ACKERMANN: BOKS ON THE RIGHT TRACK. Rugby 365

INTERVIEW: NEW SOUTH AFRICA A TEAM COACH JOHAN ACKERMANN SAID THERE IS 'EXCITING TIMES' AHEAD FOR THE SPRINGBOKS, BUT ALSO CALLED FOR PATIENCE.

Ackermann, speaking to the media on day four of the first Bok training camp of the year, was full of praise for Allister Coetzee - the new coach of the senior national team.

While many so-called pundits have suggested the Boks will play the same dour game that the Stormers played under Coetzee's reign in Cape Town, Ackermann is optimistic that the national team will move closer to his Lions' current expansive game.

He spoke of "exciting times for the Springboks", based on "four of the best days of training I have seen in a long time" in Stellenbosch this week.

"This was quality training," Ackermann told the media gathering at the Markötter Fields.

Ackermann said people should not expect an instant switch to the exciting brad the Lions play every week.

However, he has no doubt Coetzee and his training staff are "on the right track".

"The freedom the players have, the opportunities to run, the options they have when they run with the ball is the same that is happening at us [the Lions]," Ackermann said.

"It is exciting times for South African rugby ahead," adding a note of caution: "There will have to be a balance, but the skills are here [at the Boks] and the opportunities will be there.

"We all know that at Test level the pressure is more, the time to execute is a bit less.

"However, I feel if you can do it at Super Rugby level, where you do have lots of international players, you will be able to use most of those opportunities."

Ackerman admitted that the Boks are short on time, given that it took the Lions nearly four years to perfect their expansive game.

"It is only four days and a bunch of new faces," he said, adding: "However, the enthusiasm is here, the energy is here, the skills are certainly here.

"Also the way the players interact is great.

"However, at Test level there is additional pressure and you are up against the best of the best, so it will take some time.

"People just have to be patient. The vision of Allister [Coetzee], and with the people around him, I truly believe they are on the night track.

"They also have the right group of players to play the [type of] game they want to play.

"We have to be a bit patient, because we are playing against teams that have been together for a while longer - but it will come."

By Jan de Koning
@King365ed
@rugby365com

 Very positive statements about the Boks. However, when it comes to Coetzee's training methods I cannot help but recall this thread:
Beeno1
 
Status: Hall Of Fame 
Posts: 19486Stormers catch sheep
December 21, 2013, 11:58:41

No dont get excited kiwis is all part of a a novel training approach.

Pity we play the bulle as we dont want to rock their fragile confidence!

Ex Sport 

Cape Town - The Stormers used alternative methods of training as part of their pre-season preparations for next year's Super Rugby competition.

As part of team building and conditioning, the players had to catch some sheep and carry hay bales upon a visit to a nearby farm.

Coach Allister Coetzee said something different was needed to improve team spirit.

"Pre-season training is a tough part of the season, so we have mixed things up a bit - taking the players away from the HPC at least once a week and giving them activities at the beach, on a wine farm; it's all about making it more enjoyable," Coetzee told the Stormers' official website.

The Stormers squad are now on leave before reconvening on Tuesday, January 7, 2014.

It's called a "maintenance phase of conditioning" with the players still expected to keep themselves fit.

"The players that have been here training deserve this break over the festive season, but they will have to do a bit of work too and maintain their fitness during this period of active rest - as we also like to call it," said Coetzee.

The Stormers will play their first pre-season match against the Bulls in Polokwane on Saturday, February 1, followed by clashes against the Kings and Boland on successive weekends.

Their 2014 Super Rugby season kicks off against the Lions - in Johannesburg - on Saturday, February 22.

Stormers pre-season fixtures:

Saturday, February 1:
Bulls v Stormers, Peter Mokaba Stadium (Polokwane) - 17:00

Friday, February 7:
Kings v Stormers, Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium (Port Elizabeth) - 19:00

Saturday, February 15:
Boland v Stormers, Boland Stadium (Wellington) - kick-off TBC

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sharkbok
 
Status: Rugby Legend 
Posts: 5464RE: Stormers catch sheep
December 21, 2013, 13:43:12

 The New Zealand "fetch-her" forwards must be envious, some new babes!

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clevermike
 
Status: Hall Of Fame 
Posts: 23134RE: Stormers catch sheep
December 21, 2013, 13:53:30

Beeno

Seriously now - I did not know that some of the members on this site was at the exercise.    The sheep includes most members who sheepishly support all the rubbish spouted by Meyer and co.

Another similar article refer to De Jongh catching a sheep.   Beware - bearing in mind his defence this year - it was near to the only thing he in fact caught.   Same for next year - catching a sheep won't help.

