Should One Trick Pony Rassie and Nienaber be fired?

What a forgetful fortnight for long suffering bok fans had to endure. Not only did it took a last minute conversion in the first test to win the game but this time the boks luck finally ran out. 

With several questionable selections and how they team was put together, no wonder we lost. 

My real bug bear is the type of rugby we have to watch. The boks has been criticised by the media for boring rugby, but the argument was always 'I'll take a win any day over flashy rugby" 

One thing the boks always did well was to build to great sets of front rowers that can win scrum penalties and bash it up. 

With that type of platform our backs should be tearing the opposition to shreds. 

But what happened on the weekend was a Loosehead first cap that hardly has any first class games under his belt. A few new caps that haven't even played a full season of professional rugby with a smattering of the long in the tooth has beens that play well at club level but don't have international experience. 

Rassie and Niena has gone back to the start and want to break some players who are deemed fan favourites but the truth is, Rassie doesn't want to see players express themselves and therefor it feels that they threw the game to prove a point on their brand of rugby. 

There was no reason to blood so many players or no names. 

What we need is an evolution of our game plan. We should have fielded our best 15 with those we want to break in on the bench and focus more on bench and allow players to settle rather than break them and say, well you you got your chance to start but failed. 

None of our front row, or back row played together. New bok 9 and 10 combo. Kriel and Esterhuizen have almost never played together. 

The back 3 were all actually fullbacks and no real specialist wingers. 

But it has been coming for some time now. We saw crack last year and celebrated ending 3rd in the Championship by only beating the all blacks once, losing twice to Australia and then going to lose against England because Rassie was to coward to bring in fresh blood. 

I have a feeling we are stuck with 2019 crop. 

Not sure what the future will looked like 

I'd keep Rassie until after the WC, I'd replace Stick with Dobson, Neinabe r reverts to being the defence coach and Deon Davids joins Stick on the way out.

The Boks need a backline attacking coach. 

True, the Boks need to be able to convert forward domination into points. The 1st half last week was enough possession to score at least 15 points, by an average attacking side.

True, the Boks need to be able to convert forward domination into points. The 1st half last week was enough possession to score at least 15 points, by an average attacking side.

Nienaber needs to be defence coach, he does not have the experience to be a head coach - even with Rassie calling the shots.

Don't get me wrong, I have always rated Rassie and Niena very highly, but Niena is a defence coach. We also lost Matthew Proudfoot and no Swys to help with attack. Stick was brought in for counter attack play and to bring in some elements from our national sevens team. Stick had success with his EP u21 team but Coetzee was pulling his hair out because he didn't know what to do with the guy. 

Deon Davids is a decen coach and did a great job with a rubbish Mighty Queens team and  even got a couple of wins. His management style is way better for test rugby

There  is just no rythm, and why throw games when  we could remain number 1.  Why throw a test match away, at home. All of that history counts for nothing. 

Wales that got beaten by Italy, Italy that just got beaten by Georgia. France  is number 1 now because the beat Japan by  5 points 

I expect more

If Rassie is willing to go back to fulltime head coach, then Nienhaber can go back to doing just Defence....at the Moment it looks like he's doing both...then we HAVE TO contract a Attack/Backline coach, I would go with Dawie Snyman. It will be made Political if stick is asked to leave, so keep him on, in a Assistant Role....he is out of his depth on his own....If Rassie doesn't want to, then Contract Dobson as Head Coach with Snyman & Nienhaber and Co....but that will only happen if we keep on losing + they under Contract till after WC....White might also have a claim, but Dobson should be favourite after securing URC Gold. So for now, if R&N can just go ahead already and Contract a Backline/Attack coach together with Adapted Game plan, it would make a Very Positive Change.

SA rugby supporters' ability to reset their minds must be distinguished, there definitively is no past.

True, the Boks need to be able to convert forward domination into points. The 1st half last week was enough possession to score at least 15 points, by an average attacking side.

What forward domination.

The SA rugby team has given up on advancing the scoreboard by scoring tries.

Tries are no longer part of the game for SA rugby.

They rely on penalty kicks only and foremost.

All SA players crash on the defensive line hoping to force a scramble toward the goal line and milking a penalty.

A game plan reduced to the bare minimal.

In order to hide SA rugby players' shortcomings, their energy is focused on this minimal task.

There is no intent to score tries and nothing can be done to this goal without forcing a complete overhaul of the mindset.

It glares, over the past few years, the already bare boned SA game plan has been stripped and stripped over again.

" There is no intent to score tries and nothing can be done to this goal without forcing a complete overhaul of the mindset. " - True

Poor littlew yarpies. There is no forwards/backs divide. It's all fuxking one fluid unit. So this yarpie daydream of a fucking clipboard douche to make the backs better would have to change the entire setup which uses the forwards and backs TOGETHER in a very specific way. So you have to either have a running rugby coach or you kick Erasmus out. That's it. The running rigby coach got the boot in 2017. So make your fucking minds up. I say stick to what you are good at, the basic dopey donkey rugby. 

