The successful applicant would be expected to contribute to all of HSM‘s sports magazines as well as keo.co.za. He or she would need to have good writing skills and an excellent sporting knowledge.

If you think you’re the right person for the job, e-mail your CV and examples of your writing to simon@hsm.co.za before 8 February 2012. Should you not hear from us within two weeks of the closing date, please consider your application for this position unsuccessful.

The Scots went into the game as favourites having not lost to their arch-rivals at home since 2004. They also boasted the more experienced line-up, with 499 Test caps in their starting XV compared to new-look England’s 233.

England were fielding three debutants, including former Sharks centre Brad Barritt, who made a good start to his Test career when he won his side a penalty at the breakdown.

The visitors had 70% territory in the first quarter, thanks mainly to some poor tactical kicking from Scotland, who put boot to ball every 35 seconds. But it took England 23 minutes to get on the board when debutant No 12 Owen Farrell kicked a penalty having missed his first attempt earlier on.

Scotland, though, dominated the rest of the half and two penalties from flyhalf Dan Parks gave them a 6-3 lead. England made several basic errors during that period, losing possession through a forward pass from Barritt, a kick from scrumhalf Ben Youngs that went directly into touch, and then a lost lineout inside Scottish territory.

The pressure England were being put under was evident by the fact that they had to make 79 tackles in the first half compared to Scotland’s 32.

Neither side had scored a try in this fixture since 2004 but that drought finally ended in the first minute of the second half when England flyhalf Charlie Hodgson charged down Parks’ clearance kick to score.

They almost crossed the line again 10 minutes later when Hodgson’s cross-field kick found winger David Strettle, but Scotland’s Zimbabwean-born No 8 David Denton, who was named Man of the Match, made a try-saving tackle.

Both coaches turned to their bench in the final quarter, with the introduction of Scottish halfbacks Mike Blair and Greig Laidlaw followed shortly afterwards by that of Lee Dickson and Jordan Turner-Hall for England.

Laidlaw made an immediate impact when he chased his own kick and only just failed to ground the ball over the tryline before Youngs dotted down. A minute later, Scotland butchered a certain try when flanker Ross Rennie broke through the defence but couldn’t find Laidlaw on his inside.

With six minutes to go, Farrell kicked another penalty to extend the lead to seven, and while Scotland finished the game on the attack they once again couldn’t make it count.

By Simon Borchardt

The match was played in four quarters in front of a crowd of 6,000.

The Blues scored six tries through Jerome Kaino, George Moala, Chris Lowrey, Anthony Boric, Sherwin Stowers and Dan Prior, while Michael Hobbs kicked three conversions.

Replacement Hurricanes flyhalf Beauden Barrett kicked four penalties in the third quarter as his side opted for the three points each time they were within kickable range. They did eventually score a try, though, through Julian Savea, which Barrett converted.

The Bok scrumhalf joined Ulster on a two-year deal at the beginning of the 2010-11 season from the Sharks. At the end of that season he won Ulster’s Player of the Year award and the Celtic League Player of the Year award, voted for by his peers. He was also named in the Celtic League Team of the Year. He has played a total of 29 matches for the club, scoring 166 points (including six tries).

‘I’ve really enjoyed my first two seasons here and when the opportunity came to extend the deal I was very excited,’ said Pienaar. ‘I’ve made some good friends here and I’ve really enjoyed the rugby side. The people of Belfast have welcomed myself and my family with open arms and so it was an easy decision in the end.’

‘We have been negotiating to retain Ruan since the summer and are delighted that he has chosen to extend his contract with us,’ said Ulster director of rugby David Humphreys. ‘He has been instrumental in the team’s success since joining us in 2010. He’s a true match winner and a total professional from his attitude in the gym, through the mentoring role he plays with younger players to the quality of performance he delivers consistently each week.’

Barritt is one of nine newcomers to the squad along with fellow Saracens centre Owen Farrell, Northampton Saints duo Lee Dickson and Calum Clark, and Scarlets No 8 Ben Morgan.

Barritt joined Saracens in August 2008 and has played 87 matches for the club. He was named Saracens’ Player of the Year in the 2009-10 season and was called up for England’s tour to Australia and New Zealand in 2010, playing the midweek match against the New Zealand Maori.

Speaking from the newly opened Stellenbosch Academy of Sports, where Saracens trained on Wednesday morning, the 25-year-old was delighted with the news he received from England.

