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Cape Town - The Super Rugby hangover for the Stormers might take a while to disappear.
But, with each passing day the memories of that woeful display at Newlands against the Brumbies on Saturday will become more distant. And, with each passing week, memories of the Allister Coetzee-era in Cape Town will begin to play second fiddle as the future of the franchise and who will be next in line to take the reins comes to the fore.
Coetzee is on his way to Japan where he will take charge of the Kobe Kobelco Steelers – his work at the Stormers over the last eight years coming to a bitter-sweet end. Coetzee leaves the Stormers having made them the best side in the country, but the Super Rugby title still eludes them.
The 52-year-old said that he would not leave with any regrets, and highlighted the progress made in transformation as one of the highlights of his tenure at the franchise.
But, according to Coetzee, transformation is about more than simply skin colour.
“When you have transformation, it’s not just transformation in terms of colour,” said Coetzee.
“It’s transformation in terms of how Frans Malherbe becomes a leader, how Juan de Jongh becomes a leader … and it’s not just about skin colour.
“But if you look at the dynamics of the side and you go to Johannesburg and a black guy from Johannesburg tells me that this is his team that he supports, then I know that it is the right job that I have done.”
Coetzee added that he saw a bright future for the current crop of players, but advised that the Stormers management would need to hold onto the core of the squad if they were to challenge for honours next season.
“We’ve got depth now. We need to keep this group of players together for the next two seasons and then we can contest for the Super Rugby trophy,” he said.
“There are a couple of players leaving as well so we must make sure that we full those positions with quality players … I’m sure we’ll get it right. I think our coaching structures are solid.”
