The leadership of Rassie Erasmus.

So here we are, after a mediocre Rugby Championship we lose a close one to Ireland. Clearly we haven’t kicked on after our WC win and are now just another team in the pack. France have improved although you wouldn’t’ have been convinced yesterday and  the All Blacks may be coming off a low point.

So why are we here. Is the talent we all proclaimed after the WC just not there? Or are there other factors. We can debate whether we have enough depth in the backs, but it’s hard to deny we have the best forward resources and test hardened backline players. We have, let’s face it, far more at our disposal than Ireland.

So what are the ‘other factors’. I would say it’s a series of foolish decisions made by the man who is pretty much the Dictator of South African rugby, Erasmus. Nobody was going to deny him anything within reason after the WC.

The first stupid decision was putting Nienaber in charge as the coach. The man is smart and dedicated, but he simply didn’t have the resume or gravitas. This was made worse because of Erasmus’ meddling. Why was he in the box yesterday for example….at best a distraction.

Then we decide not to compete in 2020 Rugby Championship in Australia. The other nations including the Bargies do. There was no Covid risk for us…..it was a cop out, a chicken run. We rested on our laurels.

Then we have the disastrous ref-gate affair during the Lions’ series, taking all the joy out of that contest and tainting our series win. All these things took away from the brand image we created in 2019.

But while these distractions undoubtedly had an impact, the real issue is there was no ambition in the Erasmus plan. He had no thoughts of building on the 2019 model….improving it with ball in hand options…..finding new talent to add to the mix. Instead he doggedly stuck to the same players and the same tactics, even against weaker opponents.

So now if anything our backline play is worse than 2019 and our once huge forward reserves are being tested, at lock if Lomp is out, for example.

It’s a huge missed opportunity, a chance for us to finally challenge the AB brand gone- a-begging. A man with small ambitions and a lager mentality and one playing model. 

We will still win most matches. Our forward power is unmatched, it actually should have been enough yesterday the Irish took a hammering. But when you play arm wrestle rugby, safety first rugby, you tend to get into close contests and you will lose some of them.

Erasmus brought us back from a foolish period where we never exploited our forward edge. He went back to the aggressive defence that we enjoyed under Jake White, he built a consistent team. These were all important contributions. But then when he had it all, he indulged himself.. .he became a consumer, not a ‘war leader’ and he has wasted 3 years.

The Boks are fortunate that no one is really standing out right now. Right across the board, rugby has regressed. Without that creating some breathing space, Erasmus would be in a heap of trouble. The better coached teams are struggling for consistency, so we need to make a change now while there is a chance to get ahead of the curve. We must not be so shortsighted as to focus on the World Cup, rather, make decisions to secure the Bok's future into the next ten years. 

Poor old mozzzz consumed with his anti Rassie obsession.  He was complaining about Rassie when we won the RWC. He has been moaning an whining about Allende and Du Toit like a broken record.

The poor dud cannot accept he made a twit of himself for all to see. Give it a break mozzzz and salvage some reputation!

Rassie at his box of tricks again. He posted a video of the Irish try when the ball came out of our ruck and they scored vs when we got blow up. 

You have to create your own luck. We simply didn’t take advantage of our possession and forward dominance. They played extremely poor on attack. 

Just watched the bargie game. They got a try off a line out. Fantastic set play move. I just wish we could muster the stormers attacking ability. We could have put 14 points past the Irish. 

I haven’t seen any evolution and I think Rassie has ran out of ideas. 

I’m not one for swapping coaches all the time, but we are on a downward spiral at the moment 

We lose by 3 points against the world top ranked side playing at home with a bent ref in their corner corny king.

We didn't play good rugby Beano. We haven't had a solid performance since 2019, therefore this coaching team must go. We can't rely on opponents having an off day. We have too much tradition and pride to be that kind of team. We need someone with ambition and a backbone. 

So many lacks of arguments. Filling space.

but it’s hard to deny we have the best forward resources

How hard. The game against IR sent the same report: SA rugby forwards are mediocre.

The first stupid decision was putting Nienaber in charge as the coach. The man is smart and dedicated, but he simply didn’t have the resume or gravitas. This was made worse because of Erasmus’ meddling.

Credit must given. Any coach does with the players he has at his hands.

The previous coach managed to set a form that makes SA rugby players look much better than they are.

The formula has run stale though. Somebody had to take charge during the crash landing. It is surprising a quota coach was not chosen.

The Boks are fortunate that no one is really standing out right now. Right across the board, rugby has regressed. Without that creating some breathing space, Erasmus would be in a heap of trouble. The better coached teams are struggling for consistency, so we need to make a change now while there is a chance to get ahead of the curve.

FR is on a record winning streak. IR has already secured what they needed: a win against SA rugby, necessary not to devalue their fantastic series in NZ.

In general, sports people or sports teams coming with the same mentality as SA rugby are a pain. Be it in wrestling, judo, boxing etc

When a team or a person comes to anything with the mentality of avoiding to do what the other does and prevents the other from doing what is usually done, it is a pain.

SA rugby mentality: avoid playing rugby and prevents the other team from playing rugby.