Making and Unmaking of a Springbok Coach: Ian McIntosh

We delve into the storied career of former Springbok Rugby coach Ian McIntosh. In a candid and revealing conversation, Mac opens up about his Direct Rugby philosophy, the ups and downs of his tenure, and the moments that defined his time as Bok boss. Get an inside look at the triumphs, challenges and personal reflections of a rugby coaching legend.
00:00 Introduction by Peter
00:35 Journey from Rhodesia-Zimbabwe to South Africa
01:35 Chances of becoming Springboks coach
07:15 Direct Rugby
10:36 Selecting Francois Pienaar as captain
11:21 First Test as Springboks coach
12:38 Beating the Wallabies in Australia
13:34 Joys and perils of touring Argentina
14:55 Losing to England at Loftus
17:03 Tough tour to New Zealand
18:40 Johann Le Roux bites Sean Fitzpatrick’s ear
20:08 Sacked as Springboks coach
22:15 Funny moment involving Johan Allan
Peter says: I love the Springboks and rugby is one of my favourite sports. Although as a sports journalist I am supposed to remain neutral, I always like to point out that before I became a professional, I was just a big fan! I hold a Masters Degree in International Journalism so at least you know I should be able to ask a good question or two! My dream is to do this KZbin Channel permanently. You can help me out by liking the videos, subscribing to the channel and hitting the notification bell. You can subscribe here: / @frontrowrugby
You can also connect with me on Social Media:
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►Business Enquiries: [e-mail]

[@sakabula2357]

Rest in peace Big Mac...Never forgotten...

[@frontrowrugby]

A champion of a coach! A pioneeer and a gentleman. May his soul rest in peace.

[@TheCHRISUM]

RIP COACH MAC

[@frontrowrugby]

May his soul rest in peace.

[@benvaneeden1076]

Ian McIntosh was one of the great coaches - really enjoyed this interview !!!

[@frontrowrugby]

Hi Ben ... always fun seeing you in the comments. Thank you so much for those kind words! So pleased you enjoyed it.

[@314159265mangler]

Given that Mac has sadly passed on, this interview was very timely.

[@frontrowrugby]

You can imagine how I was feeling earlier when I heard the news. It's actually possible this was the last interview Mac gave before he passed. If that is indeed the case what an honour! A great coach, a pioneer and a legend!

[@francisplatt93]

I am glad Mac calls it Rhodesia because Rhodesia was a fine fine country. It took exactly 90 years to build but as soon as it became Zimbabwe under communist rule - it nose dived. But Mac was a great great coach, atrue legend and a blessing to us here in Natal.

[@stevenmaritz2681]

Great coach that formerly moved the old Natal and the Sharks into their rightful place in south African rugby.

[@frontrowrugby]

Absolutely. The man who made the Sharks what they are today. Lovely to have had him on before he passed as well.

[@jeremyrogers4839]

Great interview! Was in Matric in Natal in 90 when Natal beat Northern Transvaal to win the Currie Cup. We all had a banana giving a bull in the bumb on our school shirts. RIP Legend!

[@frontrowrugby]

So glad you enjoyed it, Jeremy. Province won a Currie Cup in my matric year so I can relate to how special that feeling is. It just adds to what is already a great year in my opinion! Love those school shirts! hahahaha!

[@at7512]

Wonderful coach, wonderful human.. enjoyed hearing from Mac again..👌🏽

[@frontrowrugby]

So glad you enjoyed it!

[@af9165]

Mac was an excellent coach. Read that Kitch stated that the Boks would have still won the 95 WC with Mac as coach. That is the regard Kitch had for Mac. Also, a player that I rated highly was Johan le Roux. He was an excellent tighthead. Very strong scrummager.

[@frontrowrugby]

Mac added tremendous value to South African rugby. No one can deny that and I think especially for Sharks fans he is a very special man. Wonderful humility shown there by Kitch as well hey! Johan Le Roux - who knows what might have been because as you say he was a very strong scrummager and that's what you want at tighthead.

