To refresh or retain?
27 Sep 2010
RYAN VREDE asks if eight Tests is enough time to prepare the Springboks for a World Cup title defence should the coaches be bulleted?
The likelihood is that the head coach Peter de Villiers and his assistants, Gary Gold and Dick Muir, will get a stay of execution when they face a review panel in Cape Town on Monday. This despite their diabolical record since November 2009 (they’ve lost eight of 13 matches, with three of those victories against lowly Italy). However, to predict a definite course of action for an organisation as unpredictable and inconsistent as the South African Rugby Union would be foolish, and the trio would be foolish to assume their jobs are safe.
Rapport reported on Sunday that Gold and Muir were in the firing line. Certainly Muir must be accountable for the side’s attacking impotence in the Tri-Nations. Thirteen tries in six Tests under laws that promote attacking play is unacceptable. Likewise, Gold’s forwards were largely diabolical, while the Springboks leaked tries (22) with infuriating and alarming ease.
However, to exonerate De Villiers, the key decision maker and chief selector, would be ludicrous. Neither Muir nor Gold selected the team’s best defensive organiser, Jean de Villiers, at wing. Neither advocated the omission of a specialist openside flank after Francois Louw was jettisoned, a selection decision that meant the opposition were consistently able to recycle quickly at the breakdown, and in so doing pressure the Springboks’ defensive line. De Villiers was the one who consistently picked severely fatigued players. And it certainly wasn’t his wingmen heaping pressure on the side with questionable, absurd and oft illogical offerings in the media.
If one goes, all should, and vice-versa. Loyalty is one of De Villiers’ strongest traits, and that quality will be tested should one or both of his assistants feel the cold sting of the axe.
The cost involved in that course of action will be a major deterrent for the governing body (they are contracted until after the World Cup). But the question of time, not money, must be the starting point of any decision to alter the coaching staff.
At this point any new regime would effectively have eight Tests (less if they opt to rest players at any stage) to prepare the team for their title defence. It will be a testing hospital job, and one that will demand a tactically astute coach with a clear plan and vision (among other attributes), as well as one willing to risk his reputation and credibility should he fail – defined by the vast majority of the country’s rugby fraternity as the inability to retain the World Cup.
Jake White has already stated his willingness to accept that challenge should it present itself, but whether other potential candidates, the likes of Bulls director of rugby Heyneke Meyer or Western Province head coach Allister Coetzee, would be as enthusiastic is debatable. Meyer has built a reputation for casting and achieving long-term goals, and it is doubtful that he would be taken by the prospect of a quick fix.
The question of would they or others should be coupled with can they? Can a new coach/coaching staff with a different playing philosophy mould the unit into one formidable enough to guard the gold? Would they have enough time to build depth in troublesome positions – fullback and flyhalf the most urgent of those? Can they earn the respect of the senior players, so crucial to the mood and potency of the collective?
These and other questions must be carefully considered by the review panel, if indeed they decide that a change of regime is needed after the embattled incumbent coaching staff plead their cases. With under a year to go until the showpiece tournament, it would be a bold move, and one that they will have to be equally accountable for should they retain the troubled triumvirate.
Of course, if the relative insignificance of a four-yearly tournament was appreciated, it would be a simple call.
Follow SA Rugby mag on Twitter
86 Comments
Pages: « 1 [2] Show All
27 Sep 2010, 12:04 pm
Boks will not retain the World Cup with PDV , Muir and Gold …..thats reality !! We need Brussouw , Vermeulen , Lambie , Mvovu in the mix , and a some coaches who can play to the new rules !!
27 Sep 2010, 13:06 pm
I always rated Jon Mitchell and thought he was knifed in the back by the impatient, demented Kiwis (not that different from SA fans) – what he has done in such a SHORT TIME with the Lions beggars belief; if time and coach-competence are your variables he is certainly a front-line contender.
And pigs will fly if they pick him.
So to the others who could make a difference – Jake White (BUT he must have Eddie Jones to correct him) – or Henyneke – though as somebody as accurately pointed out, he is a long-termer.
You can bet your house P. De V. will keep his job and this whole article and the blogs are wishful thinking.
And SA rugby – the Boks – will pay the price.
27 Sep 2010, 13:33 pm
Duncan I agree with you that South Africa has no chance of winning the World Cup.
De Villiers Muir and Gould where handed the most talented group of rugby players South Africa has ever produced in a single era.
What have these ******* achieved – they have taken the World Champions from number 1 in the world to the laughing stock of rugby world.
