Durban – Craig Jamieson, the captain of the Natal team of the ‘90s, has described Ian McIntosh as “a rugby legend in the true sense of the word and a man who loved rugby unconditionally.”
The 84-year-old McIntosh died of cancer in the early hours of Wednesday morning.
“Mac came to Durban from Rhodesia in the early ‘80s and through his passion changed the face of rugby in the province. The Sharks are an international brand today because of him,” Jamieson added.
“Mac pioneered Natal rugby onto the map through sheer passion, rugby knowledge, and astute leadership,” Jamieson added.
McIntosh steered Natal to four Currie Cup titles in the ‘90s, the first of which was the famous 1990 defeat of Naas Botha’s mighty Northern Transvaal.
With the utmost sadness, The Sharks and KwaZulu-Natal Rugby Union join the KZN and the greater South African rugby community in mourning the passing of legendary coach, Mr Ian MacIntosh. pic.twitter.com/ANLTNUID0c
— The Sharks (@SharksRugby) April 5, 2023
McIntosh was rewarded with the Springbok head coach role in 1993 and 1994 before returning to coach the Sharks until the end of the 1999 season.
Another former Springbok coach, Nick Mallett said McIntosh was a unique rugby man.
“‘Mac’ was the coach that I respected the most when I returned to South Africa from France in 2003. He was an innovative and forward-thinking rugby coach as well as an inspirational motivator. I loved our chats about rugby and we shared many speaking engagements together over these past 12 years. Always knowledgable, always passionate, and often irreverent, Mac became a good friend. I and all those whose lives he touched will sorely miss him,” Mallett said.
In 2021, the Sharks named their main entrance gate at Hollywoodbets Kings Park the “Ian McIntosh gate”.
Sharks CEO Ed Coetzee said at the time: “It has been 30 years since Natal’s inaugural Currie Cup win. Today we salute Ian McIntosh by naming our main gate in his hour. This is just recognition for a coach who has made an invaluable contribution to Sharks and South African rugby.”
