The SA coach that invites players to sit around the table

Today at 07:03 AM

SPOTLIGHT: Frans Ludeke, a legendary rugby coach with over 30 years of experience spanning South Africa to Japan, has always had a simple philosophy - to create tables where players can contribute in a meaningful way.

Even when he coached world-class players like Victor Matfield and Bryan Habana at the Bulls, he always prioritised player involvement in strategic decisions.

The real challenge when working with those world-class players was not about coaching them but engaging them. His philosophy is simple. To create a table - space - where every player has a voice, no idea is burned, and leadership is shared.

Speaking to Ben Herring on his podcast Coaching Culture, Ludeke reveals the leadership principles that have defined his remarkable journey.

He transformed the Spears from a struggling second-division team to Japanese champions but when he arrived there almost ten years ago, it wasn't just a culture shock that awaited him.

They are currently in third spot in the standings behind Brave Lupus (second) and Wild Knights (first).

Ludeke quickly learned that a lot of players played for fun and pure enjoyment - the bulk of his team weren't professional players. He had to adapt his coaching style and started on a journey with a whole new approach.

He weighed heavily on his experience as Springbok assistant coach, his nine years of Super Rugby experience with the Bulls and Cats and coaching Fiji's forwards and running their line-out game at the 2015 World Cup.

During his time at the Bulls, he won back-to-back titles with the Pretoria-based side in 2009 and 2010. In 2015, he left the Bulls despite having one year left on his contract with the club.

Part of this new journey was having the opportunity to work with some big-name players from New Zealand and Australia.

"We had to go back to coach fundamentals because back in South Africa at the Super Rugby level, you had players who all came out of high-performance programs.

"It was clear that I needed to change the way I coach and how I communicate because you talk through a translator and you need to keep it short and simple. It wasn't a quick fix, so it's almost like starting from the bottom.

"When I got here, it was like going back to the fundamentals of the game.

"But then it's been the most amazing 10 years of my coaching career. It's unreal what I've experienced here. You know my coaching style improved and that is the reason.

"What's that small puzzle or chunk that you're going to build on today that's going to make your game better? It's that constant seek or desire to grow and get better.

"The last thing for me is culture. It's that your game gets your game right, but also to train your game."

Ludeke has been fortunate to have some very high-profile players join the Spears over the last nine years like Dane Coles, and Liam Willams as well as a host of South Africans like Malcolm Marx, Gerhard van den Heever, Duane Vermeulen, Lappies Labuschagne and Ruan Botha to name a few.

"That's one thing of the last few years being in Japan and getting a lot of exposure to New Zealand and Australian players and their massive, massive scientific approach.

"Players like Ryan Crotty that came in here. Even Bernard Foley, you know, has been involved in some successful teams in Australia. Just how they challenge and ask questions. That balance between acceleration, and decelerating, but also the endurance part of the training.

"I think we just do it totally differently in South Africa.

"I've always tried to create a table where players, especially the senior players - thinking back of Fourie du Preez, Brian Habana, Victor Matfield, you know 100 Test caps, almost 150 Super Rugby games - they've been there, they understand the pressures of the game, under pressure making the right call.

"So I've really been big on having a table for your leaders."

His willingness to adapt his approach based on circumstances - simplifying communication in Japan and returning to teaching fundamentals - demonstrates his remarkable flexibility as a coach.

"Having the opportunity to coach guys like Crotty and Foley that come from really great rugby programs back in New Zealand and being successful playing in New Zealand helped me.

"They brought something different.

"You know the level of detail that they go into to make that attack work. You know that makes the shapes and attack and it's almost like bringing skills set into a strategy that helps you, you know, to play an exciting brand of rugby.