Who are the most succesful Springbok coaches?

Who are the most succesful Springbok coaches?

Springbok coachesDiscover which Springboks coaches have consistently had the highest victory percentages in Test matches during their tenure.

Which Springbok coach has the highest strike-rate in Test matches? Four coaches have paved the way for South Africa to win the Rugby World Cup.

During their relatively brief tenures as head coach of the Springboks, two coaches were able to keep their spotless records.

The most succesful Springbok coaches

Felix Du Plessis coached the Springboks for one match in 1964 in an age where the very notion of coaching was anathema to some in the rugby union community.

In 1994, Kitch Christie was handed his Rugby World Cup brief following Ian McIntosh’s catastrophic tour of New Zealand, during which the Springboks failed to win a Test match. Christie skillfully carried out that directive, assembling his Rugby World Cup squad around a core group of familiar Lions players, centered on Francois Pienaar.

With a respectable 69% win-rate at the end of his Springbok career, Jacques Nienaber is positioned between Nick Mallet (71%) and Jake White (66%) in terms of his total rule. Mallet’s impact in modernizing Springbok rugby is indisputable, although his rule is sometimes underestimated because it seemed to peter off horribly.

Rassie Erasmus will be the first man in the modern era of the game to return for a second stint as head coach in 2024. His first stint saw the Springboks maintain a 65% win-rate in Test matches.

Springbok coach win-rates

Name Years Tests Won Drew Lost win percent
 Felix du Plessis 1964 1 1 0 0 100%
 Kitch Christie 1994–1995 14 14 0 0 100%
 Cecil Moss 1982–1989 12 10 0 2 83%
 Nelie Smith 1980–1981 15 12 0 3 80%
 Izak Van Heerden 1962 4 3 0 1 75%
 Ian Kirkpatrick 1967, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977 12 9 1 2 75%
 Danie Craven 1949–1956 23 17 0 6 73%
 Nick Mallett 1997–2000 38 27 0 11 71%
 Jacques Nienaber 2020–2023 39 27 0 12 69%
 Boy Louw 1960, 1961, 1965 9 6 1 2 67%
 Jake White 2004–2007 54 36 1 17 66%
 Heyneke Meyer 2012–2015 48 32 2 14 66%
 Rassie Erasmus 2018–2019 26 17 1 8 65%
 Johan Claassen 1964, 1968, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1974 21 13 3 6 62%
 Peter de Villiers 2008–2011 48 30 0 18 62%
 Andre Markgraaff 1996 13 8 0 5 61%
 Harry Viljoen 2000–2001 15 8 1 7 53%
 Rudolf Straeuli 2002–2003 23 12 0 11 52%
 Avril Malan 1969–1970 8 4 2 2 50%
 Hennie Muller 1960, 1961, 1963, 1965 16 7 1 8 44%
 Allister Coetzee 2016–2017 25 11 2 12 44%
 Carel du Plessis 1997 8 3 0 5 37%
 Ian McIntosh 1993–1994 12 4 2 6 33%
 John Williams 1992 5 1 4 0 20%
 Basil Kenyon 1958 2 0 1 1 0%

What Nienaber meant to the Boks

Siya Kolisi has lauded the impact of Nienaber on his own career and the path of the Springboks.

“I was eighteen years old. After signing a deal with the Cheetahs, I was granted permission to travel to Western Province. That’s how I got to know Jacques,” Kolisi said. “He used to visit the Western Province Academy with coach Rassie. That’s where our group’s foundation [started].

“When Jacques arrived, it was a full contact situation where you had to introduce yourself. It was intense every time they arrived. He became my senior coach when I got to know him, and I adore him for his ability to see things beyond just what is happening on the field. He learned about my background, my family, and my motivations.

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When describing Jacques Nienaber’s demeanor, Kolisi said, “He speaks to us with human courtesy.”

We are all aware that they do not advocate for us to take on difficult tasks. I can go out and give it my all on the field because he cares about Siya from the township and knows my kids by name. He also asks me how I’m doing personally. He shares the stories of each player’s journey with the squad, particularly during significant occasions.

“It is so special to be known as a person not just as an object or a rugby player. That’s what he offers to this team. And the fact that he permits families to be around, how much he loves to see our kids running around. Although I am aware that some teams are not permitted to have families, he fosters that atmosphere of family.

“I have enjoyed every single year that I’ve worked with him. The rough times too, when he arrives and calls me out. He is trustworthy at all times. How much I have enjoyed it is beyond words.

“He and Rassie Erasmus, the coach, adore the nation.” They will be fortunate wherever he goes. His attention to detail really does make life easier. All I have to do to find out what opportunities exist is glance at a screen. In addition to being a unique coach, he is also a unique person, a wonderful husband and parent. I’ll be appreciative forever. When we initially met, I was unable to tackle.

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