South Africa have appointed their first black rugby union coach in naming Peter de Villiers as the man to succeed World Cup winner Jake White.
De Villiers steps up to the senior squad having enjoyed success in charge of the Emerging Springboks and the South Africa Under-21s.
The 50-year-old has got the job ahead of the favourite, Heyneke Meyer, who won the Super 14 in charge of the Bulls.
The other names on the short-list were Allister Coetzee, White's assistant, and Chester Williams, winger in the 1995 World Cup-winning South Africa side.
The announcement followed a meeting of the SARU's Presidents' Council in Newlands.
SARU president Oregan Hoskins said: "Peter comes with a good record and strong recommendation and I am delighted that he has accepted this huge challenge.
"South African rugby is on top of the world at the moment and SARU is confident that the new coach will build on this great momentum and move us into a new era.
"Peter has created history today by becoming the first black person to coach the Springboks.
"He is a strong leader and a coach with a proven track record. We trust that the rugby fraternity will support him and the team as we embark on an exciting new phase of rugby in South Africa.
"I am sure that Peter will make a major contribution to our rugby."
PETER DE VILLIERS FACTFILE:
1957: June 3 - Born in Paarl, South Africa
1976: Begins rugby career as a scrum-half with the Young Gardens club in the South African Rugby Union (SARU) non-racial competition.
1977: Moved to Perseverance College where he stayed for two years, during which time he was chosen for the Griqualand West SARU team.
1978: Attended the SARU national trials.
1980: Signs for Boland to play in SARU Competition.
1981: Named captain and coach of Young Gardens.
1992: Retires from playing to concentrate on coaching career.
1993: Named coach of Athlone Training College, winning the Inter-College title in successive seasons.
1995: Coach of Correctional Services.
1996: Coach of Tygerberg, winning promotion from Super League B in 1997.
1997: Appointed assistant coach of the Norwich Western Province Vodacom Cup team, and also coached Western Province Disas team in the SARFU Presidents Shield.
1998: Named coach of the South Africa Under-19 squad, a position he held for two years.
2002: Coach of the Falcons in the Vodacom Cup.
2005: Handed the reins of the South Africa Under-21 squad, taking the team to the final of the 2006 IRB Under-21 World Championship, where they lost 24-13 to host nation France.
2007: Leads the Emerging Springboks to Nations Cup success in Romania.
2008: January 9 - Appointed head coach of South Africa, succeeding Jake White.
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