WP’s creative cure
6 Jul 2009
New backs coach Robbie Fleck tells SA Rugby magazine how he plans to fix WP’s attack problems.
When you retired from top-flight rugby, was it always your aim to coach at Western Province?
Not at all. When I retired, I wanted to break away from rugby completely, which I did in the first couple of years. But the call of the game I love was just too great, I just had to return. I played in social games and for the SA Legends team and then I got an opportunity to coach at UCT. I was there for two years and I never really thought it would progress to an opportunity like this. While I didn’t expect an offer from WP, I knew I would regret it if I turned them down. I’m now here until the end of the Currie Cup. We’ll have to sit down and reassess what comes next after the tournament. For now, it’s just a six-month contract.
A lot of top coaches like Rassie Erasmus and Naka Drotské moved straight into coaching after playing. How much of a benefit is it, if at all, to coach at club level first?
The thing about Naka and Rassie is that in their final playing days they were also involved with a bit of coaching and mentoring. It’s not really an uncommon thing these days. For me, it was better to gain experience at club level first. Apart from the technical knowledge you pick up, you learn how to manage players. At club level, you are also allowed to try different things, whereas at Currie Cup or Super 14 level there is far more pressure. It’s more results-driven and so as a new coach you wouldn’t have that freedom to experiment. I’ve gained a lot of confidence from my time with UCT and it’s allowed me to develop my own style of coaching. Hopefully I can bring a few things through to WP, although I’m not saying they’ll work.
You coached at UCT and obviously have a good relationship with the management, and probably a good relationship with Ikeys’ arch-rivals Stellenbosch. How will this benefit WP in the long term?
As a coach in the Varsity Cup you get to see all the youngsters in action, which is a luxury most top coaches don’t have. It will help to know the club scene and the various coaches, but most of all it will help to know what kind of talent we have in this province.
Both you and head coach Allister Coetzee are backline coaches. How is that dynamic going to work?
I report to Allister who will be in charge of the overall team strategy. I will coach the backline using my particular expertise. Allister and I have similar ideas and share the same philosophy in terms of backline play, so that is a great help.
The Stormers had some big problems on attack in the Super 14. Where do you think they went wrong, and how do you aim to fix them in the Currie Cup?
As an outside observer, I did notice one or two things that I feel I can adjust, and it is an area where I feel I can add value. We want to be known as a team that can score tries.
How do you think the Stormers performed under the hybrid ELVs? Are you pleased the most contentious of those laws won’t be used in the Currie Cup?
I don’t think the Stormers got their tactics wrong in the Super 14. In a competition that utilises the hybrid ELVs, you need a good kicking game, and it’s the same for the global ELVs. You can’t risk playing too much rugby in your own half because the breakdown is such a lottery and there’s a good chance of conceding a turnover. So the tactics weren’t wrong in the Super 14, it was more down to poor execution.
You won the 2000 and 2001 Currie Cups in a team renowned for their expansive style. How much has the game changed, and are you disappointed that WP are no longer known as a free-running team? Is it something you want to change?
The game has evolved and as coaches we have to deal with that. Every team in the Super 14 had to adapt, and I think the only two teams that really kept to their traditionally expansive game were the Chiefs and Hurricanes. The kicking game is more important than ever, but at the same time you don’t want to lose the expansive tradition. The real challenge is finding a balance between the two styles. This is where I feel I can help. I think the option-taking in the Super 14 wasn’t great, sometimes the guys kicked when they should have run and vice versa. We need to improve those aspects of the game.
The Stormers suffered a number of injuries throughout the Super 14 that tested their depth. With Conrad Jantjes out for the season and Percy Montgomery retired, how are you feeling about the depth at fullback?
It is an issue of concern, but I’m giving Joe Pietersen my vote of confidence. He ended the Super 14 well and will feature more in next year’s competition. For this year’s Currie Cup we are a bit thin on depth, not just at fullback but in areas like outside centre, lock and prop.
And at flyhalf?
Yes, and at flyhalf. We do have Willem de Waal and Peter Grant to cover that position though. Willem’s proven time and again how valuable his kicking game is to any team. I also think Peter will make a fine No 12. I don’t think enough emphasis is placed on developing inside centres in this country – it’s the most important position on the field. As far as youngsters are concerned, there are a few U21 players we are looking at. [UCT centre] Tiger Bax is one for the future.
Any plans to improve the tactical kicking in the Currie Cup? Will you bring in specialists like Montgomery, perhaps when the British & Irish Lions series has concluded?
Unfortunately we can’t use Monty as he’s contracted to SA Rugby and will be working with the Boks as a kicking consultant. We have a kicking consultant in Greg Hechter and will be working on our execution.
