Transformation a factor
9 Jan 2008
The decision to appoint Peter de Villiers as Springbok coach was made not only in terms of his rugby credentials.
De Villiers became the first black head coach of the Boks in a dramatic afternoon at Saru headquarters. It was widely expected former Bulls coach Heyneke Meyer would get the job but the decision to give it to De Villiers must be seen as a strong move towards transformation. Saru president Regan Hoskins confirmed as much.
“I want to be honest with South Africa and say that the appointment was not entirely made for rugby reasons,” he said. “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.”
SA Rugby MD Johan Prinsloo said the final race was between De Villiers and Bulls mentor Heyneke Meyer and that it went down to a vote. Prinsloo could not divulge the exact number of presidents for and against the ultimate appointment but maintained the final call was aligned with that of the technical committee.
“The technical committee was assembled to advise the presidents council on the selection of the Springbok coach,” he said. “I can confirm that the recommendation from the committee was the same as the final decision.
“Peter has created history today. He has a proven track record and we trust he will have the support of the rugby fraternity as Springbok rugby enters a new phase. Saru is confident he will build on the momentum created by the World Cup win and it is a very important appointment for SA rugby.”
De Villiers will now begin contract talks with Saru and join the technical committee in appointing his support staff. Saru will advertise for these positions in the coming week and candidates will be subject to a similar selection process to that of the top job.
De Villiers is also scheduled to meet with the five South African Super 14 coaches on 14 January.
By Jon Cardinelli at Newlands
180 Comments
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9 Jan 2008, 17:12 pm
We must accept that Peter will make some mistakes in his selections, it is only human.
JW did the same, Ashwell and WO spring to mind immediately.
And I’m not so happy with Johan Muller either.
So, it will happen, no big deal.
Hell, he might not even play Luke Watson and drive Sir Watson to the edge….!
9 Jan 2008, 17:15 pm
101
Was always a bit skeptical about Mullers cap as well.
9 Jan 2008, 17:18 pm
gerber
Read #100, Obiwari, the other thread.
Apparently there was a Saru Boland and Saru Griqua team in those days.
That is where PdeV played.
9 Jan 2008, 17:18 pm
Stawm,
I know where you are coming from. Friends and family of mine are affected by AA and BEE in SA.
I know and am friends with a good number of South Africans who have travelled to London to find work. South Africans are revered around the world for their work ethic. I work with a couple and I can’t fault them (apart form their sense of humour – drier than the Kalahari
). They will mostly find jobs wherever they go because of this. That should be a positive.
But until the unemployment total comes down though (by around half of what it is), i can’t see the politicians letting up on it because the unemployed population are key voters, and they need AA and BEE to keep their hopes alive in the South African dream.
And for many South Africans who don’t want to leave, I imagine it is a difficult thing to have to accept. I really do feel for you. In all parts of the world right now, the competition for work is hotting up, and many indigenous people are losing out to less skilled or less experienced people on the basis that they are too expensive to employ. It’s different I know to the situation in SA, but no less difficult to stomach.
The world’s not a nice place after all.
9 Jan 2008, 17:20 pm
Pietman
Have no ideal,I’m sure it come out in days to come. I came across Kiewiet van Niekirk as being
a GW halfback from ’83 onwards. Nothing from Boland.
9 Jan 2008, 17:23 pm
#105 “The world’s not a nice place after all.”
is that a violin playing in the background?
9 Jan 2008, 17:23 pm
greatest,
If Barack Obama wins the US Presidency, there will be many in the global media who will talk for weeks solely about him being the first black President of the USA. Make no mistake, that will be huge!
It will show that the USA is going some way to recognising the demons in its past and that any member of its society regardless of colour can rise to the top job. More importantly, it send a message to the world that you don’t need to be an ageing white male with links to oil to become the President
9 Jan 2008, 17:25 pm
107
Well said stodders. About time the yanks stopped delivering democracy and freedom via a JDAM smart bomb and an M-16
9 Jan 2008, 17:25 pm
Thanks Stodders
I could debate this topic ad nauseum but the end result will always be along the lines of which you outlined above.
The government have implented AA and BEE incorrectly and dont seem to be looking to fix it either.
I would have preferred the government to have identified key areas where nothing short of excellence is required, then to formulate a plan whereby promising candidates are trained and mentored into their new positions and be given time to adapt so they can excel.
A prime example here is the police force.
Anyway, pointless to continue this line of thought anyway.
Good luck Mr de Villiers.
9 Jan 2008, 17:26 pm
greatest,
It’s just a lone violin you hear from my end.