‘I’m delighted. It’s an opportunity that I’ve been wanting for a long time and one I’ll be grabbing with both hands,’ Barritt told keo.co.za. ‘I’ve been in England for three years now, and I feel I’ve adapted well since my arrival. Now I just have to work hard.’

Over and above international retirements (Lewis Moody, Jonny Wilkinson, Steve Thompson) and long-term injuries (Andrew Sheridan and Richard Wigglesworth), interim coach Stuart Lancaster has axed nearly half of the 2011 World Cup squad including Mike Tindall, Nick Easter and Mark Cueto.

‘Lots of players have been putting their hands up and there were some tough calls to make,’ said Lancaster. ‘However, in line with the selection philosophy about starting new era for English rugby,we have taken the chance to make changes and give players opportunities to be part of the journey towards 2015.

‘We are looking both at the present and just as importantly the future. We wanted to get the right balance in potential and experience and giving us the flexibility to play in different ways. We need to use the upcoming games to build the collective experience and we are confident we have got the right mix to take England forward into this Six Nations and beyond.’

Barritt added that he’s excited to be part of a new era in England rugby.

‘Losing many players is the general trend after a World Cup. And this now a huge chance for the younger guys who are ready for the step up. There are some new talented guys in the squad and I believe their selection is warranted. It’s an exciting time for everyone.’

England Elite Player Squad (32)

Forwards (18): Mouritz Botha (Saracens), Calum Clark (Northampton Saints), Alex Corbisiero (London Irish), Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers), Tom Croft (Leicester Tigers), Louis Deacon (Leicester Tigers), Phil Dowson (Northampton Saints), Dylan Hartley (Northampton Saints), Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints), Joe Marler (Harlequins), Lee Mears (Bath ), Ben Morgan (Scarlets), Tom Palmer (Stade Francais), Chris Robshaw (Harlequins), Matt Stevens (Saracens), Rob Webber (London Wasps), David Wilson (Bath ), Tom Wood (Northampton Saints).

Backs (14): Chris Ashton (Northampton Saints), Brad Barritt (Saracens), Mike Brown (Harlequins), Lee Dickson (Northampton Saints), Owen Farrell (Saracens), Toby Flood (Leicester Tigers), Ben Foden (Northampton Saints), Charlie Hodgson (Saracens), Joe Simpson (London Wasps), Charlie Sharples (Gloucester ), David Strettle (Saracens), Manusamoa Tuilagi (Leicester Tigers), Jordan Turner-Hall (Harlequins), Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers).

The Durban-based franchise has competed in the tournament in recent years, but said a long upcoming Super Rugby campaign meant it wasn’t ideal to play tough warm-up matches beforehand.

‘We will play Boland and the EP Kings over two weekends early in February,’ Sharks assistant coach Hugh Reece-Edwards told The Witness newspaper. ‘Playing in the Newlands triangular involved playing two games [against the Lions and the Stormers] in four days at the end of this month.

‘We think it will be more beneficial to our planning and preparation to spread the games over two weekends, particularly this early in the season and with a long year ahead of us.

‘I believe the Cheetahs are taking our place in Cape Town,’ he added.

The Sharks kick off their 2012 Super Rugby season with a match against the Bulls at Loftus on 24 February.

Ahead of the Currie Cup semi-final against Western Province, Golden Lions president Kevin de Klerk sat down to pen a letter to each member of the squad of 22.

To Doppies la Grange, he wrote, ‘You are one of those rare players who can turn a game … but we haven’t seen the Doppies factor for a while. We need it.’ To Elton Jantjies, he wrote that he believed he could become the best flyhalf in the world and that he needed to continue working hard on the basics.

And so he went.

Such was his painstaking attention to saying the right things, it took him five hours.

For De Klerk, the original lion king, it was a matter of honour to be associated with the Lions of 2011. Indeed, when they followed up a week later with their rousing Currie Cup title triumph against the Sharks, he was beaming.

They had come through tortured times and he had inherited a mess, but here was growth at its most resplendent.

Exactly 40 years before, he had made his first start for Transvaal, the Rooibonte. In the ensuing years he had watched despairingly as the grand empire built by Louis Luyt in the 1980s slowly crumbled.

De Klerk, who earns his money in the demolition business, is central to the Lions narrative because he is such a core part of their revival. He wasn’t motivated by the gravy train, the free tickets or the headlines. What motivated him was history.

‘I grew up in Rosettenville, the son of a miner,’ he recalls. ‘I was always guaranteed a fight on the way home – and that was usually with the strongest girl.

