Share

Fact file: Allister Coetzee

Cape Town - Allister Coetzee has been involved with rugby since 1974, first as a player and then later as a team manager, assistant coach and head coach.

Coetzee was born on May 23, 1963 in Grahamstown. He was an outstanding scrumhalf in the period before rugby unification in South Africa, and captained the SARU national team, as they were called back in the days, between 1988 and 1991 following his debut in 1985.

He was selected for the Junior Springboks in 1992 and played in the Currie Cup for Eastern Province between 1992 and 1996, as well as in the 1994 Super 10 competition for the Eastern Cape team.

The former teacher retired from the game in 1996. Coetzee then ventured into coaching and was immediately appointed as an assistant coach for EP in 1996. Two years later he was appointed as team manager for the Sharks’ Vodacom Super Rugby side, where he also became an assistant coach in 2000.

Coetzee coached the Emerging Springboks in 1998, a Vodacom All-Stars team in 1999 and the South African Under-23 and South Africa 'A' sides in 2000, when he was also one of the Springbok assistant coaches to Harry Viljoen.

He then became head coach of Eastern Province in 2001, the first black head coach of a provincial rugby side in South Africa. He remained head coach for the EP side until he resigned in July 2003.

Coetzee was appointed as assistant coach to the Springboks in early 2004, where he formed a successful coaching trio with Jake White and Gert Smal until the end of 2007, capping off four memorable years with the winning of the 2007 Rugby World Cup in France.

In 2005, he was also appointed assistant coach for the Cats for the 2006 Super 14 season, a position he held for only one season.

Coetzee joined Western Province in 2008 after he accepted an offer to become backline coach of the Stormers. He also took over as head coach of Western Province in the Currie Cup later in 2008 and was elevated to head coach of the Stormers prior to the start of the 2010 Vodacom Super Rugby season.

Coetzee led the Stormers to three South African Conference titles during his tenure as Stormers head coach, and he was also successful in his role as coach of Western Province, where he won the Currie Cup twice, in 2012 and 2014.

He remained with the Stormers until the end of the 2015 Vodacom Super Rugby season, when he moved to Japan to take over as head coach of the Kobe Steelers.

Profile – Allister Coetzee

1989-1991: Represented and captained SARU prior to unification

1992: Junior Springbok

1992-1996: Played Currie Cup rugby for Eastern Province

1994: Played in the Super 10 for Eastern Province

1998-2000: Sharks assistant coach to Ian McIntosh and Hugh Reece-Edwards in Vodacom Super Rugby

2000: Springbok assistant coach to Harry Viljoen

2000: SA “A” and SA Under-23 head coach

2001-03: Eastern Province head coach (37 matches)

2006: Cats assistant coach to Frans Ludeke in Vodacom Super Rugby

2004-07: Springbok assistant coach to Jake White

2008: Stormers assistant coach

2008-15: Western Province head coach (108 matches)

2010-15: Stormers head coach (98 matches)

2010: Named South Africa’s Coach of the Year

2015-16: Kobe Steelers head coach in Japan

2016: Springbok head coach
We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Should Siya Kolisi keep the captaincy as the Springboks build towards their World Cup title defence in 2027?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
Yes! Siya will only be 36 at the next World Cup. He can make it!
26% - 1272 votes
No! I think the smart thing to do is start again with a younger skipper ...
30% - 1470 votes
I'd keep Siya captain for now, but look to have someone else for 2027.
45% - 2240 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE