Former Vereeniging captain appointed as new Owls coach

Former Vereeniging Rugby Club stalwart Lukas van der Schyff has been appointed as the new head coach of the Boksburg Rugby Club’s senior side.

Van der Schyff initially joined the club last year as the forwards coach for the senior side and worked closely with then head coach Francois Erasmus, who was the backline coach too.

Both men will continue with their respective roles, with van der Schyff set to continue coaching the forwards and Erasmus expected to continue focusing on the backline.

The only change is the positional one which sees Erasmus handing the head coaching reigns to van der Schyff – perhaps in order to take continuity into consideration.

Erasmus stepped down at the end of last season, citing that it’s the right time for the team to make use of some fresh ideas.

Commenting on the mood in the camp since his assumption of the head seat on the bench, van der Schyff said: “I think we’ve created a positive vibe from last year already with coach Faf (Francois Erasmus) and myself. The guy has knowledge like crazy, so I think we started there.

“I know the club was a little bit on the down, but with the vibe now 99 per cent of our players are already back. We’re enthusiastic for the season, a team doesn’t grow in one year, but this year you’re going to see big changes,” said the new man in charge.

“Our vision, mine and Faf’s, is to make the team sustainable at the highest level for at least another four years until new blood comes in. We need to win cups this year, it will draw guys for next year.

“We really want, when the centenary 2023 thing comes, this club to be seen as a huge contender for other clubs from other countries to come here.

“The long-term goal is a world club rugby tournament held here, but our main aim is to get on par. Club rugby isn’t on a high at this stage and we need to get trophies, that’s the only way you get a club on a high level going forward.”

With the squad having reported for the first training session this year about a month ago already, preparations for the new campaign have been gaining a steam and Owls fans will soon be able to get a chance to see the squad’s new acquisitions when the Owls’ friendly games come around, sooner rather than later. Dates for the friendlies are yet to be confirmed.

“There’s two rugby days coming up: one held by Brakpan and the other by Springs – and we’re also looking to go to Thabazimbi, but nothing about that has been confirmed yet,” explained van der Schyff.

“We are looking to make it an annual thing where we go there the one year and they come here the following year. The main thing is that we’re waiting for the logs and fixtures for the season so that we know what we can do.”

On why he decided to accept this new coaching role, the trainer and former loose forward joked: “I was forced to at gunpoint.

“The main reason is Sean Scheepers (Owls vice-chairperson) and myself are very good friends since my playing days and the moment I stopped at my previous institution, he phoned me and said he wants to make a vacancy at the u-21s available for me.

“I was supposed to coach them, but things changed and I decided to help Faf with the seniors. A lot of these guys I coached at the Valke amateurs, so it’s the guys that pull you to coach them.”

As far as new faces expected to don the famous red, black and white strip this year, the mentor, unsurprisingly, opted to keep his cards close to his chest as opposed to revealing who has joined to bolster the squad.

Last season’s incumbent captain, Johan Labuschagne, is expected to rejoin his teammates in about a month or so, following the birth of his first child, a daughter, who arrived on January 21, which also happens to be her father’s birthday.

Commenting on the captaincy situation, the man in charge said: “No decision has been made concerning the captaincy, but we’ve got a good prospect and we are thinking long term about him – he is a youngster.

“I’ve already spoken to the senior guys, they are willing to give him their support as long as he keeps his head in the game.

“I think he can be our future for the club for at least eight years because he’s got that type of potential and leadership in him to go to a higher level. “But we want to work with him, he’s already been to more practices this year than last year and he was our leading try scorer.

“So there are things he’s doing for me which I’m liking that need to come together. So that’s our main aim and if he isn’t up to it, we’ll look at another person, but I know what’s in him. He can be our Handré Pollard, he’s got that in him.”

Who this is, the Owls faithfuls will have to wait a little bit longer to find out.