Before his retirement Frans Malherbe's father was a wheat and sheep farmer - so Frans should know how to go about that one. 

  

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Just_win
 
Status: Hall Of Fame 
Posts: 12949RE: Stormers catch sheep
December 21, 2013, 14:12:43

Talk about losing the plot, lol last time I checked there weren't sheep running around nor hay bales lying around in the rugby field. Poor weeee stormers know the sharks have their number & are really loosing it. 

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ForeverArizona
 
Status: Squad member 
Posts: 580RE: Stormers catch sheep
December 21, 2013, 15:08:01

 Long time ago I was dating girl called Micky.Just to give some background,I attened Maritzburg College and she was in Voortrekker Hoerskool lol.Anyway,her uncle has a farm in LadySmit and it was right next door to Henry Honiball's farm.I was a big fan of the man and he used to train trying to catch and tackle sheep...and that is no lie.I saw it with my own eyes.

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Just_win
 
Status: Hall Of Fame 
Posts: 12949RE: Stormers catch sheep
December 21, 2013, 16:15:07

 Stormer's new training methods:

You have our full support

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Beeno1
 
Status: Hall Of Fame 
Posts: 19486RE: Stormers catch sheep
December 21, 2013, 17:04:55

 Honiball was the best tackling flyhalf I've seen. I note ou JW getting all excited! Narurally we expected kiwi support on this matter

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clevermike
 
Status: Hall Of Fame 
Posts: 23134RE: Stormers catch sheep
December 21, 2013, 17:36:25

 Beeno

Somebody should tell BS Coetzee that catching pigs is far more difficult - so that would be a real test.   Sheep the should leave to the lovers of New Zealand and Australia.

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Wardad
 
Status: Senior player 
Posts: 3827RE: Stormers catch sheep
December 21, 2013, 17:42:09

 Stormers now sporting sprigs on gumboots for to pop their new girlfrends hooves down !

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Just_win
 
Status: Hall Of Fame 
Posts: 12949RE: Stormers catch sheep
December 21, 2013, 20:20:54

News Update: Stormers 0 Sheep 10, Coetzee Protests!

In a surprising turn of events coach Allister Coetzee  announced he is abandoning his team’s strategy of training with sheep after the sheep beat the Stormers 10 to 0 in their first encounter.

The coach added “thankfully the sheep had a terrible kicking game or it would have been worse, but I was proud of our boys, they put up a good fight”. He added sheepishly:  “I suspect that they were NZ sheep so I am filing a complaint with the SARU”.

Coetzee explained that he is not giving up on his creative approach to training & now planned to have the team train with butterflies.

Visualization provided for those that need it:

 

       

 

JW bringing fact-based reporting to fair-minded people

PS But surely the Stormers beat the hay bales

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sharkbok
 
Status: Rugby Legend 
Posts: 5464RE: Stormers catch sheep
December 21, 2013, 21:48:15

 Good one Just_win. 

Coetzee got outfoxed by the sheep.

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DbDraad
 
Status: Rugby Legend 
Posts: 4147RE: Stormers catch sheep
December 22, 2013, 00:10:26

 To my kiwi friends. When the Stormers catch a sheep,  they put it back in the pen, they don't shagg it like you lot.

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Just_win
 
Status: Hall Of Fame 
Posts: 12949RE: Stormers catch sheep
December 22, 2013, 00:47:57[Post updated]

DbDraad: according to eye witness & do[removed]ented reports the Stormers were only putting the sheep back in the pen after some unsavory acts, lol

Stormers 0 Sheep 10

The kiwi said: I am horrified & Outraged 

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sharkbok
 
Status: Rugby Legend 
Posts: 5464RE: Stormers catch sheep
December 22, 2013, 01:07:17

 A NewZealand Oke said"

No Richie, No Richie, No

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sharkbok
 
Status: Rugby Legend 
Posts: 5464RE: Stormers catch sheep
December 22, 2013, 01:08:25

cmon Kiwi's clean up your act, ok you are good at rugby but the other stuff really needs to be sorted out!

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Wardad
 
Status: Senior player 
Posts: 3827RE: Stormers catch sheep
December 22, 2013, 01:41:35

Hahhahaha good one JW ! What do you call a saffa with a hundred wives .........shepherd .....stormer....

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 Umm?? ... Wardad ... you've had your hands on many, many sheep ... haven't you?
Years and years of feeling sheep up.
All alone ... out there in the bush ... not a soul in sight ...
Hmmmmmmm??
I wonder ... ?

 You dig deep JW, or was that thread special to you in some way?

DB, a random thought came to mind... I don't kiss & tell