Springbok captain Fourie du Preez believes SA Rugby should change the way they appoint coaches, and that an effort to bring more continuity to the job should be made.
Du Preez was answering a question about what he thought should happen to coach Heyneke Meyer, following the team’s exit from the Rugby World Cup at the semifinal stage. While Meyer has gone one step further than his predecessor Peter de Villiers, he has suffered an embarrassing loss against Japan during the tournament and not a good 2015 altogether.
Ironically, while the pressure is on to replace Meyer, his win record stands at 67 percent, better than both Jake White and De Villiers, but his inability to beat the All Blacks has been held against him by many critics across the country. Meyer’s game plan is also under scrutiny and while it may have been the right choice for a rain-drenched semifinal, questions must be asked about where the team is heading in terms of how they play.
Du Preez believes the pressure on any coach at a World Cup is too much and that should be alleviated by allowing a coach to have his contract run past the World Cup that he can concentrate on the job at hand.
“He has had a pretty solid four years and at some point SA rugby needs continuity, you can’t just change guys in between World Cups,” Du Preez explained.
“Rather let it run for four years two years before a World Cup to two years after a World Cup because it puts pressure on the coaching staff during the preparation for the World Cup.
“Nobody knows if they have a job for the following year while preparing for a World Cup. My suggestions would be, whoever they decide on, let the contract go past the World Cup.
“He (Meyer) pulled us together after the Japan game and it was just small margins in us getting to the final and winning it.”
Du Preez, who led the team with valor, said the defeat against the All Blacks was a “bitter pill” to swallow after coming so close in a tense game at Twickenham.
“(it was a) Very, very bitter pill to swallow but this is sort of the way life is,” Du Preez explained.
“I’m very proud of the way the team stood up and I’m proud of myself and the way I stood up, I gave everything. I couldn’t ask more of myself and what I gave.”
He said the younger members of the team were definitely on track to win a World Cup in the future.
“(We are) obviously very disappointed and I thought everyone gave everything, the margins are so small and we had several opportunities to win it,” he said.
“Bitterly disappointed but I am very proud of the effort the guys put in. Going forward the younger guys, the immense experience they picked up at this World Cup will help them and those guys will definitely win a World Cup and be world beaters.”
