Louis Koen, who featured in 15 Tests for the Springboks, undoubtedly had one of the most diverse rugby careers.
After starting his career with the Stormers and Western Province, which included forming part of the WP team that won the Currie Cup, he quickly become renowned as one of the most dependable goal-kickers in the game.
Injuries at times hampered his career, but he became a prominent figure in South African rugby as he featured for the Cats, Lions and then the Bulls in 2003, which was also the year he became the Springboks’ first-choice flyhalf.
He then made the move to French club Narbonne, but after a couple of seasons again disrupted by injuries, he moved back to Western Province as one of the very few full-time kicking coaches in South Africa at that time.
In another fascinating anecdote, he was later recalled out of retirement to play one Currie Cup First Division match for the Boland Cavaliers against the Valke in 2010.
Going back to his Springbok career, though, Koen had to wait until 2000 for his first Springbok Test cap (which came in a heavy loss to Australia), while he would feature in three internationals the next year before again falling by the wayside.
However, in 2003 he was rewarded for his consistency and accuracy in front of goal, and that year he would start in 11 Tests, which would include featuring prominently at the 2003 World Cup. Unfortunately that tournament ended in a heartbreaking quarter-final exit when Koen featured off the bench in what would be his final Springbok appearance.
What has former Springbok Louis Koen been up to since retiring?
Now 49 years old, Koen has remained closely involved in the game. Just recently, he filled in as the Springbok Women’s coach on an interim basis before reverting to his primary role as High Performance Manager at SA Rugby.
“I oversee all the junior programmes, we believe from the age of 15 that young players’ talent identification process can truly start,” he explained during a recent interview.
“We follow a long process until they’re 20, and my ultimate role is then to select 30 boys who will go to the Junior World Cup as U20s… My role is not to select them, but to facilitate the process and capacitate the system, the coaches and the boys to have all the resources they need to win a Junior World Cup for us.”
Prior to this current role, Koen also previously served as the Junior Springboks’ assistant coach and as a co-owner at Stellenbosch Rugby Academy.
What are your favourite memories from his career?
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