Springbok scrum consultant Os du Randt’s contract has not been extended to cover this year’s World Cup.
The reason given by the media but not yet confirmed by SARU is that his contract was not renewed due to a lack of money. However, SARU have just signed a massive 5 year deal with Absa. And anyway, if they have to cut back, why cut back in a World Cup year of all years?
Other speculation:
· They need the cash from Os’s contract to pay another consultant.
· Os broke team protocol on the end of year tour?
· They have sucked all the knowledge out of him so don’t need to pay him anymore?
· Politics – they want to bring in a ‘coach of colour’ – think Jerome Paarwater.
· Os didn’t agree that John Smit should play prop.
· He has undermined the coaching staff by exposing their lack of ability.
· They didn’t get as much value out of Os as they had hoped.
· Referees are refereeing the scrums more strictly so Os’s techniques are no longer valid.
The non-renewal of his contract seemed to come as a total surprise, as is evident by his comments on Facebook:
“Ek is nogals hartseer dat die Bokke my kontrak nie hernu het om saam met hulle na die Wereld Beker te gaan nie, veral na al die beloftes van die coach gedurende verlede jaar se jaarteind toer. Ek wens die Bokke alle sukses vorentoe toe en gaan nou maar fokus op die Cheetahs om hulle weer op die wen pad te kry.”
“I am pretty heartbroken that the Boks did not renew my contract to accompany them to the World Cup, especially after all the promises made by the coach during last year’s end of year tour. I wish the Boks success going forward and I am going to just focus on the Cheetahs to try and return them to winning ways.”
At this stage, until SARU explains their actions, we can only speculate as to why Os was let go.