Izak Van Heerden
Encyclopedia
Izak Van Heerden was a South Africa
n rugby union
coach, and player, remembered mainly for his successes with the Argentina national team
and Natal, and his unconventional style.
in 1910.
In his rugby playing career he had moderate success playing at loose forward for the Natal University College in Pietermaritzburg. Not being a Springbok meant that later on, he was passed over as a choice to coach the national side, because it was wrongly assumed that good players and good coaches were one and the same. What Van Heerden had lacked in physical prowess in rugby, he made up for by his tactical brilliance.
He qualified as a teacher at the Natal University College (now the University of KwaZulu-Natal
), and became a school master at Durban High School
, where he taught Afrikaans. A rugby pitch at the school is now named after him.
During World War II
, Van Heerden served in North Africa
, where he was taken prisoner along with another well known Natal University College alumnus, Durban High School schoolmaster and rugby coach, Bill Payn. He returned to teaching after the War.
Amongst the South African players who passed through his hands were Tommy Bedford, Keith Oxlee,Trix Truter and Snowy Suter.
But van Heerden's success with Natal was only a foretaste of what was to come.
He was invited to Buenos Aires
to help the Pumas
prepare for their first visit to South Africa in 1965. Despite Argentina faring badly in this tour, it was the start of a long and happy relationship between Van Heerden and the Pumas. Izak Van Heerden gave up his teaching post in Durban, relocated to Argentina, learnt Spanish
fluently, and would revolutionise Argentine play in the late 1960s, laying the way open for great players such as Hugo Porta
. Van Heerden virtually invented the "tight loose" form of play, an area in which the Argentines would come to excel, and which would become a hallmark of their playing style. The Pumas repaid the initial debt, by beating the Junior Springboks
at Ellis Park, and emerged as one of the better modern rugby nations, thanks largely to the talents of this Durban schoolmaster.
Van Heerden's fame grew elsewhere as a result, particularly in the British Isles, where reports filtered through about the rugby "guru" with the golden touch. Somehow his growing reputation worked against him in South Africa, and other than one series against the British and Irish Lions
in 1962, in which the Lions were comprehensively outplayed (losing 3-0), Van Heerden's massive input was not required.
After his coaching career, he went back to teach at Durban High School. He died suddenly there in his office in 1973.
, who coached the Springboks for the 1995 Rugby World Cup
, was quoted as saying Izak Van Heerden "was truly light years ahead of the rest." Christie openly acknowledged Izak Van Heerden's influence on him, and to using his thinking as a blueprint for his own team, saying "Most of what you hear the modern coaches saying, and the phrases they use, were first coined by Izak."
Van Heerden's masterpiece, Thinking Rugby, has become a coaching Bible around the world. Several of the strategies he devised during his rise to prominence, when he masterminded Natal's victory over Australia
in 1953, have become parts of the modern high-speed, high-intensity game. Richard Bath describes him as "the thinking man's coach." He also wrote Tactical and Attacking Rugby (1967).
Van Heerden's greatest legacy, perhaps, was to turn the Pumas into a truly respected national side. Despite the ups-and-downs of the Argentine side, Van Heerden's team are considered a benchmark of what the Pumas are capable of achieving. Argentina was already the rugby power in South America
when Izak Van Heerden came along, but he propelled them into a completely different orbit from their neighbours in Chile, Uruguay and elsewhere.
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
n rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
coach, and player, remembered mainly for his successes with the Argentina national team
Argentina national rugby union team
The Argentina national rugby team, nicknamed Los Pumas, represents Argentina in international rugby union matches. The team, which plays in sky blue and white jerseys, is organised by the Argentine Rugby Union .Argentina played its first international rugby match in 1910 against a touring British...
and Natal, and his unconventional style.
Biography
Van Heerden was born in DurbanDurban
Durban is the largest city in the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal and the third largest city in South Africa. It forms part of the eThekwini metropolitan municipality. Durban is famous for being the busiest port in South Africa. It is also seen as one of the major centres of tourism...
in 1910.
In his rugby playing career he had moderate success playing at loose forward for the Natal University College in Pietermaritzburg. Not being a Springbok meant that later on, he was passed over as a choice to coach the national side, because it was wrongly assumed that good players and good coaches were one and the same. What Van Heerden had lacked in physical prowess in rugby, he made up for by his tactical brilliance.
He qualified as a teacher at the Natal University College (now the University of KwaZulu-Natal
University of KwaZulu-Natal
The University of KwaZulu-Natal or UKZN is a university with five campuses all located in the province of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa. It was formed on 1 January 2004 after the merger between the University of Natal and the University of Durban-Westville.-History:-University of...
), and became a school master at Durban High School
Durban High School
Durban High School is an all boys public school in Durban, South Africa.- History :DHS opened its doors in 1866 in two rooms and with seven pupils in Smith Street. From there it moved to a disused granary in Cato Square in 1880, just after the Zulu War, and then to the Old Hospital on the foreshore...
