Vlok to help France kick on in 2020
IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Renowned kicking coach Vlok Cilliers will be helping France take their game to the next level in 2020.
Cilliers, a former Springbok player who spent most of his playing career in the colours of Western Province, will be assisting France during their upcoming Six Nations campaign.
It will be the start of a new era for the French national team under legend Fabien Galthié, who is someone Cilliers knows well.
“I’ve been working with Fabien when he was the head coach of Toulon,” Cilliers told rugby365.
“We also played together for Western Province [in the mid-1990s] – Laurent Cabannes was part of that team as well and we have been friends ever since.”
Cilliers revealed his key focus areas with France during the Six Nations.
“My main duties will be to look after all the kickers [whole backline].
“I will be assisting with tactics such as the team’s exit strategy and my main focus will be to help the flyhalves improve their game.”
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Great kicking session with @bernardfoley sorting out his run up. Its very important for any kicker to make sure you run up is correct,@bernardjackman,@ThysLombard,@AllistairMcCaw,@SARugbymag,@rugby365com,@Ruggaworld,@Zels77,@RykNeethling,@SchoolofKicking.@KNverslag. pic.twitter.com/rnajEdf3u7
— Vlok Cilliers (@Vlokskop10) December 9, 2019
One of those flyhalves is 20-year-old Romain Ntamack, who has impressed with his performances on the international stage in 2019.
“He is a fantastic player with loads of talent, and he can also play at 12 which is brilliant,” said Cilliers.
“He showed in last year’s Under-20 World Cup what a difference he can make for any team. His overall kicking game out of hand is very dangerous and picks up space quickly.
“His goal-kicking is also good. My role is to make him even more dangerous and a bigger threat to opposing teams and to take his goal-kicking percentage over 80 percent, which he can do.
“Ntamack is a massive talent. It’s the same for the other kickers – I will help them be more consistent out of hand, more dominant in Test rugby and to improve their goal-kicking.”
Cilliers, who has a kicking academy called VlokSkop, has worked with likes of Damian Willemse, Morne Steyn, Anthony Belleau, Louis Carbonel, Bernard Foley, Handre Pollard, Derick Hougaard and Robert du Preez in the past, which has helped him develop his coaching techniques.
“You constantly need to improve, get new ideas and look at different methods around the world.
“I am privileged to travel around the world and work with top coaches and world-class players with different systems.
“It’s very important to also know where the game is going and areas that will impact the kicking game.
“I honestly believe the teams that will look after their kicking game, on when to kick and where to kick, will have the edge.”
France begin their 2020 Six Nations campaign against England in Paris on Sunday, February 2.
Part of the job coaching overseas is meeting other legends of the game and also learn from them,@MircoBergamasco, played 89 test for Italy,@BreytonPaulse,@JuandreKruger5,@ThysLombard,@hershybru,@SARugbymag,@PlanetRugby,@rugby365com,@ultimaterugby pic.twitter.com/0JkWwF537p
— Vlok Cilliers (@Vlokskop10) November 10, 2019
