Allister Coetzee
Long-serving DHL Stormers and DHL Western Province coach Allister Coetzee has chosen not to extend his contract at Western Province Rugby and will, instead, take up an opportunity abroad at the end of this year.
Coetzee, 51, will join Japanese club, Kobe Steel Kobelco Steelers, having decided to put pen to paper this week.
“I have always said that I would make an announcement once I had made a decision about my future and my decision has now been made and communicated properly,” said Coetzee on the official DHL Stormers website.
“I’ve had eight fantastic years at Western Province Rugby and would like to thank my fellow coaches, players, the leadership of WP Rugby and, of course, the supporters here in Cape Town and across the country. My family and I have always been made to feel very welcome in Cape Town, but we have now been presented with a great opportunity and some exciting times await us in a very new and different environment.
“I will miss the DHL Stormers and some great people that I have come into contact with here,” added Coetzee, “but we still have a very long and challenging Super Rugby campaign ahead of us and that is my only focus at present as it has been during our pre-season build-up.”
WPRFU President Thelo Wakefield confirmed Coetzee’s departure, saying: “Allister must be congratulated on what he has achieved during his time in charge of both the DHL Stormers and DHL Western Province, he has been an asset to Western Province Rugby and he will be missed.
“I wish him and his family well, but we will say goodbye properly when the time comes. Allister still has a few big months ahead of him and I know that he will be doing his utmost to leave Cape Town on a high and add to his already impressive record as head coach of the DHL Stormers.”
Under the guidance of Coetzee, who has been head coach of DHL WP since 2008 and the DHL Stormers since 2010, the DHL Stormers have become one of the most consistent Vodacom Super Rugby teams on the circuit.
After losing an epic Super 14 Final to the Bulls in Soweto in 2010, Coetzee then coached the DHL Stormers to successive South African Conference titles in the extended Super Rugby competition in 2011 and 2012, the latter tournament seeing the team also top the overall log – to date, the only South African team to achieve that feat.
At ABSA Currie Cup level, meanwhile, DHL Western Province have won two titles under Coetzee’s leadership – in 2012 and 2014 – having, in total, contested four finals in the past five seasons, with two of those finals being at home and in succession.
WP Director of Rugby Gert Smal added: “We tried our best to keep Allister. Not only is he a fantastic coach but we have a great relationship – on and off the field.
“I am very sad to be losing him, but I can understand that he is seeking a new challenge – something which is close to my heart as I believe in empowering and constantly challenging coaches.”
Coetzee’s final release date has not been confirmed as yet (he will at least see out the 2015 Super Rugby season), but Smal has also announced that there will be a change in the management group of the DHL Western Province ABSA Currie Cup team.
Senior forwards coach Matt Proudfoot and senior backline coach Robbie Fleck, Coetzee’s long-time assistant coaches, will continue in their respective roles with the DHL Stormers at Vodacom Super Rugby level but Smal will be utilising them elsewhere during the 2015 ABSA Currie Cup season.
Proudfoot will head up a brand new project at WP Rugby, the self-explained ‘Tight Five Factory’, whilst Fleck will become the DHL Western Province Under 21 head coach in the second half of the season – all aimed at player development and, importantly, keeping the senior professional coaches fresh and allowing them to develop their own skills too in a different coaching environment.
John Dobson (head coach) and Dawie Snyman (assistant coach – backline) will, in turn, be promoted to ABSA Currie Cup level after five successful seasons in charge of both the DHL WP Under 21 and Vodacom Cup sides, all of which falls in line with Smal’s vision to empower all the professional coaches at the union.
Smal explained: “John Dobson and Dawie Snyman have both impressed me with their vision and, of course, their records speak for themselves – having won three trophies in five seasons and produced countless players who have moved into our Super Rugby and Currie Cup teams (and beyond).
“It was always my intention to give John and Dawie an opportunity at a higher level this season and I am positive that they will reward my faith in them and continue their progression as talented coaches. At the same time, Matt and Fleckie can spread their specialised knowledge from the bottom up – and thereby get a first-hand experience of our young talent within the union – and also develop their coaching in a new environment.
“Over the last few months we have now integrated the likes of Paul Treu, Hanyani Shimange and Rito Hlungwani into our coaching set-ups, plus we are able to use Allister Coetzee, Robbie Fleck and Matt Proudfoot in new, wider roles in the latter half of the season and, of course, (we are) set to give the likes of John and Dawie a deserved opportunity at a higher level.
“It’s an exciting time for all of our coaches, who will continue to be stimulated throughout the year, but with all of this news (and movement) now confirmed we can move into the 2015 Vodacom Super Rugby season without any off-field distractions and concentrate on the job at hand.”
