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Mbalula not aware of Meyer extension

Cape Town - South African sports minister Fikile Mbalula says he has not been made aware of any proposed contract extension for Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer.

Reports had surfaced before the 2015 World Cup that SARU would offer Meyer another four years, but that has ruffled some feathers with many thinking that he is not the man for the job. 

Meyer has been challenged on his transformation policies while losses to Argentina and Japan have also not helped his cause. 

But despite all that, there remains a strong belief in rugby circles that Meyer is still being lined up for another four years. 

But Mbalula knows nothing of this.

"I've got no report on my table saying that SARU have appointed a coach for another four years," Mbalula said at a briefing in Johannesburg that discussed transformation in the Springbok squad.

"It is SARU that will determine whether a coach is hired or fired.

"The minister of sport does not make a decision as to who the coach must be."

Mbalula added that whether the coach was "black, white or purple" it was his job to implement the transfer policies that SARU had agreed to enforce in their discussions with government.

SARU are set to discuss the World Cup and Meyer's future at a council meeting to be conducted on December 4. 

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