Seven steps to glory
30 Jun 2008
The Springboks have not won a Test in New Zealand since 1998. Former Springbok mental coach Henning Gericke explains how Peter de Villiers can achieve what Jake White couldn’t.
White may have a World Cup winner’s medal, but the former Springbok coach has something missing from his impressive CV – his side never beat the All Blacks in New Zealand.
In 2004, White’s first year in charge, the Boks came agonisingly close to claiming what would have been a shock victory in Christchurch. With 30 seconds to go, they led 21-18, having scored three tries to nil. But a botched line-out call 5m out from the Springbok tryline led to an All Blacks scrum from which winger Doug Howlett slid over in the right-hand corner.
In 2005, the Boks arrived at the House of Pain in Dunedin needing a win to clinch their second consecutive Tri-Nations title. With six minutes to go, they lead 27-24, only for All Blacks hooker Kevin Mealamu to be driven over from a line-out for the match-winning try.
The Boks were never going to make it third time lucky for White in New Zealand last year, after the coach opted to rest almost all of his first-choice players ahead of the World Cup. While the second-stringers put up a good fight and trailed 12-6 with 20 minutes to go, three All Blacks tries in the final 10 minutes resulted in a 27-point thrashing.
Former Springbok mental coach Henning Gericke was a key member of White’s management team during that time, and it still grates him that the Boks never won in 2004 or 2005. He believes that while they were mentally prepared for the task, they didn’t have the experience or self belief that the finished product, which won the World Cup, had.
‘I honestly believe that the Boks can win one Test, if not two, in New Zealand this year,’ says Gericke. ‘They just need to focus on these seven points …’
1. HAVE A NO-RESPECT MENTALITY
‘Springbok teams are guilty of putting the All Blacks on a pedestal and believing they are unbeatable. Don’t get me wrong, they are a great team, but we’ve shown them too much respect over the years. We now need to change our underdog mentality into a world champion mentality. We mustn’t listen to all the talk that we haven’t won there since 1998 or that we have never won a Test in Dunedin. We are the world champions and we should believe in ourselves.’
2. AIM TO DOMINATE
‘If your enemy responds to you, you are strong; if you respond to them, you are weak. The Boks must arrive in New Zealand, with the intention of dominating the opposition.’
3. PLAY TO YOUR STRENGTHS
‘The Boks must do what they do best. The All Blacks don’t like to be tackled hard and confronted physically. New Zealanders throw 50-50 passes in the Super 14 because there’s space, but in Tests you can close that space down and put them under pressure. Playing a physical game doesn’t mean you are playing boring, one-dimensional rugby. It means you are playing clever rugby and giving yourself the best possible chance to win.’
4. HAVE SEVERAL LEADERS
‘The more the unyielding the challenge, the more flexible your leadership has must be. In 2004 and 2005, [captain] John Smit was the only real leader in the team. The Bok side of 2008 will have quite a few leaders, and that could make a big difference. Jean de Villiers was an excellent captain for the Stormers this year, while Juan Smith did a good job with the Cheetahs. Victor Matfield captained the Bulls to the Super 14 title last year. The All Blacks, meanwhile, don’t have many strong leaders, which is why I believe they lost to France in the World Cup last year.’
5. BECOME A FAMILY
‘You need to create an inner circle that creates positive energy. If you have a family environment, you will be able to handle outside pressures because you are so tight-knit. However, it may take time for De Villiers to create the kind of family vibe that we had under Jake. Look at what happened to the Bulls when Heyneke Meyer and a couple of key players left. That family structure was broken to some extent.’
6. SEE OPPORTUNITIES, NOT OBSTACLES
‘When you are in New Zealand, you must really want to be there. Embrace the people, the culture and even the weather. Go out and explore the country. If you have a negative mindset about how terrible a place it is, your game will suffer.’
7. HAVE BIG MATCH TEMPERAMENT
‘When you play the All Blacks in New Zealand, the games are going to be close more often that not. You’re going to find yourself in a situation where there are just three or four points in it with a few minutes to go. Your players have to be able to stay mentally strong and close out the game, which is what the Boks didn’t do in 2004 and 2005.’