Like everything else South African, you apoint an unqualified empowerment candidate into a position with no experience – all you get is absolute chaos and second rate achievements.
Look at what can be achieved if a coach is appointed on merit and experience (namely John Mitchell at the Lions)he has taken a bunch of raw talent and moulded them into a competative Currie Cup team. He commands respect and diciplne from his players unlike devilliers and **** the pr!ck who are more interested in the players “china’s”
South African Rugby supporters – expect to be disappointed next year, you may make the 1/4 finals but don’t expect to go further than that, because your trusted politically appointed coach doesn’t even know who he is playing……….!!!!!!!
27 Sep 2010, 13:37 pm
@Mighty Horua(Mighty Horua)-30: Easy really…. because he is white!
27 Sep 2010, 13:39 pm
@Tisme(Tisme)-54: Jakey White also white
27 Sep 2010, 13:41 pm
@Mighty Horua(Mighty Horua)-30: Because Pdv has his fingers in other people’s pies…
27 Sep 2010, 13:45 pm
@Mighty Horua(Mighty Horua)-55: Yes, but Pdivvy did not apply then now did he?
27 Sep 2010, 13:46 pm
@Mighty Horua(Mighty Horua)-55: Come to think of it what person of another colour did apply for Jake’s term?
27 Sep 2010, 13:50 pm
@Tisme(Tisme)-58: Chester
27 Sep 2010, 13:55 pm
Jake White submitted a late application for the Bok coach after WC2003 and
SARVUSARU allowed it27 Sep 2010, 13:56 pm
@J.B. Cowper(J.B. Cowper)-52:
Rate Mitch all you want,he is a good coach but watch him capitulate right in front of you if his tenure lasts more than 2 yrs.And will leave union in a shambles as he found it.
27 Sep 2010, 14:01 pm
#61 – We only need him for one year – but why do you say that? He commanded a NZ team that defeated the Boks at Loftus by 50 points and one year later had been sacked because he lost a single game …
We struggle so much for intelligent coaches and NZ are so rich they can do this … I don’t get it.
27 Sep 2010, 14:25 pm
@Tisme(Tisme)-58: There were 2 coaches left in the hat and on the short list after others had pulled out, Chester and another Black coach from Eastern Cape. SARU looked like a bunch of clowns and restarted the process and that is when jake White was suddenly on short list.
I still believe they thought they would hire Jake White as interim solution until they got their coach of colour, thinking he would fail and be gone within a year. No matter what you say about Jake White, their is no doubt he took those youngsters and transformed Boks from perennial losers with no clue to organized professional team. Although he is a little bit of nut job and the fact remains he just can’t seem to land a job anywhere.
I just don’t understand what the fixation is with having to have a coach of a particular color. Current coaches, both White and Coloured are not up to standard – if people are so preoccupied with labels.
27 Sep 2010, 14:42 pm
When SARFU changed to SARU the k@k started, a Bok coach not pitching up for meetings, a Bok coach = laughing stock of the world, Earl Rose & January, a bok coach banging a East London hooker … the list goes on
27 Sep 2010, 14:47 pm
@quotas_sux(quota_conrad_jantjies_is_jorrie_muller)-64:
You mean like Jake White taking his mistress with him to the World Cup?
27 Sep 2010, 14:48 pm
The more I think about it, the more I am certain about the following:
The Springboks went into this years 3N with capital stock functioning at 80% capacity, to ensure that the business will not suffer the effects of depreciation or from toxic assets and written-off stock on its balance sheet.
The Boks were never motivated for this years 3N. Outplayed, surely, but more importantly, they never pitched up mentally.
Why not?
My theory is that they always had the Webb Ellis in the back of their mind, with a secondary goal for two players being the accumulation of a century of caps. They were not too interested in 2010 glory.
And of course I might be wrong, but this is how it seems to this observer.
The players are the ones who ultimately kick or pass the oval ball.
So it would be wrong to solely blame the coaches without thinking of a change of player resources. Many parties are at fault here.
It is time to add some knowledge stock to the Bok business. But a word of caution – we should ascertain exactly what the toxic assets are, otherwise we are risking tossing the baby out with the bathwater.
On the players – I believe we have them. Their end goal (WC) is important, but the means to the end goal(preparation for the WC) is even more important. We have it the wrong way round at the moment.
On the coaches – If we are going to retain them, I suggest all parties and stakeholders change their attitude, and take every day to the WC more seriously. This would mean winning matches. I want to see some strategic planning and innovative thinking for a change.
