In coaching rugby, it’s all about being connected

The lack of intellectual capital in South African rugby coaching has been a hot topic for some years now.

Yet it’s been placed squarely into focus the past few weeks as the Lions continue a disheartening plunge from the highs of three consecutive Super Rugby finals between 2016 and 2018.

Not many people were particularly perturbed when Johan Ackermann, the mastermind of the revival of the franchise, was replaced by his right-hand man Swys de Bruin following his departure to Gloucester.

And why would one be? De Bruin was highly experienced and considered such a keen thinker that Erasmus even employed him as a Bok consultant.

Yet when De Bruin controversially exited in October last year, the Lions seemingly blindly chose to promote internally again.

The problem was there was no experienced candidate to do so.

Almost by default, the job was handed to Currie Cup coach Ivan “Cash” van Rooyen, a man who established himself as one of the most astute fitness and conditioning gurus in the country.

His record in the domestic tournament isn’t bad – the team reached the semifinals in 2018 and 2019 – but those results are skewed by doubts over the true competitiveness of the competition and the fact that last season, the Lions plainly could’ve lost all six of their round robin matches.

Van Rooyen has done little to illustrate that he’s the man in charge.

Instead, he and his vastly inexperienced support staff seem to function independently of each other – there’s simply no evidence of those ideas being strung together into a coherent game-plan.

I don’t want to deny Van Rooyen his opportunity to grow, but his promotion does little to quell a recent opinion among the rugby fraternity that coaching opportunities are determined by who you know.

You have to wonder where a guy like Wits coach Hugo van As fits in.

The experienced former Transvaal centre was previously an assistant at the Lions and has been excellent as head coach of UJ and now at his new home.

Yet he’s never in any reckoning – probably because he doesn’t have the right connections.

Heinz Schenk. Picture: Michel Bega

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