What Peter de Villiers says:
ON THE CHALLENGE AHEAD
‘It goes without saying that playing the All Blacks anywhere is one of the toughest tests in the game, but in New Zealand it becomes even tougher. New Zealand have been the most successful rugby country in the world over the last decade, with the exception of their World Cup performances. They are true rugby thinkers and they play with supreme confidence at home, resulting in an attitude that does not contemplate defeat when on home soil. I’m not surprised at all that we have struggled there since 1998, but it should be remembered how close the Boks came to victories in 2004 and 2005.’
ON MENTAL PREPARATION
‘We will leave this country with our minds focused on the first Test [in Wellington] and the first Test only. There’s no use planning and getting worked up about the novelty of two Tests in New Zealand. The reality is one Test is played after the next, so I will prepare the squad for the first Test only. When it’s completed, we’ll reassess and then prepare for the second Test [in Dunedin].’
ON WHETHER HE WILL VALUE EXPERIENCE OVER YOUTH
‘I trust all South African rugby players, and will pick the side I feel has the best chance of winning. That doesn’t just go for the New Zealand Tests. Whoever I name in my 22 for any Test, regardless if they have one cap or 100, will have my full faith and backing.’
ON WHETHER HE’LL BE HAPPY TO WIN JUST ONE OF THE TWO TESTS
‘I am not a loser. I will never be satisfied if we lose.’
By Simon Borchardt, in SA Rugby magazine
928 Comments
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30 Jun 2008, 17:55 pm
#746 Dust/Fume: yes I realise that a 6 in SA is actually a 7 (not a 9 like you stated)….and please, we all know that every flanker breaks the law in every game, some are just more adept and adroight at it …….its not cheating if you get away with it is it ????hell look at the French, they were able to get away with it for 50 minutes in one game…..
30 Jun 2008, 18:12 pm
#751 poppa69:
Are you whinging about 1820 again?
And its adroit
30 Jun 2008, 18:14 pm
#751 poppa69:
69
cross the line
hope the ref
doesnt whine
30 Jun 2008, 18:15 pm
hope the ref
doesnt blow
cos the game’s
gotta flow
30 Jun 2008, 18:17 pm
It’s pretty harsh on this All Blacks team to call them the worst since 1998. How exactly have they proven that? And even if it’s true, South Africa and Australia sure as hell aren’t as good as they were in 1998.
If the past few weeks have shown anything it’s that the Wallabies coaching job is a hell of a lot harder than Deans may have expected, while Henry remains an underrated coach.
30 Jun 2008, 18:32 pm
#752 Dust/Fume: no, please enlighten me, what happened in 1820 ??? really , thats how you spell adroit is it, thanks teach……….
or are you implying that McCaw cheats, but no SA loosie does ??? you must be Big Hits love child , are you ???
30 Jun 2008, 18:56 pm
#756 poppa69:
Hey Poppa69
18-20 was the scoreline on 7 Oct ’7 was it not?
I am convinced +++ that McCaw is the best cleverest most adroit cheater around
Just like Sean FitzPatrick was, except he did a hell of a lot of sledging too
30 Jun 2008, 18:58 pm
Well mr Henning Gericke – I just copleted a conference call with Deepak Chopra and the Dalai Lama and they feel that you are wrong. Te steps to glory for the boks are:
1. Play frans steyn at 15
2. Send Luke Watson home
3. Make very sure that Luke “The Gnome” Watson is on the first airy home
4. Play ricky at scrummie and pienaar on the bench not Bolla “Baby Gnome” conradie
5. Play Frans Steyn at 15
6. Let the team sit down with crossed legs meditating and humming the theme song to snow white and the seven dwarfs, then let the players know, that while they are seated, they are still taller than Luke
7.Play Frans Steyn at 15
30 Jun 2008, 19:08 pm
#732 cab: lol!
30 Jun 2008, 19:13 pm
#757 Dust/Fume: yeah it was , but tell me, was it your team that beat them last year ??? no thats right, you lost all 3 games didnt you ???
