Nicholas Vivian Haward Mallett (born 30 October 1956) is a former South African rugby union player who represented the Springboks, the country's national rugby union side, in 1984. Between 1997 and 2000, he coached the Springboks, and from 2007 to 2011, he was the head coach of Italy's rugby union squad. He is also the father of British and Irish Lions captain Dylan Woodward.
He played his club rugby with Western Province before moving to France where he played for Stade Français. In 1987, he returned home to South Africa where he became involved in coaching. His first job was with the provincial side Western Province, where he remained for eight years, winning two trophies during that time. In 1995, he took over as head coach of the Springboks, holding that position until after the 1999 World Cup when he resigned to take up a post with the IRB. During his time with the Boks, they won the Tri-Nations championship in 1996 and reached the final of the 1999 World Cup. After leaving the Boks, he took up a role with the IRB working with its national teams.
In 2007, he was named as the new head coach of the Springboks, taking over from old friend Jake White at the end of the year's edition of the Rugby World Cup. Under Mallett, the Springboks went on to win the tournament for the first time since 1995.
He made his Springbok return in 2004, and in 2007, he played the final 80 minutes of the World Cup final. Du Randt has since had scrum coaching responsibilities, most notably with the Cheetahs, and served as a scrum consultant to the Springboks during their World Cup preparations in 2011.
Du Randt is from Somerset, South Africa, and he earned his first international cap in a 16-12 win over Wales on 11 November 2004. He came on as a replacement for the injured John Smit, who suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament during the match. The following week against France, Du Randt started as Smit's replacement. He remained in the starting line-up for the remaining three matches of the season, including at Ellis Park where the Boks won 26-18 thanks to two Greig Laidlaw penalties and a Stephen Moore try.
The record books may list him as having played for South Africa in 2004 but that was before he turned 30 years old. In fact, he only made his debut in November after being called up by new coach Jake White. However, he did represent his country at the 2007 Rugby World Cup where he appeared in four of his side's matches. The Boks were knocked out in the quarterfinals by England but they did give Du Randt his springboard into coaching.
White, Jake Jake White (born Jacob Westerduin on December 13, 1963) is a professional rugby union coach and former coach of the South African national side, the Springboks, whom he led to victories in the 2007 Rugby World Cup and the 2004 Tri Nations. He is currently head coach of Japanese club Yamaha Riders.
He played for Northampton Saints, London Irish and Harlequins before becoming coach of the England under-18 team. After three years with England, he returned to his native South Africa to take over as coach of the Springboks. Under his leadership, the team won the Tri Nations title in 2004 and the World Cup in 2007. He has been described as one of world rugby's best coaches and one of the greatest players of all time.
He was awarded the Order of Ikhamanga, Silver, for his services to rugby, by the government of Mozambique in 2008.
Jake White was born in Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa. He grew up in Woodlands, a suburb north of the city center. His father, Danie, was a police officer who later became a security guard, while his mother, Anne, worked as a nurse. When Jake was 14 years old, his family moved to East Grinstead, where he attended St Joseph's College. It was here that he began playing rugby for the school team.
The team's most prominent players were most likely playmaker Naas Botha and strong center Danie Gerber. Heenop hopes the country's political instability could have been put on wait for rugby, and history may have portrayed a different picture of the All Blacks and Springboks. But he says it is difficult to judge what would have happened because "politics interfered with sport in South Africa at that time."
Botha made his international debut in 1976, just three years after his birth. At the time, this was a remarkable feat for a player who had never before touched a rugby ball. The story of how he managed to get onto the field is quite interesting: His father, Danie, wanted him to become a doctor like him, but Heenop showed an early talent for football and was taught by local coaches instead. When he was 18, he was invited to join the Springboks' academy program. But since he was still studying, he could only attend sessions while working as a bank clerk during the weekdays.
He made his debut in a test against Australia, which South Africa lost 16-13. Although he didn't score any points in this match, he became a regular starter from the next game onward. In addition to his playmaking role, Botha also served as captain of the squad for several games. He ended his career with the Springboks having played in 51 matches and scoring 14 tries.
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