In the Super 14, the Stormers beat the Lions and Cheetahs, and lost narrowly to the Bulls and Sharks. What does this mean in the context of the Currie Cup?
It’s a boost to our chances knowing we’ve done well against the local teams. With all the injuries, we effectively started our Currie Cup team in those latter Super 14 games, so it’s a silver lining that they’ve had a chance to play together. They beat a full-strength Cheetahs team and the Force, and also competed well against a Chiefs side that had a lot of All Blacks. Those youngsters should take plenty
of confidence through to the Currie Cup.
Who do you think are the favourites to win the 2009 Currie Cup title?
The Bulls and Sharks will lose a number of players to the Springboks so they’ll play second-string sides for the majority of the tournament, but the Cheetahs will only lose a couple to the national team. They’re probably the best placed side at the moment.
Obviously you always aim to win the tournament at the start of it, but what is a realistic ambition for WP this year?
Province are in a bit of rebuilding phase but I think anything less than a top-four finish would be considered a failure. WP is a results-driven union and we accept that. This Currie Cup is about building towards next year’s Super 14, but Rassie [the WP senior professional coach] has stressed the importance of doing well in the Currie Cup itself. We are aiming to qualify for the semis and get some momentum before our Boks get back from the Tri-Nations. With our Boks back in the mix, I believe we’ll be a different prospect later in the competition. I think it wouldn’t matter if we ended up playing the Bulls at Loftus in the semi-finals. We’d beat them with our Boks back in the team, but we have to get into that position first.
By Jon Cardinelli
– This article first appeared in SA Rugby magazine
34 Comments
6 Jul 2009, 09:53 am
Flattering to deceive.
6 Jul 2009, 10:00 am
Province have been in a rebuilding phase for the past 6 years….get the cheque book out and get the correct personnel in place , start bringing winning rugby back to Newlands……the fans deserve nothing more…..our loyalty is being stretched to the limit………time for all the talking to stop and let the “doing” begin !!!!!!
Good luck though Robbie !!!
6 Jul 2009, 10:13 am
Rassie would do well to do the following:
Assistant Coach: Robbie Fleck
Assistant Coach: Balie Swart
Fullback: Louis Ludik
Outside Centre: Jacques Fourie
Inside Centre: De Wet Barry
Flyhalf: Derick Hougaard
Props: CJ van der Linde, BJ Botha, Guthro Steenkamp
6 Jul 2009, 10:17 am
you really don’t have to be creative, Fleckie. I would rather watch boring winning rugby at this stage than expansive, thrilling, getting our butts kicked rugby
6 Jul 2009, 10:31 am
#3 RugbyStudent: or not
6 Jul 2009, 10:56 am
Fleckie was reknown dirty player…hmmm just what province needs. Kak dirty players. There are so many kiwis that can do a better job.
Look at the choice of Muller who is an old boy club selection. The old boy club lives on…
6 Jul 2009, 10:59 am
#3 RugbyStudent: Donner!! Jy draai nie doekies om nie!! As hulle net vir Balie Swart en BJ Botha kry sal ek klaar baie happy wees.
6 Jul 2009, 11:28 am
#6 KevinRack: Ignorance must be bliss…
Fleck has been coaching UCT for the past two years, most tries scored in first year, and no dirty play. SO what if he is an “old boy” great that Province is actually cultivating local talent.
So if you have a rugby opinion then maybe you could make that – but just being bitter and ignorant is just wasting our time!
6 Jul 2009, 11:40 am
Ag, WEEPEEE sal maar average bly……. hehehe
6 Jul 2009, 11:52 am
Eish Fleckie – check out the Silver Fox dude
It cant get worse at WP so good luck
6 Jul 2009, 12:04 pm
Lesson 1 : Don’t stop running before you’ve crossed the try line, or else the opposition centre might just tackle you from behind so hard you loose the ball forward and don’t score the try.
6 Jul 2009, 12:14 pm
i just dont see Province anywere this season. Keep on buying “old” players? Give the youngsters a chance.
6 Jul 2009, 12:16 pm
Where are the tight forwards?
Sorry folks, more of the same is going to be dished up this season.
Unless WP breed a culture of tough forward play and sign some class tight forwards we are going to get our asses handed to us.
Who cares if we beat a few weakened unions n a watered down bore a thon Currie cup?
6 Jul 2009, 12:50 pm
Flippen hell! How long are these guys “building” for???!!
6 Jul 2009, 12:51 pm
Will WP continue to play Koster on the wing now that Lulu has gone?