30 Jun 2008, 19:16 pm
#757 Dust/Fume: you sound like Big Hit, taking pleasure in my side losing when it wasnt even your side that beat them ??? why is that ?? worried ??
30 Jun 2008, 19:24 pm
#761 poppa69: nothing quite as soothing as letting Big Hit loose on a NZ thread – he knows just what poaching buttons to press!!!
30 Jun 2008, 19:26 pm
#762 zeitgeist: no he cant do that anymore…isnt England poaching kiwis now ??
30 Jun 2008, 19:30 pm
#761 poppa69:
Always worried
The ABs are a great team
30 Jun 2008, 19:35 pm
#747 Sheriff: aye
30 Jun 2008, 19:50 pm
All a sudden everyone is rallying round like there’s no tomorrow, AB’s on the rack, Boks are the champs and gonna whip their asses.
I don’t reckon its anywhere near to that, neither side really knows what to expect from the other, huge amount of tentative soul searching going on in both camps, its basically going to be about who has the bigger belief.
Tell you what if it was Aus we were facing on Saturday I’d be more worried, if we can hit these guys early and then not let up for the full duration we can perhaps do it, if it starts the other way round then I don’t know if we’ll have enough in the psychology tank to turn it back around.
See what they made of Saturday, both sides.
30 Jun 2008, 19:55 pm
“You will never get a bad All Black team. At their worse they will still be the best in world,” said South Africa coach Peter de Villiers.
30 Jun 2008, 19:56 pm
this is from rugby365…Despite winning the Web Ellis trophy in France last year, De Villiers said his team first has to overcome the challenge of a series win in New Zealand before thy will be able to lay claim to the title as ‘world champions’.
What a load of ****. This is exactly what i’ve mentioned before this about Peter de Villers inability to cope in the media.
We won the world cup, We are ranked number 1 in the world, We are the the world champions!
And if i was John Smit, that is exactly what i would tell the team because thy better believe it cause they are good enough!
30 Jun 2008, 19:59 pm
Ja Seven – respect is one thing, an inferiority complex is another…
Lets give PdV the benefir of the doubt – mind-games?
30 Jun 2008, 20:01 pm
#768 Seven:
Well I happen to agree with him, lucky packet wins don’t = World Champions, World cup winners, maybe, but world champions only if you successfully defeat your challengers consistently, just like in boxing, you only the champ as long as you don’t lose the next bout, klaar, else your big head is exactly that, a big head based on some historical fluke.
30 Jun 2008, 20:01 pm
If Jacobs is picked at 13 on Saturday, he is going to get targeted worse than Montgomery got under the high ball back in the day.
The kiwi backline will swing it wide every chance they get and keep the ball live and loose.
play ricki, butch, frans, and jean….its not about that jean has been the form inside this year, he is a great player…and having butch inside and jean outside frans steyn has the potential to be a devastingly lethal combination.
Percy also to come back into the side, with JP for Ndgugane, and Jantjies prviding cover for Percy and Jp
30 Jun 2008, 20:05 pm
You going to rest on that measly little cake walk laurel for the next 4 years then you simply are not worthy to be called world champion, only world champions are those that are consistently that, not fly by night fair weather blue moon champs, win in NZ, then you can call yourself a World Champion.
30 Jun 2008, 20:05 pm
#770 skopskiet:it’s entirley a point of view on the matter…
Saturday is the real test because we haven’t played the, never mind mentioning beating them in NZ for ages….but at the moment we are number 1. we havent lost 13 bouts if i’m correct.
If that was a Boxer, i think after winning 13 consecutive fights….he could be a world champion…never mid suffering from possible brain damage
30 Jun 2008, 20:06 pm
think Jacobs will be picked however.. Hope JP makes it though, and plays properly.
30 Jun 2008, 20:08 pm
#772 skopskiet: the point i was trying to make is, there is no need to say a comment like that, except that Saturday is the biggest test match of the year.
