I’VE DONE MY BIT, SAYS COETZEE
Outgoing coach says he leaves a stronger team
OUTGOING Stormers coach Allister Coetzee believes he has left the team in a good place for the next coach to take them forward in the quest for an elusive first Super Rugby title.
The Stormers slumped to a 39-19 home loss against the Brumbies at Newlands on Saturday in a wildcard playoff for a place in the semifinals.
The Brumbies scored six tries to one and dominated almost every facet of the game – particularly the breakdown and lineouts.
It was a massive implosion by the Stormers, who went into the game without the injured duo of No 8 Duane Vermeulen and flank Schalk Burger. Those two experienced players were hugely missed in the contest for the ball on the deck against David Pocock and Scott Fardy.
But Coetzee believes the groundwork is there for someone else to go all the way to the title. The coach is off to Japan next month where he will lead Kobelco Steel.
“It’s been an amazing eight years in Cape Town,” Coetzee said in the aftermath of the defeat. “I’ve developed and grown as a coach here and it’s been a great experience.
“I’m pleased with my mission. It didn’t end the way I would have liked tonight but we were the best SA side and the most transformed side, so I’m pleased with my job.
“It’s not just transformation in terms of race either, but transformation of players such as Frans Malherbe and Juan de Jongh into leaders.
“I go with no regrets; we’ve won titles, we’ve transformed and we’re financially sustainable.”
Coetzee has a good, if not magnificent record at Super Rugby level since being named head coach of the Stormers in 2010. In his first season he guided the team to the Super 14 final, which they lost 25-17 to the Bulls after beating the Waratahs in a home semifinal.
That Waratahs victory remains the Stormers’ only playoff win in their history. Under Coetzee they suffered three home playoff losses – against the Crusaders (2011 semi), Sharks (2012 semi) and Brumbies (2015 wildcard) – since the tournament expanded to 15 teams in 2011.
In all Coetzee was at the helm for 98 games. The Stormers won 62, lost 35 and drew one for a winning ratio of 63.3%, higher than the Bulls and the Sharks over the period.
“The coaching structures are solid; we’ve dominated all the junior competitions and brought through young players, so those structures are sound,” Coetzee said.
“WP might need to look at combinations and find more balance. We were out-muscled . . . without Duane and Schalk.
“The majority of Brumbies’ tries came from turnovers and we couldn’t get continuity because we lost the breakdown battle.
“Some personnel might need to change and the union might need to look at an out-and-out poacher and forager. But that is for the new coach to decide.
“This team is good enough to go all out and win Super Rugby. The focus must be shifted to go to the next level.”
Coetzee’s record: 2010 P15 W10 L5 (Super 14 runners-up) 2011 P17 W12 L5 (SA Conference winners; losing semifinalists) 2012 P17 W14 L3 (SA Conference winners; overall log leaders; losing semifinalists) 2013 P16 W9 L7 2014 P16 W7 L9 2015 P17 W10 L6 D1 (SA Conference winners; Playoff losers) Currie Cup champions 2012 and 2014