Ex-Springbok coach De Villiers faces major challenges as Zimbabwe seek spot at 2019 World Cup
It was certainly one of the more surprising appointments of 2018 when Peter De Villiers was announced as Zimbabwe’s new head coach in February.
His considerable task is to guide the country to their first Rugby World Cup since 1991 and only their third overall.
De Villiers hasn’t coached internationally since 2011, when South Africa were beaten at the quarter-final stage of the World Cup by Australia.
But his pedigree is without question, he won a Test series against the British and Irish Lions 2-1 in 2009, along with the Tri-Nations title the same year, beating the All Blacks three times.
One of the biggest challenges De Villiers faces with Zimbabwe is to expand the pool of players available to him. But it’s not at the top table where De Villiers can dine when it comes to recruiting talent, one of the those called up is England-based player Dylan Baptista, a winger who plays for Tottonians in the London 1 South league – the sixth tier of English rugby. Another is South African-born Johan Stander, who plies his trade for Cape Town club side False Bay.
There is an Irish flavour too, Brian du Toit was in the Ireland Club international squad in 2016 while playing for Dublin University and is called up by Zimbabwe for the first time. His older brother Peter du Toit is a former Ireland Under 20 scrum-half, who was on the books at Leinster and won All Ireland League titles with Clontarf in 2014 and 2016 – the second of which was alongside Ireland Grand Slam winner Joey Carbery. He’s already earned senior honours for Zimbabwe and was part of the team which failed to reach the 2015 World Cup and is back again for his second attempt to qualify. They’re eligible to play for the Sables because of a Zimbabwean father, but have lived in Ireland from a young age.
De Villers will get a chance to assess his eclectic collection of players today when a Zimbabwean invitational side called Zambezi Steelers, which also features former All Blacks forward Rodney So’oialo, faces South Africa’s Blue Bulls in Harare in an exhibition match.
“A lot of excitement in me, we just finished our final preparation for our first game on Saturday, I look forward to it. I can’t wait to get to the field, with all this trust in the players. I am looking to see them going on the field and showcase their talent.”
“It’s not an easy game (against the) Blue Bulls, but then again that’s what we are here for. We don’t want easy games, we want to show the world that we will be ready to take on the biggest challenges that can be posed to us as Zimbabwe national team.”
The match is being used by De Villiers to prepare for Africa Gold Cup, which acts as a qualifying tournament for the 2019 World Cup. There are six teams vying for the Gold Cup title – Zimbabwe, reigning champions Namibia, 2017 runners-up Kenya, Tunisia, Uganda and Morocco, the winners of the Silver Cup. Zimbabwe start the tournament with a match against Morocco on June 16th.
lets get behind our boys @zimbabwerugby @tchavhanga @CoachRodderz @capitalkfm @SfmZimbabwe @Gambasports pic.twitter.com/z4ZaVwe1HQ
— Africalegendsleague (@Africanlegendz) April 12, 2018
Last year Zimbabwe had a disastrous Africa Gold Cup, registering just one win, against Senegal, and slumping to defeats to Namibia, Kenya, Uganda and Tunisia. A drastic turnaround in fortunes is required in order to reach Japan, as only the champions advance.
Zimbabwe’s biggest threat is likely to come from Namibia, who have qualified for the last four Rugby World Cup’s and are coached by the experienced Phil Davies, the Welshman who as Director of Rugby took Leeds RFC from National League Division Four to the Premiership and playing in Heineken Cup.
There is an added incentive for De Villiers to reach the World Cup as the Africa 1 winners would come up against South Africa and the All Blacks in Pool B, along with Italy and the Repechage winner. De Villiers won’t be looking that far ahead yet, he has immediate issues to address.
Comments on RugbyPass
Rubbish article! Abuladze played most of Exeters matches when fit. He got injured against Glasgow a while ago and is out for the rest of the season, thats why he hasnt played for Exeter and Georgia recently. Do some proper research next time!
1 Go to commentsGotta love it when kids throw their toys out the pram and can’t hack it with the grown ups debate. Here’s looking at you turlough! 😉🤣
143 Go to commentsThey lost the game period move on
88 Go to commentsSpringboks won! Stop winging. You can change the game however much you and your rugby colonizing IRB want to and the Springboks will win you at that too. Your mind is colonized my friend get a life
88 Go to commentsBen, nobody gets fooled anymore by selective and biased data to support an hypothesis. Games are decided on such small margins these days that you win some and lose some, and dominance is a thing of the rugby past. Look at the RWC circle of fortune…. Ireland beats SA who beat France who beat NZ who beat Ireland. And so it goes on. Match officials help to eliminate real indiscretions. If they had been with us years before, no doubt results would have been different. Remember Andy Haden’s dive from a lineout in 1978 for which a match-wining penalty was awarded? Wales should have beaten the ABs that day. They took the loss like the gentlemen they were.
