New Owls coach sets sights on league glory
Philip Daniel Stephanus Nel, better known as Stephen, has taken over the coaching reigns at the Boksburg Rugby Club’s (BRC) senior team dugout.
This is after Willie Smith stepped down at the beginning of this year’s campaign due to unspecified reasons.
The 34-year-old trainer who hails from Witfield, joined BRC in 2011 as the club’s u-21 coach where he guided the side to four consecutive Valke Peregrine League finals and winning two of them in the process.
Under his leadership, four players received their Valke Provincial colours in 2011. Four more received the same accolade in 2012 as well as feature in Currie Cup Rugby.
In 2013, the team lost the Peregrine final after topping the log the entire season. That year saw 10 players from the side represent in the Valke Currie Cup.
His last year as u-21 coach saw eight players go on to feature in the Absa Currie Cup.
Nel played for the Kempton Wolwe rugby league between 2003 and 2008 as an eighth man. He then served as coach of Wolwe between 2008 and 2010.
He’s also been involved in provincial rugby, for the Valke in particular, where he’s held roles as coach and manager between 2009 and 2013.
He holds six International Rugby Board (IRB), now known as World Rugby, qualifications and one SA Rugby qualification. His SA rugby achievement includes a BokSmart qualification.
When the Advertiser asked about Nel’s reaction when he learnt of his selection as the Owls’ new mentor, the coach said: “I was very excited and scared at the same time.
“Scared that I will fail at being head coach but excited because, as you know, everybody always looks at the first team of every club – and I’m excited to make a difference with the help of my coaching team.”
Regarding his ambitions for his new project, he wants to bring back the joy of playing rugby.
“I want Boksburg to be a happy club as it once was before.”
He also intends to make history at the club, since Boksburg has never won the cup (league) in a final.
“We as team, coaches and players alike, want to be the first Boksburg senior team to win the cup,” he said.
Nel’s favourite local player is the Lions’ Jaco Kriel and his top international player is All Blacks fullback Israel Dagg.
He supports a certain Johannesburg-based Super Rugby outfit which plays its rugby at the Emirates Airlines Park, popularly known as Ellis Park. – @SabeloBoksburg
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