It seems to me from here like you’ve got Auckland’s Philarmonic Orchestra bashing out some morose tunes your end.
9 Jan 2008, 17:28 pm
stodders,
has the UK ever had a black PM or head of state?
9 Jan 2008, 17:28 pm
It is a pity that ability was not the deciding factor.
I hoped that it would be Heyneke, but alas it was not to be.
So I am willing to giv Div a chance. Go Bokke!
9 Jan 2008, 17:29 pm
#103 yes Pietman, think you right there. I played against SARA sides as well. He may have played for SA Barbarians as well. I will look again thru Toyota Annuals I have.
9 Jan 2008, 17:29 pm
bobby mugabe swears there are demons in the UK too.
9 Jan 2008, 17:29 pm
Fair enough Stawm.
Good luck Mr de Villiers from me too.
P.S. Imagine if PDV were to become the first coach to win a test in NZ since 1998. Now that would be great to see, more so for the post-match reaction on here
9 Jan 2008, 17:33 pm
#110 LOL..yes indeed, maybe a bit of Gabriel Yared music is appropriate at the moment.
some of my saffa mates have sent me very angry and depressing emails
9 Jan 2008, 17:34 pm
cab,
No, but we did have one of the first women Prime Ministers in the world – Thatcher. Next step is for a person from one of the ethnic minorities to accede to the top job, but I think that will be some time.
9 Jan 2008, 17:35 pm
greatest,
Care to post some of their rants. I could do with a giggle
9 Jan 2008, 17:35 pm
I am sure PDV will be talked up in the media and there will be lots of hype. Same for Aussie WITH ONLY the Abs knowing better.
9 Jan 2008, 17:35 pm
I think PDV’s first tough assignment will be to ensure that the newly budgeted for R200 Million does in fact go to black rugby development, and does not get wasted on endless fancy lunches at posh restaurants
amounting to over R100 000 – 00 each time like our deputy finance minister did last year.
(Apparantly they were business lunches??)
9 Jan 2008, 17:36 pm
come come, the colonial demons must be exercised before one can preach to the dominions. perhaps the queen can have an affair or something and produce an heir to the throne with decent teeth?
9 Jan 2008, 17:38 pm
cab,
We’ve got plenty of demons here in the past and present, and i’m sure we will create plenty for the future too.
As for ol’ Bobby, he will go go down as with Pol Pot, Hitler, Idi Amin etc. in the list of world’s most despicable despots. I really do wish someone would take him out to give Zimbabwe and its people a chance of survival.
9 Jan 2008, 17:39 pm
cab,
She’s exempt. She’s German really after all
9 Jan 2008, 17:41 pm
Stodders
But the Zim people keep voting him in?
9 Jan 2008, 17:41 pm
I can see an Asian Brit becoming Prime Minister before a black Brit. And I don’t see it being too far in the future.
Will that be acceptable?
9 Jan 2008, 17:41 pm
actually i think thatcher was after indira ghandhi and golda meir and a few others. SA’s first female prime minsister was PW Botha otherwise known as the groot krokodil.
9 Jan 2008, 17:42 pm
This is probably the only legible one I can post here..this is afterall a family site
This is short and sharp, from a friend who works at Skycity
“Now I know how the ABs felt after that game”
9 Jan 2008, 17:43 pm
Stawm,
So would you if you had guns pointing at you and threats to murder your family if you didn’t.
Anyway, Mugabe thinks up the totals on the toilet in the morning. The official vote is a token gesture. No one counts them.
9 Jan 2008, 17:44 pm
LOL @ cab
I rememeber watching PW Botha on the BBC reports during the 80s. First time i saw him, i though, “c*nt”.
9 Jan 2008, 17:46 pm
is there much difference bewteen Hitler and Mugabe ??
9 Jan 2008, 17:47 pm
cab,
I did say “one of the first” to cover my back. To qualify it more, Thatcher was the first woman to lead one of the developed world powers.
9 Jan 2008, 17:47 pm
greatest,
Yep, Hitler didn’t allegedly have syphilis
9 Jan 2008, 17:48 pm
Same old, Same old in Africa…
well, theres always Namibia
9 Jan 2008, 17:50 pm
tell you one thing if Peter Div manages to win a test in NZ, I will vote for him as president of SA and the UN.
9 Jan 2008, 17:52 pm
wounded and demoralised AB beast???
Peter got work to do
9 Jan 2008, 17:58 pm
#109. Stawm, you talk about ‘mentoring’ – implying that DeVilliers and his ilk (i.e. aspiring black coaches) need mentoring.
