DECLAN KIDNEY has added a new name to his Ireland back room team with the appointment of former Springbok, and World Cup winning coach, Gert Smal. The addition means Niall O'Donovan, who took part in Ireland's recent tour to Australia and New Zealand and was the Irish forwards coach under Eddie O'Sullivan, steps aside for the 46-year-old South African to begin a three-year contract. The agreement with the IRFU is to include Rugby World Cup 2011.
Smal had a distinguished playing and coaching career in both Italy and South Africa. Although he turned out for the Springboks against the touring New Zealand Cavaliers in 1986, against a World Invitation XV in 1989 and a Serge Blanco World XV team against France, he was denied further Springbok involvement due to South Africa's isolation from international rugby between 1982 and '92.
He subsequently played a lot of his club rugby as a flanker in Europe and between 1986 and 1990 was player/assistant coach with the Rovigo club in Italy. Interestingly it was the 1986 match against NZ Cavaliers that illustrated just how abrasive Smal was as a player. The short YouTube clip, blurbed "Gert Smal vs Gary Knight" shows the South African issuing summary justice to the All Black tighthead prop to the back ground commentary: "He was rough and he was tough and when he did anything it was with 100 per cent."
Clearly European Cup-winning Kidney believes Smal's attitude, his technical expertise and the fact he has the experience of being closely involved with a World Cup winning side makes his package attractive for Ireland. The likelihood is he would still be with South Africa had politics not broken up last year's team. He said earlier this month a French team were also talking to him.
His European venture as a player provided a launch pad for further appointments in South Africa and he held head coach positions at the Border Bulldogs (1998-1999) and Western Province (2000-2002), when they twice won the Currie Cup. Smal then played with Super 12 team Stormers from 2003 to 2005, reaching the semi-finals in 2004.
His most impressive stint behind the scenes came when he moved from Super 12 to international rugby in 2004. Working as an assistant coach to Jake White, the Springboks won the Tri-Nations Championship that first year before being crowned Rugby World Cup champions in France last year, beating England in the Paris final.
"We are delighted to get a person of Gert Smal's stature on our coaching team," said Kidney. "He comes with a very impressive list of achievements at the highest levels in South African rugby, highlighted of course by his critical role as assistant coach when the Springboks won the World Cup in France last year."
Married to Patti and with two children, Dean (14) and Tamarin (12), Smal also represented Western Transvaal (1980-1983), Stellenbosch University (1984-1985), captained SA Gazelles (1984), SA Defence Force (1986-1987), Western Province (1984-1993) and the Junior Springboks (1986).
"I see it as a great honour to be part of the new Ireland management," said the South African. "I am really excited about the prospect of working with Declan Kidney, Paul McNaughton and the other management.
"Ireland have a strong squad of players and I look forward to working with them in the build up to the next World Cup." The remainder of the Ireland management team will be confirmed over the next number of weeks and will be presented to the Irish players during the squad session scheduled to take place in August.
