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'Seven lean years for Boks'
13/01/2008 22:22 - (SA)
Johannesburg - Former Springbok captain Corne Krige has predicted "seven lean years" ahead for Springbok rugby after the appointment of Peter de Villiers as the new national coach of the World Champions.
Krige, writing in his column Losgemaal (loose maul) in the Afrikaans tabloid Sondag, lambasted SA Rugby for the choice of De Villiers over Super 14 winning coach Heyneke Meyer.
The former Stormers, Northampton and Springbok flank said he was horrified when he heard the choice of De Villiers over Meyer.
"I was in a meeting on Wednesday and I saw a message on my phone from a good friend telling me about the appointment. I didn't know if I should laugh or cry," Krige wrote in Sondag.
"For me there was only one logical choice to succeed Jake White as Springbok coach and that was Heyneke Meyer. Let me put it this way - Coach A and Coach B are up for a position. Coach A has won internationally at Under-21 level, but has no Currie Cup or Super 14 experience. He currently is helping out at Stellenbosch University.
"Coach B has three Currie Cup titles and a Super 14 title. Above this, 70% of the players in the country want him as coach. If you need to make a rugby decision, then it is logical that coach B is the answer.
Blame Mike Stofile
"But if you need to make a political choice, then coach A is the answer. Coach A is Peter De Villiers and B Heyneke Meyer - this is precisely what happened this week."
Krige placed the blame at the foot of SA Rugby's deputy president Mike Stofile - who is also brother of Sports Minister Makhenkesi Stofile and has been pushing transformation for some time.
"Now that I think about it, I don't know why I expected anything different. With Mike Stofile as chair of the committee, it was certain that nobody who would stand up to him would be appointed.
"They appointed Peter de Villiers because they knew he would dance to their tune. He will choose the players they want him to choose, and he will be politically correct.
"If they wanted politically correct, then why didn't they choose Allister Coetzee, who is also black and has been Jake White's assistant for the last four years?"
Krige added he believed the likelihood of Springboks playing overseas returning to play for the Springboks were slim.
"The chance that Victor Matfield, John Smit and others will come back, is not a good one. I am very disappointed and I hope De Villiers will be able to prove me wrong. My feeling is rather that - like it says in the bible - we will have seven lean years ahead of us," he wrote.
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