RUGBY NEWS - The announcement on Allister Coetzee’s future as Springbok coach has been delayed until next year but that is probably a case of having to satisfy legal requirements and other red tape issues, for it would be surprising if a decision has not already been made.
If you want to bet on the outcome of the Bok series against England next year, and the odds at the moment are excellent if you want to put your money on the hosts, bear something in mind – Rassie Erasmus will almost certainly be in charge of the South African fortunes. And although playing England in three tests is a tough way to start, the Bok chances have to be improved considerably. Erasmus has always been a clever coach, but he would have grown considerably during his 18 months overseas.
Even if Coetzee was to remain on as coach, Erasmus was always going to play a more leading role in 2018. He would not have come back from Ireland, where he derived considerable enjoyment and satisfaction from coaching Munster, if he was not going to have more powers than he did in his previous designation as head of rugby at SA Rugby.
Heyneke Meyer didn’t listen to him, and the delay in naming a replacement for Coetzee and the slow machinations of the rugby administration irked him enough to prompt the departure for Ireland in 2016. It stands to reason then that only the carrot of having control would have lured him home.
