‘Toetie’ proud to be a Settler City hero

Even though apartheid may have robbed Grahamstown-born Springbok rugby coach Allister Coetzee of the chance of taking on the best in the world as a player, the experience did teach him valuable life lessons.

“I am always very proud to tell people that I’m from Grahamstown,” the 53-year-old coach explained.

“When you come from Grahamstown, you will always have to prove yourself.”

Introduced to the game as a toddler by his sports mad father, Phillip, friends and family said they always knew that Coetzee would make it to the top of the rugby world one day.

“We all knew if the opportunity was right he could have played for the Springboks,” older brother Leon recalled.

Speaking to the Daily Dispatch after Coetzee arrived home to a hero’s welcome last Tuesday – days after the Boks clinched a nail-biting series win over the Irish – Leon said even though his brother may have been denied the chance to shine as a player, they were grateful he was given an opportunity as national team coach.

“Allister was unlucky to be born in the heart of apartheid, the times robbed him of his chance on the field. Now that we have a new dispensation, coaching the national team is almost as good.”

Sitting with his 76-year-old mother, Elma, in the Currie Street home where Coetzee grew up, Leon recalled how their school teacher father always gave them rugby balls and cricket sets for Christmas.

“We grew up in a sport mad family, we grew up with sport … my father would constantly listen to cricket and rugby matches on the radio.”

A star player of colour who hung up his boots before his three young sons took up the game themselves in the 1970s, “Flippie” Coetzee sadly died while they were all in primary school and they were raised by their teacher mother.

Even though their father died young, Leon said he passed on his love of rugby to his sons – and values of discipline, integrity and sacrifice, that Coetzee has used throughout his life as a player, schoolteacher and Springbok coach.

“I have heard stories from people who played with my dad that he was so good at cricket and rugby. They used to compare us to him … people still talk about him today.”

Despite growing up without a father, the three Coetzee boys – Leon, Allister and Roderick – were not short of positive role models in the tight-knit, rugby mad community.

“The leaders of the community helped guide us with sport,” Leon said.

“It was a very close community and everybody helped.”

Inspired by their parents and positive role models, instead of “easily falling through the cracks”, Leon explained how all three sons and daughter Barbara-Ann became teachers themselves so they could mentor the next generation.

Retired Mary Waters High School teacher Gerry Accom recalled during this week’s township tour with Coetzee how he first met him 40 years ago when he started standard six (Grade 8).

“You were playing barefoot rugby at the time.

“Already then it was clear that you harboured potential.”

Cutting his rugby teeth in 1976 during the height of apartheid, Accom had former players, friends, family and supporters in stitches when he explained how tough you had to be to play rugby back then.

Fields were dust bowls and players got into more serious scrapes than mere “grass burns that burn like fire”.

“Ja, you know what I am talking about, Allister and his peers came from an era when they did not get grass burns, they got soil burns … it was quite an experience to get tackled on one of those patches.”

Despite the odds, Coetzee – who was nicknamed “Toetie” from a young age – shone in the game and played at the highest level he could under apartheid.

Veteran local rugby stalwart Phumzile Adams, who is president of the South Eastern District Rugby Union (Sedru), said Coetzee’s selection to the South African Rugby Union (SARU) non-racial team in 1984 for the first time confirmed his talent.

“He was a great scrumhalf and flyhalf, he could have made the Boks.”

Coetzee played several games for the team, which he ended up captaining.

Veteran Winter Rose player Ramie Xonxa said it was great seeing some of the legends of Grahamstown rugby, who had fallen through the cracks after they hung up their boots, turn up to honour Coetzee decades later.

“I hope Toetie’s visit here will motivate others to do something to give back to the sport. Rugby now is not the same as it used to be.”

He said drugs and living an unhealthy lifestyle had eroded the community spirit that existed back then.

“My wish for this visit is to establish a legacy project to motivate youngsters.”

Boasting photos of historic black players and games through several generations, all three Coetzee brothers and their father feature along with other greats of the game.

Although Coetzee would have arrived to a hero’s welcome even if they lost his first series in charge against the Irish, winning made it even sweeter.

Uttering the thoughts aloud that many fans were thinking during the series decider in Port Elizabeth last week, Accom said: “I have a confession to make and I am quite ashamed of it.”

According to Accom, losing the first test had concerned him and he was on “tenterhooks” for the next two.

“I just imagined what the critics would say if the first series under the coaching of Allister Coetzee was lost.”

He admitted that after the way things turned out with a series win, he was ashamed for having doubts.

“For a moment I lost the significance of Allister’s achievement and forgot it had absolutely nothing to do with a win or a loss for the Springboks in the last series.

“Your achievement, what we are celebrating today is not the Springbok team, but your achievement. You have walked a long road to become what you are today.” — davidm@dispatch.co.za