Arguably, South Afrcia's most successful rugby coach ever, Nicholas Vivian Howard Mallett was born on October 30, 1956 in Heartfordshire , England , taking a middle name from his mother Vivienne. He came to Africa, being only six weeks old, when his family re-located to Zimbabwe . His father Anthony took up a post as Headmaster of Peterhouse School, just outside of Harare .

Nick came to South Africa (age seven) when his father accepted the post of Headmaster at Bishop's School in Cape Town . His father didn't play rugby, distinguishing himself rather in cricket, both for the MCC and Kent.

Nick played his first game of rugby shortly after, at the age of eight, for the Western Province Preparatory School Under Nines. His position was Eighthman and it wasn't long till he marked himself as a player of considerable promise. He attended St Andrew's College in Grahamstown before moving on to UCT where he qualified for a Bachelor of Arts majoring in English and history (1975 - 77) followed by a Higher Diploma of Education (1978). By this time Nick had already established a pattern where, throughout his education, he excelled in both sporting and academic fields. At St Andrew's he played 1st team rugby and cricket, while also excelling in athletics and swimming.

Mallett, who won two Springbok caps as an Eighthman in 1984, becoming the 541st Springbok when he made his debut against South America and Spain at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria on October 20, scoring a try in the Springboks 32 - 15 victory.

He played regularly for Western Province between 1977 and 1985, winning the Currie Cup in 1982, 1983, 1984 and 1985, and has 15 years experience as a first class coach. Mallett, who has 15 years experience as a first class coach, has coached the senior Boland Provincial team with great success in the 1997 season. He was also incumbent coach of the Emerging Springboks. He was assistant to Andre Markgraaff during South Africa 's highly successful tour to Argentina , France and Wales at the end of 1996. Between 1982 and 1992 he played and coached in Italy and France .

He spent one season with Rovigo in Italy before moving on to France where he was instrumental in promoting both St Claude and Boulogne Paris into the first division of the French Rugby Club Championships.

He resigned from the Springbok coaching position on September 27 2000, just hours after a disciplinary hearing began into allegations that he brought the game into disrepute. His decision came after the first day of a planned three-day probe in Cape Town into a newspaper report in which Mallett accused the South Africa Rugby Football Union of "greed" for selling Tri-Nations championship tickets at inflated prices

He then took up a club coaching position in France for Stade Francais, where he's been just as successful. In fact Stade Francais, became the first team since Toulouse seven years ago to retain the French title.

Stade Francais, who won their 12th trophy and played in their fourth final in six years, destroyed Perpignan 38-20 at the Stade de France in Paris . Mallett's team have made it to the final in spite of a poor start.

It was Mallett's adieu to French rugby.

Mallett took the Boks to a record-equalling 17 successive Test victories and is also the only Springbok coach to have won the Tri-Nations series.

Mallett landed the French title last year in his first season at the club, but has since decided he has to return to South Africa - despite signing a two year contract in February - because his family are based there and he has little or no time to see them.