HARARE - Ian McIntosh, the legendary former Springbok coach and current South Africa national selector, will put Zimbabwe’s national team players through their paces in Harare next Tuesday as the Sables fine-tune preparations for July’s crucial World Cup qualifiers in Madagascar.
Bulawayo-born McIntosh, who also coached his native Zimbabwe in the 1970s and 80s before taking charge of the Boks in the early 1990s, will be in his country of birth next week during the Dairibord Schools Rugby Festival to help with development efforts here.
In his book, Zimbabwe Rugby Centenary 1895-1995, Jonty Winch described McIntosh as the man who “revolutionised Rhodesian (Zimbabwean) rugby and gave it new dimensions, created an enviable image, brought local rugby up to date with the latest scientific trends that were sweeping across Britain, and inspired the savouring taste of real success.”
McIntosh will train locally-based Sables players on Tuesday night at Harare Sports Club.
He will then conduct a workshop for national team coaches across all levels on Wednesday at Prince Edward School, the venue of the Schools Festival.
The veteran coach, whose experience in the game spans over 50 years, will then hold another seminar for all interested rugby coaches from across the country at the same venue on Friday.
Highly-regarded in South African circles, having steered the Sharks to their first-ever Currie Cup title in 1990 – a feat they were to repeat in two of the three following years, with a direct and confrontational style of play that has been mimicked continuously and to great effect in the professional era.
McIntosh coached the Springboks in the build-up to Rugby World Cup in 1995 before returning to the Sharks and delivering two more titles. He retired from coaching in 1999 and remained heavily involved in rugby through his role as a South Africa national selector and coach for the South African Rugby Legends.
Last year McIntosh received the International Rugby Board's (IRB) Vernon Pugh Award for Distinguished Service, recognising his achievement in South African rugby.
Meanwhile, another former Boks coach Peter de Villiers is also expected in the country during the Schools Festivals to hold talks with the ZRU to discuss possible ways assist the Sables.