Swys de Bruin's post-Springbok Women role has been confirmed

Swys de Bruin has taken up his first coaching role since leaving his position as Springbok Women head coach last month.

The 66-year-old has joined Paarl Boys’ High School as their head of coaching.

It is a position that his son, Neil, vacated in December 2025 to join the Blue Bulls as their attack coach in the United Rugby Championship.

At the start of September, ahead of the Springbok Women’s clash with the Black Ferns in Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry, it was confirmed that De Bruin had abruptly vacated his role as head coach.

During his time with the Springbok Women, De Bruin took the team to a first-ever Women’s Rugby World Cup quarter-final and a record high of 10th in the World Rugby rankings.

The coach later revealed that a disagreement with SA Rugby ultimately decided his exit, and De Bruin will now call the Western Cape and Boishaai home.

“Swys is one of the leading coaches in our country and we wish him well for the future,” Mark Alexander, SA Rugby President, said in a September statement.

“We respect his decision to move forward in his career and thank him sincerely for his contribution to the growth of women’s rugby.

“Our team developed a unique style of play and an unpredictability that captured massive attention. Who will forget the 14-player lineout or setting up a maul from a scrum in that quarter-final against the Black Ferns.

“Swys quickly endeared himself to fans and supporters of the women’s game and that connection contributed to the growing support behind the Springbok Women. It also attracted greater corporate backing.”

Over the years, Paarl Boys’ High School has churned out a number of Springboks, including Thomas du Toit, Frans Malherbe and Evan Roos.

Paarl Boys’ High School also announced the appointment of George Earle as the team’s new head coach. The former Scarlets, Cardiff and Colomiers lock joined the first XV coaching staff in 2025.

Earle takes over from Sean Erasmus, who joined the University of Stellenbosch’s Maties programme as their head coach in August.