Boks affected by World Cup fever
22 Jun 2010
Peter de Villiers said he made a few mistakes before the Witbank Test, while the soccer World Cup caused the Boks to lose focus.
On Saturday, De Villiers and captain on the day Victor Matfield said they hadn’t been affected by a lackadaisical approach in the build-up to the Test, which saw ‘schoolboy errors’ – as the coach put it – litter their performance. Nick Mallett felt otherwise and said the Boks would always find it difficult to be up for a Test against the European minnows.
De Villiers has since changed his view and said they let a few bad habits creep into their preparation. The Boks travelled to Pretoria on Wednesday night to watch Bafana Bafana lose 3-0 to Uruguay, and while De Villiers said it was part of nation-building, it wasn’t something the players were accustomed to.
‘We drove over 100km to watch the soccer and were still on the road at 1am. It’s not something we normally do in a Test week. It’s important we make a contribution to out country, but maybe we could’ve done it differently,’ said De Villiers.
‘Maybe I made a few mistakes before the game, I can’t just look outside. We’ve got to minimise those mistakes.’
The Boks are now in East London, and can’t say they’ve been hit with soccer fever. Yes, the local public are interested in the event, but the nearest World Cup host city is 300km away in Port Elizabeth.
De Villiers wasn’t complimentary of his side’s performance, and said they would remain focused this week without any sideshows.
‘It’s very important we stick to our routines. Some of the new guys who are having their first chance with the Boks may have noticed all the distractions and got a false impression of what Bok rugby is about. We can’t let that happen again.’
John Smit and Schalk Burger still have to prove their fitness and De Villiers is expected to name his side on Tuesday or Thursday, with not as many first-choice players rested as first thought. Only Victor Matfield isn’t in the 24-man group, while De Villiers is expected to name a few players out of position.
Jean de Villiers ran at wing on Monday, and if that is the case he wouldn’t have had a decent run at No 12 before the Tri-Nations begins. Coach De Villiers didn’t confirm the move but explained his reasoning.
‘We all know Jean. I’ll repeat what I’ve said – what we didn’t have last year was the luxury to select and choose players, we had to take players. Last year we had about 20 guys, with a clear distinction between the better ones and not-so-good ones. This year we analysed the opposition, and looked to see what our players can bring to the team.
‘With all the changes we’ve made in the last three weeks, everyone has been on a par.’
De Villiers said he has pretty much sorted out the 26 players who will tour for the overseas leg of the Tri-Nations, which begins on 10 July. The squad may be announced as early as Saturday evening, depending on the medical situation after the Test. Otherwise, it will be released early next week.
‘You always have to experiment. If not with different players, then with the way you play. Otherwise the other rugby nations will catch up with us.
‘This is the last of four weeks of preparation and I’m 75% sure of who will go on the tour.’
By Grant Ball, in East London
106 Comments
Pages: [1] 2 3 » Show All
22 Jun 2010, 05:40 am
Habs diving antics and his stare at the touchie comes to mind.
Butch brain **** is another.
22 Jun 2010, 05:46 am
‘Jean de Villiers ran at wing on Monday’
he looks short of a yard of pace these days so I’m not sure that’s the best idea
22 Jun 2010, 05:47 am
If they’re distracted by the soccer even when they’re not even in the same town, imagine how they’d fall to pieces if they had their pretty WAGS sitting directly behind the goalposts like that poor Spanish goalie!
22 Jun 2010, 07:21 am
As a coach you may want to at times attack Pdv for this or that but as a man I think he is a top block – readily admiting his wrong, honest etc…
22 Jun 2010, 07:24 am
one would think they’d be distracted by the meisies in witbank, but i guess not…
22 Jun 2010, 07:28 am
As a much we don’t like to admit it, I think to be a south african rugby, you have to be a politician and as far that is concerned he has really upped his level. Like playing Butch at 12, that was a masterstroke in foiling the potential insults that could be directed at the so called quota players. He did it so well people didnt even notice…
22 Jun 2010, 07:54 am
ag k@K man …what does Matfield, Spies, Bakkies etc worry about the Soccer …. idiot PDV
22 Jun 2010, 08:27 am
@quotas_sux(quota_conrad_jantjies_is_jorrie_muller)-7:
Shame.
Spoilt your day?
22 Jun 2010, 08:31 am
nope prawn …. france will, if they beat bafana .. see i’m a betting man … i have no favourite team, except the ones i have money on … even if i have to support NZ against the boks…
22 Jun 2010, 08:32 am
@quotas_sux(quota_conrad_jantjies_is_jorrie_muller)-7: I am assuming you know these men personally.
if not i can tell you that matfield has even attended matches overseas and spies is a keen supporter.
In saying that… the article wasnt stating their support but rather the disruption the logistics and the adhoc way that the boks went about midweek to go to pretiria.Hello
22 Jun 2010, 08:33 am
@quotas_sux(quota_conrad_jantjies_is_jorrie_muller)-9: Lol a betting man with no allegiance to his own country..HAHA you are the REAL JORRIE as your name suggests..
