– Cape Town Sandile Ngcobo, the new coach of the Blitzboks, does not wish to compare himself to his predecessors, but he feels that he “learned a lot” from Neil Powell and would rather build on his legacy than forge a fresh path.
Former player Ngcobo, whose career was cut short by injury, was appointed by SA Rugby as Powell’s replacement yesterday, following the conclusion of the Rugby World Cup Sevens last weekend. Powell is now the director of rugby for the Sharks.
Ex-captain Philip Snyman was hired as Ngcobo’s new assistant coach. Former assistant Renfred Dazel will be reassigned to a different position within the sevens organization.
During his 15-year tenure with the Springbok Sevens team, Powell enjoyed a significant deal of success, including an Olympic bronze medal, World Series and Commonwealth Games titles.
The 33-year-old Ngcobo will have a difficult time building on that foundation, but he will be immediately charged with bringing through a few new faces from the SA Rugby Sevens Academy, where he served as head coach prior to his promotion to the Blitzboks post.
Muller du Plessis (Sharks), Angelo Davids (Stormers), JC Pretorius (Lions), and Sako Makata (Griquas) are among the players transitioning to the 15-man code.
“As a coach, you should avoid making comparisons to other coaches. You want to ensure that, as an Academy coach, you scout the right people, the right individuals, and that they are prepared to make the next step up when the head coach calls on them,” Ngcobo said yesterday during a news conference in a hotel in Cape Town.
“As an Academy, I had to ensure that there was a criteria for selecting the proper students and that, with the coaching they receive, they are prepared for the next level.
“People who trust us – Mark Alexander from Saru (president) and Marius Schoeman (SA Rugby Sevens high performance manager) – they knew it was the perfect moment based on the Academy system’s results.”
And following the sadness of losing in the quarterfinals of the World Cup last weekend, the Blitzboks are already back on the field in preparation for the November 4-6 opening of the new World Series season in Hong Kong.
“Well, this morning we trained, so I remarked, “Welcome back to work!” This is the initial statement I made. Therefore, we are back to work,” Ngcobo stated.
“Our Academy is the cornerstone of our institution, thus we must care for them while the elders rest. They are eager and hungry, and we wish to make the entire squad hungry again.
“As a result of this week’s emotional roller coaster, there are obviously conflicting feelings, but there is a sense of anticipation for what lies ahead.
This game of sevens is actually quite lovely because it continues to evolve each week. We are gaining knowledge as time passes. This weekend, we learned a few things, but we are not going to make many changes. When a system and culture are in place, it is not necessary for us to stamp our authority.
“As the game develops, we’ll make a few adjustments. However, there are particular methods we have and will continue.”
President of SA Rugby Mark Alexander was pleased with Ngcobo’s selection as the first black African Blitzboks head coach.
“We are a race-free organization. Alexander told Independent Media yesterday, “I don’t look at people’s skin tone; I look at the man’s character.”
“However, he passes via a system. He was a talented player who was injured, and subsequently served as the academy’s assistant coach and eventually its head coach.
“He must be able to perform at the top level, and he’s got Philip by his side, who was also a fantastic captain and did great work with Uganda, who qualified for the Commonwealth Games, and Germany, which competed in the World Cup.
“We have a strong coaching staff to propel the club forward. We play a specific system, similar to that of the Springboks, and we will adhere to it.
We will provide the required assistance for their success.