Northern Edition

Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France

SARU blame Super Rugby franchises for lack of non-white coaches

Getty Images/Bryn Lennon

Mark Alexander, President of the South African Rugby Union (SARU), said he is “quite happy” with the make-up of the Springbok coaching panel – reports Josh Isaacson for Rugby 365.

ADVERTISEMENT

However, he was ‘less than satisfied’ with the transformation of the coaching set-ups at franchise level.

“We not happy with the makeup of our franchises,” Alexander told a media briefing, adding that getting more black coaches into the system is at a premium for the national body.

“All the [non-white] coaches that have come through over the years have come through our [the SARU] system,” the President said.

“We have to put pressure on our franchises in the Pro14 and Super Rugby franchises.”

Video Spacer

Rassie Erasmus, who gave up his title as Springbok coach to focus on the obligations of his position as SARU Director of Rugby, said it was unfortunate that not enough ‘coaches of colour’ are coming through the franchise systems.

“Every single coach that has been pushed through to Super Rugby level SARU has used,” Erasmus said.

“When Allister Coetzee [Stormers] made it to Super Rugby level, SA Rugby used him and appointed him as a coach.

ADVERTISEMENT

“When Deon Davids was pushed through to Super Rugby [Southern Kings], SA Rugby used him as a coach.

“When Mzwandile Stick did relatively well as an Under-19 coach and won the age-group competition, SA Rugby used him.

“Whenever a franchise delivered any coach of colour at that highest level, SA Rugby took him on board and gave that guy an opportunity.

“Some of the other coaches which we had in our [SARU] system, eventually went down to work at the franchises. Great examples are Joey Mongalo, who was defence coach of the [SA] Under-20 [team], who was eventually appointed at the [Lions] franchise.

ADVERTISEMENT

“There are also the two SA schools coaches which we appointed, with one appointed at the Sharks and one appointed at the Lions.

“Every time a coach comes through the franchise structures, we took that coach into the SA structures and used him.”

Erasmus though said the lack of coaches of colour in the Super Rugby set-up affects them from a selection perspective.

“We would like to see more coaches of colour coming through, but we, unfortunately, we don’t have control over that – just like we can’t tell them [franchises] who to appoint as Chief Executive Officer.

“They run their own franchises.

“I know, when speaking to the coaches at the franchises, with the Sharks being an example, they’re really committed to transformation. However, I agree with that the head coaches don’t currently reflect transformation. That does make it tough for us to get guys into the national set-up because the pipeline is slightly messed up.”

ADVERTISEMENT

LIVE

{{item.title}}

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

0 Comments
Be the first to comment...

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

F
Flankly 1 hour ago
'Absolute madness': Clive Woodward rips into Borthwick in wake of NZ loss

Borthwick is supposed to be the archetypical conservative coach, the guy that might not deliver a sparkling, high-risk attacking style, but whose teams execute the basics flawlessly. And that's OK, because it can be really hard to beat teams that are rock solid and consistent in the rugby equivalent of "blocking and tackling".


But this is why the performance against NZ is hard to defend. You can forgive a conservative, back-to-basics team for failing to score tons of tries, because teams like that make up for it with reliability in the simple things. They can defend well, apply territorial pressure, win the set piece battles, and take their scoring chances with metronomic goal kicking, maul tries and pick-and-go goal line attacks.


The reason why the English rugby administrators should be on high alert is not that the English team looked unable to score tries, but that they were repeatedly unable to close out a game by executing basic, coachable skills. Regardless of how they got to the point of being in control of their destiny, they did get to that point. All that was needed was to be world class at things that require more training than talent. But that training was apparently missing, and the finger has to point at the coach.


Borthwick has been in the job for nearly two years, a period that includes two 6N programs and an RWC campaign. So where are the solid foundations that he has been building?

4 Go to comments
LONG READ
LONG READ England need to face a few home truths if they are to relearn that winning habit England need to face a few home truths if they are to relearn that winning habit
Search