SA Rugby ratifies national teams' appointments

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 Schools 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