Q & A WITH CHRIS HEWETSON
Your False Bay history?
Joined False Bay in 1995 when Nick Mallett was in charge of the very successful 1st team. He inspired me and it was my dream to play 1st Team one day.
Junior rugby was still U/21 which meant I played there for 3 years before playing senior rugby. I played 3rd team, 2nd team and eventually 1st team before also becoming captain of the First XV.
I’ve even run out for the Jocks and Crocks on a few occasions as well as the False Bay Sunday league team, Shamwas! I have been captain of every single team that I’ve ever played for, junior or senior. Received club Honors in 2008.
Your rugby history?
I went to a small school, so exposure was limited. We weren’t in the leagues of Paarl Gym, Paul Roos, Bischops, Wynberg, etc. so we couldn’t really test ourselves.
In saying that in my final year, we were the 1st team in the school’s history to be unbeaten during the season. We had several players who eventually played higher honors; 1 Stormer, 1 Blue Bulls and SA u/21, 1 x Boland and excluding me, 3 False Bay 1st team players.
In my final U/21 year I represented a WP U/21 team that was coached by Campbell McGraw. Started coaching after slipping discs in my neck which ended my rugby playing career prematurely.
What’s your rugby philosophy? (in context of how to play, prepare and execute)
In the words of Benjamin Franklin; “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.”
To know what you want in terms of results and allowing the team, not the coach, to decide goals is important.
I believe that too many coaches do it for personal gain when the single most important thing is the player’s that one deals with. Allowing players to have input in setting goals shares responsibility and brings out commitment from a player to the team.
I strongly believe in taking an individual’s strongest rugby skill and using that to a team’s advantage. Unfortunately a lot of players have not had the coaching that they deserve and have picked up bad habits along the way. It’s imperative that at junior levels, players are coached correctly. We are aiming to playing a balanced game to exploit our teams’ natural abilities. We have exciting players in the forwards and the backs alike and given the opportunity by us as coaches, will set the field alight.
You succeed the very successful Kevin Musikanth. Tell us what that means and how you will approach the upcoming season
It goes without saying that it means a lot. He has been a very valuable asset to the club and his contributions have been monumental. I think it is a huge honor to follow in Kevin’s footsteps.
One forgets that just a few years ago we were wasting our talent in the Super B League. Kevin, with all his resources and experience changed all that. I do hope that he stays close to False Bay. I have learnt a lot from him and his passion for the game.
But there have been others too; everyone else that I’ve crossed paths with over the last few years: Brendell, Troy, Fogs, Kallie, Bossie, Keith Andrews and the late Daryl Sims to name a few.
My approach for the season is simple: create memories. My rugby-playing and rugby-living experience has allowed me the opportunity to share the camaraderie that players do and the memories made from rugby can never be taken away. Every tackle, every ruck, every line-out and every try can be a memory. The fondest of course are those of victory.
You were Second Team coach last year. This gave you the opportunity to work closely with some very talented players. How will this influence your season this year?
The 2nd team Class of 2011 was special. A lot of the players that I coached last year have been with me for a few years prior to that so I knew their strengths and weaknesses rather well and I used that to our advantage in our approach to matches.
This year however I have the honor of working with very experienced players with a wealth of well balanced rugby skills. Brendell and I have created a group consisting of senior players in the club which we call the Brainstrust. They are informed of any rugby decisions which we discuss amongst ourselves before distributing to the team. I believe it creates transparency between Brendell, the players and I so that they know exactly where they stand and where we are going with the team. I have been given their full support and they of course have mine.
Perhaps False Bay are back to being Underdogs, a mantle they are comfortable with. Is this true and will the dog have bite?
I don’t think we’re underdogs at all. Regardless of what league we’ve ever played in, we’ve always scared teams and we are going to do exactly the same this year. If we are branded as underdogs by others then that won’t put any more pressure on us. We will be well prepared for any team, any time, any place. I see many clubs as arrogant. What we have at False Bay is pride. And pride goes a long way on the rugby field. We have the players to compete against the best and we will do just that. The players are confident and they are working extremely hard on and off the field.