22 Jun 2010, 08:37 am
@quotas_sux(quota_conrad_jantjies_is_jorrie_muller)-7:
I think he was referring to driving to the game from Witbank and only getting back at 1.00am as being the distraction from their normal builup.
22 Jun 2010, 08:42 am
@quotas_sux(quota_conrad_jantjies_is_jorrie_muller)-9: You also said Mexico would beat bafana 6 nil or was that 12 nil, D!ck head. Gee your bookie must be be rolling in the money.
Get help mate you know **** all about sport.
22 Jun 2010, 08:44 am
i saw the cheetahs on blitz this morning talking about bafana, juan, hendro scholtz & naka chucking their lot behind bafana
22 Jun 2010, 08:48 am
Well done, Peter. It takes a good man to admit when he’s wrong.
South African rugby looks healthy with you at the top, and from what I’ve heard, the players are very happy to be playing under you.
Keep it going, Peter. You are proving a lot of doubters wrong.
22 Jun 2010, 08:49 am
johny dude … do you really think i placed a bet that mexico would beat us by 6? … i made a small loss i must admit ..thought mexico would beat us … made up big time on the Uruguay game … lekker banana banana ..
22 Jun 2010, 08:50 am
bet with your head … not your heart. Go france ..!
22 Jun 2010, 08:51 am
@quotas_sux(quota_conrad_jantjies_is_jorrie_muller)-16:
Waar bly jy.
Danville?
Alberton?
22 Jun 2010, 08:52 am
@quotas_sux(quota_conrad_jantjies_is_jorrie_muller)-17:
I didn’t have to do anything there.
Six guys sommer donnered you at once.
22 Jun 2010, 08:55 am
Uraguay 5 Mexico 0
Bafana 2 France 0
Yippee through we go.
22 Jun 2010, 08:55 am
the place with the best cricket franchise in world …. PE!
22 Jun 2010, 08:57 am
Uraguay 0 – Mexico 0 … they won’t risk anything.
France 2 – Bafana 0
22 Jun 2010, 08:58 am
@quotas_sux(quota_conrad_jantjies_is_jorrie_muller)-21:
ek laaikie PE baie nie…
had to hit a 3iron to carry a bunker 90 meters from me……. had te hit it again…. wind was monster!!!!
22 Jun 2010, 08:59 am
te = to
22 Jun 2010, 09:02 am
Staal , ek weet in daaaaai dae was Naas ook nie mal oor PE nie … Bulle het maar altyd gesukkel op Boet Erasmus
22 Jun 2010, 09:05 am
@quotas_sux(quota_conrad_jantjies_is_jorrie_muller)-25: honestly… 90m.. hit a solid 3 iron and didn’t carry…..
but second one did…. (cause bunker was only 40m from me then)….
Down wind… par 5… driver and 64loft wedge… easy!
22 Jun 2010, 09:18 am
@Staal(Staal)-23: You ever played Milnerton Golf Course? (Sunset Links). Same story. When the S.E’ster comes throug there the back nine is a real bugger. If you use too much loft the ball practically comes right back at you….
22 Jun 2010, 09:18 am
@quotas_sux(quota_conrad_jantjies_is_jorrie_muller)-7: You the biggest farking idiot here. Hou jou bek , Div is in charge and doing a great job at it , muuuuuch better than some his previous White predecessors.
22 Jun 2010, 09:21 am
sparticus … what is PDV real job? .. i mean you have Monty & Os there … then there is D!ck & Gold … hy kry maar baie hulp
22 Jun 2010, 09:29 am
@sparticus(sparticus)-28: why say “white predecessors”?
you become what you hate.
just say PDivvy is doing better than many of the coaches before him.
and he is indeed, in PDivvy we trust.
22 Jun 2010, 09:37 am
@stormersboy(stormersboy)-27: yip but the worst wind ever was at Clovelly…
holy smokes what a struggle!
22 Jun 2010, 09:37 am
@quotas_sux(quota_conrad_jantjies_is_jorrie_muller)-29: He is the head coach. How many guys did Nick have when he was coach ? He had Solly and Meyer to just start off , both of whom are proven rugby tactical geniuses , fark he then had White as his video operator. That was back then , times have changed evens more , the head coach is the man pulling the strings. Get with the program , Div is here to stay cos he deserves the job and already proved himself and made all u haters look like dumbasses. End of story , finish en klaar , he already proved it. What have u achieved ? LOL
22 Jun 2010, 09:40 am
@rangerman(rangerman)-30: Was trying to prove a strong point cos some people can only see in color. Was also trying to highlight Jake White without actually saying so lol. But u right off course , did not mean to drop to his level.
22 Jun 2010, 09:40 am
@sparticus(sparticus)-32: nick had PDivvy as an assistant coach too i think.
22 Jun 2010, 09:42 am
@sparticus(sparticus)-33: its cool, i have supported PDivvy from the start.
