No PDV return - how the new Springbok coaching ticket is actually shaping up

The rumour mill surrounding Alistair Coetzee’s future as the head coach of the Springboks whirred back into action yesterday, as his side lost their final match of the November series, falling 24-22 to an under-strength Wales in Cardiff.

Coetzee has seemingly been on a hot seat as coach of the national side ever since his appointment in 2016, but the recent hiring of Rassie Erasmus, as well as a 38-3 humbling at the hands of Ireland in Dublin, have both poured further fuel on the fire.

Several reports in South Africa over the weekend have linked Peter de Villiers with a sensational return to the national team, but RugbyPass understands this to be a misunderstanding by those sources, with the Boks actually hunting Pieter de Villiers to be their new scrum coach.

He is not the only coaching change believed to be planned by the South African Rugby Union (SARU), either, with Jacques Nienaber, who SARU lured away from Munster along with Erasmus, lined up as defence coach and Western Province’s Dawie Snyman shortlisted for an attack/backs coach role.

Perhaps the most interesting addition, however, could be that of Deon Davids, the current head coach of the Southern Kings.

The Kings may have failed to set Super Rugby and the Guinness PRO14 alight, but Erasmus is believed to be a big admirer of Davids and played an important role in his hiring at the Kings in 2016.

Davids operated with limited resources in his two Super Rugby seasons with the Port Elizabeth-based side and has had to build an almost completely new squad for the current PRO14 campaign. It is believed that this has done nothing to diminish the regard that Erasmus holds him in.

As RugbyPass understands it, Davids would take charge of the forwards and be given the title of head coach, but with Erasmus in overall charge of the new-look coaching staff, in a working relationship that would be similar to that of the director of rugby and head coach dynamic that many club sides employ.

With shortlists drawn up and conversations seemingly at an advanced stage with prospective new coaches, Coetzee’s job security looks perilous to say the least, but the former Stormers coach is still committed to the role.