The free-wheeling Lions Cash in with a man for all seasons

There’s a story, probably apocryphal, that Lions players earn above the median because playing in Johannesburg demands more of them.

It’s a grimy, edgy city with raw energy, constant tension and the associated hazards of many big cities.

Not that it troubles Ivan “Cash” van Rooyen, the engaging and energetic Lions coach who travels the M1 highway from Centurion to Ellis Park most days.

“I am a Lion at heart,” says the 42-year-old “I love the place, I love Joburg, I love Gauteng.”

Now in his fifth season in charge, Van Rooyen has made a habit of feeding the conveyor belt of South African rugby. He takes promising tyros, throws them into the Lions machine and applies the polish that produces a raft of wild, precocious players.

Jordan Hendrikse, Quan Horn, Morné van den Berg, Edwill van der Merwe and Ruan Venter all graduated to the Springboks in recent months. The stars are thus young, thriving in an environment in which Van Rooyen encourages freedom and risk-taking.

“Cash” is so named on account of university friends – he was in Drommedaris Residence at the then Rand Afrikaans University – who called him “Kontant” (Cash) and his roommate “Kontrakt” (Contract) for some arcane reason.

“I just became Cash. It kind of stuck, but I’m happy with it. If people call me Ivan, they probably went to school with me, but others call me Cash.”

Small Gains

There’s something about open spaces that appeals to the coach, probably because he grew up in small towns in Mpumalanga, where his father was a bank manager. There were spells of school in Ermelo, White Rover and Skukuza in the Kruger Park before rounding out high school in Middelburg.

Always on the smallish side, Van Rooyen nonetheless played provincial rugby at scrumhalf and flyhalf and was a nippy Sevens player. It probably explains his penchant for embracing and exploiting space.

While Jacques Nienaber famously transitioned from physiotherapist to Springbok coach, Van Rooyen followed a similar route.

He was strength and conditioning coach at the Lions before re-casting himself as a playing coach almost by accident.

“When they’re older I’ll probably sit with my grandchildren and tell them the story,” he says of his big switch. “I started with the seniors with Ackers [Johan Ackermann] in 2012. It was him, Swys de Bruin and JP Ferreira running the show. I don’t want to call myself a coach [at the time], but I had to play an active role in alignment with the coaches and I took a bit of responsibility in planning sessions.

“I applied myself a little bit. I always had an understanding of how to get the guys ready for a session. I used to sit with JP and Swys extensively around session planning, and decide what warm-up will complement the session and manipulate roles to get the right loads and volumes. When Ackers moved on, Swys took over. Then Philip Lemmer, Joey Mongalo and Neil de Bruin got promoted from the juniors. I kept on playing that kind of role around sessions and – I don’t really want to call it admin – but also the admin around it.

De Bruin was then co-opted to the Boks.

“Back then I was the senior guy left behind,” recalls Van Rooyen. “I got asked to coordinate things. And then we managed, by hook or by crook, to beat the Chiefs away and we were very competitive against the Crusaders in the second game. I can’t say that I had any influence in that result, it was what Swys put in place. Later that year, [Lions CEO] Rudolf Straeuli approached me and asked if I would be keen to take the coaching role for Currie Cup. I was really surprised and honoured.”

Meeting his Masters

Van Rooyen might not have had a traditional introduction to coaching, but he had learned by osmosis from some of the smartest minds in rugby. He can’t identify a single dominant mentor, but has learned vital lessons from many of the coaches he has worked with.

“I see myself as fortunate. I started with the Lions in 2009 as the junior strength and conditioning coach and from 2010 John Mitchell was there. There’s a lot of opinions about him, but he is exceptional, a visionary in rugby. Even from an S&C point of view, I learnt a lot from that system about professionalism and structures.

“Then I was obviously honoured to start with Ackers. Great guy, great mentor. He was unbelievable with the players. You almost got that family side from him. And [assistant] Swys was a genius in attack. He sees the game totally differently, he wants to play the game totally differently. All three coaches are extreme: The one is the extreme tactician, the other one is extremely family-oriented and team first, and the other is an example of extreme professionalism.

“I was fortunate to get that first hand. It’s gonna sound weird, but I don’t have a mentor currently where there’s a guy that I check in with every week.”

Rather, he has brought together a vibrant bunch of former Springboks as assistants with whom he has a strong bond. They include Jaque Fourie, Morné Steyn, Ricardo Laubscher, Julian Redelinghuys and Barend Pieterse: smart blokes and solid team men.

He checks in often with Straeuli too, his boss and someone he respects for his coaching nous.

“Rudolf coached, won numerous cups, coached the Boks, coached the Sharks to a Super Rugby final, coached at the World Cup. It’s always nice to have that back-up in terms of expertise and experience. And then, because we’re travelling all over the world, you rub shoulders weekly with many coaches. There’s the influence from New Zealand to Australia to South Africa. [Former Lions assistant] JP Ferreira is now coaching in Bath with Johann van Graan. If I feel there’s something I can ask or something I can reach out for, I do. It’s easy. Ackers was in Japan with Neil de Bruyn, so I’d call them. Today the world is one phone call away.

“At this stage I really get along with all of the URC coaches, and get to rub shoulders against the French and the English guys [in the Challenge Cup] too. There isn’t one mentor, but a lot of different influences.”

Style and Sass

Van Rooyen likes to believe that he has continued to develop the Lions’ flair that took flame under Mitchell before Ackermann really got it firing. The trophy cabinet might have been untouched recently, but no one ever accused the Lions of playing tepid rugby.

Several weeks ago Lions phenom Henco van Wyk scored an outrageous try against Connacht that captured the spirit and style of the modern, free-wheeling Lions, who back themselves constantly. They are a joy to watch.

“I played nine and 10 and 15 myself, so I tend to favour space,” Van Rooyen explains. “As a person, I see myself as a little bit creative as well. You can play kick-and-suffocate rugby – it is definitely one way to play. I also feel that at the highveld where we are based and with the weather we have, it won’t be enough to just compete and get us where we want to be.

“With the kind of athlete we have currently, good athletes, great X-factor guys that can beat players, we can play exciting rugby. Obviously the influence from Ackers and Swys was strong. And Mitch also favoured a bit of attack. So [boring rugby] isn’t the Lions way if you can remember the Lions of the ‘90s and early 2000s. There’s a nice energy around attack. There’s a nice opportunity to express yourself, to move the ball on the Highveld.”

In recent years, the Lions have developed a habit of bringing players through and then selling them off. Names like Malcolm Marx, Faf de Klerk and Franco Mostert come readily to mind. This has proved frustrating for supporters, which Van Rooyen understands.

“Our system is developing the majority of players from within,” he says. “We get juniors, really coach them and develop them and back them and hopefully they become Springboks like the last five we have had (Hendrikse, Horn, Van den Berg, Edwill van der Merwe and Ruan Venter). That in itself is a great challenge. I really enjoy it. We’re not going to buy 55 international players, but we’ve got to develop and for me that’s great. You build an intense relationship with a player, you see them grow and develop, and then when they get the accolades one day, it’s a proud moment to say that you played a bit of a role.

“The other side is you get to field a player to 24, 25, 26 years of age. Now they’ve played 50, 60 URC games. And it’s attractive to overseas teams to lure them to either Japan or France or England or wherever.

“I think we’re doing a good job in that we we’ve been bleeding players quite a bit in the last six years, but hopefully we’ve turned the corner where we retain them a little bit more. Every team will lose four or five players per season. That’s normal. But you don’t want it to be your five superstars. We’re retaining a little bit more now and that’s probably the only way you really can get continuity and, instead of just competing, getting into the finals and hopefully winning a couple. That synergy is priceless. That combined experience counts way more than just talent at the end of the day. We have been turning things around quite a bit; it feels like we’re getting a fair bit of stability.”

Indeed, apart from the recent crop of Springboks, several others have made compelling claims in recent months. Asenathi Ntlabakanye, Francke Horne and Van Wyk are knocking hard on the door for higher honours.

“It’s our way, really. Currently, you take a guy with great potential and you put him in a system where you try and get alignment,” Van Rooyen explains. “We try and work closely together. We try and outwork teams and find a culture where collectively we can be the difference. And then to see guys develop, performing week in and week out at a certain level, guys like “Krappies” (Van den Berg), Henco, or, until recently, Hendrikse, to see some of them become Springboks is unbelievable and it’s great for the group.

“It feels good to their peers who think, ‘my turn might be around the corner’. That lifts everyone’s performance and spirits. I’ve been saying it the past year to the group. I honestly believe that we potentially have 10 guys walking around in our system that could be in contention for the next World Cup cycle. Hopefully we can produce three, four or five more [Springboks] within the next year.”

Doing it Quietly

You sense that this is how Van Rooyen likes to be measured rather than by column inches in the newspapers or how many TV appearances he makes.

“I see myself as someone who gets people working together, who gets alignment as quickly as possible. I don’t like to dwindle on problems, I like to find solutions quickly. If I can be in the centre of that and get the system working, I don’t always need to be in every headline. That’s my personality. My personality is quite hard-working, it’s loyal. It’s getting guys together and working together. It’s not necessarily shouting from the street corners. If that’s your personality, there’s nothing wrong with it. It’s just not mine.”

Van Rooyen is evidently trying to build a system that is both strong and sustainable, but he knows, too, that it must be underpinned by measurable success. Trophies are what count.

“In the short term, we have the chance to be really competitive. But we must get to finals, we must be winning trophies,” he agrees. “The consistency is definitely better. We’ve seen it recently. But we must convert that into a system where people really know and see we’re serious about what we’re doing. That’s about reaching finals and reaching playoffs and getting trophies.

“We are gathering a group where we can confidently say that we’re getting into that stage where we feel we can compete. We’re also getting a group together where, say, in the next two or three years you may lose 10 or 12 seniors, you then get the juniors ready to come through and fill their boots. I’d like to help get the system healthy for the next eight to 10 years.

