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Coetzee says no to more Bok consultants

Cape Town - Springbok coach Allister Coetzee says he will not call on outside input for the remainder of the team’s European tour.

READ: Coetzee to be sacked by December - report

READ: 'Toetie' has opposite of 'Rudolf disease'

Coetzee will lose two assistants after this Saturday’s Test against France in Paris - assistant coach Johann van Graan will start his new role as head coach of Irish club Munster, while defence and exits specialist Brendan Venter will return to South Africa due to a conflict of interest.

Venter is contracted to Italy on a consultancy basis until the 2019 World Cup, and with South Africa facing the Azzurri next weekend, he will take no part in the preparations for the match in Padova.

Rassie Erasmus is set to start his role as SA Rugby’s director of rugby, while his right-hand man, Jacques Nienaber, will be employed as SA Rugby’s high performance coach.

Coetzee however is not planning to call on their help for the remainder of the tour, which also includes a game against Wales in Cardiff on December 2.

“We’ll just have to share the workload between us (the remaining management staff) and there is already a good plan in place,” Coetzee told Netwerk24.

“We’ve already done our preparations for Italy. I think we possess the capabilities to handle the last two Tests.”

With Van Graan and Venter leaving, Coetzee’s remaining assistants are Matt Proudfoot (forwards) and Franco Smith (attack and skills).

Coetzee is under pressure to retain his job after a humiliating 38-3 defeat to Ireland in Dublin last weekend.

It was Ireland’s biggest ever win over South Africa, comfortably eclipsing the 32-15 win in Dublin in 2006.

Coetzee’s overall record as Springbok coach now reads: Played 22, won 9, lost 11, drawn 2 for a win percentage of 41% - comfortably the worst of all the national coaches to have overseen 22 Tests or more.

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