Former Springbok winger Ricardo Loubscher is the new favourite to become Springbok backline coach for the forthcoming season.
SuperSport
South African Rugby Union CEO Jurie Roux was spotted in Pretoria on Wednesday for a meeting with the Blue Bulls Company CEO, one which ostensibly was to negotiate the release of some of the Bulls management staff for the Springboks.
But while Saru are keeping tight-lipped on the matter, and the Bulls have also not entertained any talk of their staff leaving, Loubscher’s name has been mentioned in the halls of Loftus Versfeld as someone being targeted by new Bok coach Heyneke Meyer for his coaching team.
Meyer was appointed in January and has since struggled to get the buy-in of the provinces to release staff to the national side, with CEO Jurie Roux undertaking the negotiations to get the best team in place.
Initially Meyer had targeted Stormers coach Allister Coetzee, who turned the offer down and chose to stay at the Super Rugby franchise, and the other contender mentioned in the media, Bok Sevens coach Paul Treu, has indicated he wants to concentrate on the Olympic role in 2016.
This has brought Loubscher into the frame, and the former Bok winger, who was coached by Meyer at the Bulls as a player, was then lured into coaching in Pretoria and has been learning the trade under the new Bok coach and Bulls coach Frans Ludeke for seven years now.
Loubscher has been a highly successful backline coach to the Bulls junior teams, raking in titles in his tenure there, and was also the Bulls backline coach for the Vodacom Cup team that won the title in 2010. He has since assisted Meyer in helping the Tuks Varsity Cup team become a force in the competition and is currently splitting his role between Tuks and the Blue Bulls Vodacom Cup side.
SARU GM: Communications Andy Colquhoun would not discuss the coaching roles before an official announcement was made, saying that there was no new news on the Bok management team at the moment.
But a source close to the Bulls has confirmed that Loubscher is on a “wish list” handed to Roux to discuss with Bulls CEO Barend van Graan.
The wish list also includes Bulls forwards coach Johan van Graan and conditioning coach Basil Carzils.
The one Bulls coach who isn’t likely to join Meyer is long-time confidant and friend John McFarland, whose contract is apparently locked in until the end of 2013. It seems Stormers defensive coach Jacques Nienaber is likely to fulfill this role, with most of the other positions already being “inherited” by Meyer.
The team manager Charles Wessels is likely to stay, as is team doctor Craig Roberts and physios Vivian Verwant and Rene Naylor, as all have long-term contracts with the national union.
Meyer has also not ruled out using consultants in his management team, with lineout specialist Victor Matfield a prime candidate to help the national team out and may even go overseas in search of coaching staff if he cannot secure his team in South Africa.
No timeline has been given for the appointments, and it is clear that Saru are trying to get the balance right, both in terms of having the specialists that Meyer wants, and those that are both affordable and available for the national cause.
Eishhh a bit of a dark horse… but hell, he can’t be as bad or worse than Tricky Dicky!
Ih HM wants someone from the Bulls, why not take Slaptjips?
Agree, he is a darkhorse, but if some of the youngsters coming through the Bulls systems are anything to go by, he has done wonders with them, so maybe we will see some fireworks from the backline.
2 @ Loosehead:
Eishhhh, Heyneke can’t take the whole Bulls coaching team!
Can you imagine the bitching and incessant moaning from the other Provinces’ supporters if he does that… not to mention the impact it will have on the Bulls.
3@ Lion4ever:
So we can look forward to more kick and chase?
4@ grootblousmile:
Like I care if the Bulls are impacted by this?
Slaptjips would be a very good choice as he is himself an ex WEEEEEEEPEEEEEEEEE ER!
@ Loosehead:
1st game against the Sharks, the kick chase was executed perfectly. Against the Cheetahs the Bulls ran them ragged.
Kudos to him, If HM thinks he’s good enough, he’s good enough. HM just about the best talent scout there is, and obviously knows Loubscher. I know nothing about him in terms of coaching, but HM will
7 @ Lion4ever:
Tell him Lion4ever, tell him!
Anyway, Ricardo is involved with Tuks as well and their backline bliksemmed Shimlas too on Monday!
Hehehe
Anyway, go to go quickly, got to go cut my shocking mop of hair… or is that my mop of SHOCKING hair.
Feel like a gollywog… have not had time to go get the bloody things cut… and now I’ve been INSTRUCTED to do so by Handbriekie!
Have to look nice for the Goemmas on Sunday…. apparently.
I’d get Wayne Smith. He’s currently busy helping at the Chiefs. He took the Crusaders to their first Super rugby title as a coach. Then took over the All Blacks for a year, where he felt he wasn’t quite ready. Took the job as backline coach under Graham Henry to create one of the best backlines the game have ever ever seen. He’s helped developed the verusco stats systems for rugby. He’s a keen rugby brain, and he’s getting wasted at the Chiefs, and we’re talking Allistair Coetzee, Paul Treu, and now Ricardo Loubcsher. I like Wayne Smith’s attitude. Honestly I don’t have much faith in most South African backline coaches. You could see the difference Campo (Sharks), Todd Louden (Bulls), Eddie Jones (2007 Boks) made when involved with South African teams.
“I didn’t apply [for the England job] and I have had no conversations with anyone over there,” he told The Press.
“So I doubt that would be the reason [if the RFU delay the appointment].”
Smith said he read the job description for the new England coach and there was “only one line about England becoming a world-class team or a winning team”.
“The rest was about creating relationships with the media and promoting the game. That’s not me, really. I’m a head coach or a coach, that’s where my focus is, not being a director of rugby at this point …”
Time to get the best guys for the job. Loubscher needs more time in coaching, he’s done well at junior level and that doesn’t mean much. Go big or go home. Get heavy weight coaches. I think Wayne Smith pretty much knows our players, and he knows the ins and outs of the All Blacks team having been involved with them the last 8 years.
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