Carlos Kambaekwa
Windhoek-Namibia Rugby Union (NRU) Premier League giants FNB Western Suburbs Rugby Club has effected some eye-catching changes to its existing coaching staff and technical department.
The popular Khomadal outfit’s director of rugby and former national rugby fifteen scrumhalf, Walter Don, says his coaching support staff aims to ensure the club achieves its objectives over the next three years.
The new structure is to ensure the longterm sustainability of coaching capacity within the club, while at the same time ushering in retired Suburbs players to reinforce the club’s values and belief systems.
The re-structuring is also targetting capacity building with an eye on the ultimate future of the green and white strip outfit.
“I’m delighted to announce that we have been burning the midnight oil during the last three months to scout for former players to take up crucial coaching roles within the club’s strcutures and to make Suburbs a competitive club again,” Don announced recently.
For the next three years, the coaching structure will be in operation ensuring players are being coached and developed to meet the demands of the modern game.
Former players that he identified as potential mentors include Shaun Kaizemi (technical coach). Kaizemi is a former Suburbs player with 15 caps for the national senior rugby side.
He also represented his native land in Sevens Rugby and in the Under-20 team, apart from featuring regularly in the Currie Cup and Vodacom Cup competitions.
Kaizemi brings a wealth of experience and “game presence” to the set up and will serve as lead coach.
Another Suburbs player, Namibia’s most outstanding player at the 2015 IRB World Cup finals in England, Munee Tjiueza has been installed as forward coach. Boasting a significant number of tests, the giant lock was unfortunate to prematurely retire from the game as a result of a niggling back injury.
Former national senior rugby tema player Llewellyn Winkler takes up the role of conditioning coach. Winkler has played 13 tests and boasts an array of expertise at national level that includes featuring in the Vodacom Cup and Varsity Cup.
National Sevens team member Attie du Plessis has been appointed backline coach with the task of ensuring the ambitious club continues its flair and innovation in backline play.
The newly appointed coaches have all committed themselves to Suburbs’ values, namely discipline, attitude, teamwork and excellence to be the centre of their functions.
An excited Don says he looks forward to working with his proteges as he welcomed the former players back to familiar territory.