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CAPE TOWN Jan 27 (Reuters) – Former Leicester
coach Heyneke Meyer, who built the Bulls team that provided
the foundation of the Springbok squad for the last eight years,
was named as the new South Africa national rugby coach on
Friday.
The 44-year-old Meyer, who steered the Bulls to four Currie
Cup titles between 2002 and 2006 and their first Super 14
crown in 2007, was appointed on a four-year contract.
“It’s truly humbling but also a huge honour and
responsibility because the Springboks carry the hopes and dreams
of the whole country,” Meyer said at a news conference.
“I want to get the support of everyone behind the team and
to do that I have to pick the best possible team. I don’t want
to make promises I can’t keep. It would be easy to promise the
world, but I need to plan very thoroughly.”
Meyer succeeds the controversial Peter de Villiers, who won
a single Tri-Nations title and beat the British and Irish Lions
in 2009 before guiding the Springboks to the quarter-finals of
last year’s World Cup in New Zealand.
Meyer had initially been the favourite to succeed Jake White
in 2008 when De Villiers was appointed, and he subsequently quit
rugby before joining Leicester in June 2008.
The qualified sports psychologist has been named by lock
Victor Matfield, the most-capped Springbok, as the best coach he
has worked under.
The South African Rugby Union (SARU) had head-hunted Meyer,
chief executive Jurie Roux said.
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