Stonehouse: I'm no revolutionary

 

The Pumas, as a smaller union, were never expected to set the Currie Cup on fire, especially amongst teams with Super Rugby experience and national players waiting in the wings.

 

However, Stonehouse and his men now sit third on the log, a single point behind the Golden Lions (through four rounds) and many have touted the coach as the 'next big thing.'

 

For Stonehouse though, he is not inclined to take this praise easily, stating that it is more about getting the players to execute a game plan that rewriting the manual.

 

"It has come from last year where the team played exceptionally well, even if it was in the bottom division, we didn't lose a game and the team became a family – we have carried that on this year," Stonehouse told rugby365.

 

"I don't think there is a right and a wrong way, people will always moan about the game plan but there is nothing wrong with anybody's game plan as long as you are winning.

 

"At the moment the Pumas are doing well so people will think I am doing something different, but it is not that – it is the way of executing.

 

"Everybody does the same things and everybody tries to coach running rugby and exciting things, but the way the players execute it, that is where the basics come from and that is where the winning comes from.

 

"All the credit has to go to the players at the end of the day because they execute it right – it is not that I am doing something different.

 

"Just because the team is winning, now suddenly I am coach of the moment. Look at Allister Coetzee, he is also coach of the moment, because they have not lost a game.

 

"However, because we come from a small union suddenly people see it as something big."

 

Stonehouse is an interesting personality, often regarded as a hard-man and a straight shooter he has had many different coaching roles – from women's Sevens to the Russian national team and these have clearly added greatly to his experience as a top-class coach.

 

Stonehouse has also won Mr South Africa in 2005 as well as placed sixth in the Mr Universe competition in 2006.

 

His playing career began as a hooker for South Eastern Transvaal (now the Pumas), he was also a teacher at Hoërskool Ermelo at the time – between 1984 and 1997.

 

Stonehouse was also the coach of the South Eastern Transvaal's Craven Week side from 1990 to 1992 and from 1994 to 1997.

 

He then joined Hoërskool Waterkloof as their Director of Rugby from the start of 1998 which also led to him to coaching the Blue Bulls' Craven Week team in 2003 and 2004.

 

The Pumas boss has also coached the Russia Under-19 team, the Russia Sevens side, as they qualified for the 2001 Rugby World Cup tournament in Argentina, and was appointed as head coach of the Russian national team.

 

Stonehouse has been involved with the Pumas since 2008 where he continues to rise through the ranks and impress pundits from all over the country.

 

It seems that Stonehouse's personal theory on life plays a massive role in his coaching philosophy – especially when you consider the size and nature of the Pumas' union.

 

"I believe everybody can make it in life, it is an attitude thing, if you have the right attitude you can make it," Stonehouse continued.

 

"Sometimes people think that it is always someone else who is going to make it, but that's not true – you can make it if you just execute it right.

 

"It is in your own hands – and that is how I live.

 

The Pumas have recently reached a pinnacle in their climb to stardom when they defeated the reigning, and undefeated, Sharks in Nelspruit last weekend.

 

"Guys still see us as a small union, and they will come here a little light-hearted perhaps, I'm not saying that's what the Sharks did, but we, as the Pumas, know we have to make it – so there are different approaches," Stonehouse said of his team's 32-22 victory over the coastal team.

 

"The Sharks had a lot of injuries, they have guys out with the Springboks, they lost two forwards in the first seven to 10 minutes in that game – people don't look at it that way, but that played a huge role.

 

"It is not the money and the Jake White and all that, on the day, the ball is not round and it can be anybodies game – if you don't execute it right and you don't do it right at that certain time it can blow up in your face."