Rugby Union: Manager fights Luyt: Springboks sackings

IAN McINTOSH had no chance once he lost the support of Louis Luyt and yesterday, in an excruciating act of mea culpa, he even said he would endorse any decision to dismiss him as coach of South Africa after the Springboks' defeat in New Zealand.

Such is the omnipotence of Luyt, president of the South African Rugby Football Union. Jannie Engelbrecht, the Springboks manager, will also be sacked when the Sarfu executive meets on 19 August, but he has decided to stand up to his president.

'Luyt is in the game for his own ego and not for the sake of rugby,' Engelbrecht said. McIntosh, however, was meeker and milder: 'We didn't win the series and my simple philosophy is that, like players, you must be judged on your performance.'

When McIntosh, a mould- breaker as a non-Afrikaans- speaking Zimbabwean and the first non-Springbok to coach South Africa, was appointed last year it was on the understanding that it would be to the World Cup next May. Luyt now says that was merely a verbal agreement and therefore of no account.

Michael Lynagh, 821 points in 67 Test matches, is contemplating retirement before the World Cup because of a succession of injuries. 'I've got to the point where I'm struggling to decide what my priorities are,' Lynagh said.