Former Junior Springbok Women head coach Laurian Johannes-Haupt has joined SA Rugby in a full-time capacity as Springbok Women assistant coach.
In the process she becomes the first full-time female rugby coach involved with a national team in the organization’s ranks.
Johannes-Haupt, who represented the Springbok Women at the 2010 World Cup and played in 12 Tests before retiring in 2014, was still working as a teacher at Athlone High School until last month, but has now stepped away from the classroom to focus on her other passion, that of coaching rugby.
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The 40-year-old was appointed in her current coaching role in 2023, but with the position now full-time, it will allow the forwards and scrum coach to focus on the Springbok Women’s 2025 World Cup campaign.
“It was a challenge to do both, as coaching at national level demanded more and more of my time and when this opportunity came to join SA Rugby full-time, I had to make the call,” said Johannes-Haupt. “I loved teaching very much, but rugby is also a passion and with our current group developing into a force on the world stage, it was the right time to move on. The squad have shown good growth and with the current group of coaches under the guidance of Swys de Bruin, I believe the best is yet to come. I have been involved in rugby for almost two decades now and can honestly say that we are ready to deliver performances not seen by the national squad before.”
