White slams player abuse
21 May 2006
The international season only kicks-off in two weeks’ time and already Springbok coach Jake White is complaining that his players have played too much rugby.
White told Reuters that he was not surprised Bakkies Botha and Bryan Habana had sustained injuries in a Super 14 match on Saturday and expressed concern about the fitness of his squad ahead of international fixtures.
Lock Botha (Achilles) and wing Habana (ankle) hobbled off the field as the Bulls lost their Super 14 semi-final against the Crusaders 35-15 in Christchurch on Saturday.
The Springbok training squad gathered in Bloemfontein last Wednesday to begin preparing for the international season. South Africa will play a friendly against a World XV on June 3, followed by home Tests against Scotland and France before the Tri-Nations series begins. Habana and Botha may only be back in time for the one-off Test against France in Cape Town.
“I could have told you before the game something like this was going to happen,” White told Reuters from the Springbok training camp on Sunday.
“We have been saying for a long time that the players are being asked to play too much rugby. Habana has had one week off since the start of the year and has played for a full two years before that,” explained White.
“And 72 hours before the semi-final Bakkies (Botha) was unlikely to play due to an Achilles injury. The fact that he only lasted 30 minutes suggests that he wasn’t fit to play. It’s very disappointing.”
White said he had not been in contact with the Bulls but that he believed his medical team had spoken to the Super 14 franchise’s management to assess how bad the injuries were.
“We will only know fully once they’re here and we are able to examine them,” he said. “Injuries are going to be a problem because my medical staff has informed me that some of the players are on the edge and the season is just starting.”
Fyhalf Andre Pretorius was unable to train at the camp and has already undergone groin surgery. Props Os du Randt (knee), Brendon Botha (back) and Eddie Andrews (shoulder) are also under an injury cloud while centre Marius Joubert (hand) is out for six weeks and Wayne Julies (knee) at least 10 days.
75 Comments
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22 May 2006, 07:23 am
To continue – it is a business and you should manage and protect your assets as best you can to maitain optimum performance!
22 May 2006, 07:39 am
2 much rugby for sure, far too many games against ABs and Aus every damm year , it will loose it apeal. I personaly can not get excited in playing the ABs 3 times a year, 3 times a year every 2nd year might be beter.
the s14 could also be devided in 2 sections ,add 2 teams and play 2 groups , and the CC can also be the top 8 teams only, that would give the players the three tiers to climb
22 May 2006, 07:51 am
Well, yes… Firstly we need to define what exactly too much rugby means. To take the two examples at hand – surely for forwards too much rugby would be something completely different to the backline players.
Firthermore, Bakkies for example has hardly played for more than 60 minutes during any game this year. Surely then there are forwards who have had an equal or better work rate but for 80 minutes per game…??
Habana’s workrate has not striked me as something extraordinary this year and although he scored a few brilliant tries, a lot of the time he really idled and hang around on the wing. Not sure that I can agree he has played too much rugby this season…
Other examples – Pretorius?? He was injured most of the season, therefore definitely not too much rugby causing his injury!
It’s very easy to cry wolf in general terms. However, careful analysis of players’ workrate and time spent on the field during the season, is warranted before conclusions are made.
22 May 2006, 07:57 am
bluestripe, think of how many times these players also have to train every freakin week. Habana has not had rest for the last 2 or so years. this is unacceptable. It will probably be much better this yr as they wont be involved in the CC.
Look at McCaw, he got rested for more than 2 games this S14 and if i’m not mistaken he never played much NPC last yr…
22 May 2006, 08:10 am
Koos and Japie from POTCHEFSTROOM were in Pretoria for the Currie Cup Final when they suddenly spotted this sign on a shop window:
Suits R20–00 each
Shirts R10–00 each (Two-Tone only)
Trousers R8–00 per pair
Koos says to his pal. “Hey Japie, check at that! Bliksem, we could buy a whole load of that clothes… then when we get back we could resell them and make us a moerse fortune!”
“Now listen boet, when we go into the shop you keep your big mouth shut, hey! Just you let me do all the talking plus wheeling and dealing stuff,
‘because if they hear your POTCHEFSTROOM accent, they might try to rip us off. I’ll be giving them my best PRETORIA accent so they think we’re locals.”
They go in and Koos says, “Excuse me sir, I’ll take 50 of your finest suits at R20 each, plus 100 shirts at R10 each, and 50 pairs of your trousers at just R8 each. I will be paying in cash, and taking those items with me today, if you don’t mind.”
The owner of the shop interrupts, “You guys is from POTCHEFSTROOM, isn’t you?”
“Err….ja” says Koos, “how come you know?”
The owner says, “This are a dry-cleaners you doos!
22 May 2006, 08:16 am
Well Jake .. best you start developing some depth in all the possitions .. you are already a year to late on that score, but rather late than never.
22 May 2006, 08:27 am
Anvil #42. ite a different attitude this year and it shows in the close games.
I dunno if we can beat the saders, we can certainly play better the that excuse of a Bulls team did, and we can do better than we did against the Saders earlier in the season, which was a very close game.
We have what it takes to win, will we do it
It will defintely be an exciting finale to the season!
22 May 2006, 08:29 am
Fair enough wpw,
guess the point I’m trying to make, is that there has to be more scientific ways to establish which players are playing how much rugby at what intensity and there should be guidelines to measure against. Not this generalised “too much rugby” thing…
I’m sure if you ask Heineke’s opinion on Bakkies this season, he would argue that he managed Bakkies quite well throughout? And he’s probably not wrong either.
