FALSE BAY RUGBY CLUB

Rugby philosophy:

Give it your very best and enjoy the game.

 

Life philosophy:

Be thankful

 

Rugby highlight as a player:

Beating the Maties U20A team at Coetzenberg when playing for Defence U20A.

 

Rugby highlight in your role:

Coaching the SA Naval College Midshipmen’s rugby team and touring with them to Chile in 1990.

 

Favourite Club Player:

Don’t have one yet, but looking.  Past players - Frans Oeschger way back (outstanding powerful lightning fast Bay wing) and Mark Jordaan.

 

Favourite Coach:

Still early days and too soon to choose one, but that said, all our coaches seem to be doing a good job, considering our team log standings at present.  Keep up the good coaching, coaches.

 

Family background:

Married to Di, who loves rugby (unfortunately a Shark supporter).  Two sons, Ivan and Michael (sadly also became Shark supporters). There is hope, Michael is tending more towards supporting the Stormers now.

My Dad together with the famous Bok 8th Man, Doug Hopwood spent a few High School years growing up together in Kalk Bay.  They used to play touch rugger together on the local beaches. Dad (Derek Louwrens) played for the Bay in the early 60’s.  Doc and I, as 5 year old’s, used to go and play alongside the field down there at the previous Bay fields in Plumstead.

Doc and I often went to Newlands on a Saturday by train, with our Scholar Season tickets in hand, to watch the three 1st team Grand Challenge matches played on most Saturday afternoons.  By the way, we shouted for different teams, Bay and Villagers, but that’s changed now – GO BAY!.

Doc and I were Meadowridge boys and played many games of touch and gaining grounds on the local school and municipal fields.  We also practiced on our home ground garden lawns / fields the night before our school games, doing passing, kicking and lineout jumping drills.

Dad was an avid follower, lift giver and supporter of our School rugby days.  He was always there for us.  Many still remember his white Triumph Spitfire and the “dog box” stacked tight with players needing a lift to and from practices and games.
I joined the Navy after school and rugby mostly had to come second to my sea going career.  I am glad to be back at the Bay, thanks to Doc, helping out as the U20B manager and passing on some coaching advice when I see fit.  I’m so glad to meet up with my Dad at most Bay games, to which he has been supporting and coming to for many years now.

 

How do you chill?

Watching sport on TV, a good movie (Western preferably) or reading.

 

What are your aspirations for the Bay?

To help players achieve their rugby goals and more.

 

What is it about the Bay that inspires you?

The strong desire of our Bay teams to win; teammates enjoying the game flat out and to the full.

 

Who at False Bay inspires you?

Ian Morris, who has made me very welcome and clearly has a passion to see Bay do well at all levels of the game.

 

What do you do to relax or what are your interests outside of rugby?

I enjoy sailing and hiking and of course trying to live out my Christian faith.