[@gordonross160]

Mac, you're a star. South Africa cut their own throats by not making maximum use of you

[@frontrowrugby]

Underused and certainly underappreciated outside of Durban.

[@WarrenFelix]

Rest easy Big Mac. ❤️🙏

[@garethm4800]

What a Mac!! So sad to hear him speak about his Bok coaching sentence! The sad reality is all of us Mac followers in Dbn knew that as deserving as he was, he wouldn't be around in that position long and dare I say (with no disrespect), it probably was the biggest influence in aligning SA to win 95 because Kitch was able to dictate his terms and also knew that those terms would end after the tournament and resigning thereafter from the hospital job (tip of the hat great Kitch). The redeeming grace is Mac's pedigree and class stood the test of time and he is regarded as a great as echoed by all who played for him and to the ends of the earth, lol. He should reapply when the job comes up again but under the name of Benjamin Button because he looks 28 years younger now than the pic shown on the show with President Mandela (in 1993/4)....

[@frontrowrugby]

Great commentary, Gareth! I think you're on the mark when you say Mac's sacking likely paved the way for that 1995 Rugby World Cup win. Perhaps in an alternative scenario Mac could/should have come back post-95 and then maybe Mallett would have taken over after the 1999 RWC. But we'll never know! And yes, incredible how Mac seems to have mastered the art of reverse aging!

[@stefandebruin8118]

His death was a great loss. R.I.P, legend!!

[@frontrowrugby]

It really was. One of the great men of South African rugby. Who knows what he might have achieved as Bok coach if had been backed?

[@rif9576]

This was another great interview, it is clear that any National coaching job is difficult. You just get remunerated for it now. Perhaps I am an idealist but provincialism seems to be a thing of the past in terms of the team engagement. Even in terms of supporters. Once you pull on the Springbok jersey you are nationally loved. When you have the provincial jersey on my love for you might be slightly diminished.

[@frontrowrugby]

Thank you so much for the compliments - it really does mean a lot! I think you are right. These days the provincialism aspect is hardly even there. That said, my daughter is still not allowed to support the Blue Bulls ;-)

[@rif9576]

@@frontrowrugby LOL! This made my day. If she makes good life choices she won’t be 🤣 to all the Blue Bulls I jest, I am just salty that 2000s Super Rugby you guys were titans and my poor Stormers were in a terrible drought.

[@frontrowrugby]

@@rif9576 Haha, let's hope so! Let's face it, one of the reasons we are/were so salty is because they were the best at the time and our boys were not up to scratch.

[@rif9576]

@@frontrowrugby I have blocked out everything between 2002 and 2012. Selective amnesia if we need to put a name to it. I didn’t hate Alister Coetzee, he was really great with spotting talent we just couldn’t clear the bar 😫😫 I still think about Alan Solomons fondly. He is hopefully in good health coz he is still in my prayers 😃

[@frontrowrugby]

@@rif9576 Selective amnesia indeed! Allister did well with Province. He won a couple of Currie Cups and he took the Stormers close in Super Rugby. It's a pity. As for Solly, I think he could have been a Bok coach but there were some other things that he did that didn't help his case. We'll never forget the 1999 Super 12!

[@bradleyeaton228]

When are you interviewing Nick Mallett?

[@frontrowrugby]

I'll try to get him on. The end goal is to have everyone on eventually. One at a time.

[@1414rebel]

The face of Rugby FIJI. Jp Pietersen saved us in that match.

[@frontrowrugby]

Mac was probably handed the toughest sequence of matches as a Bok coach - tours to Australia and New Zealand. Hosting France and England. He only coached 12 Tests and 10 of them were against that lot. And coming straight out of isolation he hardly stood a chance. Fiji - Oh yes! And good thing JP was there! Did you see I have an interview with JP as well from a few weeks ago?

[@sakabula2357]

Don't forget about Danie Rossouw...

[@frontrowrugby]

@@sakabula2357 A proper beast of a player!

[@1414rebel]

@@sakabula2357 could play 6,7,8,5 and 4. Added to that the try saving tackle in the 07' world cup final. He is a total hall of famer.

