Zimbabwe sack Peter de Villiers
NEWS: Peter de Villiers’ time as Zimbabwe’s head coach has come to an end.
Associated Press (AP) reported that De Villiers was fired by the Zimbabwe Rugby Union for unauthorised absence from work.
According to ZRU documents, the former Springboks coach was fired last month, but he indicated that he would appeal the decision.
The documents stated that De Villiers failed to return to work after a vacation last year. He was subsequently suspended and fired after a disciplinary hearing.
De Villiers said he was “expelled” by the ZRU for missing work while he was at his cancer-stricken daughter’s side. He also claimed that his bosses accused him of faking his daughter’s condition.
De Villiers was hired in February 2018 with the aim of getting Zimbabwe back to the World Cup for the first time since 1991, which they failed to do.
The 61-year-old was South Africa’s head coach between 2008 and 2011.
With De Villiers in charge, the Springboks recorded a series win against the British and Irish Lions in 2009 and they won the Tri-Nations title in that same year.
Source: Associated Press (AP) & The Zimbabwe Standard
