From frontline to behind the scenes

In rugby terms, Robert Everson is a true giant of the forward pack. Despite hanging up his boots at the end of last season, the 35-year-old remains a stalwart of Highlanders rugby as the first team assistant forward coach. This is his way of paying back almost 17 years on the local field. From school …

March 30, 2017

Bruce Douglas 2 minutes read

Sportsman of the Year - Robert Everson with club chairman Mandla Mkhati.

In rugby terms, Robert Everson is a true giant of the forward pack.

Despite hanging up his boots at the end of last season, the 35-year-old remains a stalwart of Highlanders rugby as the first team assistant forward coach.

This is his way of paying back almost 17 years on the local field.

From school days, Robert was a fan of rugby and went on to represent the Boschpick Highlanders from as far back as 1999.

It was ultimately time management which inspired his retirement.

“My son has gone to Westville, so I can’t fully commit to the routine and playing matches. There’s a time and place to stop.”

Given Robert’s experience in rugby coaching at school level, the decision to rope him into the administrative side rugby was easy for Highlanders’ head coach, Andre Swanepoel.

Since then, Robert has assisted with frontline coaching for the team.

While giving back the lessons he learned was a starting point, Robert said that given the chance, he would render his coaching services to bigger clubs in future.

As a former player, he has many fond memories in the red, white and black.

“A highlight was being promoted to the Premier Division; we won the league and saw success in that promotion.”

From the other perspective, another peak in Robert’s rugby career was the establishment of the under-20 Highlanders side, and being able to still host four teams.

“Local county and club rugby is struggling, but we are blessed to have four teams.”

With the promotion to the Premier Division, a semi-amateur league, Robert explained club coaching had moved to a more professional mindset.

The trinity of the sport is mind, body and soul.

Robert’s strategy as forward assistant coach is ensuring players follow sound nutritional habits, condition their bodies and are of good mental state.

He said ‘soul’ was where many smaller clubs lacked.

“You need to look after players’ mental well-being – some work and study full-time, and we need to take a holistic look at rugby beyond the scrums and line-outs.”

Although he might not storm the field any longer, Robert remains an avid runner with some Comrades Marathon finishes to his name.

He continues to eat healthily and work out at the gym.

Robert also trains with one of his four children, Robert Junior, who followed his father’s rugby career from the sidelines from the age of three.

Read full story in the Newcastle Advertiser newspaper.

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