‘I Want Everybody To Be Proud Of The SaberCats’ – Pote Human Ahead Of 2025 Season

In 2024, the Houston SaberCats set the tone for Major League Rugby.

Over the 16-week regular season, the club won more games, scored the second most tries, registered 11 try-scoring bonus points, and had the most points.

Reaching the Playoffs for a third straight year, the SaberCats were red-hot favorites to reach the Championship Final as knockout rugby reared its head. However, the team did not make it past the Western Conference Semi-Final.

Beaten 34-22 by the Dallas Jackals at SaberCats Stadium, the team was left heartbroken, facing a long wait for retribution and their first-ever win in Playoffs rugby.

Now, with his playing squad back in Texas, Houston’s head coach, Pote Human, has started preparation for the upcoming 2025 MLR season.

“We had the best season ever with the Houston SaberCats,” Human recalled. “We had a brilliant season. Then we fell apart against Dallas in the Playoffs.

“I thought we were the best team in the league until then and then we lost. We just didn’t make it. It was an anticlimax.

“In the regular season, we had a great year, scored the second most tries in the league, played some good rugby, and the guys enjoyed each other’s company.

“It still hurts looking back at it. It still hurts because we were there. Everyone thought we were going to win the thing, and unfortunately, it never happened.”

Since his arrival ahead of the 2022 season, Human has been at the heart of the SaberCats operation.

Joining the club alongside Heyneke Meyer, who departed his role as Director of Rugby at the end of last season, the duo conducted wholesale changes with the SaberCats and turned the franchise’s fortunes around.

In the first four MLR seasons, Houston had never reached the postseason or had a winning record.

At the end of Human’s first year as head coach, the team had a 9-7 record and hosted the Western Conference Final.

Human hopes to repay the continued faith shown to him by the club’s leadership and supporters in 2025.

“Everyone wants to win the league,” Human said. “Personally, that is how I can thank the owners for bringing me over, bringing all of us, and giving us the opportunity.

“Then, for the fans, I want them to be proud. I want everybody to be proud of the SaberCats.

“The players are really hungry. They want to go one better this year and are motivated to work hard.

“They have really close bonds. I am really excited. I am really looking forward to this season.”

Shortly after the season ended, Human confirmed that the SaberCats had retained some 70 percent of the 2024 playing squad. Bringing back the likes of Nathan den Hoedt, Johan Momsen, AJ Alatimu, and Dom Akina means that there is stability among the playing group.

There are, of course, a smattering of new faces too. Juan Dee Oliver, Sam Tuifua, Michael Scott, and Wilton Rebolo add much-valued depth to the squad.

Keeping the same players at Houston Sports Park is essential for the 65-year-old South African.

While coaching the Bulls, Blue Bulls, and UP Tuks, Human has seen the benefits of a team growing together first-hand, and it is something he hopes to utilize.

“The consistency is key for us,” he said. “Most of the guys are back, they know each other, and there is not a lot of change in our patterns or where we are going to play.

“At the lineout, we have made a few changes. The scrum knows each other, the pack knows each other, and we have got good leaders in the team from last year.

“I think that is a big positive for us having most of the guys back.”

Despite their early knockout exit, there were positives wherever you looked in Houston.

Whether it was Andre Warner’s All-MLR First Team selection or Davy Coetzer’s honorable mention at full-back, it is clear that talent is at Human’s disposal.

Harnessing his charges’ ability is his primary responsibility, with the legendary Eastern Province and Free State forward prioritizing his players’ welfare and creating a family atmosphere.

“For me, it is about the player,” Human said. “I am a player’s coach. The players come first every time. It is not about me, it is about we.

“I like the player’s input and making them happy. You can’t keep everyone happy, but if they are happy, they will perform on the field. I will do anything for the players.

“I am here on my own. My wife is in South Africa looking after our grandkids, so this is my family.

“I treat these players like my own sons. It is amazing for me.

“It is about trust and honesty. I am open and honest with the players because I want them to trust me so I can trust them.

“Openness and honesty is the main factor keeping the guys together. They can come to me at any time.

“I have told them I am available 24/7 to talk about any problem one or off the field. I will always try to help.”

The SaberCats begin 2025 by hosting the Chicago Hounds.

Coming up against an Eastern Conference opposition that also played knockout rugby last season is the perfect first test for Houston to start the season.

Playing Rugby FC Los Angeles, the Seattle Seawolves, and Utah Warriors before their bye week in Week 5 is a tough opening slate of fixtures that Human’s team will have to navigate.

As they go on their journey, Houston will need the continued support of their fans.

In his time with the club, Human has seen a significant uptake in attendance at home fixtures and increased notoriety in the city, too.

That growth of knowledge in the game leads the 65-year-old to think that only good things are on the way.

“When we started here, if you walked in the street or the airport, nobody knew who you were,” Human said.

“They would ask who we were, and we would say, ‘We’re the Houston SaberCats rugby team.’ They would say ‘what’s rugby?’.

“Now, if you go to the airport, people know who you are. They say, ‘well played’ or good luck‘.

“Walking in the streets or the mall, we get recognized. There is something happening in Houston.”