The DHL Stormers will open their 2015 Vodacom Super Rugby campaign against the Bulls in Pretoria on Saturday 14 February (Kick-Off 19:10 SA Time). Their first home game – against the Blues at DHL Newlands – will take place the following Saturday 21 February, at 17:05 SA Time.
WP & Stormers Media Release
Matthew Proudfoot
Forwards coach Matthew Proudfoot might be joining Allister Coetzee at the departure desk of Cape Town International Airport at the end of Super Rugby. It is believed that Proudfoot will be headed for Argentina, where he will form part of the management of the new Super Rugby side from that country in 2016.
Coetzee and his assistants were said to be put out at the recent recruitment of former Springbok Sevens coach Paul Treu to the management, something that was announced in December but which took the incumbent coaches by surprise as there had been no consultation on the appointment.
WP director of rugby Gert Smal, effectively the head honcho when it comes to rugby related matters at the Cape union and the man who does the hiring and firing, has expressed his disappointment at the attitude towards the Treu appointment.
“I think Paul Treu is going to be a huge asset to WP rugby so people who are saying that it is a bad move probably don’t want to see us do well,” said Coetzee.
Smal has apparently told the management that he will be recruiting the replacement head coach from outside of the current group, which could also have been a factor in prompting Proudfoot to look for alternative employment.
Former Wallaby coach and Bok assistant Eddie Jones, who worked with Smal at the Boks during the 2007 World Cup, has been mooted as a possible replacement for Coetzee and the Japan coach was spotted in Cape Town last week. However a coach of Jones’ caliber would come at huge expense and it is difficult to see how WP can afford it, or why Jones would want to abandon his Japanese gig just as the four year cycle to the 2019 World Cup in that country begins.
It is understood that apart from the unilateral appointment of Treu, losing the Currie Cup job was another factor in Coetzee’s decision to move to Japan, where he will take up the coaching reigns of the Kobelco Steelers, effectively replacing new Sharks director of rugby Gary Gold.
SuperSport
Allister Coetzee reportedly told the Stormers players that he would be joining Japanese side Kobe Steelers after this year’s Super Rugby competition.
According to reports, Coetzee addressed his players during a meeting at the High Performance Centre in Bellville on Monday where he revealed his future plans.
So Matthew Proudfoot might also be leaving… to Argentina nogal…
WP and the Stormers will miss proudfoot more than they will miss Toetie!
Toetie was a loyal SA and WP & Stormers servant… I wish him well in his endeavours!
Interesting shifts of Fleckie, Dobson & Dawie Snyman!
Gert Smal is cracking the whip hard in 2015…
koebaai toetie!!
best news I’ve heard in a long time!!
hi everyone!!
how’s life treating you guys?
..
kanni wag virri 14de nie …. stormers gaan sommer net daar op loftus se grassies liefde maak metti bulle!! en hoekom dan nie? isan wêlintaaaaaainsday!!
@ grootblousmile:
“Proudfoot will head up a brand new project at WP Rugby, the self-explained ‘Tight Five Factory’…”
Depends on who you want to believe.
Cannot agree with your assessment regarding Toetie’s stay at WP/Stormers. He inherited a team left in shambles by Rassie. Within 2 years he took them to the final of the SR in 2010 and since then the team has been consistently in the top 3, apart from last year. Why would you give Proudfoot more credit than AC for that record? Was it our forwards that helped us to that outstanding record in the last few years? I think it was a collective effort and that they all deserve credit, AC more so than anybody else.
Former Wallaby coach and Bok assistant Eddie Jones, who worked with Smal at the Boks during the 2007 World Cup, has been mooted as a possible replacement for Coetzee and the Japan coach was spotted in Cape Town last week.
Obviously just speculation by the journalist because Supersport quote Smal as saying the folowing:
“I hear Eddie was in town last week, but I didn’t see him, and I would like to emphatically deny that there has been any approach to Eddie Jones. That is not on the table at all,” said Smal.
nama @ 6
well I think a few others may say that toetie inherited the structures laid down by rassie, but that he (and the others) failed to add anything to that!
“Smal said that he would look for a replacement coach for Coetzee internally first,…”
I wonder if Nick Mallet would be interested…or Brendan Venter since he does not have a concrete contract with the Sharks. Both of them are living in the Cape, after all. Can you get anymore “internal” than that? I-Wish
Good news for Stormers fans is that Snakey is stuck in France and boasted about a new multi year contract a week or so ago. Thank the heavenly angels for small mercies.
nama @ 7
and he will go on the emphatically deny that he ever emphatically denied not having contact with eddie!!
@ Ashley:
…Rassie admitted, when he left, that he only built on the foundations laid by Mallet. So, who should get the credit? It was also Rassie who introduced the kak style of anti-rugby in WP.
