Former Springbok coach Allister Coetzee has asked for patience from Eastern Province Elephants fans after watching their team receive a 61-22 drubbing from the Airlink Pumas.
The Elephants suffered the defeat to the Pumas in a Round Two SA Cup game in Gqeberha at the weekend.
Coetzee, who coached the Springboks in 2016 and 2017, was appointed as coach of the EP Elephants near the end of last year as his tenure as head coach of the Namibian national team came to an end.
It is Coetzee’s second stint in charge of the Elephants. He guided the Stormers to the 2010 Super Rugby Grand Final and Western Province to two Currie Cup Premier Division titles (2012 and 2014). His first stint as head coach was from 2001 to 2003 before becoming an assistant coach with the Springboks under head coach Jake White.
Parking the Currie Cup hype
The Elephants have set themselves a target of qualifying for the Currie Cup Premier Division. However, after two losses in the SA Cup since his return as Elephants boss, Coetzee has poured cold water over the hope that it will happen this coming season.
As per a statement released by the Eastern Province Rugby Union, Coetzee said: “People want to see a winning side, and I understand that. But building a competitive team is a process.”
According to the ex-Bok boss, it might take a few years before his side can challenge for a Currie Cup Premier Division spot.
“Teams like the Pumas, when they first started competing against top sides in the Currie Cup, were often heavily beaten. Under coach Jimmy Stonehouse, it took them years to grow – they didn’t win the Currie Cup until 2022, nearly a decade after Stonehouse took over in 2013,” said Coetzee.
Unrealistic expectations?
Elephants fans won’t be that patient to wait a decade to see Coetzee get them to qualify for the Currie Cup. Some fans described the loss as disgraceful on social media.
Fans said that they expected Coetzee to at least have turned the group into a more competitive side. They hoped his experience would come in handy during clashes with more professional sides like the Pumas, Toyota Cheetahs, Suzuki Griquas and Sanlam Boland Cavaliers.
In an attempt to manage expectations for his first year in charge, Coetzee said: “We should not have unrealistic expectations. This team is building a new identity – we’re scoring tries, developing a good set-piece and showing fight.”
“That’s the narrative we’re displaying and I am proud of the effort.”
Allister Coetzee’s Next Challenge
Coetzee’s Elephants next face the SWD Eagles in Round Three of the SA Cup on Friday at 15:00 at Outeniqua Park in George. A third defeat will certainly add more pressure on Coetzee. The expectation for them will be to at least win the Currie Cup First Division later this year, after reaching last year’s final.
