Glenwood - team profile of Champions
Tue, 13 May 2008 13:02
Glenwood recently became the third South African team to win the Sanix World Rugby Youth Invitational Tournament in Japan. We chatted to their coach Sean Erasmus about the make-up of the team that won the Final.
The fullback is Dean Lovett, who coach Erasmus describes as a youngster who also has the ability to play wing. A bit light, he is extremely explosive and has represented KwaZulu at Sevens. Dean scored a brilliant try in the final when he fielded a cross-kick from flyhalf Storm Pearton. His coach is trying to develop his kicking game but Dean continues to use his explosivity to rather to run the ball back at the opposition.
Marinus Coetzee, who played fullback for the 1st XV last season, is currently playing on the right-wing. Marinus is extremely athletic and is strong on defence and attack. On the left-wing Andre Swart is a converted centre who is heavy and strong. Andre is a great organiser, who revels in his defensive duties.
The centre pairing of Kobus Lourens and Dries Els are both youngsters, having played together for the Under-16 team last year. They are a very good attacking and defensive pairing. Cobus plays on the inside and is big and strong; at over 90kg he offloads brilliantly in the tackle. Dries complements him well as he has the ability to run wonderful lines.
Flyhalf Storm Pearton has a big, educated left-boot. As mentioned he kicked the cross-kick that led to one of the tries in the final. Not just a kicker, Storm is described by his coach as an attacking flyhalf who is a good distributor and defensive organiser. Scrumhalf Etienne Beneke is another youngster who has a lot to learn. Although his enthusiasm can sometimes get the better of him he has a good service and links well with his forwards.
No. 8 Kurt Beeton is a hard working and under-rated youngster. Like former Sharks and Springbok skipper Gary Teichmann, Kurt is not one for the flashy stuff and prefers to play to the ball. Flanks Ruan Burr-Dixon and JP Lafond are described by their coach as the best pairing in the province. They have played together since Under-13, so they read each other’s play well, swapping attacking and defensive duties with ease. They are both powerful and play low to the ground. Extremely explosive they are well suited to the modern game. An indication of their explosive ability is that at 17 years of age Ruan can bench-press 150kg and JP can squat 220kg. Frightening statistics both!
Steen Smith is a veteran lock playing his 3rd year in the Glenwood 1st XV. With his experience he is a leader and an enforcer, who always steps up to the plate when the going gets tough. Strong and powerful, he is still mobile enough to contribute all over the park. His lock partner is another youngster Ricky Stetler, whom coach Erasmus likens to Bakkies Botha. Tall and big, Ricky remains dynamic but more importantly he loves the dirty work.
Tighthead prop Jon-Roy Jenkinson was one of the top try-scorers at the SANIX tournament. He scored the vital winning try for Glenwood in the last minute of pool game against St. Benedict's. A strong ball carrier who loves to run with the ball his style of play can be compared to CJ van der Linde. His prop partner is Nardus Raubenheimer, who can play anywhere along the front row. A classic modern prop he is light and mobile around the field. An accurate cleaner at rucks he is a more than able ball carrier.
Captain and hooker Shaun Malton is a youngster who has worked very hard to get where he is. He is mobile and dynamic and can double up as a loose-forward. His line-outs are good and he likes to play attacking rugby, like the current Sharks hooker Bismarck du Plessis.
Coach Sean Erasmus is relatively young for a 1st XV coach at a major rugby school. At only thirty years of age he already has a wealth of coaching knowledge. A born and bred Estcourt boy he began coaching at the local high school. He then moved to Durban to further his playing career at Harlequins club. While playing 1st XV there he began coaching at Grosvenor Boy’s High. He moved from there to Westville High and it was there where Glenwood spotted his talents. He has been at Glenwood for seven years already and says that he has learnt much from the experienced coaches at Glenwood. His formal coaching qualifications were obtained at arguably the top rugby-coaching academy in the world, Murray Mexted’s IRANZ Academy in Palmerston North, New Zealand. In addition to his involvement at Glenwood he has coached the Quins 1st XV and is involved with the KwaZulu Natal Academy Under-18 A team. Having left Quins two years ago he now helps out in the evenings as forwards coach for the Old Boy’s Premiership Under-20A team.
An extremely busy man Sean is also Director of the Glenwood Sports Academy. This academy gives talented sportsman the opportunity to experience what it is like to be a professional from age fourteen. The programme they follow is exactly like that a professional would follow and allows boys to decide by Matric whether they would like to go the professional route after school. The boy’s train from 7-9am, then attend school and then again from 3-5pm. The boy’s follow extensive conditioning programs and are provided with supplements by Herbalife and Muscle Science. The Academy has received some criticism from those who believe the boy’s are been pushed to hard to early but Sean is confident that they are handling the boys correctly.
Glenwood have their centenary year in two years time and are striving through their Academy to be the best in everything they take part in by 2010. They are marketing their school aggressively to try and attract the right type of boy. One who Sean says has pride in his school and always gives of his best on and off the field.
Sean describes the SANIX World Youth Invitational Tournament as the best organised tournament he has ever attended. The teams as treated as fully-fledged professionals and Sean says that his team gained a wealth of playing experience. He has already seen that experience evident on the field in their 22-5 win over Westville on the weekend and at the Sharks Craven Week trials.
Glenwood’s next match is against fierce rivals Maritzburg College. College are not having their best season but coach Erasmus and his team are acutely aware that there is no such thing as an easy derby win.
