Gert Smal bleeds blue and white. He was adored as a rugby player and loved as a coach at Western Province and the Stormers.
So he knows the dynamics of this rugby-loving city, and what the people expect from WP and the Stormers on the field: results and the style of rugby they dish up.
Smal, who returned to WP last season as Director of Rugby, wants the union to go back to its roots and play an entertaining brand of rugby that all the union’s supporters identify with. And the former robust flank says it’s possible that they can play an all-encompassing brand of rugby and win trophies.
Over the years WP and the Stormers have played a more conservative brand of rugby without winning the sought-after Super Rugby prize. WP have won two Currie Cup titles in the last three years following a change of mindset as far as their attack is concerned. And Smal is convinced they can have the same sort of success while also putting smiles on their fans’ faces.
“I was here as a player and a coach, and I think I have a good idea about what to put in place to build a team for our supporters,” Smal said.
“When I got here, people told me they don’t want to come to Newlands anymore because they don’t want to see that type of (conservative) rugby. So it’s important that we look at our product and the people we are catering for in the Cape.
“We want to put the type of game together that people want to see. I think we are well on our way towards that goal. But we are still far from where we want to be.
“If you look at the demographics in terms of race and cultures, what’s important for me is that we put something special together.
“It’s nice when these things come together. When we won the Currie Cup last year, we experienced how nice Cape Town can be. It’s a lovely feeling. We are busy getting get that culture right.”
Smal pointed at the success New Zealand had at Super Rugby and international level to support his view that you can play an entertaining brand of rugby and still win titles.
“I know there are certain people who push certain statistics. But what’s important for me is the product you put on the field. And it’s also important to win,” he said.
“When I came here, people said it was pie in the sky, that you can’t play that type of rugby. But look where New Zealand is with the quality of their rugby. I don’t think that is pie in the sky.
“I want to see our players developing in that way, that we can deliver a good product for the people out there, and still be gunning for trophies.
“But then you also have to have the right people with you. One individual is not going to make the difference. The leadership of WP have to work hard to get to the next level.”
Playing good rugby, though, needs good players who can fit into that philosophy. And Smal is working hard behind the scenes to try and build a squad for next season.
Smal is trying to hold on to a number of players for next season whose contracts expire at the end of this season. The Stormers will already have to make do without the services of star prop Steven Kitshoff, flank Michael Rhodes and flyhalf Demteri Catrakilis.
The former Springbok assistant coach, however, said yesterday that a host of locally based stars and a few South Africans who ply their trade overseas are keen to soak up life in the Mother City next season.
“Half of my day (yesterday) was spent with agents, and we are working hard behind the scenes to get everything in place. It’s time consuming, but we are on top of things,” Smal said.
“Obviously you first want to check in your own union when it comes to contracting players. We want to see that WP becomes a high-performance organisation producing quality players.
“There are also a lot of guys who want to come to WP. I can’t tell you any names, but when the time is right we will communicate it to you guys. We have to keep our eye out for players, especially because of the type of the game we want to put together.”
Smal is also looking for a new coach to replace Allister Coetzee for next year’s Super Rugby.
Coetzee is heading to Japan at the end of this season.
Names like Eddie Jones and John Mitchell have already been mentioned in the media, but Smal said he is also looking at the local coaches.
“We have good coaches in South Africa. I said at the start I want to get the best available coach and I’m going to head-hunt the coach and see who is keen to do the job,” Smal said.
“It’s a very important position that needs to be filled and we need the right person for the job, who we can work closely with and take the union forward.”