Ncgobo appointed Blitzboks coach with Snyman his assistant

Sandile Ngcobo and Philip Snyman‚ two former World Rugby Sevens Series winners‚ will provide the core of the newly appointed Springbok Sevens management‚ taking the team into the 2022-23 season and beyond.

Neil Powell vacated the hot seat last week at the conclusion of the Sevens World Cup after a nine-year stint at the helm.

The 33-year-old Ngcobo‚ who now heads the SA Rugby Sevens Academy and assisted Paul Delport with the Springbok Women’s Sevens at the Commonwealth Games and Rugby World Cup Sevens in recent months‚ will spearhead the coaching team.

Snyman‚ 35‚ who guided Germany to their first World Cup Sevens qualification‚ will become assistant coach of the recent Commonwealth Games gold medallists and runners-up in the World Rugby Sevens Series.

Ngcobo and Snyman are vastly experienced Sevens operators. They were part of the squad that won consecutive World Series titles in 2017 and 2018‚ with Snyman captaining the Blitzboks in both seasons. They then retired from the game and moved into coaching.

Ngcobo was promoted to head coach at the academy in 2021 while Snyman took up a coaching position at the SAS Sevens Academy‚ then assisted Uganda towards Commonwealth Games qualification before joining forces with Germany.

Their first task will be the opening tournament of the 2022-23 World Rugby Sevens Series in Hong Kong on the weekend of November 4-6.

SA Rugby’s director of rugby‚ Rassie Erasmus‚ said Ngcobo’s elevation was important as it shows the coaching pathways are sound.

“To have esteemed former players swapping roles to coach the team they served for so long is testimony of the great culture that was created over the years.

“We have seen what the Blitzboks are capable of — they have been one of the top three sides in the world consistently over the past decade or so. That did not happen by chance as their success was built over a long period at their base at the Stellenbosch Academy of Sport.

“Both coaches were part of the well-respected Blitzboks culture and are driven by that. They will certainly make sure the values of the system will continue to grow with the next generation of players,” Erasmus said.

Ngcobo said his appointment was a huge opportunity. “I cannot give enough gratitude for the confidence that has been put in me and our team to take up the baton.”