“That’s part of my long-term goal at the Lions. Hopefully I can be part of that. We all know how this job is, but I love the Lions. I started working here in 2009, and I started playing here in 2001. For 23 of the last 24 years I’ve been somewhere at the Lions. Whether it’s as a junior player, Sevens player or working in the seniors. I was away only one year. That was 2005 when I played a little bit of Currie Cup and Vodacom Cup for the Valke. I am a Lion at heart. I love the place.

“I’m trying to build a system that is continuously getting better and continuously evolving with what’s needed, not just athletic-wise, S&C-wise, medical-wise but also evolving our game. I think we’ve progressed quite nicely with that the last year, year-and-a-half.

I’m not looking at higher honours of international rugby and all that. I’ve still got much to give where I am.”

Part of what fuels van Rooyen’s drive is his interactions with the broader Lions community, the working class folk from the East Rand, the professionals from the northern suburbs and, increasingly, fans from the townships.

“Everywhere you go, whether you’re driving about or at a Lions function, you can see Lions fans. They are staunch, proper rugby supporters. They are not afraid to give their opinion of what’s going well or not well. And that’s how it should be. We are a rugby-loving country, a rugby-loving province.

“A lot of people say that if the stadium could have been moved 20km, it would have been packed every weekend. I can’t control that. I’m not in charge of that. But seeing the loyal fans [at Ellis Park] is awesome. We speak about it quite a bit in the team, that once we really get that performance going we play a brand that excites Joburg. Joburg is a city full of energy. It’s exciting. You can feel the buzz. We need to show that in the way we play and hopefully when we get to the playoffs or when we get to compete for trophies, the stadium is packed.”

Coping with the Critics

Van Rooyen, as you might expect, is softly spoken. He’s also a man who prioritises family and faith. Criticism can get him down, but he’s learned to roll with the punches because he’s had to.

“It’s always tough. A couple of years ago when I started off, and when it didn’t go well, I took the criticism really personally. You tend to wear it every day. But I also realised that it’s not good for me, not good for my family. And it’s also not good for the team. They need someone in front who can give solutions and identify problems, and also offer hope.

“I am a man of faith. I’m a big family man as well. I’ve got a wife and two girls, whom I love. I was privileged to be brought up by a loving family. When things are tough, I put on a fire, put some meat on. I get some music going in the house and just enjoy life with my wife and my kids, with family, with friends. I’m really blessed with a big, awesome group of friends.

“At the end of the day, we always say we do rugby we aren’t rugby. [It’s important] to get the compass away from rugby as well, to be real, to be a good guy, to try and be a great dad, a good husband, and a good friend to someone, and then take those learnings back into our rugby environment.”

It’s been some journey for the Lion king, but he’s far from done. There are mountains to climb, people to be won over.

The work never stops.

Your favourite restaurant, and when you go there, what are you eating?

In the area, there’s two options. I’ll usually go to Lupa – great pastas – or any steakhouse. If you if you give me one meal, I’ll go steak and chips.

You can have three famous guests to dinner. Who do you choose?

Denzel Washington. I envy how he sees life.

I’ll go Bryson DeChambeau. He’s not afraid to be a little bit different and be out there. Not just golf, but also the way he sees things and the way he reflects golf on social media.

Third one. Mmh, Tom Brady. He’s done it. He’s seen it. There’s a lot of good performance lessons to be learned there.

Your favourite holiday spot?

I’m really away from home quite a lot, so I’m tempted to say my house. My wife wouldn’t enjoy that, so because I grew up near the bush, probably Kruger Park.

Hobbies away from rugby?

I’m really competitive. I love my sport. I love playing golf, but I don’t play nearly enough. Padel has been growing recently. The whole family is playing. So if I have to choose now, I’ll go for padel.

The favourite place you’ve travelled?

Back in Super Rugby days, I enjoyed Argentina. That was something different. Currently in the URC, I love Italy. I love the culture, the people, the food. France, too. We went to Perpignan last year, I really enjoyed that. Montpellier also, and we’re going back there.

Your favourite musical artist?

I can name a couple. Need to Breathe, a rock band from America.

They are right up there.

I love Coldplay. I grew up with a dad loving Queen and Cat Stevens and Neil Diamond, who I enjoy. If I have to choose now, I’ll probably go Need to Breathe and Coldplay.

What are you reading?

I don’t have too much time for reading. But I do a lot of listening. I drive quite a bit, so I like audiobooks. About self-development, wellness, diets, and mental space.

Who is your sporting hero?

I want to say Jonty Rhodes. I probably saw something athletically of myself in Jonty, being, a little bit shorter with quick hands, quick feet, quick reactions. Nuggety. Yes, almost. When the pressure was on Jonty could create something. Cricket-wise I really enjoyed him, probably because we had similar traits. I was always told that I’m too small. As Jonty showed, you have to find a way to develop and get yourself relevant.