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Cape Town - Former Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer was reportedly not invited to attend SA Rugby’s coaching indaba next week, while two former coaches turned down invitations.
The indaba has been formed to "plan long-term and short-term Springbok interventions to ensure that systems are put in place to aid the success of Springbok rugby".
CEOs and coaching staff of all six South African Super Rugby franchises have been invited to attend the two-day event in conjunction with Springbok coaching staff and former Springbok coaches and players.
The indaba, which takes place in Cape Town next Wednesday and Thursday, will be headed by former Bok centre Brendan Venter.
According to Netwerk24, Meyer - who coached the Boks to a third place finish at last year’s Rugby World Cup - was not invited.
Meanwhile, two former Springbok coaches - Andre Markgraaff and Nick Mallett - will not attend.
Markgraaff, who coached the Boks in 1996, says he sees no point in holding a coaching indaba.
“Coaching is at the bottom of the list of concerning things that need attention. There are fundamental flaws in the structure and if you don’t tackle them, then you just paper over the cracks.
“South African rugby needs to undergo a metamorphosis, not a bunch of coaches sitting around a table exchanging ideas.”
Mallett, who coached the Boks between 1997 and 2000, turned down his invitation for the same reasons as Markgraaff.
After South Africa’s 57-15 loss to New Zealand last weekend, Mallett said on SuperSport that the blame for the Boks’ woes should be laid at the door of administrators.
“There’s no question that structures in New Zealand rugby is the template South Africa needs to follow. A lot of what we saw today should be squarely blamed on our structures and our administrators because we have not got a professional setup in South Africa that equals the New Zealand system.
“In New Zealand the All Blacks are always placed first. The New Zealand Rugby Union contracts their Super Rugby players and places them in the franchises. Here, the every team signs its own players and coach. What I’m trying to point out is they have a centralised system run for the benefit of New Zealand rugby, we have a system that benefits our provinces and not the national side, which should actually be the main priority.
“We can’t expect coaches or players to compete at such a high level with inexperienced and unprofessional administrators at the helm. We have 14 unions, but we can barely afford six unions," said Mallett.
