Sports / Rugby
Peter de Villiers to quit Sables
26 Oct 2018 at 01:57hrs | Views
ZIMBABWE national rugby team coach Peter de Villiers could fail to see out his two-year contract as Sables coach after revealing that he is considering quitting his post due to family reasons.
The 61-year-old former Springbok coach told the Afrikaans-language South African tabloid Die Son that he was contemplating stepping down in order to spend more time with his family in Paarl, Western Cape, after his daughter was recently diagnosed with cancer.
"My decision has nothing to do with rugby," De Villiers said.
"My family comes first. As a father, I have to assist her and I would prefer to be with her today," he said.
De Villiers, who last month survived the axe as Zimbabwe rugby coach after a disappointing first season in charge of the Sables, said he would make his final decision when he returns to Harare next month.
"At this stage, I haven't made a decision. I will be back in Zimbabwe next month and that's when I will make my final decision," he said.
De Villiers signed a two-year contract with the Zimbabwe Rugby Union (ZRU) in February, with the main task of guiding the Sables to their first Rugby World Cup since 1991.
Instead of aiming for a World Cup berth, the Sables ended up fighting relegation from the Gold Cup, only managing to avoid demotion on the last day of the World Cup qualifiers with a victory over Uganda in Kampala.
Zimbabwe finished fifth on the six-team log with eight points, after drawing against Morocco and suffering defeats against Kenya, Tunisia and Namibia before their only win against Uganda.
ZRU, however, decided to pledge its full support to the veteran coach following its review of Sables' dismal 2019 Rugby World Cup qualification campaign.
The 61-year-old former Springbok coach told the Afrikaans-language South African tabloid Die Son that he was contemplating stepping down in order to spend more time with his family in Paarl, Western Cape, after his daughter was recently diagnosed with cancer.
"My decision has nothing to do with rugby," De Villiers said.
"My family comes first. As a father, I have to assist her and I would prefer to be with her today," he said.
De Villiers, who last month survived the axe as Zimbabwe rugby coach after a disappointing first season in charge of the Sables, said he would make his final decision when he returns to Harare next month.
De Villiers signed a two-year contract with the Zimbabwe Rugby Union (ZRU) in February, with the main task of guiding the Sables to their first Rugby World Cup since 1991.
Instead of aiming for a World Cup berth, the Sables ended up fighting relegation from the Gold Cup, only managing to avoid demotion on the last day of the World Cup qualifiers with a victory over Uganda in Kampala.
Zimbabwe finished fifth on the six-team log with eight points, after drawing against Morocco and suffering defeats against Kenya, Tunisia and Namibia before their only win against Uganda.
ZRU, however, decided to pledge its full support to the veteran coach following its review of Sables' dismal 2019 Rugby World Cup qualification campaign.
Source - newsday