, where he taught Afrikaans. A rugby pitch at the school is now named after him.
During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Van Heerden served in North Africa
North Africa
North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, linked by the Sahara to Sub-Saharan Africa. Geopolitically, the United Nations definition of Northern Africa includes eight countries or territories; Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, South Sudan, Sudan, Tunisia, and...
, where he was taken prisoner along with another well known Natal University College alumnus, Durban High School schoolmaster and rugby coach, Bill Payn. He returned to teaching after the War.
Coaching Natal
He would frequently turn up to training sessions with Natal straight from school, donning the glasses, tweed jacket, or conservative dark suit that he wore at school. This was one of his many foibles, which endeared some people to him, and alienated others. He was a big, burly man, with a humorous, witty manner, a sharp temper, and a repertoire of ripe language which he used freely in both the classroom and on the rugby field. He looked every bit the rugby player.Amongst the South African players who passed through his hands were Tommy Bedford, Keith Oxlee,Trix Truter and Snowy Suter.
But van Heerden's success with Natal was only a foretaste of what was to come.
Van Heerden and Argentina
If Van Heerden was an unsung genius in his homeland, it was Argentina that gave him the chance to flourish, and show exactly what he was capable of.He was invited to Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
to help the Pumas
Argentina national rugby union team
The Argentina national rugby team, nicknamed Los Pumas, represents Argentina in international rugby union matches. The team, which plays in sky blue and white jerseys, is organised by the Argentine Rugby Union .Argentina played its first international rugby match in 1910 against a touring British...
prepare for their first visit to South Africa in 1965. Despite Argentina faring badly in this tour, it was the start of a long and happy relationship between Van Heerden and the Pumas. Izak Van Heerden gave up his teaching post in Durban, relocated to Argentina, learnt Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
fluently, and would revolutionise Argentine play in the late 1960s, laying the way open for great players such as Hugo Porta
Hugo Porta
Hugo Porta is a former Argentine Rugby Union footballer, an inductee of both the International Rugby Hall of Fame and IRB Hall of Fame, and one of the best fly-halves the sport has seen...
. Van Heerden virtually invented the "tight loose" form of play, an area in which the Argentines would come to excel, and which would become a hallmark of their playing style. The Pumas repaid the initial debt, by beating the Junior Springboks
Emerging Springboks
The Emerging Springboks are the second national rugby union team in South africa after the national side. They compete every year in the Nations Cup alongside the full national teams of Namibia, Romania and Georgia as well as Argentina Jaguars and Italy A. Now and again they also play touring sides...
at Ellis Park, and emerged as one of the better modern rugby nations, thanks largely to the talents of this Durban schoolmaster.
Van Heerden's fame grew elsewhere as a result, particularly in the British Isles, where reports filtered through about the rugby "guru" with the golden touch. Somehow his growing reputation worked against him in South Africa, and other than one series against the British and Irish Lions
British and Irish Lions
The British and Irish Lions is a rugby union team made up of players from England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales...
in 1962, in which the Lions were comprehensively outplayed (losing 3-0), Van Heerden's massive input was not required.
After his coaching career, he went back to teach at Durban High School. He died suddenly there in his office in 1973.
Legacy
Kitch ChristieKitch Christie
George Moir Christie, better known as Kitch Christie , was a South African rugby union coach best known for coaching the country's national team, the Springboks, to victory at the 1995 Rugby World Cup...
, who coached the Springboks for the 1995 Rugby World Cup
1995 Rugby World Cup
The 1995 Rugby World Cup was the third Rugby World Cup. It was hosted and won by South Africa, and was the first Rugby World Cup in which every match was held in one country....
, was quoted as saying Izak Van Heerden "was truly light years ahead of the rest." Christie openly acknowledged Izak Van Heerden's influence on him, and to using his thinking as a blueprint for his own team, saying "Most of what you hear the modern coaches saying, and the phrases they use, were first coined by Izak."
Van Heerden's masterpiece, Thinking Rugby, has become a coaching Bible around the world. Several of the strategies he devised during his rise to prominence, when he masterminded Natal's victory over Australia
Australia national rugby union team
The Australian national rugby union team is the representative side of Australia in rugby union. The national team is nicknamed the Wallabies and competes annually with New Zealand and South Africa in the Tri-Nations Series, in which they also contest the Bledisloe Cup with New Zealand and the...
in 1953, have become parts of the modern high-speed, high-intensity game. Richard Bath describes him as "the thinking man's coach." He also wrote Tactical and Attacking Rugby (1967).
Van Heerden's greatest legacy, perhaps, was to turn the Pumas into a truly respected national side. Despite the ups-and-downs of the Argentine side, Van Heerden's team are considered a benchmark of what the Pumas are capable of achieving. Argentina was already the rugby power in South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
when Izak Van Heerden came along, but he propelled them into a completely different orbit from their neighbours in Chile, Uruguay and elsewhere.