Pumas statement on Coaching team

Jan 15 • General News, Vodacom Cup • 2582 Views • Comments Off on Pumas statement on Coaching team

“We are proud to announce that the board of directors of the Mpumalanga Rugby Pty Ltd has come to a decision to leave the coaching team as they are for the duration of the 2015 Vodacom Cup. All of them where instrumental in the team’s success over the last three years, and why change a winning combination for the sake of change? We believe in their skill and confidence to continue the hard work that has been put into the team up to date, and therefore the Jimmy Stonehouse legacy will continue and be built upon.” Confident words of Pieter Burger, Managing Director of the Mpumalanga Rugby Pty Ltd.
The team consists of MJ Mentz (backline coach), Corné Steenkamp (conditioning and forward coach), Marius van Rensburg (Team Manager), Luzahn Louw (Physiologist), Dr. Kobus Hugo (Team Doctor) and Harry Wiltshire (Biokineticist).
Burger continued saying that no official Head Coach will be appointed as yet, but that Mentz will fulfil the role as the central communications organiser of the coaching team for time being. The board has been flooded with CV’s from all over the country, but like any other managerial appointment in a company, the correct procedures will be followed and each candidate will be evaluated accordingly.
“This coaching team has done an amazing job the last couple of years and we can’t see why they shouldn’t be given a chance to prove themselves yet again. It’s a young, motivated team, with the backing and respect of both the players and management and we look forward to the season ahead,” Burger concluded.
On 14 February the Steval Pumas will travel to Pretoria where they’ll play the Blue Bulls in their first of two warm-up matches. The weekend there after, they be playing the Leopards in Potchefstroom. The official Vodacom Cup series kicks off on Friday 6 March, when the Steval Pumas take on the Down Touch Griffons in a home encounter.
Herewith the planned home matches for the Steval Pumas: 6 March – Griffons, 21 March – Assupol Limpopo Blue Bulls, 11 April – Emirates Lions, 25 April – Falcons. The venues will be finalized within the week and the union look forward to bring the Vodacom Cup series to the local communities again.

Photo: Hennie Homann