‘I played rugby because I loved it. My first game for Transvaal in ’71, I locked alongside my hero, Piet Botha. I always appreciated what administrators and coaches did for me.’

That same year he was in the side that drew with Northern Transvaal in the Currie Cup final. He would go on to play many more games for Transvaal and later shared in a Springbok series triumph against the All Blacks. Lions blood courses through his veins.

Many factors contributed to the Lions’ ascendancy this year, but arguably one of the most important was the very first issue De Klerk tackled when he assumed the presidency in 2009.

‘I needed to get the team ethos back. We were very fragmented – practising in Randburg, gyming in Bryanston and then playing at Ellis Park.’

The point was that the team was literally and figuratively all over the place. And it showed as they became a laughing stock.

De Klerk’s philosophy was that the Super Rugby and Currie Cup sides were the shop window to the union. But the window was muddy, tatty, embarrassing.

‘We didn’t have the money … we had to farm with what we had. There was talk of unloading Derick Minnie and Michael Killian and I said no. They needed encouragement and belief.’

The next thing he did was work on morale, among the team and the administrative staff.

‘The first thing I did was pull the dynamics together – coaching, training, motivation – and helped elevate the spirit among the staff, the executive committee, the board and the trust. I involved equity partners too, but that backfired.’

De Klerk still hosts a bi-weekly session with his staff over tea and biscuits.

‘The improvement in morale has been phenomenal,’ he says, stressing that any success achieved has been the result of a collective effort.

‘Among the team, I wanted to bring back the culture of old, how we used to sing songs and tell rugby stories.’

In De Klerk’s first few months, Jake White’s ‘Winning Way’ was brought in, as was Dick Muir. The results were mixed, but one happy spinoff was that Muir recommended coach John Mitchell to the union.

De Klerk liked the New Zealander the instant he met him.

‘His demeanour, attitude and philosophy were just right. Take my word for it: there isn’t a better technical coach in world rugby and there is no way I would allow him to be poached by the Springboks. He is with me until 2013, at least.’

Mitchell arrived with the reputation of being a straight shooter. His direct style had won him few friends in Perth, where he was the founding coach of the Western Force, and he was known for wielding the big stick.

By all accounts, Mitchell’s players aren’t his biggest fans, but De Klerk likens that to his days in the army. ‘I hated my corporal, but I was never fitter in my life.’

The Mitchell method isn’t for everyone. The Force team ultimately rebelled, but the Lions were different, responding to his strong sense of order and discipline.

‘I think it’s because South Africans grow up with a deep respect for their elders and leaders,’ says De Klerk.‘John talks to the cause. Hy dra nie doekies om [he doesn’t beat around the bush]. There are lots of teams where it’s a case of the tail wagging the dog. You can’t become friends with your coach. John has no problem saying, “Listen pal, you’re not cutting it.”’

One moment during the Super Rugby season perfectly demonstrated his attitude. After losing 34-30 to the Chiefs in a classic game, there was a feeling that the Lions had done well. Mitchell wouldn’t hear of it.

‘We let this one slip. I’m not interested in people praising one another because they came close to winning.’

It’s an attitude recognised by Josh Strauss, the piratical figure who became a lightning rod for the team’s fortunes.

‘The talent was always there; the coach just managed it better. He instilled discipline and he made us choose core values. The guys he finished with are the guys who can handle it, who can take the criticism.’

Strauss and La Grange addressed the team during the captain’s run on the eve of the final. Their message was that they had taken so many pot shots from the media and supporters that nothing the Sharks did could blow them off course. When the players were handed their match jerseys, the number ‘9912’ was embroidered on, to represent 1999, the last time they had won the Currie Cup, and the dozen years since.

Part of what made Mitchell so successful was the training team he assembled. Wayne Taylor of New Zealand, his conditioning coach, is a stickler for fitness. He got stuck in. Even now, he says they are three years off where they ought to be physically.

Backline coach Carlos Spencer’s reputation precedes him, suffice to say that he hates losing. Despite his quiet presence, he lets the team know exactly how he feels. It was Jantjies who earned the plaudits after scoring 24 points in the final, but less dwelled upon was the bag of tricks Spencer endowed him with. The jinks, the subtle touches and the clever kicks are straight from the Spencer manual.

Then there was the quiet, brooding presence of Johan Ackermann, who fired up a pack of forwards that could by no measure be called outstanding. But JC Janse van Rensburg, Bandise Maku, Franco van der Merwe and others were like a band of brothers who stuck together and fought together.

