The stats speak for themselves when it comes to the job Ivan van Rooyen has done at the Lions this season. He has overseen a major step up in his team’s performances, and that has resulted in him being chosen by his peers as Coach of the Season.
The 44-year-old South African finished in top spot following a poll of the head coaches and directors of rugby in the competition.
It’s a reward which acknowledges the strides the Lions have made under him.
Last season, they finished 11th in the URC on 40 points, with eight victories from their 18 matches.
This term, they claimed 10 wins and a draw to rack up 54 points and come seventh, thereby qualifying for the play-offs for the first time and securing Investec Champions Cup rugby.
They also scored the second most points (532) and the third most tries (73) in the league, demonstrating their attacking potency.
Plus, in a real landmark achievement, they won the South African Shield for delivering the best results overall in the domestic derbies, with four victories out of six, including notable triumphs away to the Vodacom Bulls and the Hollywoodbets Sharks.
So, just what does Van Rooyen put the obvious advances his team has made down to?
“It’s probably just consistency, an alignment in what we want to do, what does it look like and what does it take,” he said.
“The more clear you are about what you want to do and your identity, the easier it is.
“A lot of the time, you want to look at the outcome, but you must look at the process and what made the difference or what had the effect.
“I think the coaches and the players are really aligned about what we want and what we need. The players have also got more experience now.”
He added: “I am extremely proud of the hard work and effort that has been put in by everyone.”
In explaining their choice of Van Rooyen for the award, fellow coaches pointed to his team performing above expectations, the great achievement of winning the South African Shield and the entertaining brand of rugby they play.