Fuck me, everytime I read Red Pose post feels like I stepped in dog shit by accident. I think it is the same troll, ie traditionalist what ever. Using the same word "yarpies" that has been used before by another troll. 

Fuck me, everytime I read Red Pose post feels like I stepped in dog shit by accident. I think it is the same troll, ie traditionalist what ever. Using the same word "yarpies" that has been used before by another troll. 

MPower, Ja, the only way Rassie can meet his quota is to strip the game down so that the less talented players can function within the system. It works most of the time but it will only ever give you 60% win record.

Don't think we will ever see a perfect year like the All Blacks did as well as back to back world cups.

That is the gold standard.

I still think hey were spiteful and could have had a way better plan with plenty of games rather than this shock and awe.

Jake showed how to beat Rassies boks with the bulls last year and using a fly half like Goosen that can play ball in hand.

I would have made him head coach instead of Niena or Ackerman or even Dobbo now that he had his breakthrough year. 

Yes Agreed, Jake is very good coach and also like Dobbo, made out of NN players a formidable unit with winning Culture. I know that test Rugby is always tough and close, but it's a must to strike when you have a chance...that ability to strike with good coordinated Forward and Backline play. Saturday just showed again, how limited we are in that department.

This from the future Bok coach......

Springbok assistant coach Deon Davids went on to explain that while losing is never ideal, they might have gained more from their historic defeat to Wales than they would have from winning.

"It's always awful to lose in the Springbok jersey, that's something that you don't want. The team we selected last week was part of a bigger picture and a plan that we had in mind, and I think that was well-communicated within the squad in terms of what we want to achieve," said Davids.

Davids added that the decision to go with six uncapped players and make sweeping changes gives them good insight into where the guys are at.

"Whether we won or lost, the situation we found ourselves in gave us more lessons to learn from going forward. Maybe if we won and it was just a rubber-stamp game to win the Series, the players wouldn't have got that opportunity to perform in a situation with a lot of pressure."

Erasmus’ whole reputation is built on the WC English match and the decline in NZ rugby. Wales could just as plausibly won the semi. There are teams that simply can’t compete against us because their forwards are too weak…but our record against our top 3 opponents under Harrassmiss is not even  50/50:

England played 6….won 3/lost 3.

Australia played 5…..won 2/lost 3

New Zealand…won 2/lost 3/drawn 1.

And we have benefited by facing Wales vs Ireland or France during the Rassie era. That changes on the YE tour which looks challenging.

We have outstanding players but the safety first approach of Harrassmiss makes every game against top opponents a 50:50 proposition. We desperately need a strong minded, competent backline coach to add another dimension.

We are like a top level tennis player that can’t volley ensuring every match is  a game of attrition…..often won  in the last few minutes by a maul following a scrummaging penalty. Any team that bests us in the scrums is guaranteed to beat us….likewise if they can stop our maul.

'corn and Mpower

R&N have taken the Boks as far as they can possibly take them, for the Boks to stay at the top of world rugby they would have to evolve into more than box kicks, defence, forward domination and penalty kicks. Not saying they should abandon those facets of the game that's worked wonders for them in the past, I'm suggesting they cannot stick with the same old sous and expect to stay at the top, they must grow their game or other teams will grow past them.

Jake is a world class coach with an excellent resume, a proven performer who has a thorough understanding of Bok rugby but he's not a favourite of the dodo's at SARU. There's a bit of history blocking his path and that's the only reason I suggested Dobson. I don't know Snyman or any other suitable SAFFA coach who can take the Boks to another higher level.

Deon Davids the likely next Bok coach should be tested at a lower level to prove himself and Stick should be shown the back door with immediate effect, Toeitie was smart enough to get rid of him, Rassie foolishly re-employed the dud.

Ja, Rassie is a brilliant tactician and have showed time and again that in tournaments situations that he can get the best out of ordinary players. That  was proven when he took over the Cheetahs. 

He had a good year at the Stormers but then Coetzee forced his way in  or Rassie opted to be more the man behind the scenes. This was the same time Alexander was  WP president. Alexander  is now SARU president and he called on Rassie again  to dig them out of the shit pile they created. 

We have the players, we have the coaches but we think  losing a game by 1 point is  a good result but  it is still  a lost to the 9th team in the world. 

Don't start me on  Davids, so what happened  at winning at all cost? 

That was a hospital job that we witnessed on Saturday. We have 14 test matches and  in  all honesty should have started building on the end of year tour. I would rather lose away from home than giving away a test match at home. 

We have the AB next, don't think our team  is ready even though Ireland got the better of them. That said, that Ireland win is over hyped as the cards ultimately won the game. Ireland couldn't put away a 13 man  all  black  team  and instead conceded it. This whole head collision has  gone too  far.  There is  a fine line between  poor technique and deliberately trying to take out a player. 

But  ultimately I'm  pissed off that we gave our number 1 spot,  we are still "building" towards 2023 when we should showing why we are world champs. We had  two teams in the URC finals  and  one that  one it with a budget team full of rejects and has beens. 

