Confirmed: Coetzee going nowhere
Cheetahs head coach Franco Smith was confirmed as a new member of the Springbok coaching team among a number of adjustments. A major new defensive coach will be confirmed once contractual details are finalised.
There has been rumours that Brendan Venter will be the defence coach.
"Franco Smith will continue the work he began with the backs and attack at the end of last year while we are very excited about the new defensive coach we have identified to address matters raised during the review. We expect to be able to confirm that appointment shortly.
"I would like to apologise to our supporters for the delay in this announcement, but assure them that it was necessitated not by a lack of clarity of intent, but by the need to first resolve all contractual issues. The outcomes we now have were agreed with Allister some weeks ago."
Meanwhile, Johan Ackermann will continue as coach of the SA 'A' team for the two match-tour of a French Barbarians team in June while Chean Roux, who won the Varsity Cup three times as coach of Maties, has been appointed as head coach of the Junior Springbok team, after a four-year stint with the Springboks.
At SA Schools level, Lance Sendin (SA Schools) and Sean Erasmus (SA Schools 'A') continue as head coaches while Renfred Dazel (Springbok Women's Sevens), Paul Delport and Marius Schoeman (SA Rugby Sevens Academy) will continue in their current roles.
Alexander thanked Smith for answering the call of the Springboks. He explained that Smith would continue as head coach of the Cheetahs in Vodacom Super Rugby (in 2017, 2018 and 2019), but be otherwise fully engaged on Springbok duty.
"Last year was an incredibly tough one for the Springboks and all of the rugby community suffered," said Alexander.
"We weighed many factors in the review process but we believe that these changes will strengthen the Springbok management hand.
"The new alignment at both a coaching and conditioning level with the franchises will also provide critical support to the national team. That process continued recently with our third coaches' indaba and another is already scheduled for later in Super Rugby when the coaches will come together for a third time to discuss our on-field approach. The conditioning coaches are also reconvening on the same day.
"I'd like to thank and commend all the Super Rugby coaches once again for buying in to what we want to do and for putting Springbok needs at the forefront of their thinking."
SA Rugby National team coaching and management staffs:
Springboks:
Head Coach: Allister Coetzee
Assistant Coaches: Johann van Graan, Matthew Proudfoot, Franco Smith
Team Manager: Ian Schwartz
Conditioning Coach: Warren Adams
Team Doctors: Jerome Mampane and Konrad von Hagen
Physiotherapists: Vivian Verwant and Tanu Pillay
PR Manager: Annelee Murray
Logistics Manager: JJ Fredericks
Media Manager: Rayaan Adriaanse
Defence coach: TBC.
Springbok Sevens:
Head Coach: Neil Powell
Team Manager: Ashley Evert
Team Doctor: Leigh Gordon
Physiotherapist: Hugh Everson
Conditioning coach: Allan Temple-Jones
SA 'A':
Head Coach: Johan Ackermann
Assistant coaches: Abe Davids, Chumani Booi
Team Manager: Willem Oliphant
Team Doctor: TBC
Physiotherapist: Basheer Mohamed
Conditioning coach: Andre Smit
Junior Springboks (Under-20s):
Head Coach: Chean Roux
Assistant Coach: Mzwandile Stick
Team Doctor: Jerome Mampane
Physiotherapist: Karabo Morokane
Technical Analyst: Hayden Groepes
Sevens Academy:
Head coach: Paul Delport
Academy Manager: Marius Schoeman
Springbok Women's Sevens::
Head Coach: Renfred Dazel
Physiotherapist: Reagan Cele
Conditioning Coach: Johno Meintjies
Logistics Manager: Michele English
SA Schools:
Head Coach: Lance Sendin
Assistant Coach: Ruan Bezuidenhout
Team Manager: Relton Hermanus
Team Doctor: Gerhard Coetzer
Physiotherapist: Kim Naidoo
Conditioning Coach: Andre Smith
SA Schools 'A':
Head Coach: Sean Erasmus
Assistant Coach: Mzwakhe Nkosi
Team Manager: Ofentse Moeng
Team Doctor: Gerhard Coetzer
Physiotherapist: Wernick Smit
Conditioning Coach: Ghafoer Luckan