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.

"Our coaching review was focused on the Springboks and we identified two areas to give Allister Coetzee additional support at the head of our most prized national asset," said SA Rugby President Mark Alexander.

"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.

Roux will be assisted by Mzwandile Stick, who will take up the role as backline coach with the Junior Springboks. Stick was also earmarked to become assistant coach of the Springbok Sevens team but he has requested to remain in XV-a-side coaching and given further opportunities in that format.

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