Surfers Paradise to adopt southern hemisphere rugby brand under Marius Van der Nist and Darren Uys

Expect to see a different brand of rugby from Surfers Paradise this season as they strive to return to the top of Gold Coast District Rugby Union.

EXPECT to see a different brand of rugby from Surfers Paradise this season as they strive to return to the top of Gold Coast District Rugby Union.

The Dolphins have been a dominant force in recent seasons, clinching the 2016 and 2017 first grade titles before losing to Griffith University Colleges in last year’s decider.

Long-time mentor Kris Burton has switched into a director of rugby role, with South African duo Marius Van der Nist and Darren Uys stepping up as co-coaches in his place.

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Under ex-Italy international Burton, Surfers deployed a kicking-orientated game plan that helped them in the territory department but the club’s new coaches are set to bring a noticeable on-field change with them.

Kris Burton is tackled in the 2018 grand final. Picture: Jerad Williams

“With Burto bringing his level of experience, it was a very European type of game we were playing,” Dolphins president Anthony Ralph said.

“With these two guys, they are South African, both played at a very high level – at Super Rugby level as well as international in their under-20 careers – it’s a very southern hemisphere style of rugby, so very hard, very fast.”

Despite a large turnover in their stocks, Ralph is confident his club will be in the hunt for silverware.

Co-coaches Darren Uys and Marius van der Nist and director of rugby Kris Burton. Picture: Tertius Pickard.

“Typically we have a lot of changeover anyway – that’s just Surfers Paradise, it’s the nature of our club because it is such a transient suburb. But yeah we have found the new guys are settling in well,” he said.

“We’re always confident that we will be towards the top end of the market. Our ambition of course is to be in that grand final and to reclaim the cup.

“We definitely see ourselves as contenders so we’re looking forward to the challenge.”

Surfers have the Round 1 bye in first grade this weekend. Their second grade squad will be coached by Ron Burness and they won’t field a team in third grade.