Junior Boks add Lions coach to set-up

The Junior Springboks have strengthened their coaching team ahead of the 2026 season.

Junior Boks head coach Kevin Foote confirmed to News24 that Lions assistant coach Barend Pieterse will come on board in a consultancy role, filling the vacancy left by Bulls coach Johan Ackermann.

Pieterse will remain with the Lions until the end of the year before linking up with the Junior Boks when their next training block begins in January.

“It’s quite far down the track now, he’s signed up with the Lions and wants to be respectful and finish up with them until the end of the year,” Foote said. “From January, he’ll be joining us in camp. It’s a good signing for us.”

The former Cheetahs lock has built a strong coaching résumé, including stints with Namibia at the World Cup and the Lions in the Vodacom URC, where he has been closely involved in forward play, breakdown work and lineout organisation.

ALSO: Ex-Junior Bok switches Test allegiance

Pieterse will work alongside Junior Boks attack coach Melusi Mthethwa and forwards coach Lumumba Currie, adding specialist input rather than replacing existing roles.

“Lumumba is our forwards coach, so Barend will come in as a consultant and add to the lineout,” Foote explained. “As a player he was a good lineout caller, he understands the lineout well. We thought it was a seamless transition.

“He understands from being an ex-player what it means to go through that development. We know he’ll be perfect in developing our guys as well as making sure we perform.”

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