22 Jun 2010, 09:50 am
@rangerman(rangerman)-30: thats a change Ranger, end of 08 and no one thought so… heaven forbid he doesnt win the 3Ns this year..
big roundabout being a Bok supporter lmao..
22 Jun 2010, 09:50 am
@rangerman(rangerman)-30: have to agree on the white comment. there are enough bloggers on here who cannot stand the fact that Div and JDJ, Habana, guthro, chili, etc are doing well for the boks.
Their mindsets belong in a different era. Dont fuel the fires they trying to flame. just ignore them and the noise they make will go away.
22 Jun 2010, 09:54 am
i can bet i can coach the boks and achieve the same results with guys like Matfield, Bakkies, Spies, Fourie, Steyn, JDV, Habana, Smit … and help from D!ck, Os, Monty & Gold … i never mentioned colour, but that will always be you Die Son reader’s excuse. White was better IMO …
22 Jun 2010, 09:55 am
@poppa69(poppa69)-36: many of us were vocal in our continued support for the guy in 2008 pops.
sure, the 3n was a washout but we won in dunedin and smashed aus 53-8 as well as an unbeaten eoyt where we beat england 42-6 at twickenham (i was there).
no, many of us supported him then just as we do now mate.
@moedeloos(moedeloos)-37: funnily enough, the majority of saffas support ALL our players. but the friction comes from both sides mate.
cant wait for the 3n to start.
22 Jun 2010, 09:56 am
PDivvy has a 67% success rate at the moment.
Now he just needs a Rugby World Cup title, and he’ll be the most successful Springbok coach ever…
22 Jun 2010, 09:56 am
@poppa69(poppa69)-36: Poppa, problem with some people are that they often react on emotion especially when confronted with things they are not used to.
Lots of people judged Div on a non-rugby basis when he was appointed. They ignored his rugby credentials. (one of the only coaches who coached at every level of rugby from club rugby, where he coached his club to the championsip, to National level. Only job he did not have was S14, but was appointed coach of the Spears before SARU screwed them over)
The honest guys a remaking an about turn based on his track record as Bok coach. The others who dont support him still judge him for non-rugby reasons. (get my point)
22 Jun 2010, 09:58 am
@rangerman(rangerman)-39:
And many of us – like me – had to defend Peter de Villiers at every turn and corner on here.
Remember the *** tape allegations, the so-called “open secrets” that senior players were coaching the team, Jake White SMS’ing the players instructions from the bushes…
Eish. Those days were bad, bra.
22 Jun 2010, 09:59 am
@rangerman(rangerman)-39: agreed, friction comes from both sides. you often find people retaliating which often is stupid as it divides more than it helps matters.
all i want is honest and objective analysis and commentary. No emotional, subjective ****
22 Jun 2010, 10:00 am
@rangerman(rangerman)-39: I know mate… but it would be interesting, especially if he doesnt select the best players
@moedeloos(moedeloos)-41: understand fully… didnt he have a successful youth team? I think hes grown in the job and his rugby nous does indeed seem knowledgeable.. still could use a Publicity person to assist this side of his tenure, but experience will also help that aspect IMO.
22 Jun 2010, 10:05 am
@poppa69(poppa69)-44:
He probably needs to work on his media skills, yes, but he’s a lot more understandable in his mother language, Afrikaans.
I personally think he must just have a translator and then conduct all his interviews in Afrikaans.
22 Jun 2010, 10:05 am
@Staal(Staal)-31:
Doen my ‘n groot guns
Vat asb hierdie quota sux onder jou vlerk in en maak hom wys.
Hy weet nog nie dat die petrol enjin ontdek is.
22 Jun 2010, 10:09 am
@poppa69(poppa69)-44: Yes he did.
Played at the highest level he was allowed – SARU (Black Boks)
Coached Tygerberg rugby club to WP championship
Coached falcons in Currie Cup
WP assistant/backline coach
Appointed Spears Coach with view of playing in S14
Bok assistant coach under Mallet
U21 coach of succesful world champs
Emerging Bok coach
Bok coach with ever improving success rate
He also has a level 3 International coaching qualification obtained in Wales (paid for by himself to advance his credentials and learn)
He certainly is learning from his mistakes. He will never make everyone happy with everything he does (me included) but given time he will be one of the greats. Hi gaffes are embarrasing at times, but makes things entertaining. As long as he has the support of the players, especially the senior players I am happy.
22 Jun 2010, 10:09 am
@WP Till I Die(WP-Forever)-45: granted, its not his mother tongue… hence the translator would be a sensible approach… I actually dont mind his comments, better then the bland and cliched stuff we get from every other coach and often the players…
you know, back to the drawing board, pleased with the efforts of the boys, stuff to work on etc etc..
22 Jun 2010, 10:09 am
dawn whats your name on facebook
22 Jun 2010, 10:10 am
It is amazing how much c r a p can come out of PdV mouth…
Pages: [1] 2 3 » Show All
Have your say
You must be logged in to post a comment.