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Former Springbok coach Gary Gold lands new international role
By Jon Newcombe
Former Springbok assistant coach Gary Gold has joined the Japan coaching set-up as the team prepares for the Pacific Nations Cup.
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It marks a return to international coaching for the 58-year-old South African, whose last involvement in Test rugby was as head coach of the USA.
In a largely successful five-year period, Gold led the Eagles to back-to-back Americas Rugby Championship titles and to their highest world ranking of 12th. They also achieved their only win over Scotland whilst he was in charge.
However, having failed to qualify the team for the 2023 World Cup, Gold stepped down from the role in December 2022. Upon his return to South Africa, he joined the Bulls as senior coach to Jake White.
Gold’s involvement with the Springboks started in 2004, as a defence consultant, before he rejoined the set-up in 2008 as one of Peter de Villiers’ assistants. With Gold on board, South Africa won the 2009 Tri-Nations and defeated the British and Irish Lions 2-1.
In club rugby, Gold has coached at the highest level in his native South Africa (Western Province, Sharks and the Bulls) and in England (London Irish, Newcastle, Bath and Worcester) as well as Japan (Kobe Steelers).
Gold has been searching for his next coaching appointment since leaving the Bulls by mutual agreement nearly 12 months ago.
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Japan’s Pacific Nations Cup campaign gets underway on August 30th, against Canada in Sendai. The Brave Blossoms will be looking to go one better than last year when they finished runners-up to Fiji.