Louis Koen on the tackle that shook the rugby world
It was a hit that shook the foundations of the game. Not just women’s rugby. Not just South African rugby. But the entire galaxy that revolves around the oval ball. Honestly, it’s worth searching out if you haven’t seen it already.
Scotland’s fullback Chloe Rollie runs a superb support line in her own half and collects an off-load from an inside channel on the gallop. She cuts off her right foot and steps a defender. She darts back infield and rounds another. She’s screaming up the field. No one can stop her.
She glances to her left looking for a teammate and as she does so South Africa’s fly-half and record points scorer, Libbie Janse van Rensberg, dips her shoulder. Rollie is oblivious to what awaits her. And for a brief moment, time seems to stop as Janse van Rensberg absolutely obliterates her.
“I was so happy for Libbie,” says South Africa’s interim coach, Louis Koen, who played 15 times for the men’s Springboks and has since worked as SA Rugby’s high performance manager. “She puts in so much work. So for her to get the attention she’s got, it’s been amazing.”
One video of the hit has been viewed over 270,000 times on one account on X. Another has around 30,000 impressions. In Paris last week, even as the men’s side were gearing up for a showdown against the hosts France in a World Cup quarterfinal, Janse van Rensburg’s expertly placed right shoulder got sufficient airtime in the bistros and fan parks where South Africans gathered.
“It’s funny what can bring attention,” Koen adds. “We’re under no illusion that women’s rugby is a fringe sport in the country. That’s a strange thing because the men’s game is obviously so big. So whenever there’s a moment that can bring eyeballs and attract interest, it’s so important that we jump on that.
“We’re aiming to get people to talk about women’s rugby and Libbie is so good on social media in promoting our team. I’m not on social media a lot so I’m not so aware, but the players were all sharing the replays and talking about it.
“She does giveaways on her Instagram for fans. She does so much to bring attention to our sport. So I was just so happy for her. She’s a brilliant player. She is so classy with ball in hand and as you can see she’s been working on her defence.
“Wins will help promote our mission, but we can’t ignore those moments. Hopefully we can produce more of them.”
Koen lingers a little on the word ‘wins’. When asked to expand on his views his tone shifts.
“Look, we’re realistic,” he continues. “We know that we’re not at a level where we can compete with the top teams in the world. But the only way we can get better is if we play against teams that are better than us on a regular basis.
“But that means that we’re going to lose more games than we win. South African rugby fans are like all rugby fans anywhere in the world. They want to see their team do well and if they don’t they might lose interest.
“This is a long term project so I’m asking South African fans to be patient. What Lynne Cantwell [the former Ireland international who was appointed as South Africa’s women’s high performance manager in 2021] has stressed that this will take time. It might get worse in terms of results before it gets better.”
South Africa lost the match to Scotland 31-17. Currently ranked 13th in the world according to World Rugby’s metrics, they’re in the second tier of the WXV tournament which they’re also hosting. Along with Scotland, they’ve been paired with Italy, the United States, Japan and Samoa. Apart from the Pacific Islanders, all the other teams are ranked higher than them.
But Koen is optimistic that his team can land a few blows of their own. The squad has been boosted by an influx of players from the Bulls Daisies, the only fully professional women’s team in South Africa and a side that swept to a flawless victory in the Women’s Premier Division, claiming 12 league victories from as many games before sweeping to a 69-8 victory in the final against Western Province.
“They showed what is possible when the players are given proper support,” Koen says of a side that has contributed 11 players to his squad of 30. “Talent is the raw ingredient and hard work helps it develop. But you need an infrastructure to support it. Hopefully other teams can follow.”
Koen cites the rigorous training, the rest and recovery, and the attention to finer skills that have been cultivated at the Daisie’s training base as a cause for optimism. He explains how this has had a positive impact on the broader group and how he’s been able to work on aspects of the game that will help bridge the gap between the Springboks and the teams above them.
“You can’t succeed at the elite level without a solid scrum, line-out and maul,” he says. “And you can’t develop those without proper training. Before the players would get in camp and they’d sort of have to start from zero. Now there are a good few of them who have this base to work from.
“Look at England. Their set piece is amazing and that’s why they’re the best team in the world. It’s the same in the men’s game. The [men’s] Boks have always had a brilliant set piece. That’s what we’re aiming to achieve. We’ve said we want to compete at the next World Cup [in England in 2025]. I’m not saying we’re going to win it. But we’re going to compete.”
Koen might not be around for that. His short term stint with the side ends this weekend after the match against Italy, though he hopes to remain with the group.
“It’s honestly been a dream come true coaching this side,” he gushes. “I’ve just loved it. I’m so passionate about this project. We’ve only just begun.”
Comments on RugbyPass
lol that’s your opinion Ben, All Blacks benefited from a forward pass try, SA played 77 min without a recognised hooker, missed a no try conversion and a penalty could have would have but didn’t
195 Go to commentsBrett, from my distant perspective, I hope you get to keep the Rebels. Any ideas of teams from Japan or Argentina are just crazy. Won’t happen. If you look at logistics, it is much easier to get to LA from Auckland, Brisbane, Melbourne or Sydney than to Buenos Aires. All with direct non-stop daily flights. You may even get some “gringos” to watch the games, with some younger players compared to Giteau and Nonu who still “play” in the area. I think it is virtually impossible to get a competitive Argie team for SR. All Pumas are in Europe, almost all second tier players are also in Europe. Fringe players are in South American pro rugby tournament (and many still in the MLR!) but these players who might be most interested in joining a new Jaguares do not have the skills to compete. As I have been saying since the Jaguares joined, they should have had TWO teams to make logistics for visiting teams better and Argie player development improved as well. Jaguares/Pumas was not ideal. But this is where Pichot and his cronies did not think long enough. Further the country with he new president “No hay Plata” Milei is in a very difficult situation. Galperin, the richest man in Argentina owns the Miami franchise of MLR. I don’t think you can get him to invest in Argentina. Actually, he played rugby himself. He was a fly half. He is worth around $6 billion!
