VIDEO: Why Matfield fancies expats for Bok job
Unlike the mass media speculation, South Africa’s most capped player of all time, Victor Matfield, believes someone currently coaching abroad should be the next Springbok coach.
The media frenzy went into overdrive since last Saturday’s shock announcement that Jacques Nienaber will step down as Bok coach after the World Cup.
His successor will be named ‘in due course’ by the South African Rugby Union.
It has not stopped the media from naming their own ‘replacements’ – with two current assistants, Mzwandile Stick (special skills) and Deon Davids (forwards), in the front on the starting grid.
Matfield made it clear that ‘timing’ is everything for a coach – using the example of Heyneke Meyer that should have gotten the Springbok job when he was at the pinnacle of his career in 2008, but got it four years later after having been out of the game for a while.
The Bok legend said he doubts very much a foreigner will get the job, given the economical and political “challenges” in South Africa.
“Someone from abroad won’t understand all of that,” he said of the external political pressure that is often placed on a coach.
While many names have been mentioned in the media flutters and explications, Matfield believes the real ‘prospects’ are South Africans currently coaching abroad.
(Article continues below the Victor Matfield interview …)
“I think there are three guys that must be right up there and very close,” he told a media Round Table this week.
“Johan Ackermann was very successful with the Lions,” Matfield said, adding: “Franco Smith [current Glasgow Warriors coach] has done well [in the United Rugby Championship] and Johann van Graan who has coached Munster and was a Springboks assistant coach for 75 Tests.
“He [Van Graan] is very experienced in that [international] environment.
“For me, if I had to make that selection, it would be between Johann van Graan and Johan Ackermann.
“[Those are] probably the two guys that can take over,” said the 45-year-old.
Retired Bok lock Ackermann coached the Lions to two Super Rugby finals, moved to Gloucester and then Japan, where he is in charge of the D-Rocks.
Smith is another former South Africa international and, after coaching Italy, has transformed Glasgow Warriors in one season from URC strugglers to fourth place.
Van Graan never played top-level rugby and rose to prominence as a video analyst with the Bulls and Springboks before coaching Munster and Bath.
Speculation will continue about his successor until the South African Rugby Union makes a formal announcement.
However, there are a couple of pointers in SARU’s statement that make it clear that ‘continuity’ will again be a factor.
The most significant is the fact that Director of Rugby Johan Erasmus will not depart with his good friend Nienaber.
And Rassie, as he is affectionately known, will be involved in the process of deciding who the new coach will be.
@king365ed
@rugby365com
* To read @king365ed’s take on the leading candidates, CLICK HERE!
