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| Nick Mallett | |
|---|---|
| Name | Nicholas John Mallett |
| Birth date | 17 April 1956 |
| Birth place | Lambeth, London |
| Height | 1.88 m |
| Weight | 105 kg |
| Position | Lock, Number Eight |
| Amateur clubs | Gordon RFC, Transvaal, Western Province |
| National team | South Africa |
| National years | 1980s |
| Coach years | 1997–2000; 2001–2003; 2007–2008 |
| Coach teams | Springboks, Italy, Pumas (consultant) |
Nick Mallett
Nicholas John Mallett (born 17 April 1956) is a former rugby union player and coach notable for leading the Springboks to one of their most successful periods in the professional era. A former lock and number eight who played in the Currie Cup and club competitions, he later established a coaching reputation in Super Rugby, the Tri Nations Series and international test rugby. His tactical innovations and outspoken personality made him a prominent figure across England, South Africa, Italy, Argentina and the global rugby community.
Born in Lambeth and raised partly in South Africa, Mallett attended schools linked with prominent rugby traditions and progressed through the pathways that produced players for Western Province and Transvaal. He played as a second-row and loose forward for provincial sides including Gordon RFC and represented invitational teams that faced touring sides from All Blacks, Wallabies, and British and Irish Lions. His playing career intersected with contemporaries such as Frik du Preez, Naas Botha, Garry Pagel, Rob Louw and other domestic stalwarts during the amateur era. Exposure to fixtures against touring sides and matches in the Currie Cup informed his understanding of set-piece dynamics and forward play, elements later evident in teams he coached.
Mallett transitioned to coaching as the sport professionalised, taking roles that included provincial appointments and franchises in the Super 12 competition. He coached provincial sides in the Currie Cup and guided a franchise in Super Rugby where he worked alongside and against figures such as Jake White, Rassie Erasmus, Andy Robinson, Graham Henry, and Wayne Smith. His teams were noted for physical forward platforms, structured maul schemes and kicking strategies influenced by encounters with coaches like Clive Woodward and Sir Ian McGeechan. Domestic success led to international opportunities, with his name linked to selection discussions involving administrators from South African Rugby Union and counterparts in Italian Rugby Federation.
Elevated to the Springbok head coach role, Mallett presided over a period that included a record test-winning run against multiple nations including France, England, Ireland and Scotland. He navigated the team through Tri Nations Series campaigns and high-profile tours featuring the All Blacks and Wallabies, working with captains and leaders such as Joost van der Westhuizen, Gary Teichmann, John Smit and Victor Matfield. After his Springboks tenure he accepted a head coach appointment with Italy, preparing the squad for Six Nations Championship campaigns and test windows that included matches against Wales, France, England, Ireland and Scotland. In administrative and consultancy roles he engaged with unions from Argentina and European clubs, interacting with directors from LNR, Premiership Rugby and Pro14 leadership while advising on high performance, selection and talent pathways.
Mallett’s coaching philosophy combined a forward-dominant platform, tactical kicking, lineout innovation and a willingness to select unconventional backline structures; influences traceable to encounters with coaching schools represented by Garryowen, Crusaders, Lions and Blue Bulls. He emphasized set-piece reliability, driving mauls and defensive patterns that disrupted opponents like the All Blacks and Wallabies, while fostering goal-kicking standards analogous to practitioners such as Percy Montgomery and Morne Steyn. His tenure produced debates about selection policy, player discipline and media relations involving figures from SARU and commentators from BBC Sport, ESPN Scrum and Sky Sports. Mallett left a legacy in the development of South African coaching structures and influenced successors including Jake White and Heyneke Meyer, while his work in Italy contributed to skill development and professionalisation within Italian clubs like Benetton Rugby and Zebre Parma.
Off the field Mallett has been associated with media commentary, punditry and consultancy, contributing analysis alongside broadcasters from Sky Sports, SuperSport and ITV Sport. His honours include recognition for coaching achievements during test windows and awards from rugby institutions, and he has been publicly honored at functions attended by figures from World Rugby and national unions. Personal associations include family ties in South Africa and engagements with charitable initiatives involving former players and alumni from Western Province and Transvaal.
Category:1956 births Category:South African rugby union coaches Category:Living people