of thought that young Goosen is the magic cure for our backline woes and that Morne is the cause of the Bok backline woes. Really?
I don't have any doubts about Goosen's talent and ability, I honestly believe if brought along the right way he could be a fine example for future flyhalves to emulate. That said, I don't believe he is going to cure our backline illls, even with his prescence it will remain a collective problem. Why...because the Boks attack consists of two approaches, (1) is shuffle ball and (2) is to die with the ball in the tackle. Neither creates any problems for modern day defences.
Let's take example (A) first, for the latest example go to the most recent test against Argentina and have a close look at how our backs play hot potato with a rugby ball. As they shuffle the ball along the backline the Argentinian defence merely slides along as well. The idea should be to draw the defending player before releasing the pass with one option being for another attacker to run off the shoulder of the ball carrier and for that player to straighten up the attack and to change the point of attack. There can never be a gap unless the opposing defender is lured into a tackle thereby taking him out of the defence. The point I'm trying to make is that shuffle ball is a collective practice by our backs and unless they learn the art of backline play then not even the best flyhalf in the world is going to help.
Let's look at example (B) and here there's the disease of dying with the ball in the tackle, sure other teams do it as well but none as bad as the Boks. SBW has shown the benefits of slipping the pass when tackled quite often leading to huge gains as he draws two players out of the defence. Our players never look to pass, I daresay they don't even think about it and I also venture to say that they don't trust their hands because generally their passing skills are damn poor. I also think that this is why the Bok big player culture is such a factor in Bok rugby, if you're big you can barge through a brick wall or something to that effect.
I'm never going to suggest the choice of small players but what I do suggest is that the Boks employ someone like Eddie Jones to remove the cobwebs and to instill the art of backline play which he so handsomely did in the short time he was coaching our players. I don't believe there's a SAFFA around who can do it, there are plenty of pretenders but no-one with the necessary intellectual property internally or exterenally. Until that day arrives I'm sorry to say we're pissing into the wind.
