Bulls boss Marais trusts his novice coaching team

EXPECTATION was rife that the Bulls would bolster their coaching staff for Super Rugby with a welltravelled and experienced member to their team.

But instead, coach Nollis Marais has preferred to retain his trusted team that reached the semifinal of the Currie Cup.

Former Springbok loose-forward Anton Leonard – the Pretoria side’s former captain – is one of the new faces in the coaching staff as he returns to Loftus Versfeld, as forwards coach, after a coaching stint with SWD Eagles in George.

David Manuel remains backline coach, with the rest of the staff being Gary Botha [scrum and breakdown coach], Pine Pienaar [defence], John-William Meyer and Divan Strydom [technical analysts and kicking coaches].

Neil du Plessis will head a team of conditioning staff. The confirmation of the Super Rugby coaching staff puts to rest rumours of John Mitchell and other coaches with Super Rugby experience making their way to Loftus.

Despite the fact that Pienaar and Meyer remain the only members who have plied their trade at Super Rugby level under previous Bulls coach Frans Ludeke, Marais is not overly concerned about his coaching team’s lack of Super Rugby experience.

“The only way one can build experience is by coaching,” Marais quickly defended.

“If you look at the coaches in SA at the moment – Franco Smith [Cheetahs] is in his first year of coaching, Johan Ackermann in his third year. There isn’t a lot of coaches available who are that experienced. ”

Marais is a firm believer in widespread consultation in order to bolster his own experience and also build a solid foundation as the Bulls rebuild under his tutelage. “My way is that I haven’t got a big ego, so I’m not afraid to consult with others.”