88 Go to commentsWith all the analysis and how good the all blacks were.The fundamental mistake with the ABs is that this is a test match and not an exhibition.There is no better team(country) in world rugby than the Boks that knows how to win a test match(we are post masters at this).We know our rules, we have the discipline, we tackle like beasts, we take our points and we never give up.I now have educated the ABs supporters(at least say thank you).Please stop “bitching” , accept what the outcome is and move along swiftly.
88 Go to commentsAnd they came from behind to win two big games before the final. No one can say what would have happened. Had the boks gone behind the game plan changes and the result may changes. Ifs and ands are irrelevant. The boks won. Neutral critics enjoyed the games they played. Its not a popularity contest. Get over it and move on.
88 Go to commentsI'm happy for the people of SA to get a second WC. And I mean that. I was very disappointed with this man's “stand on the hand” incident with Josh Van Der Flyer (Ireland). Ireland's downfall in the last WC was they did not rotate their first 15 as the head coach probably should have. That said, I'm happy for SA and genuinely hope it lifts the mood in their country. Ireland did beat them in the first match of the tournament. And before the trolls start trolling ….. please don't bother. Etzbeth said recently that the Irish players said after the match “see you in the final”…..this was actually wishing the SA team the best of luck in the rest, the Irish team were not dismissing the AB’s. This is what Etzbeth was implying. But he was wrong. I no longer live in Ireland. But I hope to see them lift that cup before I pass. Anyway, congratulations SA. 👍
12 Go to commentsMore bloody click bait. Dan Carter has said absolutely nothing. As he should do. Poor journalism again from a site that should know better
9 Go to commentsOh god please help these loosers get over it!!!! You lost. Doesn't matter how many times you dummies are gonna analyse the game, you still lost and we are still Rygby World Champions….get over it, you lost.
88 Go to commentsThe next Willie le Roux. SA are made not to use him.
2 Go to commentsDan has always been as controversial as tea with milk so we were never going to get any definitive answer. So DMac for the win.
9 Go to commentsGoodness. When are the All Blacks and New Zealand commentators going to stop complaining about how they could have won and just try to win next time 😂. In South Africa if you lose you get up and try again. Get over it.
88 Go to commentsHonestly, it doesn’t matter a whole lot. RSA has a ton of experienced talent in its leadership group. I am more interested in who is the new 8 man/8 men and the younger props. The captain may change but the system does not
1 Go to comments“See you in the final” can mean whatever you want it to mean. To me it means that 12 Irish rugby players are a bunch of poeses. See y’all in Pretoria.
143 Go to commentsBen, you are one of the most arrogant and self opionated rugby critics I have ever come across (next to Keohane). I hoped that after SA beating the best ranked teams in the world on their way to the WC (something not done before) that you might have the grace to admit that this is a special team that deserved the accolades coming their way. You have no humility and as has been been already pointed out, merely a troll to attract audience numbers. Count me out in the future.
88 Go to comments‘War of independence’. Such a grand name for a few skirmishes. Where were all the great battles of this ‘war’ ? Smith got goosebumps as he was being emotionally manipulated, another mushroom.
1 Go to commentsFor all those disputing the veracity of Etzebeth’s very public recollections of the Irish players’ comments, I have one question: should we be holding our collective breath in anticipation of a barrage of strenuous denials from the Irish squad? Then again, perhaps not…
143 Go to comments> If the game of rugby is to grow globally, then the rugby Sth Africa play needs to be exterminated. Their performances at World Cup ‘19 & ‘23 were the antithesis to what the game should be. If the World Cup final is the grand spectacle of the game, please no more having to endure the drudgery and insipid ‘style ‘ of play harking back to pre WWII days, where the soulless rugby of the Bok reflected the mindset of a nation. > Gotta agree with Ben Smith, “ the Springboks took the trophy by default, with what might be the most unimpressive escape of all time “.
88 Go to commentsI think Rassie should bring in some new guys and give them a go in these irrelevant games. It’s a chance to blood some guys that might otherwise not get a chance and see if they’re up to it. As for the who’s number 1 dispute? Don’t care. As long as the trophies are brought home, that argument isn’t important. Champions don’t fuss about the could’ve, would’ve, should’ve. They just do, and that for me makes SA and NZ the top dogs. Followed by Ireland and occasionally England.
225 Go to comments