So we have a few coaches out their and I wanted to create a list of who think are the best coaches. We can see that Rassie and Mallet fell out recently in their views of what DoR should be doing. In Mallets case, he wants the Director to look after all of the SA teams and make sure that our franchises as well as all our other rugby teams are supported. To a certain degree, Rassie did that at the beginning and you could hear him talking about how involved they have been. Since we won the trophy we don't hear so much from Rassie, but he is still very much involved in the day to day planning of the boks. Even there on match day, that is if he is not banned.
Nienaber is the best defensive coach, but not a head coach and will never be. So who are the candidates.
Coaches in SA
Jake White
- Won the World Cup, coached in Japan, France and Australia and now leading the Bulls, even though his team has take a slump. Most qualified person and still wants another bite at the cherrie.
John Dobson
- Owner of SArugby mag, well read and sharp mind for business. Been at WP for along time, worked his way through the ranks, but only coached at Western Province. He has a URC trophy, the team is doing okay this year, but right up there right now.
Neill Powel
- Ultimately a sevens coached and performed miracles to get the the Blitzboks to world champion. Not doing so well as 15s coach but probably better suited at instilling culture at the sharks. Probably need another World Cup cycle to sharpen his teeth
Ivan Van Royen
- Lions coach, only every coached at the lions and never achieved anything. Beyond me how is still coaching. The lions is a premier team but yet they chose a novice coach with a very weak squad.
Abroad
Frans Ludeke
- Most under rated coach in SA, now in Japan since 2016. Only 55, actually won the Super Rugby twice with the bulls but Meyer got the credit. That said, the two of them made a great combo. Maybe bring Meyer back as director of Rugby and Ludeke as a head coach. But don't think they'll get a sniff
Ackerman
- Great success with Lions and transformed them into a fantastic attacking rugby team. However, they came unstuck in 3 super rugby finals and never got that trophy. Swys was at his side
Johan van Graan
- Former bok assistant coach, although he coached at Munster will limited success, they were in top 4 / top 8. He is now at bath and still circling the drain and not able to get any playing style for Bath.
Out of Coaching
Mallet
- Been stuck on the sofa for some time now and don't think he will take on the head coach or director role. Won the tri nations, set a world record of 17 test wins in a row. Coached in France and won trophies for Stade France, was the Italian coach with limited success, Italy basically a coach killer. He is pushing 67 now and not sure it is already will into retirement. He has learned a lot and would love to him as a director of rugby and guide the next set of coaches in SA.
Swys
- Was the Lions backs coach, then coached the lions, but had to step down due to mental health issues. Was an assistant coach for Alaistair Coetzee and then helped Rassie after that, but then got booted out the bok team for Stick.
The Clowns
Deon Davids
- Roland Coach and Kings Coach, did really good with with the kings and actually got a few wins, but never played a great brand of rugby, not sure what he has added since his joined the boks as they have been fluctuating results last year. Our scrum got dominated and some really poor forward picks
Stick
- If ever there was a quota, absolutely no coaching experience other than coaching EP u21, had a few goes at coaching the A team and have been absolute shit. That A team was loaded with fantastic players but got destroyed by Munster B team and then and Exceter B team destroyed them. Please don't let it be so.
Others
Gary Gold is somewhere but never a decent coach as he had very limited success.
Conclusion
If the boks want to be relevant and go onto the next level then we need to bring in a foreign coaching team that can bring in a breath of fresh air and that is not stuck in SA politics.
I vote for Joel Schmidt as Director of Rugby as he did wonders for Ireland and Leinster, his team may have bombed in the World Cup but that was down to the players not coping. Yet Leinster is insanely good
Ronan O Gara is another coach that I would consider as a bok attack coach or even head coach. He knows how to build a big pack but also play great attacking rugby. Rhule and Lleyds are playing their best rugby of their lives. Will Skelton has been massive for them even though is Australian.
I would vote for a foreign coaching team