Better S15 season coming

Plum - it will definitely be better now that Coetzee, Drotske and Ludeke are history.

Jones will be good or the Stormers, who were sold own the river by useless Coetzee.

Meyer clone in Ludeke is history thank goodness......the Bulls under Marais were a different side this CC. Played the complete game......we saw Hougaard back to his best at 9 and the investment in Dries Swanepoel at 13, Gellant at 15 and the very impressive Ulengo on the wing.......something we never saw under useless Ludeke. It was also great to see faith shown in impressive Baby Boks.....Schoeman at prop and locks RG Snyman and Jason Jenkins

The Cheetahs will suffer with a lack of player depth - they have lost two stars in Willie and Coenie

Sadly useless Gold is retained at the Sharks, why they ever thought he was the answer is beyond me.......but they have a good squad and maybe the introduction of Robert du Preez to the coaching staff might help. I hear he is held in high regard as a coach.

The Lions will be very good under Ackers and Swys de Bruin.......they will now believe they belong at this level and have all positions covered with the find of Lorens Erasmus to partner Mostert at lock and the coming of age of Mnisi at 12.  

Vlag you are speaking a load of horse shit......we have more talent than ever......but nothing was ever going to come of that with the likes of Meyer, Ludeke, Coetzee, Drotske and Gold pulling the strings.

We have one worthy coach in Ackers, who has potentially the least resources to work with......he has taken the Lions from nobodies to mid table in the s15 and unbeaten in the CC......my guess is that the Lions will up their standing next Super season......no they will never challenge for a top spot as they don't have the depth.......but what it demonstrates is what can be done with the talent we have......Ackers encourages the Lions to attack space........Ludeke, Meyer, Coetzee and Gold prefer the direct route......hence the results.

Just look at how the Bulls have been transformed this CC, with a coach that shows faith in players that should have been selected a season or two ago and a game that mirrors the Lions......we are already seeing the benefits of change in the coaching staff.

Eddie Jones at the Stormers, will prove exactly what we have been missing in SA when it comes to coaches.  

Funny how our schools team keeps winning their annual internationals.......you live in England you prick, what the hell do you know about the skill level of school boy rugby in SA huh?

Last year I saw Grey PE, ranked 10 in SA at the time, beat Millfield, one of the top rugby schools sides in the UK.....not bad considering they were playing in NH conditions.

I also saw Dr EG Jansen beat a damn good club sides Colts side last year.......there was skill to burn from that side.

Go watch the WP display in the Craven Week final and come tell me SA schools rugby lack skill

You are a fucking liar

I have never said that we do not have talent at schools level.

Oh what utter crap - kindly point out an instance which evidences this load of hogwash about our players lacking basic skill - centres do not have the skills to scan the field - based on what exactly......stop making it up.

Wow so in Pollard, clearly one of the best 10's at the WC, you have an issue with him do you? You are fucking clueless......apart from a few uncharacteristic poor kicks out of hand in one game, he was pretty damn good throughout, in particular attacking the gain line.

You are speaking utter shit and dumb Denise who knows fuck all about rugby is agreeing with you

As I said, go watch the Youtube footage of the Craven week final played in the pouring rain and come tell me our school kids lack skill......go tell that to my mates son who played for England u18 against the Bok u18 side a few months ago......tell him our kids lacked skill.

You know fuck all about the skill level of our kids - how could you, you live in England you liar

Oh what utter crap, defensive lines are breached by all sides at various stages, its not an issue reserved for SA backs alone. The Kaino try was scored from broken play....its a common call from all backs to rush out like Habana did when the attacking side has numbers - his call was a poor one as it had no effect, but on other occasions it will bare fruit. Lood's miss had stuff all to do with defensive lines and everything to do with a big man not being athletic enough to get himself in the right position to make a low tackle.....he is a monster lock, I can excuse that.

Willie executing a poor chip kick was the story of his world cup......that has stuff all to do with his skill level for an in form Willie a year ago would not have been making those calls - which I suspect were from the coach anyway.

Russell better than Pollard - what a joke. Biggar kicked better that's it - Pollard was far far better with ball in hand.

As for schools rugby, as I said you are speaking shit, the skill level is better than it has ever been as school rugby these days is semi pro in terms of how much is put into it. I see that with my boy and his school here in the UK cannot begin to compare with the ones back home.

