Meyer puts his hand up for Ireland

Heyneke Meyer: Fed up with SA politics

Former Bulls coach Heyneken Meyer, who left coaching rugby after being snubbed for the Bok job earlier this year, has expressed an interest in the vacant Ireland post should he be approached.

Meyer took the Bulls to the Super 14 title last year - admittedly a tournament weakened by Graham Henry's controversial rest policy - but the failure of SARU to appoint him SA coach, admitting politics played a part in the decision to appoint Peter de Villiers, left Meyer frustrated.

"I got fed up with rugby - not the game or the players - just the rugby politics," he said to Setanta Sports.

"But it's been hard to watch the Super 14. I'm giving a rugby course for 20 schools next week and have been in touch with some of my old Bulls colleagues and suddenly I've got that excitement and vibe again.

"I miss being involved in something special and a culture where peope will die for each other. I always thought that Irish rugby has that passion."

The Ireland post has been vacant since Eddie O'Sullivan quit in the wake of Ireland's poor Six Nations showing, and Munster coach Declan Kidney, currently taking his team to more Heineken Cup glory, has been the name on most lips as the likely successor.

But Meyer confessed to having kept his eyes on Ireland much in the same way that Jake White had kept tabs on England.

"Obviously it would be an honour if Ireland approach me but at this stage there has been no official approach," he concluded.

"I believe Ireland can go places. I really thought you guys would have a great World Cup and I've always that Ireland was one of the teams that can match the southern hemisphere sides up front, plus you've got brilliant backs. So I've always kept an eye on them."