Former Springbok Women’s players Natasha Hofmeester and Zolisa Noxeke have been appointed as the first coaches of the SA Schools Girls teams, that will take the field for the first time after the FNB U18 Girls Week next month in Gqeberha.
Hofmeester and Noxeke’s appointments, as well as those of other junior national teams, were ratified by SA Rugby’s National Teams Committee on Tuesday evening.
Hofmeester will be assisted by Catherine Lowane at the SA Schools Girls team, while Nosipho Poswa, a former Springbok Women’s player, is Noxeke’s assistant with the SA Schools Girls ‘A’ team.
Former Isuzu Bulls Daisies head coach Hayden Groepes will take charge of the Junior Springbok Women when they face the USA U20s in Stellenbosch next month. He will be assisted by Claudia Francke and Edgar Marutlulle, a former head coach of the Vodacom Bulls’ Carling Currie Cup team, as well as former Springbok Women’s Sevens captain Mathrin Simmers, in a capacity of development coach.
Meanwhile Albertus Buckle, an experienced former provincial prop, will assist both girls’ teams with their scrums, with a focus on technical proficiency, body shape, stability, and power generation to enhance set-piece performance and ensure safety.
Two respected former SA Schools coaches, Katleho Lynch and Sean Erasmus, have been brought in as mentors to the SA Schools Girls teams’ management.
Hofmeester, Poswa, Simmers, Noxeke, Francke, and Lowane were part of a group of 24 elite coaches who recently took part in SA Rugby’s new Women Coaches’ Transitioning Workshop, a critical initiative designed to bridge the gender gap in elite coaching.
Meanwhile, the coaches for the two U18 boys’ teams were also ratified, with Lwazi Zangqa retained as head coach of the SA Schools and U18 sides. He will be assisted by Heinrich Martin.
The SA Schools and U18 ‘A’ sides will again be coached Flash Malinga, with assistance from Cobus van Dyk.
Clinton van Rensburg has been appointed as specialist defence coach for both teams and has been tasked to create and coach a defensive strategy tailored to team strengths.
SA Rugby will also send an U17 Boys Sevens team to the fourth Youth Olympic Games in Dakar, Senegal in November, with former Blitzbok player and coach Sandile Ngcobo appointed as head coach.
“Our junior national teams are in good hands and we’re excited to see these coaches, and the members of their management teams, work with these young athletes who are our future Springboks,” said Rian Oberholzer, CEO of SA Rugby.
“It’s great to see so many former national and provincial players involved in coaching at junior level and we firmly believe they will do a great job of imparting knowledge to your age-group players.
“It’s especially exciting to see four women’s coaches in Natasha, Zolisa, Catherine, and Nosipho take control of our SA Schools Girls teams, as the deliberate growth and education of our female coaches is a core pillar of our ‘Destination 2027’ strategy.
“We’ve also brought in Katleho and Sean to assist the management teams for the SA Schools Girls sides with things like planning and strategies, and to act as sounding boards to the coaches when needed.
“I would like to wish all these coaches and their management teams all the best for the forthcoming season. We’re excited to see what our teams in green and gold will do.”
National teams’ management appointments:
Junior Springbok Women
Head coach: Hayden Groepes
Assistant coach: Claudia Francke
Assistant coach: Edgar Marutlulle
Development coach: Mathrin Simmers
S&C coach: Owethu Sityata
S&C coach / Biokineticist: Seipati Rasenyalo
Team manager: Nandipha Manjezi
Team doctor: Megan Scribante
Physiotherapist: Greshne van Wyk
SA Schools and U18 Boys
Head coach: Lwazi Zangqa
Assistant coach: Heinrich Martin
Defence coach: Clinton van Rensburg
S&C coach: Adriaan Jansen
Team manager: Mandla Mdaka
Team doctor: Gershwin Kortje
Physiotherapist: Robin Williams
SA Schools and U18 Boys ‘A’
Head coach: Flash Malinga
Assistant coach: Cobus van Dyk
Defence coach: Clinton van Rensburg
S&C coach: Sihle Ndlovu
Team manager: Richard van Rensburg
Team Doctor: Gershwin Kortje
Physiotherapist: Rob Sims
SA Schools Girls
Head coach: Natasha Hofmeester
Assistant coach: Catherine Lowane
Scrum coach: Albertus Buckle
S&C coach: Liphiwe Nxasana
Team manager: Sindi Lukhozi
Team doctor: Lisa Coltman
Physiotherapist: Megan Chetty
Coach mentor: Katleho Lynch
SA Schools Girls ‘A’
Head coach: Zolisa Noxeke
Assistant coach: Nosipho Poswa
S&C coach: Michaela Diaz
Team manager: Sharry Carolissen
Team doctor: Lisa Coltman
Physiotherapist: Khanyisile Booi
Coach mentor: Sean Erasmus
SA Sevens U17 Boys (Youth Olympics)
Head coach: Sandile Ngcobo
Team manager and S&C coach: Bongani Qumbu
Clover Dragon
The first rugby team to perform the Haka did so 1888 – The Haka, a traditional dance of Maori People, was first performed by New Zealand Rugby Team The Natives in 1888 to demonstrate their pride, strength, and unity. It has been performed before games ever since and has become a symbol of rugby for New Zealand. Whether you’re a Kiwi or not, it’s one of those spine-tingling moments when you know a big game is about to be played. The Haka is one of the most iconic moments in rugby
sherm
Sport Trivia: Which was the first Olympic Games in which Ghana competed as an independent nation? Answer: Rome 1960 – Having competed in Helsinki in 1952 as Gold Coast, Ghana did not send a team to the 1956 Games in Melbourne. By the time the 1960 Games came around, the country had achieved full independence from Great Britain, (in 1957) and was officially known as Ghana.