Respect the All Blacks and respect yourself, you are what you are, and you are what you believe…if we aren’t world champions who is then?
And i believe entirely that the time for talking is voer and they have to perform on Saturday, because a win is what is expected
30 Jun 2008, 20:08 pm
We will see an All Black team on Saturday that is as good as ever.
That is for sure.
We have 2 things going in our favour:
1 John Smit
2 The seasoned, hard, experienced players
We just have to hope these players are selected, and that John Smit can convince the coaching team to not try anything risky in our game plan.
30 Jun 2008, 20:09 pm
#769 zeitgeist:
Who’s talking inferiority complexes, sending 2nd string whipping boys down there knowing you going to get thumped, thats what I call inferiority complexes, as long as they go on the field to win and not capitulate like they did on July 15th 2006 – whether they win or lose, long as they go in to fight it out, then there’s no inferiority complex to my way of seeing things.
30 Jun 2008, 20:09 pm
Ja we are World Champions for the next 4 years. The way it goes, like it or not, that’s a fact.
We may not be no 1 (however we are now) in world for 4 years.
The test on saturday is important, but nothing will take the RWC achievement away.
30 Jun 2008, 20:12 pm
#774 zeitgeist: if that is true i think it has to be because of the so stated emotional loyalty to a player, i think it is a weak decision and as much as a like Adi i think he will be exposed.
And mind games possibly, but playing mind games it’s an art. And its about not getting involved in situations…
30 Jun 2008, 20:14 pm
PdV will soon show us all whether he is out of his depth – as everyone with half a brain can see, his inconsistent media ramblings make him look a little dumbstruck. The fact that he had to be begged to play Butch beggars belief.
I am supporting him and Bokke 100%, he has a 100% winning record and I will give him the benefit of the doubt all the way.
Go Bokke!
30 Jun 2008, 20:15 pm
#778 zeitgeist: well said
30 Jun 2008, 20:17 pm
I also hope Steyn is centre, but I heard PdV was going to keep him at half back, not move him all over..
30 Jun 2008, 20:17 pm
Put a ceiling on it if thats how you prefer to call it, its just one competition amongst many, happens to come around every 4 years, like all the other perennial competitions, put a feather in your cap and crow about it for the next 4 years if thats what keeps you happy, I’d much rather be beating NZ and Aus year in and year out than fluke through England, Argentina, Fiji and Tonga once every 4 years and believe I’m the World Champ.
30 Jun 2008, 20:23 pm
#783 skopskiet: You are a ******, it wasn’t a fluke, we were the best team there and did everything that was demanded of us. For crying out loud….england beat a pathetic australian pack, and the french seized the oppurtunity and the all blacks obliged in not taking the pudding when it was there albeit a **** ref decision.
You sound like your trying to hate the boks…
30 Jun 2008, 20:25 pm
ouch Skop! Fluke? I suppose you did not even watch the final, you were so disgusted the dirty JW infected Boks even managed to dastardly claw their victories? No wait, I remember reading a mumbled congrats from you the next day!
We all want to beat NZ – idiot! No matter what happens the glorious JW ghost will haunt your every utterance. As long as you see the joke is on you, we can all have a laugh.
If we win on Sat, it will be because JW was not coach. If we lose it will be because he ruined the players with his defensive mindset. You’ve got all your bases covered, no need to be honest.
30 Jun 2008, 20:25 pm
Writing Jacobs off as a weak link with very little substantial evidence to prove it, yet it was Steyn who coughed up the Durban test under pressure, and some others, like the S14 final. Jacobs is probably one of our best attack line runners with far better judgment and read of situations than Steyn, and better hands, and possibly a far quicker mind too, everyone tells me he’s such a liability on defense, well I haven’t seen it with my own eyes yet, first witness the guy f’ng up before you ready to send him to the chopping block.
30 Jun 2008, 20:25 pm
but i agree, i want more than anything to beat new zealand and autralia year in and year out…
The trinations, the lions series, the longest unbeaten record that shoudl already be ours.
