Experienced rugby tactician David Maidza has been given the task of ensuring EP’s backline dazzles when they kick off their SA Cup campaign, Elephants head coach Allister “Toetie” Coetzee said.
Maidza, who served as EP’s analyst last season under former coach Dumisani Mhani, has been given a new role as the Elephants bid to win promotion to the Currie Cup Premier Division.
The former Zimbabwean international is well known in EP rugby circles and has held several coaching positions after he retired following a successful playing career.
“I have appointed David as an assistant coach and he served as the team’s analyst in 2024,” Coetzee said.
“David will still assist with analysis, but he will be the backline coach and Trichard van Tonder is the forwards coach.
“Those are the only two we have appointed at this point.
“It is a small coaching team due to budgetary constraints.
“It brings a lot of alignment to have Trichard here.
“He is with NMU Madibaz, where he coaches the forwards, and I also see players who could join EP after the Varsity Shield ends.”
In 2024, former EP coach Dumisani was assisted by Wayne van Heerden (forwards coach), Lefty Dukashe (backline), Maidza (technical analyst) and Rafiek Hermans (manager).
Maidza, who played Currie Cup for the Border Bulldogs, later joined the Bulldogs coaching staff as a technical adviser in 2001.
He then went on to hold an assistant coach post at the Cheetahs from 2003 to 2007, before returning to the Bulldogs as their head coach in 2008 and 2009.
He joined the EP Kings as an assistant backline coach in 2010 and became the head coach of their Vodacom Cup and Currie Cup sides for the 2013 season.
In a long coaching career, Maidza was also the Madibaz head coach when they played in the Varsity Cup.
Maidza, who played at centre and wing, started his playing career in his native Zimbabwe, where he played for the national U21 and U23 teams.
In 1993, he earned a call-up to the national team, where he made his debut against an Arabian Gulf team in a qualifier for the 1995 Rugby World Cup.
Maidza made a total of five appearances for Zimbabwe in 1993 and 1994.
He was also an assistant coach at the Cheetahs from 2003 to 2007 before returning to the Bulldogs as their head coach in 2008 and 2009.
First up for the Elephants is an away match at altitude against the Falcons in Kempton Park on March 8 in a match Coetzee says is a huge game for his team.
The prize for EP in 2025 is that if they end up among the top four SA Cup teams, they will qualify to play in the Currie Cup Premier Division.
EP have yet to name their SA Cup squad and there has been speculation that loose forwards Junior Pokomela and CJ Velleman could be making comebacks for the Elephants.
Insiders said Pokomela was still weighing up his options, while Coetzee confirmed negotiations were under way with Velleman.
It is expected EP will name their full squad and captain this week.
EP’s SA Cup fixtures: March 8 vs Falcons (away), March 15 vs Pumas (home), March 22 vs Eagles (away), March 29 vs Cheetahs (home), April 6 vs Leopards (home), April 13 vs Griquas (away), April 26 vs Border Bulldogs (away), May 3 vs Griffons (home). Semifinals: May 17. Final May 24.
The Herald
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