SA Rugby are reportedly happy to let Rassie Erasmus fill the role of Springbok head coach in the interim, with Jacques Nienaber departing for Ireland.
Nienaber, who coached the Springboks to a historic World Cup title defence on Saturday, is set to join Leinster, having signed a contract with the Irish club before the tournament got under way in France.SA Rugby did announce before the World Cup that a majority of the coaching staff, including assistants Mzwandile Stick, Deon Davids, Daan Human and Andy Edwards, have extended their contracts to stay with the Springboks. Felix Jones will be departing to take up a role with England.
SA Rugby has no immediate plans to advertise the role of head coach and are happy to let director of rugby Erasmus take the reins until a final decision is made. Erasmus, who is contracted with SA Rugby until 2025, performed both the director of rugby and Bok head coach duties when he returned to South Africa from Ireland in 2018, before stepping aside to let Nienaber coach the team in 2020.
Duane Vermeulen is reportedly being eyed as Nienaber’s successor as defence coach, with the veteran No 8 now set to hang up his boots. Vermeulen is seen as someone who can keep the Bok defence running in Nienaber’s absence, having worked with the coach since 2005. The 37-year-old is also seen as someone who can specialise in coaching driving mauls.This content is not behind a paywall and it is Habari Media's commitment that it remains so and access to the content is free.
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