As we reach the magical, mystical and unfathomable date of January 27th for the announcement of our new Springbok coach, and as the excitement builds, the media hacks go into overdrive. This comes second only to the general election results in terms of hype. Who’s in, who’s out, the circus continues, SARU aren’t helping, but here’s the latest.

According to the Rapport today, Rassie Erasmus, Jaques Nienaber and Paul Treu are to form part of the Bok coaching staff – Erasmus taking up the newly created role of technical advisor.

Weren’t we just told that he was off seeking fresher pastures in Europe? Perhaps hooking up with Nick Mallet in an English role? Not any more, it seems. With him will be coming his favourite sidekick Nienaber, who will leave  the Stormers shortly – no real shock there, and Paul Treu who, it is rumoured will be leaving the coaching post with the Sevens to take up a full time role with the Boks.

This will leave just the coaching job left, and it seems that both De Villiers and Alastair Coetzee have completely fallen off the bus, and the two front runners are now just Gert Smal and Heyneke Meyer, with the Rapport again putting Meyer ahead in the race at the moment. The new coach will be given a two year contract, not the four year contract given to the last few coaches. At least this means the “judge me on the next world cup’ garbage can’t be thrown at us!

Rassie, however, feels that you need to be about 50 to be able to do the Bok job and handle the politics, and that he is too young.

So, take it all how you see it, as long as we have journo’s scraping for stories, insiders leaking secret documents and the men from SARU dropping hints here,there and everywhere, we will have this round-a-bout.