Ex Supersport
Here we all thought that, for the good of South African rugby, Springbok rugby needs to come first?
After all, that is what counts in most Sanzar countries – the national team, a year before a World Cup, should always take priority.
Not in South Africa.
Any self-respecting rugby fan has to stop and shake his head when hearing Jake White now blames the Springbok training camp for his team’s loss to the Stormers this past weekend?
Last week the Bok management were asked to put certain players on ice – including Frans Steyn – because they were medically unfit to play.
The Boks complied and what did White do? He continued to play these players into the ground.
It is true that the Sharks players are “exhausted” with eight games on the trot and an overseas tour to boot.
In most sides there is a squad system, where players are rotated so that the coach gets the best out of them.
The Bok camp had been planned for months, to coincide with all five franchises being in South Africa. It wasn’t something that was sprung on teams by surprise
The Bulls also had a number of players out this past week and also suffered a shock loss to the Lions, but you never heard them complaining about the Bok camp.
They simply got on with the job, accepted they were not good enough and then moved on.
It is one thing to want the Sharks to do well, and it is increasingly certain that they will be South Africa’s only representatives in the final weeks of Vodacom Super Rugby.
It cannot be at the expense of Springbok rugby.
The irony that White misses is that he used to bemoan Super Rugby coaches overplaying players, and not keeping them fresh for Springbok rugby.
He was the same coach who sent Victor Matfield home from a Tri-Nations tour because he was unfit, only to see Matfield play the next Saturday for the Bulls.
He was also the same coach who chose Chiliboy Ralepelle against overwhelming advice that he was not ready for test rugby, but played him anyway.
In both cases the coach he was at loggerheads with was Heyneke Meyer.
Now Meyer is Springbok coach and, whether you are a Sharks fan or not, the bottom line is that the Springboks remain this country’s first rugby priority.
While I hate to say it, this would never happen in New Zealand.
There the franchises channel up to the All Blacks, and the black jersey is the No 1 priority, even if it harms Super Rugby aspirations.
With their centralised contracting system players are placed on sabbaticals to increase their longevity, their conditioning is done so that they are at their peak when the international season rolls around.
If a player has too much game time, you’d be sure Steve Hansen would be on the line asking for said player to be rested.
In South Africa the tail wags the dog. Jake tells the Bok coach not to train Steyn, then plays him himself.
It is a situation that is alarming in itself, one that will never contribute to the Springbok success, and one which highlights the problems that Saru CEO Jurie Roux is desperately trying to fix.
The bottom line is that Bok rugby matters little to White, except when it is a stepping stone to getting back into the international game.
His history speaks for itself.
In this case the Boks deserve as many fresh players as they can get, and Super Rugby coaches who work with, and not against them ahead of a tough international season.
One has to be careful re this article. Its very true the lack of a central contracting system is a huge problem. However to go and blame Jake for doing what he thiunks is best for the Sharks is absurd. All coaches do what is best for their team and not the Boks. THAT IS PRECISELY THE PROBLEM - NOT JAKE ALONE.
The problem is that we have the incorrect structures for the modern professional era. Also too many provinces as well. Add in the player drain and one can see we fight our battles with one hand tied behind our backs. There is no common will to solve these issues. We still do too well.
