A Toxic burden lifted: Coetzee inherits Eastern Province Elephants as he looks to restore glory

Allister "Toetie" Coetzee, the seasoned Springboks and Namibia coach, brings his expertise to the Eastern Province Elephants, aiming to steer the team towards a rigorous physical conditioning phase in preparation for the 2025 SA Cup. The 61-year-old Coetzee has a daunting task on hand: he will at the helm guide the team, which is facing challenges in reaching peak fitness levels due to its non-full-time professional status.

Coetzee, with an illustrious coaching resume that includes stints in Japan and Italy, and a stint as the director of rugby at Namibia, believes in Eastern Province's potential to compete with top unions. He has a seven-year gap since being relieved of his duties as Boks coach, following a series of underwhelming performances from 2016 to 2018. The brief stint as head coach at Namibia in 2023 admittedly ended without fruition as the team failed to secure any victories at the most crucial stage of international competition.

Regardless, he still managed to impart valuable lessons during his tenure in Namibia, guiding the team to participate at the 2023 Rugby World Cup. He hopes to recount that kind of success in Eastern Province by getting the team settled into a healthy routine and imparting the sport specific skills necessary to emerge respectively on top in competition.

Coetzee is taking a pivotal role as the Eastern Province coach, force těchto forcingment that could guide their rise back to the pinnacle of South African rugby.