Rudolf Straeuli

{{infobox Rugby biography

| name = Rudolf Straeuli

| image =

| image_size =

| caption =

| birth_name = Rudolf August Wilkens Straeuli

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1963|8|20|df=y}}

| birth_place = Pretoria, South Africa

| height = {{height|m=1.95}}

| weight = {{convert|110|kg|lb stlb|0|abbr=on}}

| school = Die Hoërskool Menlopark

| university =

{{Plainlist|

}}

| ru_position = Loose forward

| amatyears1 =

| amatteam1 =

| years1 = 1998–1999

| clubs1 = Bedford Blues

| apps1 = 6

| points1 = 0

| repyears1 = 1994–1995

| repteam1 = South Africa

| repcaps1 = 10

| reppoints1 = 20

| ru_provinceyears1 = 1990

| ru_province1 = Northern Transvaal

| ru_provinceapps1 =

| ru_provincepoints1 =

| ru_provinceyears2 = 1993–1996

| ru_province2 = Transvaal

| ru_provinceapps2 = 61

| ru_provincepoints2 =

| coachyears1 = 1998–1999

| coachteams1 = Bedford Blues

| coachyears2 = 1999–2000

| coachteams2 = Boland

| coachyears3 = 2000–2001

| coachteams3 = Coastal Sharks

| coachyears4 = 2002–2003

| coachteams4 = South Africa

}}

Rudolf August Wilkens Straeuli (born 20 August 1963) is a South African rugby union administrator, and a former player and coach. He is currently the CEO of the Lions Rugby Company. He played in the positions of flanker and Number 8, making 10 test appearances for South Africa in 1994 and 1995.{{Cite web|title=Rudolf Straeuli|url=http://www.espnscrum.com/southafrica/rugby/player/11856.html|access-date=2020-07-04|website=ESPN scrum}} He was the coach of the Springboks rugby team in 2002 and 2003. He also played for the {{Rut|Golden Lions}} provincial team in the Currie Cup and Super 12 competitions.

Playing career

Straeuli played his first in provincial rugby in 1990 for {{rut|Northern Transvaal}} and from 1993 he played for {{rut|Transvaal}}. During 1993 he also toured with the South African Barbarians to the United Kingdom.{{Cite book|title=S.A. Rugby Writers Annual 1995|last=Van Rooyen|first=Quintus|publisher=SA Rugby Writers' Society|year=1995|isbn=978-0-620-18922-4|pages=121}}

Straeuli made his debut for South Africa on 9 July 1994 against the All Blacks, in which he also scored a try. In all he played 10 tests, including representing South Africa in the 1995 Rugby World Cup, before his career ended on 18 November 1995 against England at Twickenham Stadium.

In 1997 he joined the Bedford Blues rugby club in England.{{cite web |title=Rudolf Straeuli factbox |url=https://www.news24.com/News24/Rudolf-Straeuli-factbox-20020301 |website=News24 |access-date=3 November 2020 |date=1 March 2002}}

Coaching career

In 1998 he transitioned from player to coach at Bedford.

=Coastal Sharks=

Staeuli coached the Coastal Sharks for the 2001 and 2002 seasons in the Super 12 tournament. In his first season in charge, he led the team to a runner up finish, having finished in last place the season before.{{cite web |title=Straeuli new Springboks coach |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_union/international/1816054.stm |website=BBC Sport |publisher=BBC |access-date=2 November 2020 |date=1 March 2002}}

=Springboks=

In 2002, Straeuli took over as the head coach of the Springboks. He won his first four games, with two victories over {{nrut|Wales}}, a 20-point victory over {{nrut|Argentina}} and a convincing 60–18 defeat of {{nrut|Samoa}}. However, the team subsequently suffered several defeats against the bigger nations, losing 30–10 to {{nrut|France}}, 21–6 to {{nrut|Scotland}}, 53–3 to {{nrut|England}} and 52–16 to {{nrut|New Zealand}} during his reign.

He coached the Springboks during the 2003 Rugby World Cup, a campaign that saw South Africa failing to reach the semi-finals of a World Cup for the first time. Straeuli was forced to resign shortly after the tournament when details of his infamous Kamp Staaldraad training camp came to light.{{cite web | url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2003/nov/28/rugbyworldcup2003.rugbyunion | title=Straeuli given one week to explain away Camp Barbed-Wire | work=Guardian | date=28 November 2003 | access-date=14 April 2016}}

Overall, Straeuli coached 23 tests and won 52% of them, one of the worst records for a South African coach. He also won only two out of the 17 games played against the top six teams in the world.{{citation needed|date=April 2016}}

Accolades

In 2006 he was inducted into the University of Pretoria Sport Hall of fame.{{Cite journal |last1=Mundell |first1=M |last2=van Wyk |first2=J |title=TuksAthletics Club – Athletics Hall of Fame Special Awards inductees: 2000-2008 |journal= African Journal for Physical Activity and Health Sciences |volume=18 |issue=1 |pages=46–56 |issn=2411-6939}}

References

External links

{{SA Rugby Player Profile | id=18313 | name=Rudolf Straeuli | date=14 April 2016}}
{{SA Rugby Player Profile | id=311 | name=Rudolf Straeuli (duplicate) | date=14 April 2016}}

{{succession box|

before={{flagicon|RSA}} Harry Viljoen|

title=South Africa National Rugby Union Coach|

years=2002–2003|

after={{flagicon|RSA}}Jake White}}

Category:1963 births

Category:Living people

Category:South African rugby union coaches

Category:Rugby union flankers

Category:Rugby union number eights

Category:South African rugby union players

Category:South Africa international rugby union players