New front-runner tipped to replace Coetzee

Rumours continue to grow over the future of Allister Coetzee as South Africa’s head coach and today a new name has jumped to the front of the list as his replacement.

Deon Davids, the current head coach of Pro14 side the Southern Kings, is being tipped to be Coetzee’s successor and is believed to be highly rated by new Springbok Director of Rugby Rassie Erasmus.

In 2008 Davids coached the Emerging Springboks, before becoming an assistant to Eric Sauls with the Junior Boks when they finished third at the 2009 Junior World Championship.

Since then, he has spent time with the Golden Lions and the SWD Eagles before being appointed head coach of the Kings in 2016. It is believed that Erasmus, who was head of the SA Rugby Mobi Unit at the time, played a role in Davids’ appointment at the Kings.

Speculation has been growing fast, following a second poor year in charge, that Coetzee has run out of time and that he will be fired after South African Rugby’s General Council Meeting which is being held on the 13th of this month.

This follows on from reports last week about a performance clause in Coetzee’s contract, which would allow the Union to sack him without a ‘golden handshake’. In the clause, it is said he must maintain a winning ratio of 65%. However, the coach currently only has a 43% win record, with victory in Cardiff this week not enough to to get anywhere near the required amount.

However, while Coetzee might feel the guillotine hanging over his head, he has been in a good mood in the build-up to the game against Wales, even joking when questioned about his future. “I’m definitely going in 2019,” Coetzee laughed in a press conference. “I honestly don’t know where the rumours start, and I would like to know the source. If you want a good holiday‚ you must earn it.”

The truth, however, is far from funny for the former Stormers coach, as in his time leading the Springboks, they have made history for all the wrong reasons, including a record loss to Ireland this past November, their first ever defeat to Italy, a very first loss to Ireland on home soil and also the largest margin of defeat against the All Blacks, losing 57-0 in September.