27 Sep 2010, 14:51 pm
WP till i die, that and PDV in the parking lot in EL!
27 Sep 2010, 14:53 pm
Everyone seems to be calling John Mitchell the new messiah with what he has done at the Lions so far but fail to remember his “not-so-good” record at the Force.
27 Sep 2010, 14:56 pm
@quotas_sux(quota_conrad_jantjies_is_jorrie_muller)-67: Plus Joost on camera
27 Sep 2010, 15:00 pm
@willievz(willievz)-66: seems like you went to see the new Wall Street movie!!
27 Sep 2010, 15:01 pm
i agree lemon, Lions did well against teams without their Boks … i hope they make the semi’s .. then we’ll see how good they really are
27 Sep 2010, 15:03 pm
2nd reason to stuur ABSA in its moer :
SA’s most expensive bank
38 minutes ago
Absa has relinquished the unenviable position as the country’s most expensive bank in Finweek’s annual bank charges study.
27 Sep 2010, 15:13 pm
@grant10(grant10)-70: I want the Boks to show me the money
27 Sep 2010, 15:14 pm
@willievz(willievz)-73: dont hold your breath Willie.
27 Sep 2010, 15:18 pm
@quotas_sux(quota_conrad_jantjies_is_jorrie_muller)-72: You know what “relinquished” means dont you? Toe maar wat, die Rooitaal was nog nooit jou sterk punt nie.
27 Sep 2010, 15:19 pm
@grant10(grant10)-74:
I am not.
I think the Boks shot themselves in the foot by not taking 2010 more seriously.
27 Sep 2010, 15:22 pm
@Taahirah(Taahirah)-75:
27 Sep 2010, 15:23 pm
@willievz(willievz)-76: ja
it was always going to be the watershed year…..sadly it was nothing short of a disaster.
27 Sep 2010, 15:26 pm
In fact, Mitchell’s All Black’s win by +50points at Loftus over Boks was the best performance I’ve ever seen by an All Black side … particularly the running of the backs was breathtaking – it was PERFECT rugby and Mithcell coached it – then the guy was stabbed in the back by the Kiwis after doing brilliant service, because his side lost one major game.
By this criterica some of our coaches would be tortured and then burnt at the stake in front of huge crowds in Auckland … and their houses burnt down and all their friends shot.
27 Sep 2010, 15:37 pm
@Taahirah(Taahirah)-75:
27 Sep 2010, 16:00 pm
@J.B. Cowper(J.B. Cowper)-79: Silly T started that match, 15 vs 14 was not fair, but the result is recorded forever on the scoreboard.
27 Sep 2010, 18:14 pm
Mallet is still our best coach …… Meyer coached the Bulls in a different era …. the game has changed and the Bulls style and pattern might not be the right approach.
Unfortunately PDV will not get axed ……. just such a pity politics plays such a big role in our rugger . We have achieved quite a lot …..just imagine what the Boks could have achieved without all the political **** that goes on in SA .
27 Sep 2010, 23:12 pm
@Budza(Budza)-53: so what the lions are competitive in the cc?! where there are realy only 5 teams to play against-and its not exactly like they are full with world beaters ,may i ask ,would the lions beat a full strength bulls side ? Mitchell has improved their defence it must be said! i think pdv needs to take controll of his players ,becuase they run the show …and must include deysel and alberts (especially alberts) in his springbok out fit ! go sharks
28 Sep 2010, 06:51 am
@lemon(lemon)-68: His “not-so-good” record in Perth involved creating a Super Rugby team from scratch out of thin air in the world’s remotest city with zero rugby union tradition in a country where rugby union as a whole comes in 4th — well behind Rules, League and Soccer.
And he built a team that never ever got the S14 dreaded wooden spoon and which often didn’t come last out of the Aussie sides.
Not a bad start, really.
Let’s see how the new Melbourne team does by comparison.
28 Sep 2010, 07:02 am
@TheTackler(TheTackler)-84: he got nowhere with Western Force, the players disliked him and things were always on edge. His employers didn’t exactly put up much of a fight to retain him when the Lions signalled their interest. Indeed, the Lions haven’t yet posted an improvement on last year’s CC results either. I think he’s a good coach, but much tougher tests lie in store.
28 Sep 2010, 08:45 am
@TheTackler(TheTackler-84: if “never ever got the S14 dreaded wooden spoon” is an achievement then I think your standards are slipping
Pages: « 1 [2] Show All
Have your say
You must be logged in to post a comment.