Ou maaaikie I have given a list of things in our rugb y that need fixing. Here is alist by Brendon Nel who fgollows me closely. Yestthe coach failed to develope the squad properly hindred also by things beyond his control like quotas and injuries.There is alot that needs to change but the gravy train running the show have no clue and then layered on to of that is political interfernce and quota appointments etc.
The Springboks lost to the All Blacks by two points, but the gulf between the two teams seems further than ever.
In the coming weeks SARU will make a decision about the future of this coaching team, if they haven’t already and there will be a massive series of debates around what is good for the Springbok team.
But to be brutally honest, if we simply look at the Boks without looking at the entire SA Rugby situation, we would be putting a band aid on the wound. We need to treat the cause, not the symptoms of SA Rugby’s problems.(EXACTLY SO AS BEENO AS LONG SAID NOTING THE PROBLEMS)
Of course the Bok coach should face questions for what ultimately is a failed Bok campaign. The aim is always to win the World Cup and the Boks fell short. They reverted to a direct style of rugby that worked for so long, but ultimately wasn’t good enough to beat the best side in the world.
The irony of it all was that despite losses in the Rugby Championship, the team was adopting a more expansive style of rugby, and should have continued with it (eXACTLY SO GIVEN THE WAY THE bOKS AGAIN GOT A RAW DEAL FROM THE REF AND MCCHEATS VILWE BIT OF WORK!!). But then the defeat at the hands of Japan happened. (wITH THE MOST EXPERIENCED BOK SIDE EVER BWHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAH WHEN WILL SOME OAKS EVER LEARN!)
Given the conditions at Twickenham, and the way the All Blacks demolished France, I doubt there would have been too many coaches who would have suggested going toe to toe with the best team that has ever played in a open running festival.
Our players simply don’t match them on skills. That in itself is a long-term problem for SA Rugby to address as at lower levels South African teams rely just as much on brawn as in the senior ranks. Physicality will always be a strength and shouldn’t be lost, but it can’t be the only bow in your quiver. (AS i TRIED TO EXPALIN TO OU SNAPSTER WE NEED A COACH WHO UNDERSTANDS OUR RUGBY - LIKE JAKE FOR EXAMPLE AND ONE LIEM eDDIE jONES TO BRING IN THE CREATIVIY AND FLAIR. DONT TOSS AWAY OUR PHYSICALITY BUILD ON IT ERTC. ALL VERY OBVIOUS TO ANYONE WITH RUGBY AC UMEN)
While many will look at the Boks and blame the coaching team for the losses, there are deeper problems in South African rugby that need addressing. The Junior Boks have been a hit and miss for the past few years, and have been physically dominated by Northern Hemisphere teams like England.
The Super Rugby franchises have rewarded mediocrity for so long that it has been a problem. For all the hype about the Lions winning the Currie Cup, they were not good enough to be classed among the top six in Super Rugby.
In fact, even the Stormers, who made the playoffs thanks to the system should have ended seventh. It is this confidence that becomes a winning habit that is missing. New Zealand teams don’t fear South Africa because on every level they beat them time and again.
There are several reasons for this, from playing style to overseas departures to teams not being professional enough. Either way it has been a long time since Super Rugby franchises have dominated. And here again I don’t mean one team making the semis, but rather two or three teams dominating the competition. ADD IN BENT REFS PLEASE OAK!! PROBABLY THE MAJOR FACTOR)
Add to this the problems with transformation, with growing pressure on coaches and their continued ignorance of SARU’s transformation ideals and this continues to be a ticking time bomb in SA Rugby that nobody wants to address properly. If there are only a handful of players of colour playing Super Rugby, then any Bok coach will struggle to pick a squad that is representative of the country.(NOTE THE CONTRADICTION- WEAKEN THE SUPER 15 POSITION FURTHER BY NOT PICKING ON MERIT. WHY BEAT ABOUT THE BUSH. UNLESS ALL YOUR PICKS ARE MERIT BASD YOUR POSITION WEAKENS, END OF STORY. BOOT THE RACISTS OUT OF RUGBY AND OUT OF THE COUNTRY AS WELL!!!)
The rand will continue to give SA Rugby problems and despite moves towards central contracting 9VITAL WE HAVE CENTRAL CONTRACTING), the franchises will continue to lose players to Japan, France and the British and Irish Isles. We love to talk about not picking players from overseas but the reality is that the overseas clubs have stripped SA Rugby bare of its second tier of players, and we simply don’t have the depth we used to have. (EXACTLY SO THERE HAS BEEN A HUGE DRAIN OF OUR PLAYERS ENOUGH TO FIELD QUITE AFEW SUPER 15 SIDES)
Add to this the likes of Scotland and Ireland targeting SA talent to bolster their national teams and we are likely to see more, not less, of this migration north to play test rugby.
From this situation we have to select a Bok team from players from the franchises who pay lip service to the national team. New Zealand has no such problems as everyone works towards the good of the All Blacks while in SA we couldn’t be further from this. (MEANWHILE THE PAP WEE ABS SCRAPE REF ASSISTED WINS AGAINST US WHERE WE ARE PLAYING AT 65% OF POTENTIAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)
One Super Rugby coach contacted me a while back after a column and was livid, saying “but Heyneke has gotten more right than anyone else.” He was right of course, but still light years behind the All Blacks in terms of player management. To put it in perspective, the fact the Boks needed to put their players through stringent fitness training before the World Cup is ridiculous. It shows how little the franchises worked with them during the year to manage players. And when only eigHT of the 49 passed fitness tests at the first camp, is it any wonder it was such an issue. (Note the contradiction. How is Meyer supposed to manage this one!Its one bit of amateur nonsese after another. thIS WOULD BE SOLVED BY CENTRAL CONRTRACTING. OAKS ITS NOT ROCKET SCIENCE!!!!!!)
Springbok coaches should rise and fall on the basis of their results. The Boks have struggled through 2015 without too much success and should be judged accordingly.
But if SA Rugby truly wants to succeed, the fundamental problems need to be addressed, or the next Bok coach, whoever he is, will face the same vitriol as well.
WELL SAID BRENDON. WHAT NAME ARE YOU POSTING UNDER HERE AS CLEALRY YOU COPIED MY POSTS. You did however forget one important factor. Too many provinces. Needs to be rationalised. Also we cant have minnow unions haveing the same vote as illustrious unions suchas WP.
Everying needs to be aimed at excellence and strengthening Super 15 and Bok teams.
So ou maaaike try and get a wider perspective - one doesnt want to be a simple fellow like Muncher. Hahhahahahahahahaha or that despicable duck fellow! Bwahahhahaha. Or come to think of it roooitwit, warped dud or ab ass and the mule men! I will stop there as I am sure you get the point!
