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15 September 2021 | Story Jóhann Thormählen | Photo Gallo Images
Swys de Bruin, a former Kovsie, has been appointed as the new Director of Coaching at the Shimlas.

A former Springbok assistant coach and a coach involved with the FNB Shimlas when they lifted the 2015 Varsity Cup will be steering the ship at the University of the Free State (UFS) over the next few years.

The UFS has appointed two renowned coaches – both alumni – in Swys de Bruin and André Tredoux as the new Director of Coaching and Head Coach of the Shimlas, respectively.

The duo will start in November 2021, with De Bruin at the helm for two years and Tredoux for three years. De Bruin, a former Springbok attack coach and a current SuperSport analyst, will be in charge of the UFS coaching structures, working alongside Tredoux at the Shimlas.

Tredoux returns to the UFS after being the head coach of the Nelson Mandela University for the Varsity Cup. He takes over from Pote Human. Human had a one-year contract with the Shimlas and has been appointed head coach of the Houston SaberCats in America.

More new faces

Another new addition to the coaching team is Tiaan Liebenberg. The former Bok was an assistant coach at the Central University of Technology in the 2021 Varsity Cup.

Hendro Scholtz and Rashied Isaacs will stay part of the UFS coaching team. 

Liebenberg, Scholtz, and Isaacs all played for the Shimlas. 

Jaco Swanepoel, Head of Rugby at KovsieSport, says the UFS is excited about what lies ahead.

Wealth of experience

De Bruin has an extensive coaching CV and has been involved with teams such as Griquas, the Sharks, and the Lions. He was an assistant coach and head coach at the Lions, winning the Currie Cup and being Super Rugby finalists in 2016, 2017, and 2018.

“It is a great privilege to get the services of someone like Swys,” Swanepoel said.

“The other coaches and the players will benefit a lot from working with him.”

Tredoux has coached at Slava Moscow in Russia, at the NTT Docomo Red Hurricanes in Japan, at Paarl Boys High, and was the U19 Head Coach and Head of Recruitment at the Cheetahs.

André Tredoux returns to the University of the Free State, where he has coached
before, to take up the role as new Head Coach of the Shimlas.(Photo: Supplied)


At the UFS, he was the Shimla performance analyst in 2015, assistant coach of the UFS Young Guns who won the 2014 Varsity Cup, and head coach of the 2015 Young Guns that came second in the tournament.

“André has walked the road with us before and has since gained experience in Japan and Russia,” Swanepoel said.

“His recruitment knowledge also speaks volumes. He was the recruiter in 2014 and 2015 when the Young Guns and the Shimlas won the Varsity Cup, respectively.

“It is great to have him back.”

The new Shimla coaching staff:

Swys de Bruin (Director of Coaching), André Tredoux (Head Coach), Hendro Scholtz, Tiaan Liebenberg, Rashied Isaacs (all assistant coaches), Mark Nicholls (Conditioning coach), Edith Maritz (Physiotherapist).


News Archive

BAccHons students achieve A+ rating in ITC exams
2017-09-07

Description: Accounting staff Tags: accounting, examinations, Thuthuka bursary, South African Institute of Chartered Accountants, Initial Test of Competence 

The lecturers of the 2016 BAccHons class: Liesel Botha,
Prof Alta Koekemoer, Prof Cobus Rossouw, Mr Kobus Swanepoel,
Dr Cornelie Crous, Prof Hentie van Wyk, and Mr Shaun Watson.
Photo: Supplied

 


The 2016 BAccHons students in the School of Accountancy at the University of the Free State achieved a 96% pass rate in the 2017 Initial Test of Competence (ITC) examinations of the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA). The ITC examinations took place in January and June, and of the 49 students that partook in the examinations, 47 passed.

Prof Hentie van Wyk, Programme Director of the School of Accountancy, said with these results, the School of Accountancy ranks among the top accountancy institutions in South Africa. “The UFS is one of 14 accredited universities offering the SAICA-accredited programme,” he said.

New teaching model a success

A new teaching and learning module, which was introduced by the School of Accountancy in 2013, seemed to have fuelled the success of the students, as it is now more learner-centred and introduced more structured support to students.  

The same strategies will be followed for the current 2017 intake. “We achieved an average pass rate of 84.8% over the past five years and if we can build on that, it will be an achievement of note,” says Prof Van Wyk. However, students should understand that much of these achievements are in their own hands.  “After leaving the UFS, they must continue with the preparations for the ITC examinations in order to guarantee their success. The ball is actually in the students’ court,” he said.

Of the African students, 91% were successful in the national examinations, while 100% of the Thuthuka bursary students passed. The average pass rate for the past five years is as follows:

2016     96%
2015     72%
2014     80%
2013     84%
2012     92%.

 

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