Nollis Marais
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2015}}
{{Use South African English|date=August 2015}}
{{Infobox rugby union biography
| name = Nollis Marais
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| currentclub =
| youthyears1 =
| youthclubs1 =
| years1 =
| clubs1 =
| apps1 =
| points1 =
| amatyears1 =
| amatteam1 = Adelaar
| amatcaps1 =
| amatpoints1 =
| amatyears2 = 1998–2003
| amatteam2 = Naka Bulls
| amatcaps2 =
| amatpoints2 =
| coachyears1 = 2004–2005
| coachteams1 = Naka Bulls
| coachyears2 = 2003–2010
| coachteams2 = Hoërskool Overkruin
| coachyears3 = 2010–2013
| coachteams3 = {{Rut|UP Tuks}}
| coachyears4 = 2011–2014
| coachteams4 = {{Rut|Blue Bulls U21}}
| coachyears5 = 2013–2015
| coachteams5 = {{Rut|Blue Bulls}}
(Vodacom Cup)
| coachyears6 = 2015–2017
| coachteams6 = {{Rut|Blue Bulls}}
(Currie Cup)
| coachyears7 = 2016–2017
| coachteams7 = {{Rut|Bulls}}
| clubupdate = 2 October 2015
}}
Nollis Marais is a South African professional rugby union coach of Pretoria-based side the {{Rut|Blue Bulls XV}} and formerly head coach of their associated Super Rugby franchise, the {{Rut|Bulls}}.
Career
Marais played club rugby in the Blue Bulls' Carlton League, where he played for Adelaar{{cite web | url=http://152.111.1.88/argief/berigte/beeld/1994/03/11/17/7.html | title=Drikus Hattingh môre weer op rugbyveld | work=Beeld | date=11 March 2011 | access-date=7 August 2015 | language=af}} and for Naka Bulls.{{cite web | url=http://152.111.1.88/argief/berigte/beeld/1998/05/11/3/13.html | title=Nashua Telbord | work=Beeld | date=11 May 1998 | access-date=7 August 2015 | language=af}} He played for and captained Naka Bulls from their formation in 1998 until 2003, when he took over as assistant coach to Cassie Prinsloo.{{cite web | url=http://152.111.1.88/argief/berigte/beeld/2003/10/08/S2/15/04.html | title=Naka Bulle se kaptein gaan afrig | work=Beeld | date=8 October 2003 | access-date=7 August 2015 | language=af}}
In 2005, Marais was also appointed as the head coach of Hoërskool Overkruin,{{cite web | url=http://152.111.1.88/argief/berigte/beeld/2005/08/20/B5/25/03.html | title=Vryburg wil beker hou | work=Beeld | date=20 August 2005 | access-date=7 August 2015 | language=af}} guiding them to the Beeld Trophy for medium-sized schools in his first season in charge.{{cite web | url=http://152.111.1.88/argief/berigte/beeld/2005/08/24/S2/18/02.html | title=Hoërskool Overkruin | work=Beeld | date=24 August 2005 | access-date=7 August 2015 | language=af}}
Marais worked as a senior logistics planner, but quit this role in 2007 to take up coaching on a full-time basis.
In 2010, Marais was appointed as the coach of university side {{Rut|UP Tuks}}.{{cite web | url=http://152.111.1.88/argief/berigte/beeld/2010/04/20/Z1/8/SportKort.html | title=Sport in kort | work=Beeld | date=20 April 2010 | access-date=7 August 2015 | language=af}} He won the Carlton League with them to help them qualify for the National Club Championship.{{cite web | url=http://152.111.1.88/argief/berigte/beeld/2010/09/08/TN/8/0809agterberig.html | title=Tuks slyp teen Barbarians Goeie oefenlopie vir nasionale toernooi | work=Beeld | date=8 September 2010 | access-date=7 August 2015 | language=af}} He guided UP Tuks all the way to the final of the 2011 Varsity Cup, where they lost 16–26 to the {{Rut|UCT Ikey Tigers}}.{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=20000 | homeid=8498 | awayid=8494 | leagueid=804 | hometeam=Tuks | homescore=16 | awayscore=26 | awayteam=UCT | matchdate=11 April 2011 | date=14 April 2016}}
Shortly after the 2011 Varsity Cup season, Marais took up a coaching role with the {{Rut|Blue Bulls}},{{cite web | url=http://152.111.1.88/argief/berigte/beeld/2011/05/25/TN/12/2505agterberig.html | title=UP-Tuks 1 gaan alles gee | work=Beeld | date=25 May 2011 | access-date=7 August 2015 | language=af}} taking over as head coach of the {{Rut|Blue Bulls U21}} side.{{cite web | url=http://152.111.1.88/argief/berigte/beeld/2011/06/28/B1/16/jjmeyer.html | title=Bulls se baas is weer . . . | work=Beeld | date=28 June 2011 | access-date=7 August 2015 | language=af}} Under his tutelage, the side won the 2011 Under-21 Provincial Championship,{{cite web | url=http://152.111.1.88/argief/berigte/beeld/2012/10/28/B1/18/mbBulletjiesWP-B1-01.html | title=Bulle, WP se jonges veg om twee titels | work=Beeld | date=28 October 2012 | access-date=7 August 2015 | language=af}} beating the {{Rut|Sharks U21}}s 46–30 in the final.{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=102641 | homeid=8564 | awayid=8562 | leagueid=811 | hometeam=Blue Bulls | homescore=46 | awayscore=30 | awayteam=Sharks | matchdate=29 October 2011 | date=14 April 2016}}