Tell us about preparation for the season so far.
The players deserved a much needed rest after a grueling 4 years so we decided to give the guys a break usual to other clubs and start our pre-season on Monday 9 January 2012.
The players’ gratitude was flattering and the guys were chomping at the bit by the time that we started. Our main focus thus far has been skills and fitness. A few players need a little more conditioning than others so we concentrate on them. We have just recently formed a combined 1st and 2nd team squad to train together and we are now at that stage where we are implementing and focusing on our scrums, line-outs, backline moves, etc. the attendance has been good and the energy that the guys bring to practices is excellent.
Your CT Tens sentiments?
I’m all for the tournament. I think it’s a wonderful opportunity for players to enjoy what rugby is all about. We had a few teams entered this year and one of the teams, won their division on their own accord with no assistance from coaches. A fantastic achievement!
You’ve got a strong coaching and management team. Tell us about them?
To start I am very privileged to have Brendell Brandt as assistant coach and “Minister of Backline Affairs” on my side. Brendell has played at the Bulls and Griquas for many years so he knows the game. He offers a wealth of knowledge and his experience from playing the game is evident in his coaching style. He brings a lot of humor to the club, on and off the field and the players appreciates that. We get along really well and we share the same passion for the players.
Then we have Ryan Van Niekerk as 2nd team head coach whom I played against in his years at Hamiltons before he saw the light and came to False Bay. Ryan brings a more militaristic approach to his coaching style and it balances things a bit. Khwezi Mqomboti I’m sure everyone knows. A fantastic club man and ex 1st team player. Khwezi just recently decided to give up playing to pursue his refereeing career. He will be joining Ryan as assistant coach to the 2nd team. Khwezi earns the respect from the players and I’m sure him and Ryan are going to do great things with the 2nd team this year.
Marius Conradie has been appointed as 1st Team Manager for 2012. Marius, himself a Provincial player in the day, also knows the game very well and he knows how to treat people. Managing is not an easy job at all but Marius does a great job. In my opinion definitely the unsung hero.
You’re a “spirit” or “gees” man. True? Tell us more.
I have accepted that. I believe in a good player/coach relationship and I’ve often been accused of spending too much time with the players off the field. “Spirit” and “gees” is actually more an extension of energy and a predominant mood of an occasion.
At False Bay we have a lot of that. I try to bring a lot of enthusiasm to the club, on and off the field and the players absorb that. We have fantastic individuals who bring their own determination to the club and that are the heart of team spirit.
The Bay, along with clubs such as Hammies, Durbell and Helderberg, have created a wonderful environment for rugby lovers to be exposed to the Club Rugby scene. How does this motivate the players, having large, loyal crowds supporting them?
Firstly I think that we have a Committee who work extremely hard behind the scenes and endeavor to make False Bay a comfortable environment for all to enjoy.
We have not always performed on the field but the support has been great and the loyal supporters have given players the motivation to work harder to deliver the deserved results.
Home games play a fundamental part in achieving season League results and it goes without saying that we need to win all our home games before thinking of travelling to away fixtures. Obviously we’d like a full complement of supporters at every home game especially.
The majority of the squad is seniors with many years of playing experience at False Bay and they know the importance of having large support and how it affects their game. Regardless of the mental state that players are in when playing, one will always hear the voices of the supporters and it makes the difference between winning and losing.
Do you have anything to say to the readers and supporters of False Bay RFC?
You have not seen the very best of False Bay yet! There is always room for improvement and the players have accepted that and have bought into the plans for 2012. False Bay RFC is here to stay and we will not let you down.
We will show OUR commitment to YOUR support.
Clear Eyes. Full Heart. Can’t Lose.
Up The Bay.
