The Springbok coaching job will not be advertised, with the possible candidates to replace Heyneke Meyer set to be approached during an intensive ongoing process.

Although some had expected the new Bok coach to be named as early as last December when the general council met in Cape Town, it was agreed that the necessary due diligence needed to be conducted in ensuring the best candidates are sounded out.

Saru CEO Jurie Roux is driving the process of recruitment, with a final recommendation then set to be tabled for approval when the general council next meets in March. If the post had been opened up to applications, SARugbymag.co.za understood that former Bok coach Jake White would have applied.

Although Allister Coetzee has been widely recognised as the front-runner to take over from Meyer, it’s believed that this is quite some way from being a done deal. Lions coach Johan Ackermann and former Sharks coach John Plumtree have been touted as other contenders, while there has also been talk that Rassie Erasmus is being considered for the role.

The Saru high performance coaching mobi-unit is the brainchild of Erasmus and there are a number of highly regarded coaches in that set-up who could provide additional assistance.

It also remains to be seen if there will be some proposed changes to the structure of the Bok coaching set-up that might also be put forward at the general council meeting in March, with the possibility of a technical advisor role to aid the head coach.

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