Justin Taljaard has been named as the new Aberdeen Grammar rugby head coach and he cannot wait to get stuck into the role at Rubislaw, saying he is “honoured and excited”.
The club are beginning a reset now following three successive relegations for their first team and this appointment is an exciting one.
Back in the summer of 2021, Grammar were in the Premiership, but now they are preparing for season 2024-25 in National Three.
During their last term in National Two, Eric Strachan headed up the coaching set-up for most of the campaign until stepping back from the role for personal reasons.
After relegation was confirmed back in March, Kevin Burnett, Aberdeen Grammar director of rugby, vowed the club would work on making the right appointment going forward into a new era.
That has resulted in South African Taljaard being given the role of head coach.
‘He comes highly recommended by a number of people’
“We spoke to a number of candidates for the head coaching role both locally and from further afield and Justin really impressed us with his ideas and passion,” Burnett said.
“He is quite a young coach and he is quite new to the rugby scene in Aberdeen and in Scotland, but he has good playing and coaching experience from back home in South Africa and from his time in Singapore. He also comes highly recommended by a number of people.
“His involvement is refreshing for us and we are looking forward to him really driving things forward.
“Everyone at Grammar is behind him and he will be given the support he needs to stabilise things within the first team and. We all want to move forward into a bright future for the whole club.”
Taljaard supported by former Glasgow Warriors prop
Taljaard will be working alongside Marc Muir, who will retain his role as backs coach and bring continuity to the club, while Stuart Corsar, former Glasgow Warriors and Scotland A prop, will be helping with the forwards.
Last season’s first XV captain Jonny Spence, who is currently recovering after a shoulder operation, will be helping out with coaching, too.
Flanker Jack Burnett is taking the lead on strength and conditioning, while Don Vasey from Percent Psychology will be looking after player wellbeing.
Players are already meeting up weekly to work on fitness and skills ahead of pre-season training later this month.
Taljaard, 42, who used to play in the front-row, said: “I am so honoured and excited to have been given this opportunity at a club with such a history as Aberdeen Grammar.
“I moved to Aberdeen in December 2022 for work (he is a security and marine assurance director away from rugby) and before that I was in Singapore.
“Since I have been in Scotland I have watched a few local clubs playing matches, while my kids have been playing junior stuff, too.
“The latter saw me begin to help coach their teams a bit, but after a break from senior coaching, I am feeling settled in Aberdeen and energised to get going again.
“When the opportunity to get involved with Grammar came about, and then they offered me the post, I jumped at the chance because there can be exciting times ahead here.
“I know the club has had a tough few years since the pandemic and we cannot shy away from that, but I know there have been good times at Rubislaw before and there can be again because I already know that a lot of good people are pulling together on and off the pitch to get things going in the right direction.
“Just now I am enjoying getting to know the players, Mark and Stuart and the other coaches and I think we can get real clarity in what we are doing in place, have a good pre-season and then build nicely into the campaign when we know there will be no easy games.”
Former ship’s captain looking to steady Grammar ship
Taljaard grew up in Natal, South Africa, and played rugby from an early age before a bad shoulder injury in his teens cut his career short.
Since then, he has worked as a ship’s captain, before spending nine years in Singapore, playing and coaching mainly at Bucks RFC.
“I took up playing in Singapore again in my 30s and during the time there I rediscovered my love of the game again, something I hope people will see during my time with Aberdeen Grammar,” he stated.
Grammar’s first team’s competitive 2024-25 season will get under way with a National League Cup tie away to National Four new boys Moray on August 31.
Taljaard is set to name the first team captain for the campaign the week before on August 24 as part of a family fun day at Rubislaw.
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