Elsewhere, you only had to look at the form of players like La Grange, Strauss, Michael Bondesio, Minnie and Jaco Taute, a group of renegades, aspirants and nearly men, to realise that Mitchell’s great gift was his ability to draw the very best out of them.

But the Lions’ journey to Currie Cup success wasn’t without potholes. The fallout with their equity partners was damaging and there was also the messy departure of Jano Vermaak, one of De Klerk’s great regrets.

‘To lose him was a helluva blow, but then Bondesio came in and injected a tempo we never had. Watching every player develop was a thrill, but a particular highlight was JC Janse van Rensburg. He has the heart of a lion despite not being physically imposing. It’s hard to dwell on individuals, there were so many. Michael Rhodes, Elton, Josh Strauss, Franco … I saw Franco walking down the tunnel the other day and told him, “Now you’re starting to look like a lock, my mate.”’

Notwithstanding the difficulty in signing new players – ‘You don’t just pull them off shop shelves,’ says De Klerk – he believes they are well set to approach the new Super Rugby season with greater confidence. There is no hubris surrounding their Currie Cup win, just the certainty that they need to build on it.

‘I must reiterate that the victory belongs to the players,’ says De Klerk. ‘We were behind the scenes. All glory to them.’

The success in the Currie Cup will doubtless help attract players, as it did in early November when a number of new signings were announced, including the Cronjé brothers (Guy and Ross), Stephen Greeff, Callie Visagie and Hendrik Roodt. Mitchell will doubtless be shopping for more.

There’s no outlandish claim to cracking the Super Rugby play-offs, but De Klerk says he would be disappointed if they didn’t finish in the top half. The last year was pock-marked by what-could-have-beens, but with many young players now entering their third season of Super Rugby, the expectations are rooted in realism. ‘We’ve helped stabilise the rocky ship and they feel it.’

Happily De Klerk is in it for the long haul. He may be hobbling around thanks to recent knee replacement surgery, but the to-do list remains long and he remains determined.

Right at the top is preserving the status of the Lions as Saru ponders how to make six go into five for the 2013 Super Rugby season. De Klerk won’t tolerate talk of the Lions being removed or merging with the Cheetahs.

‘It’s been tough, but I’m going damn nowhere. I won’t allow these doors to close.’

– This article first appeared in the December issue of SA Rugby magazine. The January-February issue is on sale now.

They all have the X factor, something that sets them apart from the rest.

If the Springboks are to achieve consistent success against the world champion All Blacks over the next four years, they will have to change their conservative mindset and play an expansive game when the situation demands it.

These seven players can lead South Africa’s rugby revolution and take our game to the next level.

Click here to subscribe to print edition

Click here to subscribe to digital edition

Also in the new issue:

– Many junior players have failed to make the transition to senior rugby over the years because of flaws in the Baby Boks set-up, but the situation seems to be improving

– Why rugby is ripe for a global rebel league

– SA Rugby magazine reveals how Solly Tyibilika wasn’t the only black player to be mismanaged over the past four years and how South Africa has regressed with regard to transformation at the highest levels

– Saracens flyhalf Derick Hougaard on suffering from depression, the ‘soul destroying’ experience of Kamp Staaldraad, and his desire to force his way back into Bok contention

– England’s shambolic World Cup campaign left Martin Johnson with no choice but to resign

– Victor Matfield speaks to SA Rugby magazine about his post-retirement plans, why players should be treated like adults, and his second-row partnership with Bakkies Botha

– Your ultimate guide to the 2012 Super Rugby season: Everything you need to know about the 15 teams

GLRU deputy president Altmann Allers told the Sunday Times that the union is in ‘the process of huge restructuring’ and that ‘people have been retrenched’, but dismissed reports that player salaries would not be paid this month.

‘I wonder if the rumours will go away when the players get paid this week?’ Allers countered. ‘It is true that we are going through some financial difficulties but the players’ salaries will not be affected. I don’t know if it is a misunderstanding or if someone misinterpreted the situation, but we are going to meet our obligations in 2012 and beyond. We are in financial difficulty but that is exactly why we are cutting back.

‘There are a number of players whose contracts we didn’t renew,’ he added, careful not to go into specifics. ‘We are in negotiations to terminate [the contracts of] 13 others.’

Allers estimates the union will have 40 to 45 senior contracted players in 2012, 30 fewer than last season.

Had it not been for Alan Zondagh, Sharks fans might have been spared the frustration inflicted on them by Strauss in the Currie Cup final, and he might instead have been attending to our furry friends in their hours of need. Before he was spotted playing club rugby by the former Western Province coach, the Strauss life plan was directed towards saving animal lives as a vet.

