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/ 13 February 2008

Rainbow nation wrestles with race

South Africa has been plunged into a fresh debate over the racial make-up of its sports teams 14 years after the country emerged from apartheid. As the cricket squad prepared on Wednesday to fly to Bangladesh after a furious row over the dearth of black players in its line-up, white rugby legends protested against government pressure on selectors to put colour ahead of ability

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/ 8 February 2008

Mike Stofile caught offside

South African Rugby Union (Saru) deputy president Mike Stofile faces questions after Saru’s audit committee found he had no mandate to discuss the future of former Bulls coach Heyneke Meyer with him. Stofile, who has ambitions to defeat president Oregan Hoskins at Saru’s presidential elections next month, met Meyer on January 22 in Johannesburg.

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/ 28 January 2008

Matfield eyes Bok return

South Africa’s World Cup-winning lock Victor Matfield could make his international reappearance against Wales in June if he can perform a delicate balancing act with his French club, Toulon. Matfield hasn’t played for the Springboks since the World Cup victory over England in October and has only featured in four games for the ambitious French second division side.

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/ 22 January 2008

Showdown looms over Meyer meeting

The meeting between South African Rugby Union (Saru) deputy president Mike Stofile and former Blue Bulls coach Heyneke Meyer apparently went ahead on Tuesday without Saru president Oregan Hoskins’ blessing. This is the latest development in what has become an open confrontation between the two most powerful men in South African rugby.

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/ 11 January 2008

So long Whitey

”I want to be honest with South Africa and say that the appointment was not entirely made for rugby reasons. We as an organisation have made the appointment and taken into account the issue of transformation very, very seriously when we made it. I don’t think that tarnishes Peter — I’m just being honest with our country.”

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/ 10 January 2008

FF+ grumbles about new Bok coach

The appointment of Springbok coach Peter de Villiers was politically motivated and disregarded the wishes of players, the Freedom Front Plus (FF+) said on Wednesday. Werner Weber said the outcome of a poll among players was ”overwhelmingly” in favour of Heyneke Meyer, a former coach of the Pretoria-based Bulls.

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/ 9 January 2008

De Villiers named as new Bok coach

Peter de Villiers made history on Wednesday by being named as the first black coach of the world-champion Springbok rugby team, before making clear he would pick his teams based on merit, not colour. De Villiers, currently coach of the Under-21 side, was the surprise choice of the South African Rugby Union to succeed Jake White.

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/ 7 January 2008

Interviews for Bok coach under way

The task of finding a new South Africa rugby coach shifted up a gear on Monday when the first two candidates for the vacant position were interviewed by the country’s rugby bosses. The favourite for the position, former Bulls boss Heyneke Meyer, and South African under-21 coach Peter de Villiers were subjected to lengthy interviews on Monday.

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/ 5 January 2008

Meyer favourite to succeed White

Former Super 14-winning coach Heyneke Meyer is the favourite to succeed World Cup-winning boss Jake White as the new South Africa rugby coach next week. White stepped down as the Springbok coach at the end of last year after his four-year contract with the South African Rugby Union had run its course.

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/ 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 will be held on January 7 and 8.

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/ 30 October 2007

Little sympathy at SA Rugby for White

There seems to be little sympathy at SA Rugby for World Cup-winning Springbok coach Jake White’s unhappiness that he was not considered for the shortlist of four from which the next Springbok coach will be appointed. White, in Tuesday’s press conference, pointed out he had a clause in his contract that states he has the right to negotiate an extension of his contract.