Former Bulls coach Heyneke Meyer has been named as South Africa’s national rugby coach by the South African Rugby Union (Saru).

The former Leicester coach was named as South Africa’s national rugby coach on Friday.

Meyer, 44, built the Bulls team that has provided the backbone of the Springbok squad for the past eight years.

He lead the Bulls to four Currie Cup titles between 2002 and 2006 and to their first Super 14 crown in 2007.

Meyer succeeds Peter de Villiers, who won a single Tri-Nations title and beat the British and Irish Lions in 2009 before guiding the Springboks to the quarterfinals of last year’s World Cup in New Zealand.

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