Rugby: Springbok loss lifts Mains' mana

By WYNNE GRAY

The clamour for Laurie Mains to coach the Springboks will increase after the side's latest Tri-Nations defeat and Nick Mallett's post-match offer to stand down.

Mains, the All Black coach from 1992-95 and Cats' supremo in the Super 12 this season, is accepted in South Africa as the only possible alternative to Mallett. However, there would be many obstacles to that switch.

First of all would be Mains' availability.

The 53-year-old has said consistently that he would not coach any national side against the All Blacks. He even felt uncomfortable coaching teams to play Otago or the Highlanders, but relented in the new world of professional rugby.

If he could bend that much, his supporters claim, Mains should be persuaded to mellow on his stance with the Springboks.

After taking over as Springbok coach in late 1997, Mallett has had a tumultuous tenure. He guided the team to a world record-equalling 17 consecutive victories before the strife of axing captain Gary Teichmann and the Boks finishing third at the last World Cup.

Mallett was given a new contract until the end of next year and spoke of his vision for an expansive style to match the All Blacks and Wallabies. There has been little evidence of change and South Africa have gone down in four straight tests - their latest the 6-26 loss to the Wallabies in Sydney on Saturday night.

Mallett has copped the flak, with South African Rugby Union (Sarfu) president Silas Nkanunu slating coach and players last week. Mains, too, has queried whether the Springboks should change their style, especially when they are using many of the same players.

On Saturday night, a disappointed Mallett offered to quit if the national executive felt that was best for the country's rugby.

While there will be serious rumblings in the republic, Mallett will not be ousted from his job with the Springboks for their final two home Tri-Nations tests.

And his opposition can only come from Mains. Two other Super 12 coaches, Alan Solomons and Heyneke Meyer, are already part of the Springbok coaching staff and have collective responsibility with Mallett, while Hugh Reece-Edwards was fired from the Sharks.

That leaves Mains, who took the Cats to the Super 12 playoffs.

Some members of the Sarfu executive were distressed during the Super 12 that Mains did not seem to accept the new quota arrangements for black or coloured players. Apparently there is still resistance towards Mains from some black administrators.

He has the coaching credentials and has won over the support of the Afrikaaners on the high-veld stronghold of the former Transvaal union. It seems officials there are prepared to overlook Mains' nationality and have him as Springbok coach because he has generated success.

Meanwhile, even Mallett's detractors believe he will survive this latest crisis.

He has strong support from Sarfu chief executive Rian Oberholzer and black team manager Gideon Sam. There is also heat on Sarfu because they would not want to pay out Mallett for the remaining two years of his contract.

"I imagine things will be fairly hot for me when I get back," Mallett said yesterday.

"Obviously the public is disappointed with the results. So am I and the players. But I still feel that what we are trying to do is the right way forward.

"I have been offered the contract for two years. I would obviously like to see it through."

Mallett reiterated his belief that he was making progress, but was unsure whether he had enough time as Springbok coach to achieve his goals.

"The whole public wanted a change," he said of his alterations to the Springboks' traditional style. "Now, because we're not getting results, there's criticism.

"You're between a rock and a hard place."