Maybe we can get that dry-cleaner in Pta to keep the records for them – check how many times he cleaned each players’ jersey and how dirty they were…!!
22 May 2006, 08:33 am
Superbul – your post no 4 is a rambling hotchpotch of addled nonsense. Anyone wanting a good laugh on a Monday morning, have a gander at it.
Initially I thought one would have to just remove any sense of style and class to become a Bulls supporter. Now I’ve realised you have to have a complete brain removal – maybe just leave the stem.
Superpussycat
22 May 2006, 08:35 am
ricane – The Shady Pines Retirement Home first 15 could do better than the Bulls did….
22 May 2006, 08:54 am
So JAKE – its fine to complain!! What is the solution??? U had the chance end of 2005 to NOT take key players on tour, yet u did??
Everybody’s head is on the chopping block at CC, S14 and Int level – so why would any team NOT use the resources they pay a fortune for?
22 May 2006, 09:18 am
At the rate this injury spree is going the springboks are going to cancel their season because Jake only believes in picking a certain group of so-called “wunderkinds†or “chosen –onesâ€. He has the chance to rest some of these players and to develop new talent but his to stubborn to do it. I smell a wippin coming this season….and the excuses has already been formulated!
22 May 2006, 09:35 am
RiCane,
Re the Bulls,I am dissappointed about the Bulls performance.But given their on and off form,I think they did well to get to the top 4.
Frazer,
Shady pines retirement 15 would better your women in black.Just like the Bulls did.
22 May 2006, 09:50 am
Must admit that while Jake is correct in general about player burnout in this instance he might be off the boil , I mean Bakkies played only 60 mins of most games this year and Habana if anything needs to play a bit more and he was badly off form midway only coming right now.
PS – WPW – Post 55 , LMAO – good one!!!!
22 May 2006, 10:52 am
Anvil – WTF are you talking about? The Iraqi womens team?
22 May 2006, 11:01 am
Frazer, Let me give you a hint.
75 – 14
43 – 10
22 May 2006, 11:09 am
I juts red this on the Supertsprt site.
By Gavin Rich:
White added that his medical staff had informed him that several of the players at the camp were “on the edgeâ€.
However, while White fumes about the Super 14 coaches overusing players, it needs to be remembered that when he had the opportunity to give the top players much needed consecutive (continuous) rest by giving them off the last end of year tour, he did not use it.
When a possible extra test against Italy was also mooted for the end of year tour, White was also all for it.
And instead of giving his players a rest opportunity at the end of the current season, which could be important before next year’s World Cup, he has instead managed to convince SA Rugby that they should be rested during the Currie Cup.
This effectively means that the players will be “resting†at a time when their season is still on the go as White will be calling them into action for the end of year tour to England and Ireland, where three tests, and maybe a possible fourth against a World tea, are scheduled.
On top of all of this, White has stated, according to reports, that he will not be resting Springbok skipper John Smit during the international season. He may have his reasons for this, but then Heyneke Meyer undoubtely probably had his reasons for playing Botha against the Crusaders.
Jake is staring to lose the plot. Bakkies was managed so well, everybody complained he hasn’t had more than 60 minutes the whole season, anf NOW he has been overused. Shut up JAke, you are looking like a ****** idiot. And Habana was rested against the Crusaders. Jake obviously would have rested Habana in a Semi-final! And he stated John Smit is not going to have any rest.
Jake is becoming like Woodward, more and more. I’m starting to get a dislike in him….
22 May 2006, 12:05 pm
Anvil – What are those numbers – the amount of times you correctly guess which team someone supports? 14 from 75 is not at all impressive… And what’s the 10 from 43? The amount of times you haven’t been let down by your Bulls? Also nothing to shout about…
22 May 2006, 12:08 pm
All you have to do is Look at the record of SA. You can take that away from him. Let him do what he wants and need to do and when the time comes you can judge him, only then.
So I think he is doing a great job. The point he made was he was already injured and they made him play so, they took a chance knowing he was injured. THAT WAS THE POINT.
No need to judge the guy before the season has even started.
22 May 2006, 12:34 pm
LMFAO Frazer!
I gotta give up on you now mate,cuase if this goes on I’d die of laughter at your lame comebacks.
22 May 2006, 12:35 pm
LondenBul, its you thats looking that way.
22 May 2006, 13:42 pm
Anvil – Exactly what I thought. You’re a Bulls supporter – you got nothing!!!!
22 May 2006, 14:13 pm
Superbul you are illiterate and a moron. Typical doff, stubborn Bulls supporter’s view. The National side is what matters the most and Jake White had valid points. Plus he wasnt critisizing the Bulls coaching staff, just saying Habana and Bakkies have played too much. You need to learn punctuation and how to write.
22 May 2006, 16:52 pm
So Jake is starting with the excuses already?
23 May 2006, 09:33 am
The only way to get players to rest more is to scrap the Super 14 and the Tri nations. Go back to playing club rugby, even the bloody Springboks. Bring back the Easter club championships and only there after start with the curriecup. Bring back decent tours like All Blacks in SA for a 6 week tour playing 4 tests and a couple of midweek games. Bring the British lions an go there. Stop the end of year simple player burn out tours.
The paying public would like to see NZ play the Falcons on a tuesday and the Boks on Saturday. That way it will ensure that you have at least 30 players in your squad that can play test rugby.
For once I would like “Moaner White” to stop complaining. He moans abbout the players playing too much but also states that his captain won’t get much rest. Why not set an example your bloody *******???????
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