Kovsie Rugby, home of the University of the Free State’s (UFS) Shimlas rugby team, is welcoming a new Assistant Coach following the departure of Melusi Mthethwa in 2024. Mthethwa is now Assistant Coach for the South Africa U20 rugby team and has passed the Kovsie Rugby baton to Coach Chase Morison. 

Mthethwa’s contribution to the growth and performance of the Shimlas has left a strong legacy that the programme is determined to build upon. To maintain this positive momentum, and in line with UFS’s Vision 130 strategic intent, Morison has been appointed to work alongside the Head Coach of the Shimlas, André Tredoux. 

Not only is Morison the newly appointed Assistant Coach, but he is also a UFS and Shimlas alumnus player. Reflecting on his return, Morison shares his excitement about returning to UFS: “My time in Bloemfontein as a student athlete was nothing short of amazing – the people I met, the hospitality I was shown, and obviously the memories made on the field.” He adds that returning now in a coaching capacity, under Tredoux’s tutelage, is a very exciting prospect.

He also praises the UFS environment as one that shapes success paths for many. “Melusi is a fantastic coach and is respected by many in the Free State. If you look at where he is now, I think that speaks volumes about the environment here at the Shimlas,” he says. “We have a very ambitious group at the moment, so channelling that ambition into hard work and performance on the field within my portfolios will be the biggest challenge.” 

For Morison, coaching is not just about playing rugby. “University is one of the last stepping stones before life starts. It is my job to help equip the players to put on performances of which we can be proud, but, more than that, I want to give them tools to help them succeed later on in life.” 

He says a culture of excellence should become a mindset in everything that one does and emphasises that innovation and commitment must always be top of mind.