VIDEO: One-on-one with Jonathan Mokuena - raising the bar
His official title is the Head of Rugby at the University of Johannesburg, but former South African Sevens captain Jonathan Mokuena is dreaming much bigger – with aspirations of Green and Gold in his future.
Despite claiming the Varsity Cup title with the University of Potchefstroom in his debut year in 2016 and moving on to coach the North-West’s provincial team, the Leopards, the 42-year-old Mokuena has struggled to get ‘opportunities’ above South Africa’s second tier of the domestic game, the First Division.
That is why he decided to sign up for the South African Rugby Union’s Elite Coaching Programme.
Mokuena was one of 11 ‘graduates’ honoured at a recent function.
They were Etienne Fynn (Sharks), David Manuel (Eastern Province), Norman Jordaan (Western Province), Phiwe Nomlomo (Sharks), Jonathan Mokuena (Lions), Wilbur Kraak (Western Province), Joey Mongalo (Sharks), Jason Oliphant (Sharks), Hanyani Shimange (Western Province), Franzel September (Boland) and Labeeb Levy (Western Province).
The graduation ceremony came after an 18-month programme of learning, mentoring, practical sessions and testing.
According to the South African Rugby Union, it was so intense that seven of the 18 original entrants fell by the wayside.
“For me, the big thing was to get better at what I can do,” he told @rugby365com, when quizzed about the reasons behind his decision to join the programme – despite a coaching curriculum vitae with significant successes.
Despite his initial successes at the PuK and Leopards, he found himself in the coaching wilderness for a few years.
He was on a shortlist to take over as coach on the Eastern Province Elephants in 2021, but nothing came from it and he remained a pariah until he took up the post as UJ coach last year.
“There was always some reason why I could not get a job,” he said, adding: “So, I thought, that if I did something through the SARU structures then people will see that I can do the job.
(WATCH as UJ coach Jonathan Mokuena chats to @king365ed about his graduation from SARU’s Elite Coaching Programme and what the future holds for him…)
“I have always felt and I do think that I am good enough to coach at the next level, but it is just about waiting for the next opportunity.
“This course was a chance to block all the holes and excuses that have been given to me – saying I am lacking this and I am lacking that.”
Having been told that he is a ‘difficult’ person to work with and he struggles to ‘manage up’, locking horns with his superiors, Mokuena said he believes he always creates a “good environment” for everyone to work in.
“However, my standards are quite high and it may be a case of me driving the standards quite hard.
“That will always be the perspective of the person on the other side.”
He said he will not lower his standards to please others.
“I know what it takes to be successful and standards are there to be met, not to be dropped,” he told @rugby365com.
Having signed a three-year contract with the University of Johannesburg, Mokuena managed to turn around the Gauteng institution’s fortunes – having faced possible relegation from the Varsity Cup to the Varsity Shield.
That disappointing failure befell the once-dominant University of Pretoria.
“With UJ it is always a challenge financially,” he said, adding: “We are competing against Maties [Stellenbosch], UCT [Cape Town] and Tukkies [Pretoria].
“Our struggles at the University of Johannesburg is different, but we have managed to create a really great environment where players – specifically black players – feel part of something special.”
Mokuena, born in Cape Town in 1981, made his provincial debut for Western Province in 2002.
He relocated to Potchefstroom in 2004, the same year that he made his debut for the National Sevens team.
After twenty-four appearances for the BlitzBoks, whom he also captained, and a couple of seasons with the Leopards, he had stints with the Cheetahs, Griffons, Griquas, who he also captained and Lions – before a second stint in Kimberley.
The high point of his playing career was his appearance for the Royal XV against the 2009 British and Irish Lions in 2009
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