John Dobson Stands Firm Behind Rookie Coaches as Western Province Struggle in Currie Cup

Western Province’s winless start to the 2025 Currie Cup campaign has prompted scrutiny from fans and media alike, but Director of Rugby John Dobson is standing firmly behind his coaching team.

After four rounds without a victory, WP languish at the bottom of the log, a continuation of their disappointing 2024 showing. With a depleted player pool due to United Rugby Championship (URC) commitments and mounting injuries, the Currie Cup side has been forced to turn to youth and unproven coaching personnel.

Yet Dobson remains resolute in the union’s developmental strategy.

“We know the Currie Cup isn’t what it used to be,” Dobson said during a media briefing. 

“Last year we took a bit of flak for finishing bottom, and we accept it wasn’t good enough. But with MyPlayers policy, we’re prioritizing player rest and giving our under-21s a chance after a strong junior season.”

Venter’s Role Clarified

A key figure in the current setup is Brendan Venter, the seasoned former Springbok and international coach, who serves in a part-time consultancy role. His presence alongside head coach Labeeb Levy raised eyebrows, particularly around the dynamic of hierarchy and decision-making.

Dobson, however, dismissed any concerns.

“Doc Venter and Labeeb get on fantastically. He’s not here to take over, he’s helping with technical aspects around our game model and attack shape,” Dobson explained. 

“He’s not a full-time coach. He runs a significant medical practice in Strand. His role is more experimental, particularly around things we want to trial for the URC.”

Despite Venter’s pedigree, some critics have questioned why a more permanent, full-time coaching presence wasn’t sought out, a decision Dobson attributed to financial and strategic constraints.

Rookie Coaches Under Fire

Perhaps the most contested appointments have been those of recently retired players Brok Harris and Dewaldt Duvenhage as forwards and backline coaches respectively. Both have minimal senior coaching experience but were fast-tracked into influential roles.

“You say there are guys with better coaching credentials? Who are you talking about?" Dobson fired back when asked whether more experienced candidates were overlooked.

“Brok has worked with our juniors, helped with our scrums when Shimmy [Hanyani Shimange] has not been around, and coached SA U20 forwards. He’s been around. Dewaldt assisted with our URC attack system and was a player-coach at Benetton. He’s still playing too.”

Dobson also revealed that the union has not entered the market for experienced external coaches, citing limited budget and a preference to promote from within.

“We’re not in that space financially to bring in big-name coaches. We’d rather promote from the club and school systems. That’s the long-term view. Dewaldt has a bright future as a coach, and we’re investing in that.”

Development Over Results?

While Dobson's commitment to internal development is clear, critics argue that the team’s lack of competitiveness in the Currie Cup is damaging to the WP brand and morale.

Dobson, though, remains adamant the current route prioritising youth, backing rookies, and experimenting in the Currie Cup, is part of a bigger picture aimed at sustainable success in the URC and beyond.

“I’m not being defensive I’m just asking, who are these coaches we supposedly overlooked? Would we even have the budget to bring them in? We have our challenges. But we’re building something here," he concluded.