5 old heads that could return in 2018

Whatever happens between now and the start of the 2018 international season, change is imminent. 

Rassie Erasmus is easing into his role as Springbok director of rugby and he has been tasked with turning the national side into a competitive force by the time the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan comes around. 

Allister Coetzee's future is still very uncertain, and since he took over as coach last year the Boks have won just 11 of their 25 Tests.

This year, Coetzee backed a largely inexperienced group of players, handing out a number of debuts throughout the course of the year.

But as the Boks look to get back to winning ways under Erasmus, there are a number of overseas-based veterans who could still have a role to play moving forward.

In line with SA Rugby's policy on overseas-based players, only those with 30 or more Test caps are eligible for selection.

Here are 5 Bok veterans who could potentially make comebacks:

BISMARCK DU PLESSIS

Yes, Malcolm Marx is a beast and one of the best hookers in the world. The Boks are blessed in this department. But, moving forward, the experience of a wise old head like Du Plessis could come in handy. Marx could only benefit from having somebody like Du Plessis around to feed off. That said, Bongi Mbonambi has not done enough wrong to lose his place as back-up hooker and a Du Plessis return would be harsh on the Stormers man. 

BRYAN HABANA

lol, Maaik will have a fit!

Draad

Not to worry - I have decided to ignore  BS and the above is real BS.  

Chip, stop speaking kak, we dont need any of those hasbeens back.

Marx is the new Bismark and Ackers should be his understudy. Mbonambi is a pretender

Habana and JP are hasbeen's - no doubt Rassie will see past playing little lightweights like Skosan, Rhule and Lleyds.......we need look no further than Combrink, Nkosi, v/Wyk, Ismaiel or Mapimpi

Frans Steyn played his best rugby 5 years ago - he offers little of note these days

As for old man Vic, his only input should be as a line out coach, but given the Lions have sacked him, he is clearly not up to coaching either

There are no plus 30's worthy of their spots in a Bok squad these days - not even Vermeulen.

Beast at a push, but I would not select him and I would never select Louw

Yeah, listen to Saffex, the Boks don't need a thing they're already better than New Zealand man for man apart from two players :D

Seriously now all of those guys would be better than what's already in the current team. Only guy who could feel bad about being dropped is Marx. I don't no if I'd say he is the new Bismarck because that was some serious power but looks tidier in the things he does. But would it really hurt to at least have him on the bench? I think a couple of centres that could pass would be great too. Maybe Lambie at 10 and Pollard at 12? Or Frans at 12, Pollard at 10 and Lambie at 15? You have options to relieve pressure and good on defence. But here's the kicker... are there any 13s in or out of the country?? I don't know about the wings though.

Seriously now all of those guys would be better than what's already in the current team. Only guy who could feel bad about being dropped is Marx. I don't no if I'd say he is the new Bismarck because that was some serious power but looks tidier in the things he does. But would it really hurt to at least have him on the bench? I think a couple of centres that could pass would be great too. Maybe Lambie at 10 and Pollard at 12? Or Frans at 12, Pollard at 10 and Lambie at 15? You have options to relieve pressure and good on defence. But here's the kicker... are there any 13s in or out of the country?? I don't know about the wings though.

I have been around - but not as often as normally.   I was watching the court cases involving Zuma and co.    Lost all of them because they are beyond the law in whatever they are doing.

Anyway the rugby news is scarce - but I watched the Euro cup games last bight and both Saracens and Harlequins lost by record margins.    

Anyway - I have taken a new New Years resolution - I will (other than in the case of Ceradunce)  differ from members on a civil basis without trying to insult them. 

. 

Bringing these guys back is probably the stupidest thing I've heard in a long time.

There really is no need for this kind of desperation.

Why is The Great ScH ulk Burger not considered for this ridiculous comback scenario?

Hahahahahaha the author of this article clearly is having a joke at the expense of his audience. His inclusion of pap backline wannabee wee matfiled blew his cover completely.

I don' t watch NH rugby so I don't know how well Steyn and Habana are playing. Bongi is by no means a merit back up Hooker. Akkers is world class.

Lambie seems too fragile. Robert Du Preez is the guy we need to invest in.

Just watched Bath vs Toulon. Great match with Bath doing the job in the end. Both Louw and Vermeulen played well with Flo getting the MOM award. Nonu showed some magic too. Pity Toulon's 10 had a poor match as they actually should have won, but well done Bath. Very well done!

@Saffex

The Lions sacked Matfield?

Bloody hell!  That lasted long. 

Whta? Give me a break!! Anyone who rates Louw & Vermeulen as top international rugby players is about as ignorant as they come.  Sure they're both probably a little better than Kolisi, Mohoje and Cassiem, but then again who isn't. I would even go as far as to say that a Bryan Habana at the ripe old age of 34 is better than both Skosan and Leyds. Does that suddenly warrant his return? Definitely not. Just because Coetzee's selected the worst of the worst, does not mean that we should recall our veterans to national duty. Meyer tried it and it failed miserably.

How many times did he beat the All Blacks with his team of veterans?

