De Bruin: The Springbok Women's coach who actually 'gives a s***'

SWYS DE Bruin has always been a different breed as a rugby person — both as a coach and as a TV pundit.

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Not many people speak about the game from a human perspective. De Bruin voices his opinions with a level of empathy that seems deeply rooted in his psyche. Here’s a man who understands that you can’t separate the rugby player from the person.

Combine that with his exceptional knowledge of the game, and you start to realise why he was the perfect person to take up the role of head coach of the Springbok Women’s team.

There’s something beautifully poetic about the way the Springbok Women have gone about their historic Rugby World Cup campaign — all heart, all grit, a touch of panache at times, and for the first time ever, a place in the quarterfinals.

At the centre of it all is De Bruin, a man whose arrival may have initially raised eyebrows, but whose impact is now there for all to see.

Let’s be honest, women’s rugby in South Africa hasn’t always enjoyed the resources, attention, or strategic care it deserves.

In 2022, former Bok Women’s Sevens coach Paul Delport said SA Rugby “don’t give a s***” about the women’s game.