Cape Town - Western Province may have won the Currie Cup, but coach Allister Coetzee knows that it will be a much tougher task to turn the Stormers into Super Rugby champions.
The 51-year-old, though, has been reinvigorated by the performance of a young side in the Currie Cup, which ended in a 19-16 triumph over the Lions at the weekend after he was under immense pressure to hold on to his job following a disastrous Super Rugby campaign, where the Stormers ended in 11th spot on the log.
And with his old friend Gert Smal in his corner as the director of rugby, and the Springboks and other injured players set to return for the Stormers next year, Coetzee has good reason to be optimistic that they can be contenders again after also missing out on the playoffs in 2013.
“(Working with Smal) It’s been excellent. I mean, we’ve come a long way, and it’s just brilliant to have that soundboard, and Gert is doing an excellent job - also not just managing the rest of the coaches, but managing up. And for me, it’s quite easy to focus on the team,” Coetzee said after the WP trophy parade in Cape Town on Tuesday.
“It’s moving in the right direction, and like he said, there is still a lot of work to be done. I think what we must realise is that the Currie Cup is one level of competition, and we are facing an international competition next year. But one thing that will remain with us is the culture, which is a massive thing. The way we play is a massive thing, and what we’ve stumbled on now in the Currie Cup and improving especially on our attack.
“And I think Fleckie (backline coach Robbie Fleck) has done a wonderful job there, especially from turnover ball, which is something that we should not lose and keep that going into Super Rugby. And hopefully if we can put out a good squad next year, we will be highly competitive again.”
Cape Times