Heyneke Meyer Returns to Elite Coaching

Heyneke Meyer is returning to elite rugby coaching with  Top 14 side Stade Francais.

The former Springboks coach signed a two-year deal. He will become head coach and director of sport for a Stade outfit currently third from bottom of the table with only seven wins from 21 games.

Meyer had been working as the managing director of a Hong-Kong based company, Carinat Sports, but it appears the lure of coaching at a high level again, was too tempting to ignore.

He said: “It’s a great honour for me to join a club with such a rich heritage. The mission is ambitious and I know cannot do it alone, so I am very happy to team up with the players and all the important stakeholders of the club.”

He brings huge experience and success to the role after coaching the South African national team from 2012 to 2015. He was also the Bulls coach from 2000-2007 where he won a Super Rugby title in 2007. Maeyer was also Leicester Tigers for the briefest of stints in season 2008-09.

Tigers: Meyer was briefly the head coach for Leicester (Getty Images)

He will be responsible for trying to overturn the clubs current poor run of form and clearly has all the support of Club President Hubert Patricot, and the owner of the team, Hans-Peter Wild.

Patricot said: “With the support of Robert Mohr and the all the other coaches, Meyer will allow the club to accelerate its progress on the path of performance and excellence. On behalf of all the teams of Stade Français Paris, I welcome him.”

Wild, owner of Stade Francias said: “The arrival of world-renowned coach Heyneke Meyer to head the Stade Français’ sports project confirms the ambition we have to be competitive in the Top 14 and on the European scene. I trust Heyneke to build a professional team. He has my full support for his plan of action.”

Only time will tell if he can be successful for the French side.

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