30 Jun 2008, 20:28 pm
skopskiet, very little substantial evidence….i haven’t missed a sharks game in 5 years. By the way, i never said Jacobs was abad player, i said he would be exploited and attacked as the weak link.
I think he might provide somthing off the bench where has achieved the most at the sharks…whenever he has started he has been adequate without being outstanding on the majoirty of occassions.
30 Jun 2008, 20:29 pm
The hardest ask for any rugby team in the world is to go to New Zealand and win a test series there.
There is nothing more difficult.
That is why you need the best players you have, and the best preparation you can get before the first test.
You also need a strategic game plan that is perfect for your players.
30 Jun 2008, 20:30 pm
I like Adi too, but he does fall off tackles, if you watched the Wales tests closely. It may be me, but Steyn is pretty solid defensively.
On attack Adi has not shown a lot so far, but has created some nice tries, or helped. He is very small. I mean check kahui, or Nonu against him – they will knock him down, I fear.
30 Jun 2008, 20:32 pm
#789 tight head: and you have to play your best team. the players with experience combined with the talent and passion of youth. the players that have done it before and will not doub themselves in theface of a difficulty situation.
i tell you what, you can beat yourself before you even begin the game
30 Jun 2008, 20:33 pm
This is the real McCoy, the tri nations, where its consistency that wins and the real champion can walk tall, not lose 49-0 one day then come back and win a favorable draw and take the thing by 5 penalties to 2.
The WC is like the FA cup, some 2nd division teams like Barnsley FC sometime beat the Liverpools of the world on occasion but only once in a blue moon. But you won’t find Barnsley winning the premier league.
Same as the 3N, win it consistently, and beat NH competitors home and away consistently, then you are worthy champions.
30 Jun 2008, 20:35 pm
tighthead your points:
1. We may well have the best players available on the park (even though Bj out, CJ, Smit, Steenkamp present a FORMIDDABLE front row)
2. We have NO preperation – no settled combos, no ELV experience for Mattfield,Smit,Monty. But I still feel there is enough experience in the team to do the businness.
3. Game plan. This is the rub for me. If PdV gets this alchemy right, we know the players can do it.
30 Jun 2008, 20:37 pm
#790 zeitgeist: i loved the try he set up for janttjies in the first test…pretty much told him exactly what angle and when to run…
I think Frans Steyn is very solid on defence and very physical and puts in our classsic big hits and can certainly dominate the tackle point as well as clean out…and can be looked after nicely for evryones fears. However i dont think he needs babysitting and must be unleashed to become the force the can potentially come in world rugby. He doesn’t doubt himself…100kg, quick, excellent boot, superb attacking and counter attacking vision…i don’t understand why you wouldn’t have him in your team
30 Jun 2008, 20:37 pm
#791 Seven:
Exactly Seven.
Here are my “seven steps to glory”
Smit, Victor, Bakkies, Schalk, Juan, Butch and Percy.
30 Jun 2008, 20:40 pm
Skop the Tri is also important. Ask NZ if they would want a RWC victory? Do you know that there are many NZ people going to support the bokke on sat. You know why? Because the y support the best team! And they are protesting that GH stupidly ran the RWC campaign.
30 Jun 2008, 20:41 pm
#792 skopskiet: mmmm **** **** **** analogy….**** **** ****
i do agree that you need beat every team home and away, but you never answered my questions…if we arent world champions, who are?
and dont give me a cop out that the title is vacant
30 Jun 2008, 20:42 pm
#793 zeitgeist:
Yes, Zeit.
2 unknowns are which run on team will be selected, and will he not try something stupid in the game plan.
My seven key players are above, but you have to play Steyn and you cannot play Watson.
30 Jun 2008, 20:43 pm
#795 tight head:
Well out of that 7 it was only Bakkies, Schalk and Butch that weren’t present at the 49-0 song in the park, – captain Smit, Victor, Juan, Percy, Habana, FdP, January, Fourie, CJ, Os, Danie, Joe all were,
So you telling me 3 out of 12 makes all the difference?
30 Jun 2008, 20:44 pm
#795 tight head: lol ingeniuous
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