Pote: Grey, but very colourful

COACHING PROFILE: The name Gerhard Human, more affectionately known as Pote, elicits vivid memories of the 1985 and 1988 national club championships at Durban’s Kings Park stadium.

His rugby journey of more than four decades has come full circle.

From the small town of Despatch, situated between Port Elizabeth and Uitenhage, he is back in a rural environment, Wellington, a town in the Western Cape province with a population of approximately 62,000.

He first rose to prominence in the 1980s, when the national club championship was an annual event staged over the Easter weekend, and the club teams were littered with Springboks.

That Despatch class was always underdogs, despite fielding such luminaries as Human, his brother Sieg Human, Springbok legend Danie Gerber, Anton le Grange and Draad Oliphant.

In the 1985 Final, they beat a Springbok-laden and much-fancied Tukkies team 28-6 and three years later edged the same University of Pretoria team (13-12) in the Final.

The 1988 Tuks team had another Bok legend, Naas Botha, in the line-up.

“Those were hard men,” Pote Human told @rugby365com in a broad-ranging interview about his colourful career.

“We didn’t have all the Springboks they had, just Danie [Gerber],” he said, adding: “But we had a great spirit.

“We were just a town team, but it was an unbelievable era, something you will never forget.

“In 1985, as Tukkies ran out, they were jeered by the crowd and we were cheered. Then we knew, this is going to be a special day.”

The 66-year-old Human’s rugby journey started at the Despatch school, also attended by Gerber and many of the Eastern Province players of the time.

In 1977, he played for Eastern Province in the Craven Week and SA Schools, joining fellow Despatchers Danie Gerber (a three-time SA Schools player in 1975, ’76 & ’77), Anton le Grange (1975) and BlitzBok Selvyn Davids (2012).

That was followed by a stint in the military (conscription) in Bloemfontein and playing age-group rugby for the Free State.

After his national service, he returned to Port Elizabeth and played 116 games for Eastern Province before moving to Bloemfontein, where he represented the Free State 64 times.

“I grew up in Despatch and playing for Eastern Province was an honour,” he told @rugby365com, adding: “I was struggling to find employment in the computer industry and an opportunity arose in Bloemfontein, where I completed my career.

“In those days, we still worked for a living and played rugby for the love of the game.”

After finishing his playing career, the late Nelie Smith (former Springbok coach) approached Hunan and Gysie Pienaar to assist with coaching Free State.

The ‘coaching bug’ bit, and that was followed by a coaching stint with Northern Free State (now Griffons) for two years, also coaching the police team and Shimlas, who won the national club champs.

Ian Schwartz, the team manager at the Bulls under Heyneke Meyer, lured Human to Pretoria in 2005.

Schwartz and Human knew each other from their days at police rugby in Bloemfontein.

“That is when I became a professional coach, as I was a computer programmer before that,” he revealed

He was the head coach of the Blue Bulls team that drew 28-all with the Cheetahs in the 2006 Currie Cup Final, and an assistant coach to Heyneke Meyer for the Bulls team that won the 2007 Super 14 competition.

Despite having completed World Rugby’s Level One (introduction to coaching). Two (developing your coaching) and Three (analysis and preparation), Human said he mostly learnt his trade on the job.

“It learnt a lot from Heyneke [Meyer] and John McFarland, while having coached players like Victor Matfield and Bakkies Botha, I also picked up from them.

“I worked with [Australian] Todd Louden and later coached two years with him [at the Black Rams] in Japan.

“I continued to learn and grow as a coach, and now I learn a lot from Hawies [Fourie] at Boland.

“It is amazing what he is achieving [with limited resources] here at Boland.

“There is talent here in Wellington, but no money.

“This is old-school. These guys are still playing for the love of the game.

“Many of the players still have full-time jobs.”

After his stint in Japan, 2008 to 2010, he returned to South Africa and signed as a Director of Rugby at Hoërskool Garsfontein in Pretoria, and signed with Griquas in 2012.

In 2013, Human returned to Pretoria and took over the Tukkies job, winning the Varsity Cup twice, in 2013 and 2017.

That resulted in a return to the Bulls structures, first as John Mitchell’s assistant and from 2018 as head coach.

In 2020, COVID caused a blanket cessation of all sporting activities, and during that time, Jake White was appointed as Bulls coach.

Human helped Shimlas during the Varsity Cup in 2021, before a call came from Heyneke Meyer at the Houston SaberCats in America’s Major League Rugby.

However, the SaberCats announced on 11 September 2025 that it would not be fielding a team for the 2026 MLR season.

Just before that bombshell, Hawies Fourie asked Human to assist him at the Boland Cavaliers during the Currie Cup season.

“When my club [SaberCats] shut down, Hawies told me there is a position for me in Wellington.”

Back in an old school, almost amateur, environment, Human enjoys the ‘slow’ pace of life in the Western Cape province.

“The people are wonderful and you don’t find this type of environment in many other places,” he told @rugby365com.

“They are so welcoming.

“These people live for their rugby on weekends, even the club game thrives here. They pack the stadiums on Saturdays for amateur club rugby.”

While his age, 66, is playing a role, he is enjoying his coaching now a lot more than when he won Super Rugby and Varsity Cup titles.

“Winning Super Rugby with the Bulls in 2007 was unbelievable.

“To work with students in the Varsity Cup was also very enjoyable. The young players are keen to learn and you can make an impact on their lives.

“Japan was culturally different. The Japanese are workhorses, but the language barrier was a challenge.

“America [the MRL] is trying very hard, but I am concerned about developments over there.

“There’s no real sustainable financial model, no television exposure and the owners are funding the teams.

“That is why the SaberCats shut down. The owner carried the club for eight years, and he lost US$5-million every year.

“The fans are loyal and support the team, but there is just no return or exposure.”

Since he arrived in 2021, the MRL has shrunk from 12 teams to just seven in 2026.

But his return to South Africa came with the bonus of coaching in Wellington, a small town situated at the foot of the Groenberg on the banks of the Kromme Rivier and forms the centre of the Cape Winelands with its picturesque environment and numerous wineries.

“I was surprised by the welcoming nature of the people, the attitude of the players and Hawies’ way of doing things.

“The players are enjoying the game and want to play for Boland.

“There is no money here, certainly not the millions that are being bandied about.

“In the Currie Cup, we were the team with the smallest budget by some distance.

“The players are contracted, but many of them still have to work to sustain themselves.

“They want to make their mark and perhaps some of them can be elevated to the URC in the future.”

Turning to the SA Cup next year, and again having to qualify for the Currie Cup, Human admits teams have taken notice of Boland and the surprise factor is gone.

“There is an amazing spirit, and it is such a joy and pleasure to coach here.

“These are people I can walk a long road with,” he said of the Cavaliers’ coaching staff – head coach Hawies Fourie, defence coach Charl Strydom, Alshaun Bock (backline and defence), Jacquin Jansen (kicking) and Iver Aanhuizen (strength and conditioning).

With a two-year contract, Human says Wellington is most likely his final stop on a long and interesting coaching journey.

“Now everybody is talking Boland rugby, just like everybody was talking about Despatch in the 1980s.”

@rugby365com

* Picture credit: Boland Kavaliers Media