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Aled Walters' exit the latest change to cup-winning Springboks staff
By Online Editors
South Africa have lost the services of the Welshman who played a key part in the Springboks’ 2019 World Cup triumph. Aled Walters joined Rassie Erasmus as his head of athletic performance in 2018 after initially working with the South African World Cup-winning coach at Irish province Munster. However, rather than stay on under new boss Jacques Nienaber, another colleague he first met at Munster, family reasons will see Walters take up a position back in the UK.
“It’s obviously sad to lose someone of Aled’s ability, but we understand that the unprecedented times we are in brings about difficult challenges and we respect his wish to return to the UK,” said Erasmus. “Aled has made an enormous impact since joining the Springboks in 2018 and I know that while the whole squad will be sad to see him go, he will also have our very best wishes for the future.”
Walters added: “My tenure with the Springboks can be described as some of the best times I’ve had in rugby, but these are uncertain times and the wish to be closer to families based in Wales and Ireland was a key consideration in making what was a very hard decision.”
The departure of Walters means that the focus for all three of the Munster staff Erasmus has with him in South Africa has now changed since winning the World Cup. With Erasmus himself concentrating on his director of rugby role, Nienaber is stepping up from defence coach to become head coach.
Meanwhile, ex-Munster assistant Felix Jones, who filled in as a technical coach in the run-up to the finals after illness ruled out Swys de Bruin, switched to a European-based coaching consultancy role earlier this year.
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I like to see the Crusaders lose as much as the next non-Crusaders fan, but the fact that most of their best players have not been available this year is being hand waved away like it shouldn’t effect them. It’s no coincidence that their first dominant performance came when they had more of their best players back. This is not rocket science. If they can stay fit their team at the business end of the season will include Tamaiti Williams, Codie Taylor, Fletcher Newell, Scott Barrett, Quentin Strange, Ethan Blackadder and Cullen Grace in the forwards - most of whom have barely, or not played this year. That is an outstanding pack that have not played together this season. McLeod, Havili, Aumua, Reece, and Halfpenny will be a very different prospect behind their first choice pack as well. Having said all that Penney’s record is scratchy at best, but given the players that have left and their injury list I’m reserving judgement. Penney’s appointment, a bit like Foz, has a similar stench of the incumbent having too much say in his replacement. They are lacking a truly high quality and experienced 10 which will make it hard for them to go the whole way IMO, but the list of teams who would want to play them in the finals will be very short.
Go to commentsWhere’s this people's champion come from? Irish people yes….other people? Their arrogance has become breathtaking. Not tested? Oh dear.
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