Swys de Bruin: The Springbok Women's coach who actually 'gives a s***'

Swys de Bruin has always been a different breed as a rugby person — both as a coach and as a TV pundit.

Not many people speak about the game from a human perspective. De Bruin voices his opinions with a level of empathy that seems deeply rooted in his psyche. Here’s a man who understands that you can’t separate the rugby player from the person.

Combine that with his exceptional knowledge of the game, and you start to realise why he was the perfect person to take up the role of head coach of the Springbok Women’s team.

There’s something beautifully poetic about the way the Springbok Women have gone about their historic Rugby World Cup campaign — all heart, all grit, a touch of panache at times, and for the first time ever, a place in the quarter-finals.

At the centre of it all is De Bruin, a man whose arrival may have initially raised eyebrows, but whose impact is now there for all to see.

Let’s be honest, women’s rugby in South Africa hasn’t always enjoyed the resources, attention, or strategic care it deserves. In 2022, former Bok Women’s Sevens coach Paul Delport said SA Rugby “don’t give a s***” about the women’s game.

For years, it operated in the shadow of its more celebrated male counterparts. But that’s changed over the last few years, with SA Rugby investing more money and resources into the game ahead of the Women’s Rugby World Cup.

They roped in De Bruin, who had taken a break from coaching due to “severe burnout”. But what De Bruin — who had led the Lions to several Super Rugby finals — brought to the table was more than just rugby nous. He brought empathy, belief, and a refreshed outlook.

De Bruin didn’t arrive in the women’s game with all the answers — and crucially, he didn’t pretend to. What he brought instead was a willingness to learn, to listen, and to adapt his coaching style to fit the unique rhythm, energy, and dynamics of this team.

Rather than impose a rigid system, De Bruin took time to understand the players as people — something several of them have spoken about. That human-first approach has unlocked not just tactical clarity but a new level of confidence and cohesion within the squad.

Tactically, De Bruin’s fingerprints are all over this team: a powerful pack and set piece up front, smart attacking lines, and greater fluidity in phase play. But it’s his emotional intelligence — the ability to read the room, to build players up when the world isn't watching — that’s been just as vital.

After the win against Italy, it was hard not to be moved by De Bruin’s raw emotion during the post-match interviews. It was the mark of a man deeply invested in his players’ success, not just his own.

Coming from a high-performance background, De Bruin has brought professional standards and big-picture thinking to a team that desperately needed it.

He’s consistently drawn parallels between his side and the men’s team — not as a comparison, but as a benchmark to strive towards. His belief that the Springbok Women deserve to be part of South Africa’s broader rugby excellence has helped galvanise the team — and perhaps more importantly, has begun to shift public perception, too.

In a space where women athletes still often have to prove their worth before being given proper support, De Bruin has been a breath of fresh air. He didn’t take the job as a favour or a token gesture. He took it because he believed in the potential of this group. And that belief has been mutual.

But no one does this alone. Change happens when the right people lead with integrity, passion, and purpose. De Bruin has proven to be exactly that kind of leader — something we need more of in this country.

As the Bok Women prepare to face France this weekend before a blockbuster quarter-final, one thing is certain: win or lose, the Springbok Women have someone who gives a s***.