Pumas honour old Natal coach
The late, great, Izak van Heerden was recently honoured by a touring Pumas side and 1965 Puma players.
FORMER Pumas players visited Durban recently, to honour the memory of their first coach, Izak van Heerden.
According to archivist, Jeremy Oddy, it has been 50 years since that first Pumas team visited South Africa.
“Prior to the first visit in 1965, Danie Craven sent Izak van Heerden, the renowned Durban Collegians and Natal Rugby coach to go fine tune the Pumas side, before they came to play in South Africa for the first time. The Pumas were immediately taken with Izak and thought the world of him and his coaching techniques,” said Oddy.
Oddy said in 1963, due to Izak's coaching, Natal won every match in the season, including the touring international Australian side.
“I got a call from Argentina this month, with the upcoming game between South Africa and the Pumas in Durban on 8 August. The 1965 side and the current team wanted to know where Izak's grave was as they wanted to say 'hello Tito' – which was what they called him. I told them there wasn't any grave, but that I could show them around Durban High School, where he spent 39 years of his life teaching and coaching rugby,” he said.
Twenty-four past international Pumas visited Durban High School on 7 August, and Oddy told them about Izak. During the talk he mentioned that it was alleged that Izak's ashes were scattered on the field at Kings Park, where the Pumas were to meet the Springboks the next day.
“I think this really got them going, that they would be playing exactly where Izak was. They were so motivated and had everything to play for. The old players were on the field on 8 August, facing the young guys, who had tears pouring down their faces. I think this was all they needed, to know they were playing for the old coach, who was 'on the grounds' that day, and they thumped the Springboks!” said Oddy.
Oddy said today the Argentinian team honours and respects Izak as a great friend and mentor of Argentinian rugby.
