Swys de Bruin left Lions due to stress

It has been revealed that the reason for Lions coach Swys de Bruin's return to South Africa was due to stress.

Lions CEO Rudolf Straeuli confirmed the news to Netwerk24 and added that professional help would be enlisted after De Bruin admitted that he was struggling to deal with the pressures of the head coaching job.

In a shock revelation late last week, De Bruin returned home to South Africa mere hours before the Lions were due to face the Chiefs in Hamilton.

At the time, the Lions said De Bruin left the tour due to "personal reasons".

Straeuli told the Afrikaans publication that no hasty decisions would be made regarding the future of De Bruin.

"We'll get medical advice as would be the case with any player and there will be an intensive investigation before making a decision on his future. We won't be making a decision within a few days."

Du Bruin signed a two-year contract extension with the Johannesburg-based franchise earlier this month, tying him to the union until 2021.

There were rumours of discontent between De Bruin, Straeuli and Altmann Allers, the vice-chairperson of the union, but the Lions have denied this.

The Lions' conditioning coach, Ivan van Rooyen, took over the coaching duties from De Bruin for the Chiefs match which the Lions won 23-17 in Hamilton on Good Friday.

The Lions entered the match on the back of two disappointing defeats to the Sharks (42-5, Johannesburg) and Brumbies (31-20, Canberra).

Van Rooyen will also be in charge for this Friday's clash against the Crusaders in Christchurch (April 26 - 09:35 SA time).

Perspective is probably necessary. Even mild stress can cause symptoms. The guy isn't a spring chicken and any one of a wide assortment of stress related symptoms could have resulted his departure. 

He does seem to be our best coach atm and i'd rather keep him involved with the Boks if i was forced to choose. 

This bodes quite badly for the Saders on Friday. The Lions have phenomenal team spirit and if they are gonna be "fighting for their coach" in Christchurch, it's gonna be all out war.

It's no surprise to be quite honest.

Appointing him as head coach was a mistake. His strength lies behind the scenes.

I just hope they don't bring a clueless black quota like Stick in as his permanent replacement. If that be the case then I'm done with the Lions.

I think it is vey likely that De Bruin would move to assist Erasmus at the Springboks and vacate the Lions Head Coach position.    

That will leave the Springboks and two Super Rugby head coaching positions vacant next year and one would like to s ee what happens then      

Well ... if Swys can't handle a little pressure as the Lions' head coach, he'll never be taken seriously anywhere else,

He's shot himself in the foot.

Working under Rudolf Straulie must be like Camp Staalstraad. Straulie seems like one of those crazy old army generals. 

When he was the Springbok coach he was a laugh a minute, chopping and changing players every few seconds. Non-one had any confidence playing under him,

The Lions have revealed that they deliberately made late changes to their starting team before facing the Chiefs in Hamilton. 

(Look's like Straueli is taking credit for the win....)

and in other news the Lions defence coach has been found guilty of sexual misconduct by a Sydney court. As a goodwill gesture I dropped off a meat pie at the local clink. Our pies aren't good, I like em chunky, the one I dropped off is mushy.

... he betrayed his whole team by running away when they needed him most.

Thankfully Whiteley's there to pick up the pieces.

It's time he goes ...

Never thought that Strauli would make more sense than most of the posters here. Too little is known at this stage. We can only have an opinion once we know what's going on. The stress might not even be job related, but family related or something. His decision to come back home was surely not made lightly...cut the man some slack till the facts are known. He renewed his contract 2 months ago, something must have changed since then. Wait for it.

Guys, be careful when you start throwing stones at coaches.

Do you remember how eager you were for Plumtree to leave (I think he was sacked) the Sharks and today, well actually a few years now, he laughs at us.

Agreed Draad.

It's pretty obvious, Draad.

The man's stressed because he's taken a winning Lions team and turned them into what we see today.

We have been thrashed by the hapless Guppies under his rule. The very same Guppie who were thrashed by the Reds and the Jaguars.

Give him a break, you say?

Nah ... he's a spineless wimp, and things have been going south ever since he took over.

It's time he leaves.

The stress might not even be job related, but family related or something.

The article says "De Bruin admitted that he was struggling to deal with the pressures of the head coaching job".

But yes, who knows what exactly is going on. There may be other factors at play.

A spineless wimp, CC? Look how the love of Jesus just shines out of you for your fellow man.

One thing to struggle,  quite another to quit a few days before you first tour match.

"It's pretty obvious, Draad.

The man's stressed because he's taken a winning Lions team and turned them into what we see today."

BS, last I looked they were in the final last year regardles of the player exodus. I tell you what, you take Fleck, then Swys can come to WP.

No thanks, Draad.

Think I'll keep the spineless Swys.

So Pakie Poef ... you think that he should be kept on because Jesus loves him, and I should too?

No, no " CC - Don't - Turn - Your Coat - Too - Soon", don't "p!s voor jou blaas vol is" "kyk die aap uit die boom" before you castigate probably one of our best coaches...maybe he is not head coach matereal...then fine, re deploy him, but I smell there is something more than what we are told.

One gets the feeling that he's gone as far with the Lions as he's going to ... that it's all downhill from here on ... I can tell you that I am not prepared to enure another Ludeke era ... patiently waiting for things to improve ... year in, year out ... in the name of love ... fok that ...

My hypocrisy goes only so far.

I have kyked the aap out of the boom and it's now time to put it out of it's misery ...

Agreed Rooi, but he is also not a poephol and I don't buy this sudden stress related BS. There is clearly someghing more to the story t han what's in the public domain ATM.

South Africa has very few good coaches, although other than New Zealand maybe this is the same all over the world.

1. Jake White, Heineken Meyer, Ackerman, Swys, Rassie, Nick Mallett.  (These are the tier 1 SA coaches that would walk into top coaching jobs around the world. They have weaknesses but they are quality).

2. Then we have the next level that is a major drop - and surprising that they can even get professional coaching jobs. Gary Gold, Franco Smith, and some other insignificant losers who's names escape me.

3. Then finally we have the utter-crap - Alister Coetzee, Robbie Fleck, Noel Marais, Robert Dupreez, Roedolf Strauelie. It is surprising that these people are not flipping burgers at Mcdonalds.

So think carefully, before wanting another coach. The Sharks lost Plumtree who played a good all-around brand of rugby. After Jake White - the Stalin of coaches, the rot set in. Gary Gold reverted to a brainless fart game plan

The jury is out on Pote Human - but I suspect he wants to play a primitive game plan and undo the skills learn from Mitchell.

Spare a thought for the players up against the best team.......no head coach, no defence coach.....what chance? It would be a miracle if they won.

No ... SharkShit ... you once again have it all mixed up.

Heyneke Meyer is not a top tier coach. He is slightly below Snorre De Villiers ... probably on par with Alister Coetzee. Remember the match against Japan. It's on par with the match against Italy.

Rassie is also not among the best we have. He is a paper pusher and a flashing light operator. Nothing more.

You really are a clueless imbecile aren't you?

Yes, Denny ... and to add to that, were playing Jantjies at 12.

It's going to be a long, painful day.