Kitch Christie passes away
Dallas D.
I heard with much sadness this morning that our former coach, Kitch
Christie has passed away after a long battle against leukemia.
Rest in peace, Kitch. You will always be remembered.
Dallas.
BillyG
One of the best rugby coaches this country and the world has ever produced.
Condolences to family and friends.
Rest in Peace
Billy
F.F. Jacot Guillarmod
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Date: Thu, 23 Apr 1998 11:49:57 GMT+0200
RUGBY-KITCH-TRIBUTES By Niall Aitcheson
JOHANNESBURG April 23 Sapa
MORNE HAILS 'DECENT MAN' CHRISTIE
Former Springbok team manager Morne du Plessis on Thursday led
rugby's tributes to World Cup-winning coach Kitch Christie, who
died on Wednesday night aged 58 after a long battle against
leukaemia.
"I got the sad news from a mutual friend just minutes after
Kitch had passed away. I wasn't shocked, as his personal battle had
recently become a war, and one fight which he couldn't win," Du
Plessis told Sapa in a telephone interview from Cape Town.
"Knowing Kitch, he would have fought on right to the end. I'm
just glad that his suffering is over and he can now rest in peace."
Du Plessis, who along with Christie, his assistant coach Gysie
Pienaar, and ex-Bok captain Francois Pienaar played a crucial role
in uniting South Africans from all walks of life behind the
victorious Amabokoboko, said the loss of one of SA rugby's greatest
sons would be sorely felt by all who knew him.
"He was a decent guy before anything else. You knew that once
you gained his trust, he was an exceptionally loyal person. He was
the sort of coach who would happily join his players in the
trenches. He had the ability to bring out the best in all the
people he worked with.
"The big love of his life was his family, but I've never seen a
man more passionate about rugby than Kitch.
"Above all, he will be remembered as the architect of our World
Cup triumph. That will stand for all time as one of the greatest
moments in South African sporting history. He will never be
forgotten."
Former Springbok wing Ray Mordt, another confidante of
Christie's, said: "This is a terrible loss for both rugby and
humanity.
"Apart from being the person who made the biggest impact on my
rugby career, he was the nicest man I've ever dealt with. I never
heard him say a bad word about anyone. My heart goes out to his
family at this dark time."
Born in Johannesburg on January 31, 1940, to a Scottish father
and English mother, George Moir Christie was educated at Leith
Academy in Edinburgh. It was there that his classmates named him
Kitch after legendary South African soccer striker Don
Kitchenbrand, who played for Glasgow Rangers in the 1950s.
The nickname followed him back to South Africa, where he joined
the Pretoria Harlequins club as a flanker. It was the start of an
enduring association with Quins -- broken only by a spell as coach
of Glenwood Old Boys in Durban -- during which he coached them to a
number of trophies as well as serving as a Northern Transvaal
selector.
In 1980 he went to the United States to broaden his rugby
horizons and transformed the fortunes of the Chicago Lions team.
Former US Eagles Test hooker Gary Burns, who now lives in
Johannesburg, recalled: "He was in Chicago for less than three
months, but he made a huge impact on local rugby. Under Kitch the
Lions won the Midwest rugby championship, and even today he's still
held in high esteem by the American rugby community."
Having been denied the chance to coach his home province,
Christie didn't take long to accept an offer from Transvaal
president Louis Luyt in 1992 to take over the reins at Ellis Park.
It was here that he gained the national recognition and acclaim
that always sat uncomfortably on his unassuming shoulders.
Back-to-back Currie Cup titles convinced SA Rugby Football
Union supremo Luyt that Christie was the man to coach the Boks
following the sacking of Ian McIntosh after a series defeat in New
Zealand and the inability of his chosen successor, Gerrie Sonekus,
to accept the position due to allegations of financial
irregularities in the Free State Rugby Union.
From October 1994 through to March 1996, when ill-health forced
him to withdraw from rugby, Christie steered the Boks to 14 wins in
14 Tests, including that famous match against the All Blacks in
June 1995.
He shares this world record for coaching the most consecutive
Test victories with Fred Allen, who guided the All Blacks between
1966 and 1968.
He was persuaded to make a comeback to the sport in January
last year, finally getting to coach Northern Transvaal in the Super
12. His condition prevented him from travelling with the Blue Bulls
to Australasia, and within weeks of his appointment he was back in
hospital for further treatment.
It was there he suffered perhaps the lowest blow of his career.
Northerns president Hentie Serfontein visited him in hospital to
tell him his services were no longer required.
"He fired me like a dog," said Christie in typically forthright
fashion at the time.
Towards the end of 1997, Christie's condition deteriorated to
the extent that he had to travel to America for specialised
treatment. He returned to the game once more, and was acting as
technical adviser to the Gauteng Falcons union before he was
hospitalised for the last time on Easter Sunday.
Falcons CEO Andre Watson, the country's leading Test referee,
called Christie's death a massive blow for rugby. "His experience
and input had done wonders in uplifting our provincial team this
season. He was a very special human being who was loved by everyone
in rugby."
Watson confirmed the Falcons' Vodacom match against the
Mpumalanga Pumas in Witbank on Friday night would go ahead as
planned.
"Shocked and upset as we are, it's the way Kitch would have
wanted it. We will mark his passing in an appropriate manner."
A minute's silence in memory of Christie will also be observed
before Saturday's Super 12 match between the Coastal Sharks and The
Chiefs in Port Elizabeth, Eastern Province Rugby Union officials
said.
Christie leaves his wife of 19 years, Judy, and their son
Clayton.
He also leaves behind a legacy of success that will probably
never be surpassed.
Sarfu CEO Rian Oberholzer described Christie as a brave man who
overcame difficult odds to lead SA to victory in the World Cup.
"South African rugby has lost one of its true gentlemen. His
dedication to rugby was exemplary. His knowledge oflayers were
key factors in his success at both national and provincial level.
"His achievements will long be remembered and are recorded in
the annals of South African rugby history."
Sarfu chief Dr Louis Luyt said the contribution of Christie to
the advancement of Springbok rugby could never be underestimated
and that he had left an indelible mark on the game in South Africa.
Sapa
/wcm/
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