Suits watch as De Villiers dies
25 Aug 2008
The selection committee who recommended Peter de Villiers and those union presidents who voted him into power have left their candidate to die a public death. Now they have to be held accountable.
When Saru president Oregan Hoskins announced De Villiers as the next Springbok coach ahead of the more fancied Heyneke Meyer, he made it absolutely clear that the appointment didn’t take into consideration rugby credentials alone. De Villiers was a political appointment. Hoskins, in explaining the decision, said they felt the time was right for South Africa to have its first black coach.
De Villiers’ presentation to the panel was far inferior to that of Meyer’s. Sources close to keo.co.za have confirmed this and a senior member of that panel admitted this to Meyer. That exchange happened when the said member called Meyer to inform him that he would be overlooked for the post, despite being the superior candidate in all facets of the assessment.
This despite continual assurances to Meyer that it would be a fair race. The votes of the panel were locked at three-all, with all black members of the panel voting for De Villiers and all the white members opting for Meyer. Head of the selection panel, Jannie Ferreira, was the swing vote and he opted to recommend De Villiers despite the knowledge Meyer was the superior candidate.
Former Saru deputy president Mike Stofile, who was at that stage looking the favourite to win the race for the Saru presidency, secretly backed Meyer, but was under enormous political pressure from his brother, sports minister Makhenkesi Stofile, to support a black candidate. Such was Stofile’s admiration for Meyer that he even met privately to discuss a potential role as a high performance director.
However, despite De Villiers canvassing for votes, Meyer remained the favourite going into the Presidents Council. In fact, Meyer was poised to win the voting 10 votes to nine, before the Pumas and Valke presidents unexpectedly changed their votes, swinging in favour of De Villiers.
Strangely, Western Province president Toby Titus, who didn’t give De Villiers a chance when he applied for the Stormers job, voted for him to be the national coach. Rautie Rautenbach, who at the Valke had fired De Villiers when he was coach there, still voted for him.
Until this point, those members of the selection panel who recommended De Villiers and the presidents who voted for him have been spared any criticism, while De Villiers has been made to deal with massive pressure from the media and public.
Yet again the administrators opted to push their personal ambition and political agendas ahead of the good of the game. Rugby credentials should always have been the decisive factor in this decision.
The Springboks had just won the World Cup away from home and 2008 had the potential to be a glorious year for Springbok rugby, especially considering Australia and New Zealand would be no more than average given the transition phase they found themselves in.
The administrators played a significant role in destroying that hope by installing a coach to fit the transformation specifications, but one they knew didn’t have the aptitude for the role. They cannot hide any longer. They must front up.
But they’ll be the first to turn on him if results continue their current trend and will then manipulate the next election to ensure their interests are served. Pathetic, the state of South African rugby. Absolutely pathetic.
By Ryan Vrede
312 Comments
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25 Aug 2008, 16:18 pm
Five mill and you are RID of Snor. Finito. Adios amigo.
25 Aug 2008, 16:22 pm
#294 Dust:
That’s not the only thing about him that is awesome.
25 Aug 2008, 17:05 pm
Hey everyone, im gonna start of by saying im not in the least a racist.Ive been brought up between black people and ive never had a problem.Ive also been brought up with a passion for rugby.I love my country, were a proud nation, we love what we achieve and even though small, we are respected.
Are these people about to tell us that they would rather lose respect, pride and dignity before chosing people on merit?Our rugby has been our peak point through the years, and they are throwing it all away.What difference would a black coach have made?Either way the players wouldve been chosen according to merit and i can promise you Beast, brian mujati, Adi jacobs, bryan habana, jp peterson, ricky january and conrad jantjes wouldve been there.Because they are on form and because they are great players who have a love for the game.Not because they are black.What is the biggest priveledge?
Heyneke Meyer wouldve done wonders with the team, look what he did with the bulls after that slump they were in?And the springboks were on their peak.Just imagine!Now these board memebers are going to transform our rugby into a joke where the players play for money and not for the love of the game, because they are chasing the players that have a love away.Just like our brilliant soccer team, that wouldnt have qualified for the world cup if we werent hosting it.
They havent got a love for the game, this board is trying to force change so fast that not even their own people can keep up, for example Pdv.They are breakin this nation and putting us to shame.While other countries are benefitting from our people that come over because of unfair decisions and the joke they call transformation.
25 Aug 2008, 17:13 pm
“The selection committee who recommended Peter de Villiers and those union presidents who voted him into power have left their candidate to die a public death. Now they have to be held accountable”
Hey Ryan, get your facts right. The selection committee recommended H Meyer for the position, but the union presidents still voted aginst their recommendations. Be carefull who u point your fingers at!
25 Aug 2008, 19:31 pm
This was another wannabe performance by a team that doesn’t wannabe playing the type of game their coach wants them to embrace. Sad but true.
25 Aug 2008, 22:06 pm
As die span nie in die coach glo nie, dan kry jy die tipe gemors van die laaste paar weke. As die bal nie vir Januarie reg gespring het nie, was dit 0-4. Die fout lê nie net by die coach nie. Waht het Gary Gold uitgerig om die voorspelers af te rig en wat het hy bereik met die room van die oes tot sy beskikking? Boggerol.
25 Aug 2008, 23:23 pm
#301 TheTackler:
R5mil is not even NZ$1m equivalent. NZ spent NZ$10m per olympic medal. Yep, by comparison R5mil to save SA rugby is indeed very cheap. I imagine sasol or castle or any of them could write a cheque for SARU to get rid of this palooka.
The only problem is…… who is going to replace him?? What are the chances H.Meyer got an escape clause in his Leicester contract which allows for release should the boks come a begging??
**** is part of this set-up already so he is tainted and Rassie is too young to have his career destroyed at the boks. Mallett is in italy and there is no way SARU admin are capable of asking Jake to come back.
26 Aug 2008, 00:43 am
#8 GARFIELD: As we used to say in the army, “kak grap, sit”. Garfield, your sentiments are noble, but the practicality of what you suggest indicates a very high level of naivete.
26 Aug 2008, 00:59 am
Some time ago there was an Australian prime minister who said, “…..this is the recession that Australia had to have….”
To use the analogy, Saturday is the game that we need to get really flogged – 40 points would be nice but 25 will do. Meaning that the sooner things get worse the sooner they’ll get better. Whatever his political connections and the colour of his hide, PDV will not survive the team getting systematically flogged. Rugby in SA does not exist apart from its supporter base; if that disolves, funds will dry up and all that they are trying to achieve for black and coloured players (if that indeed is the motive) will collapse in a heap.
26 Aug 2008, 05:38 am
#307 munkiboi: Who to hire instead of Snor?
Eddie Jones.
Laurie Mains.
Clive Woodworm
TheTackler
Take your pick. Make him an offer he can’t refuse. Plenty of noughts to be involved.
26 Aug 2008, 05:53 am
#310 TheTackler: you seem like a viable option tackler, apart from the fact you don’t know anything about rugby
26 Aug 2008, 08:37 am
I havent watch Springbok rugby since that kak display in Perth. Peter de Villiers must go en ****** vinning ook.
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