Treu: ‘We have to regroup’
14 Dec 2009
Paul Treu lamented the Springbok Sevens’ poor start to their World Series title defence.
Last season, the Blitzboks were in a strong position after winning both cup finals at the Dubai and George Sevens, which set the platform for them to go on and secure their first World Series title.
After two tournaments in the 2009-10 season, however, the Boks find themselves in a disappointing eighth place on the World Series log on 16 points, trailing leaders New Zealand by 32 points.
Treu’s men have shown no sign of the form they had last year and their low self-confidence has been clear in their lackluster performances.
‘It is very disappointing for us,’ said Treu. ‘We came into the first two tournaments as defending champions and to have lost in both plate finals, that’s not the result that we were expecting.
‘But that’s life, it’s going to knock you down, there’s going to be obstacles in your way and unfortunately for us we’ll just have to regroup and look forward to the next two tournaments.’
To be fair to the Boks, they have lost key individuals because of injury and disciplinary issues, leaving Treu with quite an inexperienced squad comparing to the one he had last year, which included the likes of Robert Ebersohn, Lionel Mapoe and Gio Aplon who have committed to their respective Super 14 franchises.
Stalwart Marius Schoeman was absent for the opening Dubai tournament due to a calf strain, while Neil Powell picked up a shoulder injury that ruled him out for the George Sevens.
The in form Rayno Benjamin also missed the South African leg as he was suspended for verbal abuse against Treu and team-mates, and the Boks’ situation worsened as they lost skipper Paul Delport in the opening fixtures because of injury.
But Treu still believes the other experienced players have not stepped up thus far.
‘We had an excellent run last year. We only used 17 players and I don’t think it’s ever going to happen again, said Treu.
‘We were a bit unlucky with the injuries but it’s still no excuse for me because I was disappointed by our senior players. I expect them to step up and I don’t think they were fully committed to their roles and responsibilities but that’s a learning curve and hopefully the guys will learn and not make the same mistakes again.’
42 Comments
14 Dec 2009, 07:28 am
Don’t be too hard on yourself – this side is missing several key players from last year. But everyone else is getting better, so keep going at it!
14 Dec 2009, 07:38 am
When your supposed best player is an alleged foul mouthed druggie what do you expect.
14 Dec 2009, 09:36 am
NZ is back on track and building nicely to a Sevens gold medal at the next Olympics.
14 Dec 2009, 09:56 am
@TheTackler:
write them up…
but we all know that when it really counts in once-off tourneys like the World Cup (7s and 15s) and Olympics, they’ll choke…!!!
14 Dec 2009, 10:04 am
True looks like a dragqueen …
14 Dec 2009, 10:09 am
@Bokke:
we’ll have to defer to your obvious expertise in that area…!!
14 Dec 2009, 10:39 am
Any good Sevens side needs two things- a playmaker and a finisher.
Last year we had Dazael and Ebersohn as playmakers and Zanqwa and Aplon as a finishers.
Now we have a bunch of yeomen like workers, but no playmaker and no finishers.
1. Bring back Benjamen as a finisher, and get some snot fast kid to come and finish. A young Breyton Paulse, Brent Russel, Phillip Burger of sorts.
2. Bring back dazael to assist Stick with the playmaking….
Then we will be back on the winning path. Kyle Brown and Frankie Horne both playing good forward rugby.
14 Dec 2009, 10:40 am
@ufo:
lol
Come on UFO,surely you dont want to talk about the Olmpics. I think the SA flag at the Olmpics head quarters is hanging up by a window,sort of a curtain,keeping the sunlight of the monitors. Only time it gets used and seen.
14 Dec 2009, 10:41 am
@Cheetha Champs: My point is proven with the Kiwis. They have their playmaker back – Zar Lawrence, and have brought in Stowers… A real fast finisher.
14 Dec 2009, 10:43 am
@Hurricane: Sad but very true
14 Dec 2009, 10:45 am
@Hurricane:
just keeping Tackler honest…
an impossible task though…!!
