/ 18 June 1997

Luyt at the coalface as Gauteng coaches quit

WEDNESDAY, 11.00AM:

GAUTENG Lions rugby coach Ray Mordt and his assistants Tito Lupini and Hugo van As resigned and refused to coach the team on Tuesday, blaming some “senior World Cup contracted players” for making their jobs impossible.

Dr Louis Luyt, president of the South African Rugby Football Union, stepped in to give the Lions a pep talk, and to direct Tuesday’s important training session – the Gauteng Lions are preparing for Friday’s friendly international game against a Scottish XV at Ellis Park.

Mordt said there has been tension building between senior players and the coaches for weeks, and he said they had “no option but to resign as coaching staff of the senior team.”

Wim Hollander and Koos Ehlers have been appointed as impromptu coaches of the senior side.