1 Go to commentsWell done Baby Boks we will take the Draw. No 9 senseless long passes in those conditions. let’s move on and hope for some good weather
4 Go to commentsHow did it end a draw. South Africa didn’t score any points as far as I can see
4 Go to commentsNo doubt this will be a fantastic occasion and I plan to be there, but I think the bean counters have won out over the rugby brains. In my opinion, it is foolhardy to give the Black Ferns the experience of playing in front of 60,000+ at Twickenham a year before they might be playing there in a World Cup Final. Better to play France at Twickenham and Black Ferns at Kingsholm. The difference in takings would be miniscule.
1 Go to commentsDom kant
195 Go to commentsBen is a little incel desperately trying to stir the pot and stay relevant. We used to get mad at his articles. Now we just feel sorry for him
195 Go to commentsPerhaps we may need to put an asterisk on NZ’s ‘87 WC win since the Boks weren’t there. You know, just as a reminder. Poor Ben Smith. Go cry somewhere else.
195 Go to commentsNz should have won. I didn't watch the game, but the ref was at fault and the bounce of the ball and the Bokke used the Bomb squad and the Bokke slow the game down and the Bokke scrum. They should remove the scrum. The Bokke are to strong. Not fair. Nz should have won
3 Go to commentsThanks for a much more balanced piece Ned and not that BS that Bin Smuth just posted a short while ago. read this article and then Bin Smuth’s and tell me there isn’t a huge difference🙄
3 Go to commentsWere the Baby Boks part of this game or did the Baby Blacks play themselves?🤔 That man Bin Smuth once again does a little write-up on the game and it is like 95% about the Baby Blacks🤣 Glad he ends off with the Baby Blacks were actually in cruise control for most of the game and weren’t actually playing for the win WTF🤣🤣 Maybe he was expecting the Baby Blacks to run rampant….
4 Go to commentsOne does not expect anything more from Ben Smith who epitomises the worst of New Zealand media arrogance and an inability to balance what he has to say about any team that beats the All Blacks. His reference to context is pathetically thin. He does not comment that Frizell deserved a red card given his blatant manipulation of his body to ensure that he could drop his body weight onto Mbonambi’s lower leg. No mention of the ball lost forward before the All Black’s try (lost in-field of the 5 metre line and gathered beyond). The All Black commitment and effort was superb and there was little in it. Given the Springbok passage to the final and the loss of their hooker in the first three minutes, their resolve and capacity to win their fourth final out of eight attempts (not three out of ten) deserves the praise that has been forthcoming from media around the world, worth reading and listening to. Ben should join his “pundit” friends on TV - he would fit in well. This sort of article reduces any credibility Rugby Pass has ever had. Why persist with this sort of nonsense? The man does his country and a rugby blog a disservice.
195 Go to commentsEtzebeth went on to say: “I would never dream of saying that systems stay in place following a change in captain. To say that would be deeply, deeply, disrespectful of Siya. A while back an Irish person told me they would be fine without Sexton, so I’m just responding to that.”
3 Go to commentsClose games are what we want to see…. What a match it was…. I am sure that everyone was drained by the end of it. The reality of it all there has to be a winner and a loser. The fact that we still talking about it is almost 6 months to the day Rugby is the winner.. Asante sana… Here is to 2027 and what it will bring out.
195 Go to commentsIt’s going to be a good game. COYQ
1 Go to comments“Shock”, the guy was casually saying he was just slightly surprised. Nowadays if you say anything it gets taken completely out of context. Calm down everyone.
156 Go to commentsAll I can say after reading this bitter, sour, sad piece is… Thank you very much! This will be read in the change room just before kick off on 31 August…
195 Go to commentsLook, we know contradicting opinions and wacky comments bring readers and clicks, so well done to RP for allowing always-wrong-Ben to say something here. However RP needs to put a disclaimer next to his comments for their own credibility. NZ was and is incapable of acknowledging their opp beating them. They refused so with Ire and with Arg in 2022 and also the Boks in 2023 x 2. Nothing Ben says here holds water, NZ attacked backwards, except when Kolisi and Kolbe was off And cyncialy took out Bongi, we played without lineouts for 75mins. Kolisi and Kurt-Lee almost scored twice. Thats 3 vs 2 for Boks, but the Boks opportunities was legal. Boks should have been 16-3 up by half time. Tacticaly the Boks attacked better defended better scrummed better (without a hooker) kicked better and crossed the whitewash more times. Boks beat Fr Eng Nz to win in 23, comeon give some credit at least. Even Federer Verstappen NY Mets, Mamoa, was able to see a great human sport achievement by the Boks and their DNA Boks #RWC27 !🏉
195 Go to commentsForget the 85kg bit, that can become something else. However I do like the one off test on ANZAC day idea. SR plays Fri/ Sat, test players travel Sunday and the squads have the full week together before playing Saturday. Rest of SR has a week off. Either involve women's teams in same location or in the other country and rotate annually. Herbert is right in that change is needed.
3 Go to commentsI’ve read loads of nonsense before but this article takes the cake. Or perhaps someone changed the date for April Fool's Day.
3 Go to comments