Strauss to retire

Adriaan Strauss will retire from test rugby at the end of the 2016 season.

Strauss, who became the 57th Springbok captain against Ireland in June, said he had been contemplating retirement at the end of the season since late in 2015, and that he had informed Springbok coach Allister Coetzee of his thinking on his appointment earlier this year.

“When Coach Allister approached me to lead the team, I was both humbled and honoured,” Strauss said. “The plan was for me to serve and lead a team in transition as well as I can and take things week by week, but back then I already told him that I was thinking of retiring at the end of the season.

“I’ve always accepted the pressure and the challenge of playing for and captaining the Springboks, I feel it’s the right time to let my team-mates and our supporters know of the decision I made, with a greater plan in mind.”

Coetzee lauded Strauss for the role he is playing in empowering a new generation of Springbok players and developing a new team culture.

“I’ve known since day one that Adriaan was planning to retire at the end of 2016, but he is a vital component in our team and his role has been part of our succession planning in any case,” said Coetzee.

“He is a magnificent servant of the game in South Africa and doesn’t always get the credit he deserves. At a time when most players of his generation decided to move abroad, Adriaan chose to remain here, ploughing back into the game.

“Adriaan has captained the team with great courage in the past few months, often rallying the players on the field when real leadership was needed. He has also led by example during the week leading up to our tests – none of which the public sees.

“I’ve come to know Adriaan as a player who only wants what is best for the team, so he will help the younger players and leaders come through the system, knowing they will need to get game time and exposure at test level.”

Strauss said he had been stimulated by the challenge of being actively involved as captain at the start of a new era in Springbok rugby.

“I knew my role was going to extend beyond what happens on the field on a Saturday and that we were starting a building process of something special with a new group of players, many of whom will become Springbok greats,” he said.

“This is a young team and I’ve been honoured to work with a very talented group of players and leaders in establishing a new team culture. I believe the time is right to start giving more opportunities to this new generation and I’m happy to be used in any way the coach sees fit.

“It has never been about me. My point of view was always to do what is best for the team and I believe I’ve succeeded in making a contribution to the Springboks and South African rugby, which were two major reasons for me to retire.

“Every older player has this voice in the back of his head that he’d like to retire on his own terms, and I believe that is what I am doing.

“I’m very grateful for my Springbok career and to all coaches and team-mates who have played a role in my development as a player and as a human being. The last few months have been especially enjoyable, as well as massively challenging. My decision make it official is so that the coach and his management staff will have sufficient time to do their succession planning.

“The Springboks are lucky to have a massively passionate base of supporters, who are very critical of many aspects of the game. I would like to urge them to keep the faith and remain positive, because we’re on an exciting journey and this team will keep on working as hard as possible to make our supporters proud.”

Springbok captain Adriaan Strauss’s announcement Thursday that he would retire from Test rugby at the end of the year does raise legitimate questions about coach Allister Coetzee’s judgment.

Strauss’ retirement was apparently always part of the bigger picture and the coach was fully aware of the situation before naming Strauss as the 57th Bok captain according to a statement from SA Rugby.

There is no evidence to suggest that assertion is untrue‚ but there is reason to question the decision.

Rugby is one of few sports left in the professional era where a team is moulded into the likeness of its on-field leader.

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And like all building projects‚ it takes time. Richie McCaw‚ John Smit‚ Martin Johnson and John Eales didn't suddenly become legendary leaders.

Through their skill and will‚ their character and desire‚ in conjunction with coaches with whom they formed strong bonds‚ they forged their teams into an image of themselves.

By knowing that Strauss wasn’t in it for the long haul‚ Coetzee has cost himself a valuable season of building a team around an inspirational commander.

The process will have to start again in 2017 not through circumstance such as a career ending injury‚ but through an apparently conscious decision taken by the coach.

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Coetzee said in a carefully worded statement that Strauss had always communicated his intentions to step down at the end of the season and that he had chosen the burly hooker to help transition the team in a year of rebuilding.

But if the coach always knew about Strauss’ intention to retire‚ why was it not put out in the open and communicated then?

How could that have been any worse than making the announcement on the eve of the team’s departure to Australasia?

Timing on this situation would never have been easy‚ but sitting on something like this‚ was always likely to blow up in the team’s face.

Typically New Zealand showed how a similar situation could be well managed when Dan Carter announced that 2015 would be his last as an All Black before last season commenced.

It didn’t affect his performances at all. Perhaps the crucial difference was that he had not just accepted the All Black captaincy?

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Strauss is not at fault here. He was offered the Springbok captaincy and he was honoured by the offer – he said as much.

Based on the official account presented this week‚ he did the honourable thing and told the coach of his decision to retire‚ and Coetzee still wanted him.

Strauss’ intentions were no doubt good‚ as were Coetzee’s. But unintentionally‚ it was not in the best interests of Springbok rugby.

'Strauss’ form hasn’t been at his usual high standard this season‚ and unfortunately this issue‚ which might have been worrying him‚ has emerged at a bad time.

Now that it’s public though‚ it could of course liberate the skipper. There is now a line in the sand and there can be no shock revelations about his retirement because the situation has been made public.

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Knowing that Strauss was retiring at the end of this season‚ Coetzee should perhaps have been bolder in choosing someone else to lead the team.

Right now it’s difficult to see who else could lead the team‚ but in May Pat Lambie and Duane Vermeulen were fit and neither has indicated that they are giving up on the international game.

Coetzee might also have chosen to go in a completely different direction and backed Warren Whiteley to lead the team from the word go‚ which of course would have meant Vermeulen was not viewed as a definite starter.

Hindsight is of course‚ perfect.