Johannesburg — Springboks legend Victor Matfield said on Wednesday that Johan Ackermann or Johann van Graan should succeed Leinster-bound Jacques Nienaber as coach of South Africa.
The lock, whose 127 Test appearances between 2001 and 2015 is a South African record, spoke at a media briefing before the final round of the United Rugby Championship (URC) regular season.
"I think there are three strong candidates," said Matfield, whose second-row partnership with Bakkies Botha for the Bulls and Springboks was considered the best in the world for many years.
"Johan Ackermann was very successful with the Lions, Franco Smith has done well in a few places, and Johann van Graan has coached Munster and was a Springboks assistant coach.
"If I had to choose, it would be between Van Graan and Ackermann," said the 45-year-old.
A former Springbok lock, Ackermann coached the Lions to two Super Rugby finals, moved to Gloucester and then Japan, where he is in charge of the Urayasu D-Rocks.
Smith is another former South Africa international and, after coaching Italy, has transformed Glasgow Warriors in one season from URC strugglers to fourth place.
Van Graan never played top-level rugby and rose to prominence as a video analyst with the Bulls and Springboks before coaching Munster and Bath.
Nienaber announced last weekend that he was moving to European giants Leinster after the Rugby World Cup in France, which kicks off on September 8.
Several South African Rugby Union insiders said they expected either former Sevens star Mzwandile Stick of ex-Super Rugby coach Deon Davids to take over.
Both assist Nienaber with Stick responsible for the backs and Davids for the forwards as South Africa prepare to defend a World Cup title won in Japan four years ago.
The Springboks are in Pool B with Ireland, who top the world rankings, Scotland, Tonga and Romania, and the nations finishing first and second progress to the knockout stage.
Should South Africa advance, they are likely to face France or New Zealand in the quarter-finals.
Another Springbok legend, winger Bryan Habana, told AFP in Toulon that "it will be interesting to see who that next person is".
"Is it from this current crop? Mzwandile Stick, Deon Davids?
"John Dobson is going really well with the Stormers. Jake White will probably want to throw his hat in the ring.
"It's always going to be a tough decision."
AFP