14 Dec 2009, 10:47 am
@ufo:
haha
You know its a waste of time.
I had to find your post UFO,you mentioned it in the other thread,i couldnt help myself
14 Dec 2009, 10:52 am
Def missing a playmaker and real speedster. Some pretty average referring over the weekend too.
14 Dec 2009, 11:13 am
@Hurricane:
a lost cause I know…
I understand… just like I couldn’t help myself answering him on (what was) such a slow day on keo…
14 Dec 2009, 12:08 pm
One huge slip by NZ and Fiji and Blitzboks may be back in the hunt. That requires, of course, reaching semis.
14 Dec 2009, 12:11 pm
Keo PLEASE don’t send updates about 7’s. It is n stupid game played by average players.
…and saying 7’s is rugby ……………is like saying soccer and ice hockey are the same because you score a goal playing them
14 Dec 2009, 13:32 pm
@Tsudanie:
******!
14 Dec 2009, 20:38 pm
The fact is that we got more professional and better conditioned last year than the others. This year they have caught up.
Except that this year we have smaller guys, and still dont have an adge on outright pace. Hell those Islander types are big AND very fast.
So we eiher need extreme pace (out wide at least) and tight defensive system in the middle with big guys who are reasonably fast and great playmakers; or we need fast, big guys to match the Kiwis and Kenyans.
14 Dec 2009, 22:36 pm
@TheTackler: Yeah NZ are peaking nice and early, just in time for the Olympics in 2016!!!
14 Dec 2009, 23:37 pm
@Hurricane:
Yeah, but at least we only have one flag, which we fly proudly and use as a symbol to unify the Nation. Can you say the same?
15 Dec 2009, 02:50 am
Treu has STILL not coached his try-scorers to run the ball around and dot it down near to/under the goalposts.
Against Kenya the kicker booted his droppie-conversion from almost right on the touchline! A great conversion, but was it really necessary to make it so hard for him when the try-scorer ran over unchallenged far out on the wing and then immediately dotted down? There are TWO EXTRA POINTS at stake, every time a try is scored.
15 Dec 2009, 03:28 am
@TheTackler:
wow! Insightfull
15 Dec 2009, 04:50 am
The try-scorer is obviously not aware he’s playing a team sport. He crosses the line, thrilled that the try going to be behind his name and dots down asap. If the kicker flubs the conversion kick, that’s not the try-scorer’s problem. He’s got his try. That’s all that matters.
15 Dec 2009, 08:50 am
@TheTackler: Agree in principle, but the kenyan example is a bad one. The scorer had two kenyans on his back, and there is no way he could have passed, ran it around to make the conversion easier
My main concern is with the age old adage of running straight and drawing defenders. Something the Kiwis abnd especially the English did very well, and we did very poorly.
15 Dec 2009, 12:27 pm
7′s
What a snooze fest **** game **** players. Snooze fest!!!!!!
15 Dec 2009, 12:49 pm
Pretty much a predictable result.
I have no complains, I don’t event watch that travesty called 7′s
16 Dec 2009, 00:18 am
@whatever:
Each to their own Whatever. I still have one flag,but atleast we take note of the other races in NZ. And i dont leave my country /flag behind,how about you?
16 Dec 2009, 00:19 am
@whatever:
And by the way,who voted for your flag. I think 70% of your country probably had no say in what flag they had
16 Dec 2009, 00:37 am
@Hurricane:
Haha, a-hole, which flag you gonna wave? SA has one and it unites the Nation. I’ll ask again, Do you?
16 Dec 2009, 00:39 am
Mate, fix up the mess in your own divided country before having a dig at mine!
16 Dec 2009, 00:40 am
@Hurricane:
Ignorance!
16 Dec 2009, 02:20 am
@whatever:
Unites the Nation???
So obvioulsy it didnt unite you as you have left SA to come to NZ. If you dont like our Divided country as you call it then leave,go back to the undivided,no crimes/killings country called SA.
