Smith sees great things ahead for Kings under their wily coach
NEW Springbok assistant coach Franco Smith has described Southern Kings head coach Deon Davids’ coaching style as exceptional and says they share the same mind-set about how the game should be played.
Smith was talking after his last game in charge of the Cheetahs when they pipped the Kings 21-20 in a thrilling showdown at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.
Earlier this season Smith was named as one of the full-time assistant coaches of heading up the game.
Smith will be in the position until the 2019 World Cup in France.
He will also be the new director of rugby at the Cheetahs, and Rory Duncan has been named as the new head coach of the Cheetahs and Free State Cheetahs.
The Cheetahs said the move has been done in the best interests of Free State Rugby and in order to allow Smith to continue to maintain his involvement with the Springboks.
The Cheetahs and Kings, who played their final Super Rugby game Allister Coetzee, Boks’ attacking in Port Elizabeth last week, are now expected to be included in an enlarged European Pro12 tournament.
“It does not matter which competition we are going to play in, the Kings and Cheetahs will meet each other more often now. We can look forward to a lot more clashes over here,” said Smith.
“Both teams are renowned for developing young players, and the style Deon Davids coached this year was exceptional and it is exactly the same mind-set and philosophy that I have got.”
Smith says it was emotional being head coach of the Cheetahs for the final time when the team played their final Super Rugby match.
“It was quite emotional. I started two-and-a-half years ago with a plan and took a bunch young players from Varsity Cup and added some quality players.
“We tried to build a brand that excites everyone in South Africa. I’m proud to say when looking back that while we were not always winners, we won a lot of hearts.
“That was one of the goals we achieved here at the Cheetahs and I am a little bit sad to say goodbye to the players as a hands-on coach. I am very grateful to have the opportunity to coach with the Boks now and develop more players in South Africa. “My new role at the Cheetahs as director of rugby is to develop coaches and players and to support the system.
“For 125 years we developed players for other unions, so we going to keep on doing that and provide them with the best opportunity to develop and to play a brand that excites.
“We will develop players for the whole of South Africa and not just the Cheetahs.
“All the negativity surrounding Super Rugby over the last 10 years is now off our back can we can really go into the Currie Cup and whatever lies behind that with a different mindset.” Smith says he was delighted that his team had managed to get over the line against the Kings after a season on near-misses.
“Our season was marked by getting so close and losing. In one game we were leading Highlanders 41-24 with six minutes to go and we managed to lose that.
“I think the Cheetahs showed some great character against the Kings. The Kings were exceptional on defence and attack and they managed to nullify our setpiece which was our strength usually. So compliments to the Kings coaching staff and the way that they fought.”