Conversation with Mike Poppmeier on his role with Rugby Israel’s club development program
(Ronen Dorfan)
Mike Poppmeier knows first hand the challenges of getting kids to play Rugby. “I grew up in Port Alfred on the Eastern Cape in South Africa. We are a very fruitful province as far as producing talent. At boarding school, rugby was the main sport, and I was involved. My job was to bring the tee for the kicker. I loved it but was too scared to play.”
“Then, after school, I spent a gap year working abroad. I came back a man. I moved to a town called George, and you needed to join some sport to make friends. So I started playing and discovered I am quite good at it. I was a lock. And now it’s been my profession for 19 years.”
Towards the end of his career, Mike moved to Germany, played, and worked in development programs – identifying youth and running coaching sessions throughout Germany. Germany has been progressing and narrowly missed out on qualification for the 2019 World Cup.
Poppmeier is now with Rugby Israel, part of the club development program – led by himself, CEO Bonnie Manor, and National Coach and Director of Rugby Kevin Musikanth. The war has delayed his arrival, but several Zoom sessions have been held with different clubs.
It is noteworthy: the Israeli union has never before made a concerted investment in clubs and youth teams. In many ways, it relied on senior teams only. Apart from professional and cultural importance, youth teams are a requirement to receive public funding.
So let’s talk about clubs in Israel. It’s a bit of a wilderness. The kids are not living in a rugby culture, no local role models. What is the biggest challenge in working in this situation?
“I’d say it’s like a positive challenge. These are the kind of projects you want to be involved in to change things. You want to work where you can make a real difference.
“I look at the Siya Kolisi story. He went to a local club in Port Elizabeth. One person told him he is going to become something. One person had an input on one individual and see what he has become and the difference he made.”
Poppmeier’s vision on rugby clubs is ‘holistic’. Getting families involved, creating the club culture, creating a community. “The two clubs that I’ve been involved with in Germany – we began reaping rewards after 10 years. Every year they’ve brought new people in because of the culture that the club offers.”
Culture” is a big word. What is it in reality?
“Culture would be wanting to be at the club because there’s something to do there. It’s networking. It’s where your kids are learning values, especially the values of rugby. So you as a parent see what your kid is learning, you see him making friends, and want to be part of it.
“A club is where you go in the morning to bring your kid to train. Then there is a senior game. Then maybe a barbecue and a screening of a big international test match.”
Ok. So moms, rugby, injuries… you know the next question…
“Sure. Personally, I will show them examples that show you are very likely to get injured in other sports too. Handball or soccer, or even snow skiing. Always a risk. But in rugby, they’re gonna be taught and gonna be conditioned. Learn how to protect themselves in these situations.
“I had a kid who wanted to go to South Africa on an exchange. And the mom was worried that the rugby there will be too tough. I said, rugby is rugby. He could get injured here; he could get injured in South Africa. But he’s gonna love it and have the best time of his life.
“This kid went on to stay in South Africa and finish high school there.
“I always tell moms, leave the son here and come back after one training. If your son is happy and wants to come back – that’s gonna make you happy as a parent.
“And then the job of the club is to make training fun.”
Do you believe in an academy setup in Israel?
“I think if if that could be a goal for maybe 5, 6, 7 years. I see only benefits in it.”
But isn’t there a danger of diluting the clubs from talent?
“I see a scenario where they still play for the clubs. They just come to the academy and learn. We have to figure out how we do it in Israel, because we have the army. So that also is a bit of a speed bump. I was at the South African Rugby Academy. Kids were shown how to be better professional athletes and went back to their clubs.”
Another development project you must have followed is black rugby in South Africa. A population that faces difficulties. The quota system was criticized but now we see incredible results.
“Of course. I read Rassie Erasmus’s (South Africa coach, RD) book. It too was a long project. By they identified Cheslin Kolbe, Lukhanyo Am, Siya Kolisi. Now I don’t think they have one player in the team that isn’t there on merit and they have a long line of brilliant black players.”
So drawing some parallel – would you support a quota system for Israelis on the Tel Aviv Heat?
“I would. I mean, what’s the point of having a professional team in a country where it doesn’t benefit the local players? The Heat is something that a player should aspire to. I think if we look at where the Heat started 3 seasons ago. The first season we did okay, the second and third seasons we ended up in finals. That’s a good project to look up towards. If I was a young under 18 under 19, that should be my goal.
“last year we did use more Israeli boys. But obviously this year with the war, we lost a few of those guys. So I think it would be a good idea.”
What are Israelis good at? What are they lacking?
“The good thing is they are gutsy and fearless. That is what I want as a coach. They lack some game understanding because of the lack of experience.”
What can you practically change with youth and adult players?
“For example, Kevin may identify critical skills. Then we spend 20 minutes of every 90-minute coaching session working on this skill.
“We identified evasion. The fundamentals of rugby are obviously to run, catch, and pass, but we added in a fourth one, which is evasion, avoiding contact. So footwork, sidestepping speed work. Because we will come up against countries with bigger teams, and there’s no point in running straight into them.”
How is our scrumming?
“You gotta be very careful with scrumming because there’s a lot of injuries that come around with it. Most clubs don’t even have enough numbers to have a full scrum. But there’s a lot of individual stuff that the hooker can do to just better his technique. Strengthen his core, strengthen his neck.
“But these things again they take time. I look at ‘Nitsi’ (Nitzan Reizel) for example. He went and put himself in a Romanian league club. Now he understands what he needs to do in the gym to compete at a higher level and he’s come back a much better player.”
