CAREL DU PLESSIS, a former Springbok wing and Western Province captain, was named yesterday as the new coach of the South African rugby team. Du Plessis replaces Andre Markgraaff, who resigned in disgrace last week after the release of a recorded phone conversation in which he made racist remarks.

The South African Rugby Football Union's chief executive officer Rian Oberholzer described Du Plessis as "a great leader and a visionary ... He possesses a shrewd rugby mind. We are confident that he can knit the different strands of Springbok rugby together and come up with a winning combination," said Oberholzer.

Du Plessis was the team tactician on the recent Springbok tour of Argentina, France and Wales. Oberholzer said the roles of coach and manager, both filled by Markgraaff, would be separated, with a manager to be appointed next week.

Markgraaff resigned after a tape of a conversation he had with former Griquas captain Andre Bester, in which he described some black sports officials as "f...kaffirs" - the worst possible insult to a black South African - was leaked to the media.

In a recent television interview, he acknowledged saying the words, but denied he was a racist, explaining that "when you talk to some of these rugby guys, you sink to their level."