JP Ferreira
| Date of birth | 21 June 1983 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| School | Pretoria Boys High School | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| University | University of Pretoria | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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JP Ferreira (born in 1983) is a South African rugby union coach, currently the defence coach for Bath.
Playing career
Ferreira played rugby for the University of Pretoria alongside future Munster coaching colleague Johann van Graan, mostly as a fullback or wing. He had also accepted a trial with Welsh side Bridgend after leaving school, spending seven months with the club before returning to South Africa. Ferreira was then invited to join the Blue Bulls, featuring for their under-19s and under-20s, as well as training with the Springboks 7s team. He moved to the Leopards after being overlooked for promotion to the Bulls, before joining the Falcons, playing his final game for them in 2007.[1]
Coaching career
2007–2017 : Falcons and Lions
After suffering a knee injury playing for the Falcons in 2005, Ferreira offered to carry out analysis for the team after their previous analyst had left. When he retired from playing in 2007, Ferreira was offered an analyst position with the Lions, where his role gradually changed to include coaching. When Johan Ackermann took over as head coach of the Lions in 2012, he made Ferreira the sides permanent defence coach as well as their head analyst and, under their guidance, the Lions reached consecutive Super Rugby finals in 2016 and 2017. Despite losing both finals, the Lions had the best defensive records during both seasons.[1]
2017–2022 : Munster
Ferreira left the Lions in December 2017 to join Irish province Munster, who compete in the United Rugby Championship and Champions Cup, and where Ferreira's former UP teammate Johann van Graan is head coach, as their new defence coach, replacing Jacques Nienaber.[1][2][3][4] He joined on a contract until June 2020,[5] which was extended in October 2019 until June 2022.[6] During Ferreira's first full season with Munster - 2018–19 - the province boasted the best defence during the regular 2018–19 Pro14 season and the 2018–19 European Rugby Champions Cup pool stage.[7] Ferreira left Munster upon the conclusion of the 2021–22 season.[8]
2022– : Bath
Ferreira joined English Premiership Rugby club Bath as their new defence coach from the 2022–23 season. In making the move to England, Ferreira joined former Munster head coach Johann van Graan, who also left the province at the end of the 2021–22 season.[8]
Personal life
Ferreira's mother is former tennis player Brigitte Cuypers, who won the South African Open three times during her career.[1] He is the older brother of Morné Ferreira, who is a rugby referee.[9]
References
- ^ a b c d "'The one thing that stood out was the stag... The stag stands its ground'". The42. 4 May 2019. Retrieved 22 June 2019.
- ^ "Lions coach Ferreira heads to Munster". Sport24. 14 December 2017. Retrieved 22 June 2019.
- ^ "Munster appoint South African JP Ferreira as the province's new defence coach". The42. 14 December 2017. Retrieved 22 June 2019.
- ^ "JP Ferreira joins Munster staff". The Irish Times. 15 December 2017. Retrieved 22 June 2019.
- ^ "JP Ferreira Confirmed As Defence Coach". Munster Rugby. 14 December 2017. Retrieved 22 June 2019.
- ^ "Contract News & Squad Update". Munster Rugby. 29 October 2019. Retrieved 29 October 2019.
- ^ "Season In Stats | 2018/19". Munster Rugby. 29 May 2019. Retrieved 22 June 2019.
- ^ a b "JP Ferreira Move Confirmed". Munster Rugby. 18 January 2022. Retrieved 18 January 2022.
- ^ "Former Lion JP's bro to officiate VC final". Lions. 31 May 2021. Retrieved 21 July 2021.