Marais remained as the {{Rut|UP Tuks}} coach for the 2012 Varsity Cup and helped them win the competition for the first time, beating three-time winners {{Rut|Maties}} by winning 29–21 in the final.{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=110091 | homeid=10601 | awayid=10581 | leagueid=1071 | hometeam=Tuks | homescore=29 | awayscore=21 | awayteam=Maties | matchdate=9 April 2012 | date=14 April 2016}} He once again guided the {{Rut|Blue Bulls U21}} side to the 2012 Under-21 Provincial Championship title after they beat {{Rut|Western Province U21}} 22–13 in the final.{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=106721 | homeid=12101 | awayid=12121 | leagueid=1261 | hometeam=DHL Western Province | homescore=13 | awayscore=22 | awayteam=Blue Bulls | matchdate=27 October 2012 | date=14 April 2016}}
Marais helped {{Rut|UP Tuks}} retain the Varsity Cup in 2013, this time beating Maties comprehensively in the final, running out 44–5 winners.{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=106274 | homeid=10614 | awayid=10644 | leagueid=1084 | hometeam=FNB Maties | homescore=5 | awayscore=44 | awayteam=FNB UP-Tuks 1 | matchdate=8 April 2013 | date=14 April 2016}} That was Marais' final Varsity Cup campaign in charge of UP Tuks, with former {{Rut|Griquas}} coach Pote Human taking over as their new coach for the 2014 Varsity Cup.{{cite web | url=http://152.111.1.88/argief/berigte/beeld/2013/09/25/TN/1/2509agterberig.html | title=Pote Human vir 3 jaar na Tuks | work=Beeld | date=25 September 2013 | access-date=7 August 2015 | language=af}} Marais took charge of the {{Rut|Blue Bulls}}' Vodacom Cup team{{cite web | url=http://152.111.1.88/argief/berigte/beeld/2014/05/08/16/bulvodacom_31_0_30524233.html | title=Jimmy kies ysters teen Kapenaars | work=Beeld | date=8 May 2014 | access-date=7 August 2015 | language=af}} and took them to the Quarter Finals in the 2013 competition, where they lost to the {{Rut|Eastern Province Kings}}.{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=104384 | homeid=11754 | awayid=11634 | leagueid=1164 | hometeam=Vodacom Blue Bulls | homescore=31 | awayscore=34 | awayteam=Eastern Province Kings | matchdate=4 May 2013 | date=14 April 2016}}
Marais led the Blue Bulls U21s to their third consecutive final in the 2013 Under-21 Provincial Championship, but fell short on this occasion, losing 23–30 in the final to Western Province U21.{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=110854 | homeid=15244 | awayid=15294 | leagueid=1434 | hometeam=DHL Western Province | homescore=30 | awayscore=23 | awayteam=Vodacom Blue Bulls | matchdate=26 October 2013 | date=14 April 2016}}
His Blue Bulls side reached the semi-final of the 2014 Vodacom Cup tournament, where they lost 15–16 to trans-Jukskei rivals, the {{Rut|Golden Lions}}.{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=118334 | homeid=17454 | awayid=17474 | leagueid=1734 | hometeam=Vodacom Blue Bulls | homescore=15 | awayscore=16 | awayteam=Golden Lions | matchdate=10 May 2014 | date=14 April 2016}}
Marais won the Under-21 Provincial Championship for the third time in four years in 2014, beating Western Province U21 20–10 in the final in Cape Town.{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=121164 | homeid=18474 | awayid=18454 | leagueid=1834 | hometeam=Western Province U21 | homescore=10 | awayscore=20 | awayteam=Blue Bulls U21 | matchdate=25 October 2014 | date=14 April 2016}}
Marais guided Blue Bulls to their third consecutive quarter final appearance in the 2015 Vodacom Cup, this time reaching the semi-final where they lost 6–10 to {{Rut|Western Province}}.{{SA Rugby Match Centre | id=140854 | homeid=24384 | awayid=24294 | leagueid=2304 | hometeam=DHL Western Province | homescore=10 | awayscore=6 | awayteam=Vodacom Blue Bulls | matchdate=23 May 2015 | date=14 April 2016}} Following the departure of {{Rut|Bulls}} head coach Frans Ludeke in June 2015, Marais was appointed as the head coach of the Blue Bulls' 2015 Currie Cup Premier Division campaign.{{cite web | url=http://152.111.1.88/argief/berigte/beeld/2015/06/15/B1/3/tccludeke_33_0_180355863.html | title=‘Iets spesiaals kom hieruit’ | work=Beeld | date=15 June 2015 | access-date=7 August 2015 | language=af}}
Shortly before the end of the 2015 Currie Cup campaign, it was announced that Marais would also take over as the head coach of the {{Rut|Bulls}} prior to the 2016 Super Rugby season, signing a four-year contract.{{cite press release | url=http://thebulls.co.za/news/2015/10/02/new-super-rugby-coach | title=Marais to coach Vodacom Bulls in 2016 Super Rugby | publisher=Bulls | date=2 October 2015 | access-date=2 October 2015 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160307143544/http://thebulls.co.za/news/2015/10/02/new-super-rugby-coach | archive-date=7 March 2016 | df=dmy-all }}