Van Zyl appointed to replace Roberts at Navan RFC
Following the departure of Ryan Roberts as head coach Navan Rugby Club have moved quickly to appoint former Springbok Dav van Zyl s the new head coach of the senior and J1 men's teams.
Van Zyl brings an exceptional and unique pedigree to Balreask Old, combining a distinguished international playing career with over two decades of proven coaching success across multiple sports and elite developmental pathways.
Originally from Pretoria, South Africa, Van Zyl rose through the ranks to become a specialist scrum-half at the highest level of the game.
His illustrious playing career includes international honours with South Africa and he also captained the Springboks A team, as well as playing for the South Africa Barbarians.
A former standout half-back in Super Rugby, Van Zyl played in the Currie Cup with the Bulls, Stormers, and Mpumalanga.
He came to Europe and played in the English Premiership with Bristol before establishing deep roots in the All-Ireland League (AIL) as a player with both Clontarf and Co Carlow in Division 1.
Beyond rugby, Van Zyl is a rare dual-sport professional, having played first-class cricket in South Africa.
He currently captains the Ireland over-50s cricket team and is a former South African representative in Judo.
Van Zyl's coaching resume includes being a former Leinster coach development officer and coach to the Ireland u-18 Boys Youths, Ireland Students, and the Leinster Women’s senior team.
As the co-founder and Director of Rugby at Rugby Academy Ireland, he remains at the cutting edge of developing the next generation of professional talent. He is already a well-known figure to many Navan players, having mentored them through the
Leinster Rugby interprovincial pathways, where he built a formidable reputation for instilling a winning mindset.
"I am really excited to be joining Navan RFC and to be coaching in the AIL again. I have gained a lot of experience and achieved success both coaching and playing in the AIL," said Van Zyl.
"Navan is a club I have always wanted to be involved with, as it has great mini, youth, and u-20s sections. In addition, the women’s game in Navan is going from strength to strength.
"The club has great tradition, facilities, and people. I hope to build on everything the club has achieved to date and to bring further success to Navan."
Navan RFC also paid tribute to their outgoing head coach Roberts, who will remain in Ireland until the end of June before embarking on their next chapter.
One of Roberts' lasting legacies will be the opportunities he gave to the club's youth players (he capped seven academy players at senior level) and the club are grateful for his contributions since taking on the role for the 2025/26 season.
“Those seven caps are not just milestones for the individuals involved, they bode exceptionally well for the future of Navan Rugby. It sends a clear message to every player in our mini and youth sections: your club is watching, and your chance will come,” the Navan Committee said in a statement released.