In the latest SA Rugby magazine, on sale this week, we reveal how Zondagh helped Strauss to play for Boland, and how his impressive performances for Maties in the Varsity Cup resulted in a trial at the Lions.

Strauss also reflects on the Lions’ triumphant Currie Cup campaign and looks ahead to next year’s Super Rugby tournament.

Click here to subscribe to print edition

Click here to subscribe to digital edition

Also in the new issue:

– SA Rugby magazine reveals how the Lions went from Super Rugby chumps in 2010 to Currie Cup champs in 2011

– John Mitchell on transforming the Lions, living in South Africa, preparing for Super Rugby, and the Springbok coaching job

– The Sharks started to develop a new team dynamic during the 2011 Currie Cup

– Heyneke Meyer’s wants the Bulls to become the world’s best domestic side again. We reveal his master plan

– Boland Kavaliers coach Eugene Eloff on winning the Currie Cup First Division, losing half of his side afterwards, and Saru’s decision to have six teams in the Premier Division

– SA Rugby magazine assesses the candidates who will be vying for the Springbok flyhalf jersey next year

– In an extract from his new autobiography, Butch James reveals how he was promised the Springbok No 10 jersey at the World Cup only to fall behind Morne Steyn in the pecking order

– Graham Henry finally has his inner peace – and his World Cup. Now he can get on with the rest of his life

– From zero to hero, jeers to cheers, agony to ecstasy, no one has a better handle on the fickle world of international rugby than World Cup winner Stephen Donald

– Thierry Dusautoir is an inspirational leader and officially the best rugby player on the planet

– The inaugural Rugby Championship will kick off on 18 August next year, two weeks after the Super Rugby final

– Francois Louw speaks to SA Rugby magazine about his new life in Bath, the recent World Cup campaign and why he hasn’t given up on playing for the Boks

– The Springbok Sevens went into the 2011-12 World Series with a settled squad

The hosts led 6-3 after 48 minutes but were reduced to 14 men when fullback Leigh Halfpenny was sent to the sin bin for a late tackle on James O’Connor, who had looked certain to score. Referee Jonathan Kaplan could perhaps have awarded a penalty try but it didn’t matter as Will Genia took a quick tap and after several phases the scrumhalf scored.

The Wallabies struck twice more while Halfpenny was off the field. O’Connor, starting his first Test at flyhalf, put Lachie Turner away for a try with an excellent double-skip pass. Five minutes later, Wales coughed up possession in midfield, Turner hacked the ball ahead, and Radike Samo gave the try-scoring pass to Berrick Barnes.

Wales hit back with a try from Rhys Priestland and another from Shane Williams in the final move of the game that nearly lifted the roof off the stadium. But the Welsh winger will be bitterly disappointed that his 87th and final Test ended with defeat.

If the second half of this match was absorbing then the first was entirely forgettable, with both sides making lots of handing errors and getting slow ruck ball.

The closest anyone came to scoring a try was when Adam Ashley-Cooper sliced through the Welsh defence and found David Pocock. The ball was quickly recycled to Barnes, who kicked into the corner for Turner. The winger appeared to have scored despite being tackled by Williams, but the TMO correctly ruled that he had gone into touch before grounding the ball.

The IRB recently announced that TMOs in two tournaments – one in each hemisphere – would be allowed to do this on a trial basis, with the European Cup being the first.

According to the Volksblad newspaper, Super Rugby could follow suit.

‘There must still be decided what tournament in the southern hemisphere the new technology will be used in, but hopefully it’s in the Super Rugby tournament,’ Saru referees manager André Watson said. ‘It is good to use technology where it could be of assistance and I support it 100%. However, I fear that most people won’t realise that it won’t be infallible.’

The IRB is yet to decide how the rule would be implemented. The first option is for the referee to decide when he would want to refer possible foul play to the TMO, while the second option would be for each of the two captains to receive one referral per match.

Watson said a combination of the two could work.

‘One must remember that the captain can’t always see everything that happens on the field and won’t always be able to make a call to refer the incident.’

Mark Keohane, the founder of keo.co.za, also won the Sports Columnist of the Year award for his contributions to Business Day Sport Monthly. He was the second runner-up in the overall print category with Business Day Sport Monthly‘s Gary Lemke the first runner-up.

Lawrence, who has also been nominated for the New Zealand Referee of the Year award, became one of the most hated men in South Africa after his poor performance played a big part in the Springboks’ quarter-final defeat to the Wallabies. Sanzar, though, still think he is among the best referees in the southern hemisphere.

