Former Springbok coach Peter de Villiers has made a return to rugby in South Africa and will coach the national deaf sevens team
Former Springbok coach Peter de Villiers has made a return to rugby in South Africa and will coach the national deaf sevens team.
Former Bok coach Peter de Villiers makes return to rugby in SA
According to Rapport, De Villiers' appointment was confirmed by Reneen Stenekamp, president of the SA Rugby Association for deaf players.
De Villiers, who coached the Springboks between 2008 and 2011, will take the coaching reins with immediate effect.
"Peter has been appointed with immediate effect until and including the World Cup tournament for deaf sevens players in Cordoba, Argentina," says Stenekamp.
The tournament takes place in 2023.
De Villiers confirmed that he jumped at the opportunity to be involved.
"During my time as Bok head coach, I firmly believed that rugby had the power to uplift the community and, more importantly, to develop individuals who might not have had the same access to sport like others," says De Villiers.
"When the SA Rugby Association for the deaf approached me and explained their reasons for creating two teams for male and female players who will work to play in a World Cup next year, I immediately said I wanted to be involved.
"The chance to add value to a class of rugby that I have never experienced before, to help individuals reach their potential and also to develop future leaders and finishers in South Africa is something that I simply could not pass up," said De Villiers