Twins? Are you referring to the Du Preez brothers? They do play for the team I support but I prefer Whiteley at 8 and Du Toit at 7. What's your point?

We managed a bronze and that's a success in your eyes?

I don't see it that way at all.

Well I never -  playing the Argentine B team in the Bronze play-off is now suddenly a real distinction.     

Most of our coaches are so poor, they always want to use past it players because they require less coaching. 

Most of our coaches are so poor, they always want to use past it players because they require less coaching. 

@Mozart - Alister also has the tendency to marvel over his losses. He's forever telling us how wonderful his team is after each loss. This is usually followed by a thousand excuses.

Meyer rejected all the players that would have made up this "brave new world". He was too focused on reliving his past successes as a Bulls coach. It never dawned on him that his favourites had had their day in the Sun.

Yes, ending the year off at 6th is about as bad as it gets. They actually deserved to be 7th.

I think there is a lot coaches can learn about coaching - this is clear in all codes of sport.   Take for instance the case of Ans Botha - who was the best athletic coach in the world in 2017.   She is a kind old lady and admired by all athletes in the World Championship from SA Atheletics.   They love and admire her and through her own abilities had turned  Van Niekerk  into a world champion, 

Coaches should have the knowledge of their players, their psychological  and physical abilities. the ability to create loyalty from players and above all the ability to bring out the best in players/   They should gain the admiration of all players and the players would walk through walls out of loyalty - thus improving their performances.     Fear has a negative on most players and shoul;d be avoided,

So what has gone wrong with rugby coaches in the SA context of ideal coaching:-

 Jake White 

He was a disciplinarian with a lack of knowledge about backline requirements.   He had certain player preferences and likes and dislikes with the result - like happened in the case of the Sharks - that the team was tearing apart and he was fired.    Some good elements - but in the main not an ideal coach.

Pieter de Villiers

He was never an inspirational person - he was in fact an ignoramus from a coaching perspective,   He was so deficient - the senior players took over the player selection and game plan decisions.   Bad news that one.

Heyneke Meyer

Am enigma as a coach.   A thoroughly nice person - but totally unsure of himself.   Seb gave a very good summary of him as coach.

Alist er Coetzee

A total flop as a coach meeting virtually none of the requirements as a rugby coach.   He really flopped as a coach.

Absolutely, CleverMike. Coaches should know the ins and out of their players. How else are they going to put a battle plan together? Most South African coaches these days will take a talented player and try to mould him into something else, sometimes ruining the player permanently. Why not leave him as he is and use that God given talent as a weapon. Build a game plan around his strength. See if others can add to this game plan with their unique skills. See if they can feed off of each other, compliment each other. It's not a matter of adding a lot to the player but rather getting him to do the little things well. 

We've seen the All Blacks master this. The Golden Lions under Johan Ackerman were on the right path.    

"Coaches should know the ins and out of their players. How else are they going to put a battle plan together? Most South African coaches these days will take a talented player and try to mould him into something else, sometimes ruining the player permanently. Why not leave him as he is and use that God given talent as a weapon. Build a game plan around his strength. See if others can add to this game plan with their unique skills. See if they can feed off of each other, compliment each other. It's not a matter of adding a lot to the player but rather getting him to do the little things well."

I agree with the gyst of this...successful and good  leaders, teachers and coaches know this but there is a lot more to add to this...at least there are some here who can see this...Ol'Maaik, Saffex, maybe Plum and even CC when he is not so negative...give you an example; if AC still was coach over the best players in the world they would gradually lose their abilities and the opposite is true...Eddie Jones can turn a bunch of Pommy mediocracy into a world beater.

I've seen and experienced that myself.the late Skonk Nicholson of Maritzburg College...probably the best schoolboy rugby coach ever...a legend.

What a coincidence!! Skonk Nicholson?? My father spoke of Skonk Nicholson all the time. He coached my dad in the 50's.

It will sadden my father to hear that he's passed on.

Mozart

Ask yourself a serious question - was White a real deal as a coach?   Signs are he had deficiencies and that puts a damper on his achievements.

The other aspect is that if a coach is deficient - his selections and game plan will also be deficient.   Do you agree with that?  

Dragon..

dear old Skonk died in 2011. He taught geography and coached rugby at Maritzburg College for many years, apart from being an outstanding coach for the 1st and 2nd fifteens,,,College had a run of undeats for nearly 10 years and a total school selection of 13 players out of the team in 1965or 1966), I think it was this year the Natal School side during his reign but apart from that he was an outstanding teacher in geography and together with Gordon "Cheese" Morton wrote the geography text books of Mans Enviroment part !,2 and 3...books that were the blueprint of geograhy tuition throughout South African schools.

I was very priviledged to know him fairly well...he talk me geography in matric and my farming family in the Underberg knew him and the Nicholson family well because Skonk's brother farmed close by.

He was one of the kindest men I've ever knew too...they called him the "Mr Chips" of Maritzburg College.

His funeral was attended by many scholars as well as many well known rugby players including a host of famous Springboks and other dignitaries.

It was 6 years ago and he is still sadly missed and his legend lives on...RIP Skonk.

JM (Skonk) Nicholson