World Cup referees Craig Joubert and Jonathan Kaplan as well as Marius Jonker, Mark Lawrence, and Jaco Peyper are the five South Africans on the merit panel while Lourens van der Merwe and Stuart Berry come on to the reserve panel.

Merit Panel: Keith Brown (NZ), Marius Jonker (SA), Craig Joubert (SA), Jonathan Kaplan (SA), Bryce Lawrence (NZ), Mark Lawrence (SA), Jaco Peyper (SA), Chris Pollock (NZ), Steve Walsh (AUS), Garratt Williamson (NZ).

Reserve Panel: Stuart Berry (SA), Mike Fraser (NZ), Angus Gardner (AUS), Glen Jackson (NZ), Andrew Lees, (AUS) Ian Smith (AUS), Lourens van der Merwe (SA), Jonathon White (NZ).

Burger, who first played for the Boks in a 2003 World Cup match against Georgia, enjoyed an outstanding tournament in New Zealand, exhibiting the same abrasive energy that marked him as a 20-year-old debutant. He also made use of the experience he’s accumulated over 60-plus Tests, as well as some recently acquired skills, to leave a lasting impression.

The next Bok coach will face the challenge of building a new team and a new leadership group. Burger is certain to be one of the pillars, if not a strong candidate for the captaincy itself. Some tough decisions will need to be made by the coach, and the ageing veterans may need to make way for the promising youngsters, but a clever man-manager will realise that Burger is the kind of player he can build his new team around.

Also in the new issue of SA Rugby magazine, on sale this week:

– We analyse the Springboks’ World Cup campaign and rate all the players

– Why the Springboks must adapt their game plan in order to achieve consistent success

– Richie McCaw has a phenomenal playing record, but McCaw the player is even more impressive

– All Blacks coach Graham Henry has found peace at last

– We review all 48 matches of the 2011 World Cup

– The minnows made progress at the recent World Cup despite an unfair playing field

– Jon Cardinelli chronicles some of the World Cup adventures enjoyed by the SA Rugby magazine team during a seven-week sojourn to New Zealand’s rugby-mad North Island

– The SA U18 Sevens’ success at the Commonwealth Youth Games bodes well for the 2016 Olympic Games

Click here to subscribe to print edition

Click here to subscribe to digital edition

When the Springboks were knocked out of the recent World Cup at the quarter-final stage, Peter de Villiers said that his journey with the team was over. The vast majority of Bok fans heaved a huge sigh of relief and looked forward to putting the past four years behind them.

Now De Villiers, in an interview with SuperSport.com’s Gavin Rich, who is writing the coach’s autobiography, says he will re-apply for his job. He says he has unfinished business and that he has learned from his mistakes.

When I SMSed Rich about De Villiers’s sudden change of heart, he pointed out that the Bok players want De Villiers to continue. That is not surprising. When De Villiers was Bok coach, the senior players ran the show and effectively picked themselves. Why do you think Smit started the quarter-final against the Wallabies and not Bismarck du Plessis, the best hooker in the world? The senior players who will still be around next year would love nothing more than to have a boss who will let them do what they want for the next four years.

When De Villiers was named Bok coach in 2008, Saru president Regan Hoskins (who did not vote for him) admitted that the appointment ‘was not entirely made for rugby reasons’. Yet De Villiers ended up coaching the world champions for four years because Saru didn’t have the balls to fire its first black coach, who was clearly out of his depth.

At the end of the World Cup, De Villiers should have done the honourable thing and resigned immediately. Instead, he has refused to let go of the job he didn’t deserve to get in the first place, and has made fool of himself yet again.

As a coach, De Villiers is not in the same galaxy as Graham Henry (who was re-appointed as All Blacks coach following their World Cup quarter-final exit in 2007) let alone on the same planet, so those who say Saru should be brave and follow the NZRU’s example are simply showing how little they know about the game.

Fortunately, the chances of Saru retaining De Villiers, I’m told, are non-existent, so if he has any sense at all, he will walk away from the job now with whatever dignity he has left.

Follow Simon on Twitter

Follow SA Rugby mag on Twitter

When the Boks crashed out of the recent World Cup at the quarter-final stage, De Villiers told the media that his journey with the team was over.  However, he’s since changed his mind and wants to continue next year.

‘Not winning the World Cup makes me feel like there is unfinished business, that the story isn’t finished,’ De Villiers told SuperSport.com rugby writer Gavin Rich. ‘So if they call for applications for the Springbok job I will definitely apply for it. Why not?’

