Witteberg Reaching New Heights Under Their Young Coach

Saturday’s Kovsies final promises a moment of history as Diamantveld of Kimberley and Witteberg from Bethlehem square off to crown a first-time champion.

For Diamantveld, it borders on astonishing that they have never lifted the trophy before, given the strong sides they’ve produced in years gone by. For Witteberg, meanwhile, 2025 has already been a landmark campaign. They broke new ground earlier this term by being crowned Griffons region champions for the very first time in the school’s history – a massive achievement on its own.

At the heart of Witteberg’s rise is their head coach, the youthful and dynamic Christo van der Nest. A proud old boy, Christo captained Witteberg’s 1st XV as scrumhalf in 2012. In a Rugby365 captain’s profile ahead of that year’s Classic Clash against town rivals Voortrekker, he declared his dream of studying teaching at NWU-Pukke in order to give back to the game and remain involved in sport.

Just a few years later, Christo has turned that promise into reality. After qualifying as a teacher, he returned to his alma mater and, remarkably, was entrusted with the dual role of 1st XV head coach and rugby director in 2019 while still in his mid-20s. That level of responsibility at such a young age speaks volumes about his character, leadership, and the faith Witteberg placed in him.

Six seasons on, his impact is clear: Witteberg rugby is soaring to new heights, driven by a good programme, a great squad of players and coaches including that of young coach whose journey is as inspiring as the success of his 2025 team.