SA's rugby coaches in the spotlight ahead of new United Rugby Championship campaign

South Africa's rugby franchises heading into another United Rugby Championship season with their coaches under as much scrutiny as their players.

The spotlight is particularly fierce this year, with each of the four local franchises carrying their own burdens of expectation after a few years frustration and unfinished business.

For the Bulls, Lions, Sharks and Stormers, the real challenge is whether their coaches can take the next step: turning promise into trophies, near-misses into triumphs, and inconsistency into a sustained title challenge.

From Johan Ackermann’s hunger to finally break his silverware duck, to Ivan van Rooyen’s fight for survival, John Plumtree’s push for higher standards, and John Dobson’s quest for stability, this season feels pivotal.

Here’s a look at what each man must deliver in 2025/26.

Johan Ackermann (Bulls)

The Bulls coach says he has a “burning desire” to win silverware after losing two Super Rugby finals with the Lions and a Challenge Cup final with Gloucester, while the Bulls were bridesmaids in three URC finals under Jake White. Ackermann’s sentiment on winning trophies will be music to the ears of Bulls fans who have seen their team come so close yet so far from URC glory.

Ackermann was revered as a tough lock for the Bulls, Sharks, Lions, Griquas, and Springboks, and as a coach, he commands similar respect. He has a natural knack for pulling people together into a tight unit. Ackermann has a gift for making players believe in themselves. Ackermann could be the final piece of the puzzle the Bulls need to go from nearly men to champions.

During the Lions’ golden run under Ackermann, they played enterprising rugby, as did Gloucester. Bulls fans can expect more of the same.

Ivan van Rooyen (Lions)

Surely Van Rooyen will have to cash in his chips if his team once more fails to make the URC playoffs. For four seasons in a row, they have finished outside of the top eight after 18 league matches, and that is not good enough for a team that not too long ago contested three Super Rugby finals.

Last year, it was thought that Van Rooyen was in the Last Chance Saloon, but he has survived another failure. Perhaps the boardroom at Ellis Park feels that the coach is doing the best he can with resources that don’t compare to those of the other SA teams. It is argued that a smaller squad means Van Rooyen has to field his URC players in the Currie Cup, resulting in fatigue midway through the URC, but that doesn’t hold water. The Lions have strong juniors, and Van Rooyen should have made them play in the Currie Cup.

John Plumtree (Sharks)

The big New Zealander is into the third season of his second tenure at Kings Park. His first year was a disaster, with the Sharks ending near the bottom of the UC log, although they recovered to win the Challenge Cup.

Plumtree explained that on arrival, midway through 2023, he found a lack of a team culture at the union he served as a rugged flank in the early ‘90s. He worked tirelessly to get the players to understand what he expected of them and how he wanted them to play. The result in his second season was a vastly improved finish on the log and a semi-final finish (they were beaten away by the Bulls).

Still, many feel that given the Sharks’ spectacular stock of Springboks, they should be doing better, especially in the Champions’ Cup, but Plumtree argues that his Boks are not available for meaningful periods. You have to feel, though, that the Sharks must scale greater heights this year.

John Dobson (Stormers)

The Stormers have a new logo alongside a new jersey and apparel sponsor. But what Dobbo will want more than anything is better consistency after the inaugural URC champions began wretchedly last season before recovering to play an away (and losing) quarter-final in Glasgow. The coach has to find a way to better juggle his resources to ensure the Stormers ship stays on an even keel and doesn’t scale heights only to plunge into troughs.

Looking at Dobbo’s squad acquisitions, he is looking to build a long-term dynasty, but he needs to balance that with short-term success. Two losing quarter-final finishes in a row were not considered good enough by the Cape fans, and Dobbo needs a stronger campaign in 2025/2026.