De Villiers added that the way the Boks had exited the World Cup, with a poor refereeing performance from Bryce Lawrence contributing to their defeat to the Wallabies, had influenced his decision to re-apply for the job.

‘I don’t want to make excuses. We got knocked out and as I said when we got back from overseas, a quarter-final defeat wasn’t good enough and we failed the nation. But what was so frustrating was that we appeared to be peaking at the right time, and there was still room for further growth. I feel the story has been left unfinished,’ he said.

‘I made a lot of mistakes along the way, but you learn from those mistakes, and I believe that I have learned sufficiently that if I was to get a chance to do it again, I wouldn’t make those same mistakes again.’

Burger becomes only the fifth player to win the title more than once, having also won it in 2004. He follows in the footsteps of Naas Botha (who won it four times), Uli Schmidt, Bryan Habana and Fourie du Preez (who all won it twice). Du Plessis, who spent most of the World Cup on the Bok bench, was the best player in SA according to his fellow players.

The Golden Lions were rewarded for their Currie Cup triumph with the Team of the Year award, while John Mitchell was named Coach of the Year.

2011 SA Rugby Award winners:
Player of the Year: Schalk Burger (WP)
Players’ Player of the Year: Bismarck du Plessis (Sharks)
SA U20 Player of the Year: Arno Botha (Bulls)
Super Rugby Player of the Year: Sarel Pretorius (Cheetahs)
Team of the Year: Golden Lions
Coach of the Year: John Mitchell (Lions)
Young Player of the Year: Pat Lambie (Sharks)
Currie Cup Premier Division Player of the Year: Josh Strauss (Lions)
Currie Cup First Division Player of the Year: Elgar Watts (Boland)
Springbok Sevens Player of the Year: Cecil Afrika
Vodacom Cup Player of the Year: Lionel Cronje (WP)
Try of the Year: Sibusiso Sithole (SA vs Australia, Edinburgh Sevens final)
Referee Award: Craig Joubert
National Club Champs Player of the Tournament: Justin Wheeler (UJ)
Women’s Achiever of the Year: Cebisa Kula
Craven Week Player of the Tournament: Jan Serfontein (Free State)

The Blues‘ 30-man squad for 2012 contains just four players new to the franchise – All Blacks Piri Weepu and Ma’a Nonu, 20-year-old Auckland wing/centre George Moala and North Harbour flyer David Raikuna.

Blues – Gareth Anscombe. Anthony Boric, Daniel Braid, Luke Braid, Charlie Faumuina, Michael Hobbs, Jerome Kaino, Chris Lowrey, Tevita Mailau, Pauliasi Manu, Alby Mathewson, Tom McCartney, Keven Mealamu, Brad Mika, George Moala, Liaki Moli, Lachie Munro, Ma’a Nonu, Filo Paulo, Daivid Raikuna, Rene Ranger, Peter Saili, Benson Stanley, Sherwin Stowers, Angus Ta’avao, Isaia Toeava, Piri Weepu, Ali Williams, Tony Woodcock, Rudi Wulf.

All four Whitelock brothers – George, Sam, Luke and Adam – were named for the first time in the Crusaders squad. New players include Canterbury hooker Ben Funnell, wing Patrick Osborne, midfielder Tom Taylor and loose forward Luke Whitelock.

Crusaders – Richie McCaw, Nick Barrett, Tyler Bleyendaal, Dan Carter, Wyatt Crockett, Ryan Crotty, Israel Dagg, Tom Donnelly, Andrew Ellis, Corey Flynn, Ben Franks, Owen Franks, Robbie Fruean, Ben Funnell, Zac Guildford, Willi Heinz, Ross Kennedy, Quentin MacDonald, Sean Maitland, Tom Marshall, Patrick Osborne, Kieran Read, Luke Romano, Tom Taylor, Matt Todd, Joe Wheeler, Adam Whitelock, George Whitelock, Luke Whitelock, Sam Whitelock.

While almost half the Chiefs squad named are new, they still have the big names in the backline and the no-names in the forward pack. Sonny Bill Williams is the biggest name of all and could start at 12, wedged between fellow All Blacks Aaron Cruden and Richard Kahui.

