Former Vodacom Bulls and Lions centre Dewey Swartbooi has been appointed UJ head coach. 

Swartbooi, who replaces Werner Janse van Rensburg, started his professional playing career with the Bulls in 2002 before playing for the Cats, Lions and Boland Cavaliers.

After retiring, Swartbooi coached the Bulls U19 side, but made headlines in 2018 when he and a number of colleagues took legal action against the Bulls following their retrenchment. They claimed that the Bulls were guilty of stymying, which was dismissed by the franchise.

Now free from the Bulls, the 36-year-old is ready to take a new step as he succeeds Janse van Rensburg, who coached the side to four Varsity Cup semi-finals since 2013.

‘There is definitely a big challenge ahead of us all, but I just want the team to continue to play good rugby,’ Swartbooi said. ‘As I mentioned to one of the guys, Skollie [Janse van Rensburg] has done a great job in the past few years and you have to give him credit.

‘I want to build on the legacy he has left and I also want to create my own legacy and work hard to take the team forward. This is a new chapter in my life and I am definitely looking forward to the challenge ahead.’

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