in the new-look Springbok management team.
”I am delighted with the coaching team we have assembled,” said De Villiers.
”Gary and Dick have fine pedigrees and I have been very impressed with Peter in my previous dealings with him [at under-19 and under-21 level]. I am looking forward to working with them all.”
The South African Rugby Union has yet to name a team manager to replace Zola Yeye. — AFP
