Publications
Partners
Cape Town - Springbok scrum guru Matt Proudfoot looks set to join Eddie Jones' backroom staff at England.
This was revealed by Afrikaans newspaper Rapport on Sunday.
The weekly publication cites "three independent" sources who claim that Proudfoot is off to England after his contract with SA Rugby expired after the World Cup.
Proudfoot has been in the Bok camp since 2016 and was the lone survivor from the Allister Coetzee era.
When Rassie Erasmus replaced Coetzee as Bok coach in 2018, he was initially eager to get former France prop Pieter de Villiers involved as scrum guru, but had to keep Proudfoot on board as the latter had a contract with SA Rugby and the cash-strapped governing body could not afford to relieve him of his duties.
The Springboks nevertheless became a powerful scrum force under Proudfoot's watch and they destroyed England in that department during last month's World Cup final, which was won 32-12 by South Africa.
Register your interest for the British & Irish Lions tickets in South Africa 2021
Erasmus, meanwhile, has stepped down as Bok coach and will now focus on his director of rugby position at SA Rugby.
It appears a done deal that defence guru Jacques Nienaber will be the new head coach, with former Southern Kings mentor Deon Davids likely to replace Proudfoot as forwards coach.
- Compiled by Herman Mostert