[@thomasdeetlefs2162]

One would have to wonder, what would springbok rugby be if those running the thing would put the team first, and forget the politics and the ulterior motives? Yes, I know I am talking pie in the sky, and this is something that would never happen, but still. Still think Mac was a great coach, he managed to get great results with natal without some of the same resources as the old Transvaal and Northerns. My only question is, what is your secret, for getting all these folks to come and speak to you on your channel? :)

[@frontrowrugby]

Hi Thomas. That's often been the achilles heel in all our sports - administrators who bumble their way through everything! I'm convinced we could dominate rugby, cricket, football, boxing and even have a tennis Grand Slam champion with some Olympic champions for good measure if we had better administrators! I agree Mac was a great coach and especially for those who support the Sharks he is a very special man! My secret to getting these folks on my channel? Haha ... I ask nicely! But seriously I'm actually a journalist (a real one) and I have a few contacts. I'm really pleased that you're impressed by my work and let me say (without getting too cocky) if you're impressed by what I've done so far, wait til you see what I have planned for the World Cup! (Provided my guests all say yes, of course!)

[@sakabula2357]

@@frontrowrugby That World Cup plan sounds very promising....can't wait...

[@frontrowrugby]

@@sakabula2357 Haha, now I'm under pressure to deliver!

[@SupremeBros2012]

Definitely Fiji in a scary affair especially after NZ, Australia and Wales were brushed aside few days before

[@frontrowrugby]

Oh yes! You can say that again. The Fijians gave us a proper scare that day in Marseille.

[@1414rebel]

james small was try scoring boss for 1996

[@frontrowrugby]

Would you like to guess how happy I was when James Small came to Western Province in 1997? ;-)

[@bbviljoen1153]

Fiji?

[@frontrowrugby]

Yes! Well done.

[@sakabula2357]

There was a few times I thought Mac is going to have a heart attack right there next to the field...to say he got worked up is a bit of an understatement...

[@frontrowrugby]

Haha, yes! Sometimes it looked like he had seen a ghost. But what a legend!

[@stoneysrugga2760]

Fiji

[@frontrowrugby]

You are quite right! Well done.

[@seanpinkey8798]

Fiji I think?

[@frontrowrugby]

Yes!!

[@dorettekotze2061]

he said the Afrikaaners basicaly was a problem. Wel I am an Afrikaaner and proud to be. Why did you come to SA?

[@frontrowrugby]

Hi Dorette. Thanks for commenting. It's interesting how we've had guys come to South Africa from Zimbabwe and struggle with the language and sometimes even the culture. But I think we'd agree Mac added value to rugby in our country ... especially if you're a Sharks supporter.

[@rif9576]

Hi Dorette, I think it may have been difficult for Mac in terms of the demographics and the challenges he faced during his tenure. He was offered a job they didn’t real want him to take and from his view was never given the opportunity to coach the team the way he wanted to. The guys did as they pleased and he had no autonomy. I think SA rugby in early 90s was particularly difficult terrain to navigate and to a degree one can sympathise with him. I am not saying what he is saying is right but that was his experience. Why did he come to SA same reason my forefathers came here years ago. It was an opportunity to live a better life.

[@deniscoyne5671]

Wales

[@frontrowrugby]

Remember Fiji actually beat Wales in the pool stage to knock the Welsh out. And so we played the Fijians instead.

[@Ash0010]

That was in 2015.

[@frontrowrugby]

Are you maybe thinking of Wales beating England to knock the English out in 2015? Or are talking about different things :-)

[@deniscoyne5671]

@@frontrowrugby no, I got the wrong world cup :)

[@Ash0010]

@@frontrowrugby SA didn't pay Wales in 2007, we played them in 2011 (pool stages) in the 2015 Quarter Final where FDP scored the final try to knock them out and of course when we played them in the closely contested 2019 semi-final.

[@riaanbotes3509]

n Man wat niks weet van sa rugby nie...n skande dat hy n springbok baadjie dra

[@inomorethanu3244]

Fiji

[@frontrowrugby]

Oh yes!