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White backs Coetzee as coach
04/12/2007 22:11 - (SA)
Sports Staff, Die Burger
Cape Town - Ruan Pienaar at flyhalf and Frans Steyn at fullback. That is where these gifted Springboks' future lies in Test rugby.
That was the opinion expressed on Tuesday by retiring Bok coach Jake White at the official launch of his autobiography, "In Black and White."
"If I had to start another four-year cycle with this team (the Boks) I would select Ruan at flyhalf and Frans at fullback," said White.
"I know a lot of people say Frans should be groomed as a flyhalf, but the problem is that he is very tall and so he takes too long to offload the ball with his line kicks.
"In comparison, Ruan kicks better with both feet. What I would do is swop Frans and Ruan around on defence. It helps enormously if you have a player weighing 105kg (Steyn) to defend in the flyhalf channel."
Another reason White foresees a bright future for Steyn in the No 15 jersey is the new rules, which will have a great impact on the game in the near future.
"One of the new rules possibly to come into effect is that a team may no longer kick the ball directly into touch after receiving it from a kick-off.
Long-range drop kicks
"That means many opportunities will come up on the halfway line for long-range drop kicks, and that is where Frans could play a big part."
White says a Bok backline with Fourie du Preez (scrumhalf), Pienaar (flyhalf), Jean de Villiers and Jaque Fourie (centres), Bryan Habana and JP Pietersen (wings) and Steyn at fullback should play together in the next four years.
Regarding his successor, White said it would pay SA Rugby to appoint Allister Coetzee (White's backline coach in the past four years) as the new Bok coach.
"For the sake of continuity that would be the best decision. SA Rugby has invested a lot of money in Allister's development as a coach in the past decade.
"He's already coached the Under-23s and the SA A team, and the time has now arrived to give him the senior post.
"What I would suggest is that Allister should be surrounded by a strong coaching team. People like Heyneke Meyer, Dick Muir and Rassie Erasmus could add a lot to Springbok rugby.
"It only makes sense to have as many experienced coaches as possible at the helm. Just look at New Zealand. In Graham Henry, Steve Hansen and Wayne Smith they had three international coaches leading the team.
Nothing to be sneezed at
"I know they lost in the World Cup tournament, but a record of 42 wins in 47 Tests is certainly nothing to be sneezed at either."
Concerning his own future, White emphasised that he does not intend coaching in South Africa again.
"I've won the Under-21 world title and the senior world cup. I think I've achieved what I could here and won't be able to coach at a lower level again.
"I'm not considering any overseas offers at the moment either, but nor am I saying that I'll never coach again."
White says it won't be a matter of betrayal if he should coach a side against the Boks sometime in the future.
"Look at Nick Mallett. He's now coaching Italy and they are due to play here next year. And Eddie Jones didn't think he would ever help coach South Africa. But it's the age of professionalism and these things will happen increasingly."
- Die Burger
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