6 Jul 2009, 12:52 pm
Last year we were told the same thing by the WP coaching staff, that the currie cup doesnt matter, its all about building towards the s14.
All that currie cup building last year worked brilliantly in the s14!
6 Jul 2009, 12:55 pm
#14 Supa 14 Kampioene!:
It gonna be one helluva team when theyve finished building since they have been building for 6 years.
6 Jul 2009, 13:00 pm
#17 Supa 14 Kampioene!: Miskien bou hulle net met swak stene en swak ou cement….. hehehe
6 Jul 2009, 13:05 pm
#18 grootblousmile:
hehehe – ja, Brock en AJ is nou die sterkste stene om mee te bou nie.
Dink hulle moet ophou bou en dalk eerder van heelbo af begin afbreek en die dasknapies laat gaan!
6 Jul 2009, 13:07 pm
Lack of depth at 13….so they sign Frikkie Welsh….HA HA HA HA HA!!!!!
6 Jul 2009, 13:08 pm
#20 Supa 14 Kampioene!: Daai Tobie Titus (Tight ***) en Rob Wagner MOET 1ste gefire word…
6 Jul 2009, 13:15 pm
#21 grootblousmile:
Stem saam oor Toby Tietkop hulle. Die Wes-Kaap lewer top spelers (seker die meeste van al die streke) op maar dan verdwyn daai outjies almal Noorde toe en word sterre hier.
Wie ookal die rol vervul wat Ian Schwartz by die Bulle doen, moet ook afgedank word. Daar is te veel talent wat gly.
6 Jul 2009, 13:30 pm
The big question is, has this ‘boykie’ grown up, or are his mates still the most important things in his life?
Big pisscat, with big talent, but no direction in life.
Also, WP problems start at the top, they have problems with their marketing, recruiting, coaching, talent spotting and administration before they get near a rugby field.
6 Jul 2009, 13:43 pm
The closest Fleckie came to identifying the lack of tries was to say, “I did notice one or two things that I feel I can adjust, and it is an area where I feel I can add value.”
Hell, I hope so… as that is why they hired you.
Coaching Varsity Cup, where tries are favoured over defence, is a far cry from planning to scoring tries at CC and S14 level.
6 Jul 2009, 14:17 pm
#16 Supa 14 Kampioene!: I was thinking the same thing. That’s what they said last year, but the side still seems the same.
#24 seamus: This year, it was quite different in the Varsity Cup. More emphasis was put on defence (sadly).
But can Fleckie do worse? They need to bring in more quality, especially in the toight five. Or they may have no chance of making the semis by the time their Boks return.
6 Jul 2009, 16:22 pm
#15 Loosehead: Thought Luke was playing Currie Cup this season then going to Bath???
As Fleckie right says, if we get the Bulls at Loftus in the semis we’ll win anyway. Gotta love his confidence if nothing else!!
6 Jul 2009, 17:31 pm
Go Fleckie!!
Proooooooooooooooooooooooooovvvvviiiinnncceeee
6 Jul 2009, 20:51 pm
Fleckie was a good player in his day.
But I also remember 2 distinct things about him:
a. That Deon Kayser tackle; he assumed he was in for a 5 pointer, but Kayser surprised him- basically came from nowhere
b. Has quite a bit of a temper
I think he will help them attack better, but I sincerely hope he will not replicate (a) and (b) above esp with the likes of Naqalavukis there…
6 Jul 2009, 20:57 pm
#28 Sheriff: daai tackle was classic lag nou nog as ek dit sien.amper soos BOD se onderskep poging wat hom as ‘n slowpoke laat uitstaan het
7 Jul 2009, 05:00 am
Take whatever help you can get boys.
7 Jul 2009, 06:38 am
The problem with WP/Stormers is that the union/franchise is still run on old ironclad business principles.There’s one big business principle, ‘If your strategy is not working, stop, change it’. Unfortunately its been much of the same. Even Einstein said, ‘The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over with success’
7 Jul 2009, 06:41 am
Sorry ‘without success’
7 Jul 2009, 11:42 am
Yeah well…can’t see them getting any worse…only better from here on….like the look of Jack to strengthen the scrum…don’t NZ have any front rows for sale..??
7 Jul 2009, 12:06 pm
I’m quite happy fleckie is there – he’s done some great things with UCT. Also he believes in the local talent, none of this buying old players from everywhere. He’s the reason Bax got a game in the Super 14 – the boy has class!!! If they want to buy anyone get Heinie Adams, with a proper scrumhalf our backline might actually score some tries. The tight 5…buy the Argentinian pack, ours is useless!
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