Stormers forwards coach Rito Hlungwani says Toulon coach Pierre Mignoni’s recent breakdown underlined the need for greater support structures in rugby, writes LINDIZ VAN ZILLA.
In March, Mignoni revealed the pressures of elite coaching had caught up with him.
“My body gave out on me,” he said about his decision to take a three-week break following a loss to Clermont in the French Top 14 on 14 February.
“I experienced what you might call a breakdown, a work overload. I felt it coming on, but you always have this feeling of being a superhuman,” said the 49-year-old former France scrumhalf who has been in charge at Toulon since 2022.
Toulon welcome the Stormers in an Investec Champions Cup last-16 showdown at the Stade Mayol on Saturday.
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“It is a massive challenge in sport,” Hlungwani said of the high-pressure stakes in professional rugby. “It’s one thing to lose a game and feel the pressure, but sometimes you win and you still feel that pressure.
“I think there can be much better support for coaches in this environment.”
Hlungwani stressed that the demands extended beyond the field, particularly for those balancing rugby with family life.
“We can go to France and do a good job, but I’ve got three kids at home that I have to leave behind,” he said. “If it wasn’t for my partner looking after things, I can’t perform as well.
“It’s the same for the players. All those things build up into pressure when you leave your family. The support is extremely important because this is a high-pressure environment.
“As much as we love it, we need to take mental health very seriously.”
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Loose forward Hacjivah Dayimani echoed those sentiments, pointing to the pressures faced by rising stars such as Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu.
“Being that young and having the world on your shoulders, it can be pressure,” Dayimani said. “You’re always trying to do more and be better, and sometimes the world just puts more pressure on you.
“Everyone wants to see you fall, to show you that you’re not perfect.”
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Dayimani believes senior players have a key role to play in managing those expectations.
“What Sacha needs now is support,” he added. “Just to show him that he’s also just a human being.”
Photo: Michael Steele/Getty Images
The post When coaches crack appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.
Stormers forwards coach Rito Hlungwani says Toulon coach Pierre Mignoni’s recent breakdown underlined the need for greater support structures in rugby.
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