Duane Vermeulen and Daan Human are reportedly part of a major restructuring plan to address the failings of the Junior Springboks.
The Junior Boks regained some pride at the 2024 U20 World Championship with a 47-31 win over Wales on Friday at Cape Town Stadium in their seventh-place playoff. This after two difficult weeks, which saw Bafana Nhleko’s charges losing three times in as many games.
According to an article in Sunday newspaper Rapport, SA Rugby is undergoing a major restructuring to address the disappointing performance of the Junior Boks.
SARU CEO Rian Oberholzer expressed dissatisfaction with the team’s results, emphasising the need for significant changes. He stated, “We are just as disappointed in the Junior Boks’ results as the management and players.
“We realise it is not good enough. We’ll have a full review of their campaign soon.”
MORE: Bafana proud of Junior Boks’ final push
Dave Wessels, the new SARU head of rugby, is understood to be spearheading the restructuring, which also involves the Springboks and Blitzboks. Wessels is examining various aspects, including the timing of junior competitions and the team’s selection processes.
He is also exploring the possibility of involving experienced coaches from SARU’s mobile unit, such as two-time Bok world champion Vermeulen and World Cup-winning assistant coach Human, in future Junior Boks setups.
Last week, veteran DHL Stormers prop Brok Harris was briefly involved with the Junior Boks due to assistant coach Lumumba Currie’s absence.
Wessels aims to strengthen the coaching team, which this year only consisted of Nhleko and Currie. The restructuring may officially begin after the Paris Olympics, potentially impacting the Blitzboks’ 2024-25 Sevens Series campaign.
Photo: Steve Haag Sports/Gallo Images
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Src: sarugbymag.co.za
