By Michael Uugwanga
Namibian rugby player Riaan van Zyl, who was recently appointed head coach of Polish rugby club Juvenia Krakow in that country’s top-tier rugby league, the Ekstraliga, has said that he is very excited and looking forward to the challenge.
Van Zyl, who previously played local rugby in Namibia for FNB Wanderers and Trustco United, both in Windhoek, replaced Konrad Jarosz.
Ironically, Van Zyl will be a player-coach, meaning he will play for the team while also coaching when he is not on the field of play.
Speaking to Confidente this week following his appointment last week, Van Zyl made no secret of his intention to improve the team in the upcoming rugby season, which is set to start next month, August, with the club’s opening match against Budowlani Lodz on 22 August.
“It is a great honour and something I am very proud of. The club has shown a lot of trust in me, and I do not take that responsibility lightly. Going forward, it is an opportunity for me to grow both as a player and as a coach while helping the team move in the right direction. My focus is on building a positive culture, developing our players and creating an environment where everyone can improve,” Van Zyl said.
“The opportunity came after discussions with the club management. They believed my experience as a player, my leadership qualities and my understanding of the game could help take the team forward. After several conversations about the club’s vision and goals, we agreed that taking on the role of player-coach was the right step,” he added.
Although the job is only for the current season, the club will have to evaluate his progress.
If results do not go its way, it might look for another candidate for the job.
The Polish league is professionally run, while in Namibia rugby is more of a hobby due to financial constraints.
With the season just a few weeks away, Van Zyl will be very involved in the the recruitment of new players and, as a result, did not rule out signing Namibians.
“At the moment, I am focused on the current season. We will evaluate everything at the end of the season together with the club, but right now my full attention is on making this season as successful as possible. The financial arrangements between me and the club are private, so I would prefer not to go into those details. My focus is on the rugby and helping the club achieve its objectives.
“Player recruitment is something I will be involved in together with the club’s management. We will always look for players who fit our culture and style of rugby. If there are Namibian players who have the right attitude and quality, they will certainly be considered, just like players from anywhere else. My focus is on the rugby and helping the club achieve its objectives.”
Perhaps his first coaching job could open doors for him one day to coach at international level, including the Namibian job, although it is something that had never crossed his mind.
Despite having played in Europe for some time, Van Zyl has only played twice for the senior Namibian team, even when he was at his peak at FNB Wanderers.
“At the moment, that is not something I am thinking too much about. Namibian rugby is in good hands, and I think the current coaching staff is doing a good job with the structures they have in place. Right now, my focus is on learning, developing as a coach and doing the best I can for my club. Wherever coaching takes me in the future, I will be grateful for the opportunities, but I am taking it one step at a time.”