Chiefs – Ben Afeaki, Alex Bradley, Sam Cane, Craig Clarke, Shane Cleaver, Aaron Cruden, Hika Elliot, Mike Fitzgerald, Romana Graham, Andrew Horrell, Richard Kahui, Tawera Kerr-Barlow, Tanerau Latimer, Fritz Lee, Brendon Leonard, Lelia Masaga, Liam Messam, Tim Nanai-Williams, Maritino Nemani, Declan O’Donnell, Brodie Retallick, Robbie Robinson, Mahonri Schwalger, Toby Smith, Ben Tameifuna, Sona Taumalolo, Kane Thompson, Asaeli Tikoirotuma, Scott Waldrom, Sonny Bill Williams, Jackson Willison.

Highlanders coach Jamie Joseph sprung a surprise when he confirmed English loose forward James Haskell had signed for the Super Rugby franchise. The recruitment of Haskell, who is currently playing in Japan, as well as earlier announced signings, All Blacks Tamati Ellison, Hosea Gear and Andrew Hore, has been made to add more depth and experience to the squad.

Highlanders – Kurt Baker, Josh Bekhuis, Jimmy Cowan, Nick Crosswell, Elliot Dixon, Tamati Ellison, Ma’afu Fia, Hosea Gear, John Hardie, James Haskell, Jarrad Hoeata, Andrew Hore, Chris King, Kendrick Lynn, Jamie Mackintosh, Nasi Manu, Bronson Murray, Chris Noakes, Siale Piutau, Kade Poki, Culum Retallick, Jason Rutledge, Colin Slade, Aaron Smith, Ben Smith, Lima Sopoaga, Adam Thomson, Doug Tietjens, Shaun Treeby, Telusa Veainu.

The talking points of the Hurricanes squad is confirmation of Samoa flyhalf Tusi Pisi and the absence of openside Serge Lilo (who is still recovering from major knee surgery) and prop Jacob Ellison (who has signed with Otago and been named in the Highlanders’ wider training group). The only player picked up in the draft was former Tasman and Bay of Plenty prop Tristan Moran.

Hurricanes – Jeffery Toomaga-Allen, Beauden Barrett, Tim Bateman, Michael Bent, James Broadhurst, Richard Buckman, Dane Coles, Jason Eaton, Chris Eaton, Reggie Goodes, David Hall, Jayden Hayward, Cory Jane, Daniel Kirkpatrick, Jack Lam, Alapati Leiua, Faifili Levave, Karl Lowe, Motu Matu’u, Ben May, Tristan Moran, Charlie Ngatai, TJ Perenara, Tusi Pisi, Mark Reddish, Julian Savea, Brad Shields, Conrad Smith, Chris Smylie, Andre Taylor, Jeremy Thrush, Victor Vito.

Source: Rugby Heaven (NZ)

New Zealand 2012 Super Rugby squads
• 153 players across the five franchises
• 28 players new to Super Rugby
• Of the 28, 12 ‘bolters’ were picked on 2011 NPC form
• Eight players from the 2011 IRB Junior World Champions U20 side
• Two members of the IRB World Series-winning sevens team
• 14 players changing franchise colours

TAUTE’S LONG-RANGE PENALTY
Jaco Taute was knocking over kicks from 60m before the game so it wasn’t a surprise when he stepped up in the fifth minute to nail a 57m penalty that gave the Lions a 6-0 lead.

SHARKS’ LOST LINEOUT
The Sharks took the ball through 15 phases at the end of the first quarter, won a penalty inside the Lions 22 and kicked for the corner to set up a 5m lineout. But Bismarck du Plessis failed to find his jumpers and the hosts were able to relieve the pressure.

LA GRANGE’S BREAK
Doppies la Grange burst through the Sharks’ suspect midfield and sent Michael Killian away for a try that gave the Lions a 19-3 lead after 25 minutes.

WHITELEY’S STEAL
With CJ van der Linde having been yellow carded for stupidly dumping Keegan Daniel at a ruck, the Sharks launched an attack against 14 men in the last play of the first half. A try looked inevitable but Warren Whiteley (a blood replacement for Joshua Strauss) made a critical steal for his side.

LIONS KEEP THEIR COOL
The Sharks had scored a controversial try through Willem Alberts when the flanker had clearly knocked on, which cut the Lions’ lead to eight with half an hour remaining. It was vital that the hosts didn’t let the officials’ blunder get to them and they didn’t with Pat Cilliers being driven over for a try six minutes later.

TAUTE RUBS IT IN
Elton Jantjies’ superb boot had given the Lions an unassailable 35-16 lead, but Killian ensured that this would be a real thrashing when he broke through the Sharks defence and passed to Taute, who dived over in the left corner and then savoured the adulation of the crowd.