By the way i would have thought after you got through puberty the other day,the name calling would have stopped,looks like a bit of growing up is yet to happen
16 Dec 2009, 05:16 am
@Hurricane:
Classic, you missed the point yet again!! You throw out a dig at SA and it’s flag, but take exception when I point out that you have two flags that are gonna fly on Waitangi Day? And if you read the press reports and letters to the editors it has caused a huge divide. I was merely stating a fact.
What has where I live got to do with anything?? I am still a Saffa and love my country.
And you must get called an a-hole daily. Would have thought you were used to it by now.
17 Dec 2009, 02:32 am
@whatever: Listen, dipshite, when you understand Te Reo, or our culture and are part of it you may comment on it, we all are united and not divided, unlike some countries I could name, that are supposed to be united, dosn’t seem to be any race riots, we don’t see the need to have racialy selected teams, we don’t have a group of locals dressing up in Saffa colours when the bokes play (other than the expats), I see you keep mentioning the your flag and how it unites the nation, oh, say thats why you have one the most herendous murder rates, rapes, and violent crimes in the world, doofuss, if thats what call unite, keep it.
17 Dec 2009, 02:37 am
@whatever: No you were not stating a fact, you were stating what you saw in the newspapers, asked any kiwi’s what they think, is there going to be mass riots, listen the flag debate has been going on for as long as I can remember even back in 1959 and 1960, no race riots, or discontent, we just get on with it, people unite a country, not a bit of cloth!!!!!!
17 Dec 2009, 02:43 am
@whatever: Nothing divided here doofuss, your not in jappie land now, we all get on the bus together all go to the same school, WTF are you on about, if your talking about the flag debate, why don’t we talk about the foreshore debate, and the land debate, we could go on for hours, so don’t comment on issues you know sweet FA about eh??
17 Dec 2009, 02:45 am
@CHAZ:
Did I mention mass riots knobend? No I did not, I mentioned that NZ can now fly two seperate flags on the National Day. I was also just defending an attack on my flag so go F. U K yourself! You obviously picked up the end of a thread and jumped in without bothering to read the whole thread. Typical of an insecure dooos!
17 Dec 2009, 02:46 am
@CHAZ:
It’s becomming Saffa land ya doos, we taking over, get used to it!
17 Dec 2009, 02:55 am
Oh, and One flag is the NZ flag and the other is a new Maori flag. Not divided? Go figure. You just have to listen to one of the Maori Party (Yes Maori party? Race? who knows)MP’s calling people who accused him of squandering taxpayers money for sightseeing in Paris whist he was meant to be in an official meeting in a different city.. “white m…..f….ckers” Nice chap.
Nah mate, it’s mild but you sure as hell do not have plain sailing with race relations. Take your head out of the sand you dumb F. U . K
18 Dec 2009, 02:19 am
@whatever:
So you said i had a crack at your flag??
You are the one missing the point dipshit.
It was all about the Olympics. We all know SA dont do very good at the Olympics,i was not having go at you or your flag or your country .You are the one at the start having a crack at a divided NZ,as if SA are the land of Unity. Piss off and think about what you are saying.
@whatever:
And again,its our country,not yours as you have stated. We run our own country,even though we run if different to yours,you must admit we have done it better than you so far. So stop with the differnt race party,who cares,its the way we do it,no problem with another race having there say is their?
18 Dec 2009, 03:05 am
@Hurricane:
Mate, I was just stating a fact. If you don’t like it tough shi.t Or is that tough S.it without the “h”?
Also, why you always having a crack at SA? Better still you piss off and go an think about things?
Oh, and FYI it’s my country just as much as yours
18 Dec 2009, 11:23 am
@whatever:
lol
Yeah of course its your country as well,but according to post 30 it seems to be my country as it seems you dont want nothing to do with it.
By the way you said i attacked your flag,i respect your flag and South Africans as a people.I did not attack your flag i was merely joking with UFO and a couple of others who actually took it what is was, a joke,you took it the wrong way. So for that i apologise to you.
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