And no, I am not talking one game......I mentioned 3.......one can watch many school games on Youtube and I can assure you schools rugby in SA is alive and well. The skills displayed are better than they have ever been......its a natural progression. And yes Youtube footage will tell you as much as you need to know, you don't need to be on the side of the field in order to formulate an opinion.

The issue in SA rugby is the conservative style of play advocated by coaches like Meyer, Ludeke, Drotske, Coetzee and Gold. The way the game should be played is the one employed by the Lions, where skill levels abound.

Its difficult for backs to express themselves when the priority is to take contact and structured phase play.

The skill levels are not the issue, the issue is depriving the players of the freedom to express themselves. Ackers delivers on this front, as does new coach Marais of the Bulls. No doubt Jones will do the same with the Stormers, if Japan is anything to go by.

You are barking up the wrong tree  

Vlag......tries are always scored through defenders not being there or being beaten......that is rugby. Are you trying to say this is an issue relating to SA in isolation.......wrong, our backs defensive stats were on par with the rest of the backs in the WC. You are wrong.

Yes other backs do leave barn doors open when the rush fails.......reality is, our two worst culprits are old boys Jean and Habana when it comes to the rush.

Lood is 6'9 and 125kg, Kaino is 6'5 ish and 114kg and more athletic, which you would expect from a flanker. Given Lood is a lump and not exactly fleet footed, he will at times struggle to get into position to effect a tackle. His miss was poor but I can appreciate that given his size.....one thing we cannot question is his defensive abilities which the stats confirmed were amongst the best in the WC......pretty remarkable given his size. Lood is never going to be able to adjust in time or always get into position to effect a tackle on a player that is quicker and more athletic than him and who finds himself in space......same would apply to any of our locks or props.

Willie has had a very average WC, but he is clearly playing under instruction to kick, which is away from his strengths. Meyer plays a kicking game, hence bringing Kirchner into the squad and having du Preez and Pienaar as his 9's. Meyer has failed Willie in a big way and deprived us of our greatest striking threat.

Pollard was better than any other 10 in the WC at breaking the advantage line when taking the ball flat. I cant name specific moments, but I know he beat defenders in this fashion a number of times.

Disagree 100% regarding the skill level of NZ vs SA kids, evidenced in the fact that NZ, SA and England dominate the annual u20 JWC every year. The skill levels of the kids get better and better, its a natural progression, especially given the semi pro approach that is now evident in school boy rugby and the way scouting and player movement is rife in the school system. Specialist rugby coaches are employed in schools these days, gone are the days that a teacher just takes the 1st team.

Ceadunce

As for schools rugby, as I said you are speaking [removed], the skill level is better than it has ever been as school rugby these days is semi pro in terms of how much is put into it. I see that with my boy and his school here in the UK cannot begin to compare with the ones back home.

And no, I am not talking one game......I mentioned 3.......one can watch many school games on Youtube and I can assure you schools rugby in SA is alive and well. The skills displayed are better than they have ever been......its a natural progression. And yes Youtube footage will tell you as much as you need to know, you don't need to be on the side of the field in order to formulate an opinion.

Cape Town - Former Lions, Western Force and All Blacks coach John Mitchell believes South Africa’s obsession with size is causing rugby players to start doping as early as schoolboy level.

Mitchell, via a column for Vodacom Rugby, has expressed his concern for what he fears is a growing trend in the modern game, with South Africa not excluded.

“In South Africa, doping is an issue that starts at schoolboy level. The game is taken very seriously and players are often put under pressure to perform from parents and coaches alike,” Mitchell wrote.

“Fundamentally, the problem in South Africa is that so much emphasis is placed on the size of players. The perception in this country is that you have to be big in order to become a professional rugby player - it’s no wonder schoolboys want to bulk up.

“Having worked with South African players across all age-group levels, I have found that there’s more of a focus on stationary weight training and getting into a gym than conditioning and basic fundamentals such as catch and pass, which is practiced in New Zealand.”

Mitchell believes it’s important that the game’s governing body and national rugby unions to continually educate players about the pitfalls of ingesting drugs and what is on the banned substances list.

“While some players intentionally dope, at times it’s genuinely unintentional - for instance through the use of an asthma pump or supplements,” Mitchell continued.