More action needed for development of black rugby players

The St Dunstan’s College teacher and rugby coach in Benoni is convinced the only way to get more rugby players of colour into the unions and ultimately the Springboks is to go out to the townships such as Alexandra to identify talent.

Coetzer has, with the support of the college and the Living Ball organisation, crisscrossed the townships of Alexandra, Daveyton, Katlehong, Thembisa and Soweto in his quest to unearth the talent that is lying dormant in those areas.

St Dunstan’s sponsors the coaching clinics he holds in the townships with Living Ball, with some of the money coming from his own pocket.

Coetzer and his prodigy, former Kempton Park High School pupil Stephan Martinaglia, started the coaching clinics in Daveyton in March this year with only 80 children involved, and that number has since swelled to almost 400, including 45 girls.

“I believe in action and less talking,” said Coetzer.

“I always tell my partners that I will only get involved in [rugby coaching and training] if they allow me to go in and stay in.

“I don’t believe in one-off projects and you’re gone. I want to grow with the players I coach and see them climb up the rugby ladder, rung after rung, and then I will be pleased at having accomplished my mission.” He hopes to hold 10 coaching clinics a year in Alexandra alone.

Coetzer played rugby for the then-Transvaal U19 and U21 sides in 1994 and attended Kempton Park High School.

As a measure of the success of his coaching clinics, he said the University of Johannesburg had shown interest in getting involved in his coaching projects in the townships and has indicated they want to see development teams playing in the Coke Series next year.

Details: Jaco Coetzer 074 189 2349; jaco.coetzer@stdunstans.co.za