Coach happy for another Craven Week run

Benoni High School (BHS) head of rugby Colin Lloyd is chuffed to be part of the Valke Rugby Union U18 technical team for the Craven Week to be played at Hoërskool Monument (Monnas) in Krugersdorp in June.

Lloyd will be the team’s backline coach.

He cracked a big smile when asked what this achievement meant to him.

“It means a lot because it is where they select the South African U19, U20 and U21 national teams. It’s professional coaching and you can become a Springboks coach from there. It’s where the big rugby starts; it’s a different level,” he said.

He said the union has a strong squad that has been playing together since the 2022 U16 Grant Khomo Week in Kimberly and will have the advantage of the bond they have built in the past two years.

“We will have a good team. This is the team that did well at the Grant Khomo Week two years ago. They are going to do well. We also have an incredible technical team that has been doing superb work behind the scenes,” Lloyd said.

This coach enjoyed a stellar career as a player for various unions before transitioning into coaching in 2010.

He was always actively involved in sports, starting with football and cricket before a match during the 1995 Rugby World Cup enticed him to stick to rugby.

“I realised rugby is a good sport after watching a World Cup match at my uncle’s place in 1995. I fell in love with how Joost van der Westhuizen played as a scrumhalf. It was on that day I fell in love with the sport,” he said.

After playing three club matches, he was drafted to the Western Province U19 side and played for the province’s senior Currie Cup side in 2001 before moving to Griquas in 2003, where he played for them in the Vodacom Cup and Currie Cup.

In 2006, Lloyd linked up with the Leopards and broke a record for most tries for the union that year before a stint with the Lions, where he earned one Super Rugby cap. He also has a single Springboks cap earned in a warm-up match in 2007.

After a successful professional career, he turned to coaching and started at the Leopards as a technical and defence coach before a stint in Romania between 2011 and 12.

He joined BHS in 2014 and enjoyed his successful stint with the school in 2016 when they, alongside head of sport Eduardo Conradie, won the NWU Series without conceding a point.

Lloyd had a stint with East Rand United and helped them in the Gold Cup in 2019, but now his focus is guiding the BHS first team to a successful run in the Valke Noordvaal schools league.

“It is going to be tougher for the school’s first team. We have a good team but it is made up of young players. With young players, you have to grow as a team. It is our first time playing in a league. Next year will be better,” said Lloyd.

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