Consistency in selection…short term versus long term Why selectors struggle to get the formula right in choosing a winning side is because we tend to focus on the shorter term. When we select players on short term merit we are vulnerable to probabilities that the individuals will not get it together because they come from different teams and have got used to each others play. It all takes time to find the right balance and build up players as a working unit that fires on all cylinders. Yes, we have reserve alternatives but these are spares in emergencies. Let pure commonsense and objectiveness prevail and not to sidelined and panic when it all doesn’t happen overnight. Rome was not built in a day. But you also put your best tyres on your motor vehicle and only use your spare in emergencies if you get a puncture. I have often pondered on this question why you get sides that are consistently good and others that fluctuate like shares on the stock market. One has only to go back in history and learn from it…something that human nature so often fails to do…we tend to caught up in the now rather than having vision for the future…I am not criticizing anybody in particular as we are all prone to that but I am convinced that this aspect in player selection has to be introduced if we want a rugby team that produces consistently good results. Coaches that have been successful, Morne’s dad, Felix had a 100% record, Kitch Christie too, Izak Van Heerden 75%, Danie Craven 72%. The main factor here was that built teams and stuck to winning combinations and formulas. You very seldom saw chops and changes of players unless it was deemed necessary in injuries. We Saffas are prone to panic very easily when the wheels appear to come off. I remember way back on a very rainy June day in 1974 at Newlands when I was a kid watching the great Willie John McBrides Lions side play the Springboks. The Springboks had a damn good side but it later became a very proven fact that this Lions side was even better…some say perhaps the greatest rugby side ever…I certainly agree here for I witnessed it. They were simply the best, brilliant and balanced. The Boks weren’t far off but what happened in the First Test in Newlands we lost and the selectors went into spin. The side was chopped and changed after this in all 4 tests and what happened …we lost all 3 tests and drew the last one in PE and that one was an utter shambles of some the most violent and dirty play ever witnessed on a Springbok field. Moaner Van Heerden and I think JPR Williams. We were bad losers but I also think it was the changing of players that added to our demise. I believe if we stuck to the original we might have won at least one honourably. I will illustrate this by showing the changes we made after each test and in comparison to the consistency of the Lions side. First Test
June 8, 1974 South Africa 3 – 12 British Lions
Referee: M Baise Drop: Snyman Pen: Bennett (3)
Drop: Edwards South Africa: Ian McCallam, Chris Pope, Johan Oosthuizen, Peter Whipp, Gert Muller, Dawie Snyman, Roy McCallum, Morne du Plessis, Jan Ellis, Boland Coetzee, John Williams, Kevin de Klerk, Hannes Marais (c), Piston van Wyk, Sakkie Sauerman Lions: JPR Williams, Steele, Milliken, McGeechan, JJ Williams, Bennett, Edwards, Davies, Uttley, Slattery, Brown, McBride (c), Cotton, Windsor, McLauchlan Second Test
June 22, 1974 South Africa 9 – 28 British Lions
Attendance: 63,000
Referee: C de Bruyn Pen: Bosch (2)
Drop: Bosch Try: J.J. Williams (2)
Bennett
Brown
Milliken
Con: Bennett
Pen: Bennett
Drop: Ian McGeechan South Africa: Ian McCallum (replaced Snyman, replaced Vogel), Chris Pope, Jackie Snyman, Peter Whipp, Gerrie Germishuys, Gerald Bosch, Paul Bayvel, Dugald MacDonald, Jan Ellis, Morne du Plessis, John Williams, Kevin de Klerk, Hannes Marais (c), Dave Frederickson, Nic Bezuidenhoudt Lions: JPR Williams, Steele, Milliken, McGeechan, JJ Williams, Bennett, Edwards, Davies, Uttley, Slattery, Brown, McBride (c), Cotton, Windsor, McLauchlan Third Test
July 13, 1974 South Africa 9 – 26 British Lions
Attendance: 55,000
Referee: C de Bruyn Pen: Snyman Try: Brown
J.J. Williams (2)
Con: Irvine
Pen: Irvine (2)
Drop:Bennett (2) South Africa: Tonie Roux, Chris Pope, Peter Cronje, Jan Schlebusch, Gert Muller, Jackie Snyman, Gerrie Sonnekus, Klippies Kritzinger, Jan Ellis, Polla Fourie, Johan de Bruyn, Moaner van Heerden (replaced by De Klerk), Hannes Marais (c), Piston van Wyk, Nic Bezuidenhoudt Lions: JPR Williams, Irvine, Milliken, McGeechan, JJ Wiliams, Bennett, Edwards, Davies, Uttley, Slattery, Brown, McBride (c), Cotton, Windsor, McLauchlan Fourth Test
July 27, 1974 South Africa 13 – 13 British Lions
Attendance: 75,000
Referee: M Baise Try: Cronje
Pen:Snyman (3) Try: Uttley
Irvine
Con Bennett
Pen: Irvine South Africa: Tonie Roux, Chris Pope, Peter Cronje, Jan Schlebusch, Gert Muller, Jackie Snyman, Paul Bayvel, Kleintjie Grobler, Jan Ellis, Klippies Kritzinger, John Williams, Moaner van Heerden, Hannes Marais (c), Piston van Wyk, Nic Bezuidenhoudt (replaced by Stander) Lions: JPR Williams, Irvine, Milliken, McGeechan, JJ Williams, Bennett, Edwards, Davies, Uttley, Slattery, Ralston, McBride (c), Cotton, Windsor, McLauchlan