Fact is, in the 2 years that Rassie coached the Stormers, we never made the play-offs. In his 1st year as head coach, AC took us to the final in 2010. He brought through a lot of youngsters in the last few years. Players under the age of 23 with heaps of experience in CC, SR and even international rugby. He did that in his dual role as head coach and DOR since 2011 (after Rassie left). How can people say “he (and the others) failed to add anything to that!”
Nonsense! Give AC his dues. He has his shortcomings, like everybody else, but to only concentrate on that and not give him the credit he deserves, is just plain wrong. Even worse is to give his assistants the credit, or more credit than AC, for the success of the team the last few years.
@ Ashley:
Hahaha… maybe true. 😆
nama @ 11
keep rassie out of this!!
I blame the government!!
10 @ Ashley:
Hello Asbakkie!
I suppose you have been busy, busy, busy in the Off-Season!
Die Balju was bietjie lanklaas daar by jou… hehehe
gbs @ 14
is van vlug virri bliksem dat ek nie hier uitkom nie!!
@ Nama:
“the team has been consistently in the top 3, apart from last year.”
Sorry. Mistake here. They didn’t make the top 3 in 2013 as well.
15 @ Ashley:
Nee man, maar alles van die allerbeste vir 2015 (behalwe dat die Stormpoppies nou nie mag wen teen my Bulletjies nie).
Hoop dit gaan goed met jou en Mevrou Asblik… en die paar klein asjasbakkies!
9 @ Nama:
Eintlik half vergeet van PdV wat ook in Kaapfontein is. Tussen hom, Mallet en Venter is daar dus genoeg kwaliteit kandidate om as SR afrigter aangewys te word in 2016. Glad nie nodig om oorsee te kyk nie.
gbs @ 17
thanks grootblou!!
18 @ Nama:
Neewat, julle is seker nie so desperaat as om Snorrie aan te stel nie.
Hy maakie eers vordering of hond haaraf met UWC in die Varsity Shield nie!
@ grootblousmile:
Dit wil so lyk, ja.
Onthou egter dat franchises soos die Bulls en die Sharks die Varsity Cup en Varsity Shield sien as ‘n platform om moontlike toekomstige spelers voor te berei. Daarom stel hulle van hul junior gekontrakteerde spelers beskikbaar om vir die Tukkies en Impi’s te speel.
Ek weet nie of PdV (of Maties en Ikeys se afrigters) dieselfde voordeel by Stormers geniet nie.
Where is Jacques Nienaber and what role will he have? he MAY be the unsung hero of the new defend and counter attack gameplan in cape town.
@ MacroBull:
GBS says it’s Proudfoot.
You say it MAY be Nienaber. (I didn’t know that he was the defensive AND attacking coach.)
Now we only wait for someone to stake a claim for Fleckie as the responsible person for Stormers’ relative success in the last few years.
PS: I think Nienaber took up (or will take up) another post. That’s why Treu was signed. Apparently he’ll be the new defensive coach once Nienaber is gone.
22 @ MacroBull:
As far as I know, Jacques Nienaber has left WP / Stormers!
24 @ grootblousmile:
I saw he left in December and that Treu was to take over from him… but where did he go?
@ Nama:
haha yep Fleckie is apparantly the attacking coach, i say Nienaber may have had an influence, because the way the Stormers/PW changed their game was how they changed defending situation in quick turnover and counter attacking plays.
Toetie is a decent coach I would have him in a heartbeat over ludekak
@ grootblousmile:
hey GBS is daar n manier wat ek n rekenaar kan access as hy op sy log in screen is?
ek gebruik robocopy om n backup te maak oor die netwerk, maar op die oomblik kan ek net backup as altwee rekenaars ingelog is. ons het n streng log off policy.
Nienaber is by die Bokke
@ Nama 11
AC could have stayed on until Thelo passed away, they asked him to stay, his decision to leave, so technically we weren’t wrong in saying he had a job for life 😆
To credit AC with making the playoffs despite Rassie’s influence, is like saying Ludeke won two SR titles despite HM.
Ask the Bull supporters how they feel about Ludeke.
Fact is, AC has reached his ceiling a long time ago in SR. I’m not blaming just him for us not being able to win a SR, but he is to blame for the shit gameplan we have had to put up with these last few years.
Our team just isn’t good enough to win a tournament of this calibre, and looking at the 2015 squad, even including all the lam, siek and dooies we are already sitting with, we will be lucky to finish in the top half of the teams.
We might have a role to play in determining who makes the top 6 with a good win here and there, but I will be highly surprised if we even come close to the playoff spots.
Sharks and Bulls to compete for the coveted Conference Cup this year
23 @ Nama:
Nienaber is not the attacking coach, but there will probably have been some cooperation between him and whoever “pioneered” the new counter attack gameplan.
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