A citrus farmer and an '80s Bok coach: How 'Toetie' ended up coaching in Italy

You'd think Italy would be the last place you'd find former Springbok coach Allister Coetzee coaching after his team's nightmare there in 2016's end-of-year tour.

The Boks suffered their first-ever loss to the Azzurri, 20-18, in November that year, one of the biggest black marks on "Toetie's" ill-fated time as Springbok head coach.

But it turns out that he's had a connection to the country through a citrus farmer Danilo Ortolani, who used to visit former late Springbok head coach (1980-1981) Nelie Smith and enquired every so often about the possibility of Coetzee coaching in Italy.

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"I coached with Nelie Smith, the former Springboks player and coach," Coetzee told Rugby World magazine.

 "I was with him at Eastern Province from 1999 to 2001. And through him, I met this citrus farmer from Italy. He frequently came to South Africa to visit Nelie, and that's how I met Danilo Ortolani, and we'd been in touch regularly."

Coetzee said Ortolani had texted and visited him when the Springboks played Italy in Padova in 2017.

"He told me he was on the board at Rovigo, this little town in Italy, passionate about rugby. He said if I was ever tired of the intense coaching at the top level, to come to Rovigo. It was said in jest, you know?

"Funnily enough, while I was at home (during Covid), he would text me, 'What are you doing?' He said once things opened up to come and visit the club, and that's where it started."

And that's how Coetzee joined Italy's Top 10 league side Rovigo Delta, where he mentors former Western Province flyhalf prodigy Abner van Reenen.

Coetzee also retained his role as Namibia head coach, who is trying to guide to the 2023