Coaching shakeup looms for Lions at Monday maul
SPOTLIGHT: Lions Rugby Company board Chairman Altmann Allers dismissed it as ‘normal business’, but a coaches’ meeting with senior management on Monday will determine the future of some staff members.
The Lions completed their United Rugby Championship season with an impressive send-off for veteran Springbok Jaco Kriel, a 50-35 rout of Zebre at Loftus Versfeld at the weekend.
Monday’s washup at their Ellis Park headquarters comes after another season of ‘flattering to deceive’ – ending with a 50 percent success rate, nine wins from 18 starts and ninth place on the standings, three points below the eight-placed Sharks.
However, it was the off-field drama that grabbed most of the headlines – with reports of a disconnect between players and management, as well as threats of a coaching mutiny.
Allers, responding to a request from @rugby365com for comment on Monday’s meeting, said it is nothing out of the ordinary and has nothing to do with the internal turmoil.
“The Lions have a review between the management and the coaching team at the end of every season,” the Chairman said.
“The 2022/23 URC season is now over for the Lions and therefore the said meeting is now taking place.”
Asked by @rugby365com to comment on the many undercurrents in the coaching set-up, he dismissed the suggestion the meeting is related to the numerous reports.
@rugby365com asked the following questions:
* What is the position of forwards coach Albert van den Berg, who is at loggerheads with technical analyst, Chris Venter?
* What about the reports of offers from Europe for Van den Berg?
* What is the position of head coach Ivan van Rooyen?
* What is the position of defence coach Jaque Fourie?
* What is the position of Currie Cup coach Mziwakhe Nkosi?
Allers’ reply was curt: “Those are internal and confidential matters.”
However, @rugby365com has been told that the futures of Van Rooyen and Van den Berg will be high on the agenda.
The Van Rooyen is likely to be handed a contract extension, while an offer that’s been on the table to Van den Berg for weeks will likely be withdrawn.
The latter is unlikely to accept an inferior offer from the Lions and will in all probability head to Europe to further his coaching career.
That will result in another coaching shake-up in the URC off-season.
There is bound to be some fall-out in the players’ ranks once Van den Berg’s departure is confirmed.
It is also likely that Van den Berg will push ahead with criminal charges against Venter – as @rugby365com reported a fortnight ago.
Lions Rugby Company Chief Executive Officer Rudolf Straeuli at the time confirmed to @rugby365com that he is aware of the accusation against Venter.
Van den Berg accused Venter of making copies of private conversations on his work laptop.
Venter, responsible for setting up coaches’ laptops before games to assist them with live analyses during games, allegedly took pictures of a private WhatsApp conversation between Van den Berg and agent Dane Galley.
Straeuli, in response to @rugby365com‘s enquiry about the very serious allegations, admitted that he is aware of a lawyer’s letter sent from Van den Berg to Venter.
This website reported last month about the suggestion that the coaching staff, en masse, approach Straeuli with their grievances.
However, some of the coaches at that meeting got cold feet.
This development follows the previous expose by @rugby365com of a major disconnect between players and upper management.
@king365ed
@rugby365com
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