Yet, we play the same tired techniques, bash  it  around the corner  with the  forwards, kick the ball away from the 10 cross field,  hope our defence can force a turn over and try to counter attack.  

There is no desire to build continuity or try to break the line. Instead with Damian  Carth Horse trucking it up  and then a kick or grubber. No creativity from 10 or 12,  any smart angels  or decent screens. 

Wales figures out to just go low in the tackle and not worry about giving away half  a yard as the boks  never off load in the  tackle.  Imagine if Coetzee could actually  offload or Roos can do it with another player running off their should how much ground we will gain. With some good  screens  and back line  play to to  get our back like kolbe into space. 

I rest my case

Ja, Rassie is a brilliant tactician and have showed time and again that in tournaments situations that he can get the best out of ordinary players. That  was proven when he took over the Cheetahs. 

He had a good year at the Stormers but then Coetzee forced his way in  or Rassie opted to be more the man behind the scenes. This was the same time Alexander was  WP president. Alexander  is now SARU president and he called on Rassie again  to dig them out of the shit pile they created. 

We have the players, we have the coaches but we think  losing a game by 1 point is  a good result but  it is still  a lost to the 9th team in the world. 

Don't start me on  Davids, so what happened  at winning at all cost? 

That was a hospital job that we witnessed on Saturday. We have 14 test matches and  in  all honesty should have started building on the end of year tour. I would rather lose away from home than giving away a test match at home. 

We have the AB next, don't think our team  is ready even though Ireland got the better of them. That said, that Ireland win is over hyped as the cards ultimately won the game. Ireland couldn't put away a 13 man  all  black  team  and instead conceded it. This whole head collision has  gone too  far.  There is  a fine line between  poor technique and deliberately trying to take out a player. 

But  ultimately I'm  pissed off that we gave our number 1 spot,  we are still "building" towards 2023 when we should showing why we are world champs. We had  two teams in the URC finals  and  one that  one it with a budget team full of rejects and has beens. 

Yet, we play the same tired techniques, bash  it  around the corner  with the  forwards, kick the ball away from the 10 cross field,  hope our defence can force a turn over and try to counter attack.  

There is no desire to build continuity or try to break the line. Instead with Damian  Carth Horse trucking it up  and then a kick or grubber. No creativity from 10 or 12,  any smart angels  or decent screens. 

Wales figures out to just go low in the tackle and not worry about giving away half  a yard as the boks  never off load in the  tackle.  Imagine if Coetzee could actually  offload or Roos can do it with another player running off their should how much ground we will gain. With some good  screens  and back line  play to to  get our back like kolbe into space. 

I rest my case

Failure to offload in the tackle is the single biggest reason why the Bok attack comes to a grinding stop.They simply don't think about offloading and it's been like that for as long as I can remember.

I'm not sure that our players even know what to do with the pill when it lands in their hands.

It is deeper than that.

Reducing the demand set to play rugby to a single gesture is destined to meet failure.

Over the last few years, SA rugby has kept reducing the demands in order to keep pretending.

Not so long ago, SA rugby still looked at scoring tries through rolling mauls.

They no longer do since the game NZ showed a specific training to counter rolling mauls (training achieved during the preparation week)

Mauls were all countered.

The thin game plan is now reduced to players crashing fast against the opponent's defensive line to provoke a disorderly fall back and milk a penalty kick offense.

Now looking at WA offer during the last two games: they designed their two first games in the very same manner, the first game was a close shave and the second a victory for WA.

WA players are out of a long and tiring season so probably, they already got what they looked for. Last test will be meaningless.

Nevertheless, the way they played and structured their two games tells. It does not bide well for SA rugby.

Trad, I'll say this very slowly.....I watch rugby on planet Earth with the use of my  eyes, I don't have the benefit you have.

Even slowlier, whether it is a benefit or not, it is not a matter of eyes, location etc

It is a matter of mind/brain.

People look at SA rugby with their eyes on planet Earth, they see a quota policy in action.

People look at SA rugby with their eyes on planet Earth, they do not see a quot polic, they run numbers, again and again and they fail to see anything like that.

It is a matter of mind/brain.

Similarly, it affects the rest.

At the end of the day, there is a quota policy or there is not. People who can see more or people who can see less.

People who fail to see a quota policy in action in SA rugby also fail to see thatSA rugby  players's failure to offload in the tackle is a major cause in anything SA rugby performance related.

KornKob, you don't have the players. It's all this big talk of great depth but who cuts the mustard? Barely a handful of players. You don't seem to have grown from isolation years... you don't run the game. You are not top dog. The Splingblockers very, very rarely have a blip of about a month or two and then fade away again trying to convince yourselves that you're the best ficking thing since sliced bread. Wake the fuck up. Of the Boks, maybe Marx, Ebenezer, Gelant and Kwagga find a spot in the top 5 teams in world rugby. Literally. 

Welcome back Saffex, see you are not biting

But in all honesty, our game has gone backwards and we should ask the hard questions whether Rassie and Nie are doing the right thing for the boks. 

Really shit planning for the Welsh tour and putting our team under a lot of pressure