Heyneke Meyer
Encyclopedia
Heyneke Meyer is a rugby union coach, most recently Head Coach at Leicester Tigers
in the Guinness Premiership
. He is the former coach of the Blue Bulls
in the Super 14
competition.
After studying sports psychology at the University of Pretoria
Meyer coached a variety of smaller clubs before joining the Eagles
as assistant coach in 1997. The following year he was promoted to head coach and took the team to seventh place in the Currie Cup
and to the semi finals in the following year. In 2000 Meyer joined the Northern Bulls as head coach. In 2002 he became head coach of the Blue Bulls
and coached them to 4 Currie Cup
titles in between 2002 and 2006. In 2007, the team became the first South African team to win the Super 14
's competition.
In February 2008 Meyer was expected to succeed Jake White
as coach of the South African national team but after this job went to Peter De Villiers
Meyer quit rugby and accepted a senior position at a sports supplement company.
In June 2008 Meyer was appointed Head Coach at Leicester Tigers
succeeding Marcelo Loffreda
. In January 2009 he took compassionate leave from his Tigers post to attend to family matters in South Africa – however, Meyer tendered his resignation from the Tigers on January 28, 2009.
Leicester Tigers
Leicester Tigers is an English rugby union club that plays in the Aviva Premiership.Leicester are the most successful English club since the introduction of league rugby in 1987, a record 9 times English champions - 3 more than either Bath or Wasps, the last of which was in 2010...
in the Guinness Premiership
Guinness Premiership
The English Premiership, also currently known as the Aviva Premiership because of the league's sponsorship by Aviva, is a professional league competition for rugby union football clubs in the top division of the English rugby system. There are twelve clubs in the Premiership...
. He is the former coach of the Blue Bulls
Blue Bulls
The Blue Bulls, for sponsorship reasons known as the Vodacom Blue Bulls, or more popularly by their Afrikaans name die Blou Bulle, are a South African rugby union team that participates in the annual Currie Cup tournament...
in the Super 14
Super 14
Super Rugby is the largest and pre-eminent professional Rugby union competition in the Southern Hemisphere...
competition.
After studying sports psychology at the University of Pretoria
University of Pretoria
The University of Pretoria is a multi campus public research university located in Pretoria, the administrative and de facto capital of South Africa...
Meyer coached a variety of smaller clubs before joining the Eagles
Eagles (rugby team)
The South Western Districts Eagles, are a South African rugby union team that participates in the annual Currie Cup tournament. They play out of George at Outeniqua Park....
as assistant coach in 1997. The following year he was promoted to head coach and took the team to seventh place in the Currie Cup
Currie Cup
The Currie Cup tournament is South Africa's premier domestic rugby union competition, played each winter and spring , featuring teams representing either entire provinces or substantial regions within provinces...
and to the semi finals in the following year. In 2000 Meyer joined the Northern Bulls as head coach. In 2002 he became head coach of the Blue Bulls
Blue Bulls
The Blue Bulls, for sponsorship reasons known as the Vodacom Blue Bulls, or more popularly by their Afrikaans name die Blou Bulle, are a South African rugby union team that participates in the annual Currie Cup tournament...
and coached them to 4 Currie Cup
Currie Cup
The Currie Cup tournament is South Africa's premier domestic rugby union competition, played each winter and spring , featuring teams representing either entire provinces or substantial regions within provinces...
titles in between 2002 and 2006. In 2007, the team became the first South African team to win the Super 14
Super 14
Super Rugby is the largest and pre-eminent professional Rugby union competition in the Southern Hemisphere...
's competition.
In February 2008 Meyer was expected to succeed Jake White
Jake White
Jake White is a rugby union coach and former coach of the South Africa national rugby union team, the Springboks. His most notable achievements as coach include leading the Springboks to victory in 2007 Rugby World Cup and the 2004 Tri Nations title...
as coach of the South African national team but after this job went to Peter De Villiers
Peter de Villiers
Peter de Villiers is a South African rugby union coach who is the coach of the South Africa national rugby union team. After his successes with South African U19 and U21 squads, de Villiers was named as the coach of South Africa's national team, the Springboks in January 2008, the first-ever...
Meyer quit rugby and accepted a senior position at a sports supplement company.
In June 2008 Meyer was appointed Head Coach at Leicester Tigers
Leicester Tigers
Leicester Tigers is an English rugby union club that plays in the Aviva Premiership.Leicester are the most successful English club since the introduction of league rugby in 1987, a record 9 times English champions - 3 more than either Bath or Wasps, the last of which was in 2010...
succeeding Marcelo Loffreda
Marcelo Loffreda
Marcelo Loffreda is a rugby player and coach, until recently head coach for the English club power Leicester Tigers. Loffreda won 44 caps with one as captain, playing at centre for the Argentine rugby union side...
. In January 2009 he took compassionate leave from his Tigers post to attend to family matters in South Africa – however, Meyer tendered his resignation from the Tigers on January 28, 2009.