No square pegs in round holes
11 Jul 2011
RYAN VREDE writes that the Springboks must tailor their approach to suit the available personnel, not try to mould them to suit a predetermined approach in the Tri-Nations .
A string of elite players were last week declared unfit to participate in the tournament, which starts with a Test against Australia in Sydney in a fortnight.
While the squad features some seasoned men like John Smit, Ruan Pienaar and Danie Rossouw, players with little or no Test experience dominate. The task is already an arduous one, but it will be further complicated by the players being asked to execute a playing style that won’t suit their strengths.
Speaking at a media briefing last week, head coach Peter de Villiers said: ‘We’ve planned the way we want to play [at the World Cup] and prepared accordingly for the past year. We have to stick with the plan. That way we’ll know who is best after the incumbents because you can then compare apples with apples. Say, for example, Juan Smith is not ready [for the World Cup], how would you know that the player who replaces him is suitable if you play in a different way?’
I understand the point De Villiers, who is certainly alluding to the persistence with the kick-chase approach, is trying to make. However, taking a glance at the players at his disposal, I get the sense that this course of action would be terminal to their cause.
The Boks’ unrelenting faith in the method stems from their success in playing this way in 2009. However, the player central to its effective execution – Fourie du Preez – will not tour. Neither will Frans Steyn, who was also an important cog in the context of the strategy.
In 2010 the coaching staff asked Ricky Januarie and later Francois Hougaard to play the Du Preez role in the Tri-Nations. Neither enjoyed success. While Ruan Pienaar, the likely starter at scrumhalf on tour, is a competent tactical kicker, it is undoubtedly not his primary strength.
Furthermore, asking Gio Aplon, who is expected to start at fullback, to hoist bombs is criminal. His threat lies with ball in hand. The potency of Juan de Jongh, Bjorn Basson and Lwazi Mvovo (expected to start at outside centre and on the wings respectively) is also diminished if they are deployed to chase punts for the bulk of the match.
In an interview with SA Rugby magazine Du Preez admitted flawed tactics compromised their 2010 season. ‘There are a couple of reasons the Springboks did poorly,’ Du Preez said. ‘The main one is that the guys couldn’t seem to make up their minds about how they wanted to play. In 2009 I was a part of the decision-making process regarding our game plan. I was probably also central to it working. But without me there the guys kept playing the same game, there was no adaptation and not enough appreciation for the strengths and weaknesses of my replacement, be that Ricky Januarie, Francois Hougaard or Ruan Pienaar [on the year-end tour]. Our execution was poor, sure, but I think we could have been more clever tactically.’
This mistake must not be replicated. There needs to be a greater appreciation for the unique gifting of the players in the group. Trying to force square pegs into round holes is senseless.
Springbok touring squad – Gio Aplon, Bjorn Basson, Heinrich Brüssow, Juan de Jongh, Jean Deysel, Dean Greyling, Alistair Hargreaves, Adrian Jacobs, Elton Jantjies, Ashley Johnson, Ryan Kankowski, Werner Kruger, Patrick Lambie, Charl McLeod, Johann Muller, Lwazi Mvovo, Odwa Ndungane, Wynand Olivier, Coenie Oosthuizen, Ruan Pienaar, Chiliboy Ralepelle, Danie Rossouw, John Smit (c), Deon Stegmann, Morne Steyn, Adriaan Strauss, Flip van der Merwe, CJ van der Linde.
56 Comments
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12 Jul 2011, 07:47 am
@rewa hard(rewa hard)-49: @poppa69(poppa69)-50:
i agree with pops. thats just impossible to say so soon before they’ve really played as a team. its more likely they will suffer stage fright instead in a knockout game.
but yes, for sa to down the ab’s and oz is gonna take a mega effort.
12 Jul 2011, 09:08 am
@rewa hard(rewa hard)-49: So can we say Boks are well over the hill – without playing a Test either?
Let them (ABs, Boks or whetever else) play a bit for the starters.
12 Jul 2011, 09:19 am
@Transformation(Transformation)-6: What FDP seems to forget is that in 2010 he was not just the missing link the rules were changed to favor the attacking team meaning the team with ball in hand. so while it worked in 2009 that we kicked well and were rewarded with penalties for not having the ball and of course having Brussouw in the team to give us penalties, same game plan will not work this year, he can kick all day long if he wants but that will not work as much.
What the Super 15 final highlighted the importance of having a fetcher in the team, someone whose role is just to slow down opposition ball, they do not have to coz a steal but to slow down the ball, Reds did this effectively on Saturday, with Robinson and later on Gill, Crusaders could not play on the quick ball that they are used to.
We need Brossouw type of player more than any player in the Boks.
12 Jul 2011, 09:57 am
My biggest concern for this bok team is something Du Preez said above. They included Olivier and Jacobs for the very reason that they are experienced senior players, but neither of them have the capacity or influence to make decisions on the gameplan (at the back). This probably means one of the young guns will have to make the serious decisions.
Steyn too failed to deliver any type of leadership when he didn’t have Du Preez on his inside. Let’s hope Ruan matured enough during his time overseas!!
12 Jul 2011, 09:59 am
Strauss would have been that type of player on inside center, but having played almost no rugby in 3 months, it wouldn’t have been fair to select him (who still had little experience at bok level.)
12 Jul 2011, 10:00 am
@Bouts(Bouts)-55: Ah ****. I forgot about Lambie. He definitely would be able to do the job, but he’ll most probably play fullback, which isn’t ideal for decision makers.
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