Smal to stick with emerald green?
According to reports in the Irish media Gert Smal will be staying on as Ireland’s forwards coach in a move that leaves Bulls legend Heyneke Meyer as the sole frontrunner for the Springbok coaching job.
Smal had emerged as a hot favourite for the vacant position alongside Meyer in recent weeks, but a report in the Irish Times citing sources inside the IRFU claimed that there has been no indication that Smal will leave before his contract ends and “certainly not before the upcoming Six Nations”.
Smal has plenty of relevant experience which qualifies him to lead South Africa as he has experience as a head coach, having been in charge of the Stormers, as well as having spent plenty of time in the Springbok set-up when he was Jake White’s forwards coach from 2004 to 2007.
However this website’s sources have revealed that SARU have already started getting hold of prospective candidates who have not got the job, which could suggest that Smal has already got a call and therefore will be sticking with his post in Ireland.
With Smal seemingly out of the running for the Springbok job that leaves highly successful Bulls mentor Meyer, who lost out to Peter de Villiers four years ago, as the leading candidate for the position.
Meyer led the Bulls to Super Rugby glory in 2007 as well as claiming four Currie Cup titles in six years between 2002 and 2007, so he has a proven track record of success and would be a popular choice.
Although he has not publically confirmed that he is in the running for the position, it is believed that his proposed management team which is rumoured to include Rassie Erasmus, Paul Treu and Jacques Nienaber has impressed many within SARU who are set to unveil the new coach on January 27.