But he was one of Jake White’s mentors – the other was experience itself. So why does he need more mentoring? Simply because of his colour?
9 Jan 2008, 18:13 pm
cab,
I hope he does, just to see what excuses come from it.
9 Jan 2008, 18:24 pm
4 more years…makes 24.
9 Jan 2008, 18:30 pm
Like Obama in the States Presidency race so is PdV the best man for the SA rugby job, lets see if the yanks are as brave as our rugby administrators in sticking with the best candidate.
Obama is head and shoulders the most credible and with most integrity amongst that mob, but will he suffice through all the dirt?
PdV is a down to earth rugby man with no airs and graces, but one can sense a degree of astute inner belief and rugby based insight in him, lets hope he’s given the latitude to utilize his abilities freely.
9 Jan 2008, 18:33 pm
Stodders your summary(earlier) exactly sums up SA’s dilemma. If one takes time to analyse the detail, one can see that the rulers and the disadvantaged the world over, swop roles and favor themselves and their supporters, once power is achieved. We are seeing good examples of this in Africa as we speak but it is not limited to Africa and certainly not to black folk. For example, when the Nationalists came to power is ’48, they almost immediately set about giving their support base and electorate(poorly educated blue-collar Afrikaaners) job advantages in government. When I grew up in the 70′s, rarely did one find an english-speaker working on the railways, post office, police etc. Blacks were employment was limited to the menial jobs like cleaning the floor or serving the tea. English speakers were verboden. Roll on the years to 1994 and the same game played itself out, just in slightly different technicolor. White teachers were made redundant to be replaced by under-qualified black teachers etc. It’s bloody disingenious and highly upsetting but its the way of politics and the power that accompanies it. We are seeing this again in the appointment of our latest coach and I’m not surprised. And it shouldn’t have been a shock to anyone of us. We are just fortunate that PdV happens to be a very good candidate. Not the best because HM was arguably the best qualified but PdV brings something else good to the party which HM doesn’t. He’s had serious experience with our top youth talent and I for one find that very attractive. But the discrimination in appointments in this country leaves me cold.
9 Jan 2008, 18:37 pm
skopskiet,
Obama is a politician. At the end of the day, for chosing that profession, he has little credibility to start with.
If he does win the US Presidency, there will be few, if any, who will throw the quota tag at him. It’s not that long ago since the race riots of the 60s. The US has some way to go to redress the historical injustices that the slaves had to suffer, but they are heading in the right direction to do just that. I wish my own country could do as well.
Black Americans took nearly 50 years to get to where they are today, yet still they haven’t achieved parity fully. SA in its current guise has been going since 1994. You guys should be proud of what you have achieved in such a short space of time.
9 Jan 2008, 18:38 pm
you rugby palukas will never be happy, especially the bull clowns==give the guy a chance.secondly forget about luke watson,hyt sy naam gatgemaak en sal nooit vir die bokke speel nie.U GO PIETIE ons moet net agter hom staan.
9 Jan 2008, 18:38 pm
Tassies. I agree with post 140. Well put.
9 Jan 2008, 18:40 pm
And in my earlier missive, I don’t mean to undermine PdV’s skills. He might have been given the appointment on the basis of race but I personally chose him becuase (1) I suspect his style of rugby will be more enjoyable than HM’s(and Jakes for that matter) but (2) I HOPE that he will chose his strongest team(on merit) with the least interference from polititians because they want to see their chose candidate perform(read win). Its not just about the players. Its now also about the coach. He must win or that bunch of morons on the PC have egg all over their make-up.
9 Jan 2008, 18:43 pm
skopskiet
Obama won’t make the cut, sorry.
His Kenian connection will catch up will him soon.
Wait for it, it is going to get nasty.
9 Jan 2008, 18:48 pm
Did I hear right on the background news? Did Hills win New Hampshire?
9 Jan 2008, 18:50 pm
Skop you must be very happy mate.
You’ve called JdV all along.
9 Jan 2008, 18:58 pm
Pietman,
I hope Obama wins, or anyone except Hilary for that matter. The world needs a fresh face in American politics. Sharing the Presidency between the Houses of Bush and Clinton over the past 20 years has not been good for them or the rest of us.
9 Jan 2008, 19:01 pm
agree.
America has lost its shine.
They are the polecats of the world just now due to some dreadful decisions and the world needs them to caring less greedy face.
9 Jan 2008, 19:06 pm
win at all costs is not working like it used to. By way of example one can look at Oz cricket right now.
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