WP appoint former Proteas speedster as head coach
Kleinveldt returns to Newlands after a successful stint in the UK as Lead Bowling Coach for Northamptonshire County Cricket Club.
The 42-year-old's appointment follows the departure of former head coach, Salieg Nackerdien, who concluded his tenure at the end of the 2024/25 season.
Kleinveldt, former Cape Cobras and Western Province legend, is no stranger to the WPCA setup, having served as Assistant Coach under Nackerdien from 2022 to 2024.
Prior to his transition into coaching, Kleinveldt enjoyed a distinguished 17-year career, debuting for Western Province in 2002/03. He featured in 148 First-Class, 181 List-A, and 163 T20 matches, earning Proteas caps across all formats.
After retiring in 2019, he transitioned into coaching, initially as Assistant Coach for WP before taking on the role of Interim Bowling Coach for the Proteas in 2023/24. His recent experience as Leading Bowling Coach at Northamptonshire CC further honed his expertise.
WPCA CEO, Corrie van Zyl, said: 'We are very excited about the appointment of Rory as Head Coach as we believe that he will enhance the current team culture and strategy set by Salieg and the WP Men's team. Rory has a very good understanding of the team dynamics and the refinements it needs to become consistent winners.'
'Rory has been part of this team in recent years. We believe this will ensure a smooth transition while establishing his own performance objectives for the team. These objectives will align to the overall company goal of winning performances. The WP Men's Team aims to be a dominant force in South African cricket. Rory's appointment is an important step towards achieving this goal.'
Kleinveldt couldn't hold his excitement: 'It's a great privilege to be coming back to Western Province as Head Coach and I'm extremely excited to get things underway.'
'Having represent the province in a 20+ career as a player and assistant coach it's a big honour for me to be part of this organisation. I feel ready for this challenge and it's an opportunity for me to build on the success of this proud union. As a coach I'm always learning through my journey and my goals moving into this position are to instil a winning culture the supporters of Western Province can watch and be proud of.'
WPCA President Johannes Adams added: 'Rory's appointment reflects our commitment to excellence. His blend of local insight and international experience makes him the ideal candidate to inspire our players.'
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