Broken promises
20 Jul 2011
GARETH DUNCAN talks to former Springbok scrum coach Os du Randt about Saru not renewing his contract, which props should go to the World Cup, and what’s wrong with the modern scrum.
How do you feel about missing out on this year’s World Cup?
It’s a massive disappointment, but at least I’ll be spending more time at home. I launched a new wine in June and I’ll have the chance to watch my son Thian play for Free State at the U13 Craven Week. I was hoping to work with Ireland heading into the World Cup, as it would’ve given me an opportunity to learn about other scrumming approaches and philosophies, but that fell through. At the moment, I’m just focusing on getting the full-time scrum coach job at the Cheetahs.
Tell us about the incident during the 2010 Springbok end-of-year tour that allegedly led to your contract not being renewed.
We had a team management dinner and then some of us went out for a few beers. Afterwards, I returned to the hotel and went to sleep. The next day, we performed all our duties for the match [against Wales]. I never heard anything from [Bok coach] Peter de Villiers or other management members about the incident.
How was the matter resolved?
Saru didn’t handle the episode correctly. There wasn’t a disciplinary hearing and I received no written warning. If Saru insists there was an incident, then they must prove it. Peter has also never spoken to me about what happened or explained to me why I was axed. He promised me I would go to the World Cup and even suggested I should get a 12-month contract so I could start analysing scrums and South African players in Super Rugby and Europe ahead of the World Cup. But I couldn’t get hold of him after the tour. I left messages on his voicemail and with his PA, but he never called me back. Then I received an e-mail in February informing me that my services would no longer be required. The thing that hurts the most is that when Peter first came to talk to me about being involved with the Boks, he said I must trust him and always be honest with him, because he felt some of his management had betrayed him. Then they used that late-night incident as an excuse to get rid of me.
But the CCMA [Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration] dismissed your case against Saru.
Yes, I was disappointed that it turned out that way. If I can take it further, I will.
Do you have any hard feelings towards the Boks?
It was an honour to work with the players and I will always treasure that experience. I wish them and the management who backed me all of the best. Unfortunately, I can’t say that about all of the Springbok management. If they had been honest about not taking me to the World Cup, I would’ve accepted it. Peter and Saru don’t deserve to be a part of any World Cup success.
How did losing the Bok job affect you?
Financially, it caused some stress. I appointed a manager at my farm so he could run the place when I wasn’t there, especially during the World Cup. I can’t just fire him now that I’m not going anymore. I made promises to him before he left his old job to come work for me.
The Bok scrum improved substantially during your coaching stint. What did you do?
I credit the players as they contributed and worked hard on strengthening the scrums. The fact that they were always willing to listen and learn helped a lot. The team also instilled a sense of self-pride when it came to scrumming.
Who impressed you the most?
Jannie [du Plessis] improved a lot in all areas, especially on defence. Beast [Mtawarira] and Bismarck [du Plessis] also improved as they always wanted to learn.
Schalk Brits and Brian Mujati are two European-based players who performed well up front this season. Should they be in the Bok mix?
Schalk is playing good rugby and should probably be included in the Bok squad, but I don’t think he will be. As for Brian, I don’t think he’s the answer for the Boks.
Which props would you take to the World Cup?
I’d pick Jannie and CJ [van der Linde] as the tighthead props, with Beast and Gurthrö [Steenkamp] as the looseheads.
Would you play John Smit at loosehead?
No, he should only be considered as a hooker.
How vital is Juan Smith’s return from injury?
Juan is crucial to the Boks; he has a big influence on them and the opposition. He should be given cotton-wool treatment until he’s fully fit and 100% healed. He doesn’t need to play before the World Cup.
Is the Springboks’ kick-chase game plan suitable under the current law interpretations?
Yes, but the team will need strong leadership from their management for it to be effective and executed properly. A game plan will only be successful if everybody believes in it.
Who will be the Boks’ biggest threat at the World Cup and who will have the best scrum?
The toughest teams are those they’ll play during the knockout stage, which are likely to be Ireland [quarter-final], the All Blacks [semi-final] and the Wallabies [final]. France or England will have the strongest scrum.
What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learnt as a scrum coach?
I’ve learnt so much since starting at the Cheetahs in 2009. The main thing a scrum coach has to do to be successful is sell your ideas and philosophies to the players and make them believe in what you are trying to do. That’s one thing I always do as a coach.
What do you think of the modern scrum?
The stats show that there’s a huge issue at scrum time. Front rowers are struggling to get their timing right with the hit, and referees make it more difficult when they stretch out their call [of ‘crouch, touch, pause, engage’]. Looseheads are also struggling to get their bind right, while hinging is also a problem [where the loosehead’s shoulder line goes under his hips and then rises again]. When the IRB revisits the scrum laws after the World Cup, I believe players should be given more of a free hand to contest at scrum time. Referees should only get involved when there is a safety issue.
What are your future plans?
I want to continue making a difference at the Cheetahs. Right now, I don’t have any plans to become a head coach.
SARU CEO JURIE ROUX RESPONDS TO DU RANDT’S ALLEGATIONS:
‘Os is a Springbok legend and was an asset to the management set-up – his contribution to South African rugby has been outstanding and I’d like to thank him again. He was offered a short-term contract to assist with the Springbok scrum, which he did successfully to the end of 2010. For 2011 the Springbok management identified other needs to further raise the bar for the team, which is why Rassie Erasmus and Prof Derik Coetzee have been taken on. All decisions are taken around our central focus of doing what is best for the Springboks and the choice of which consultants to appoint in 2011 was taken with the team in mind, rather than personalities.’
– This article first appeared in the July issue of SA Rugby magazine. The August issue will be on sale from Wednesday, 27 July.
312 Comments
Pages: « 1 2 3 4 5 [6] 7 » Show All
20 Jul 2011, 16:36 pm
@NZINCHINA(NZINCHINA)-250: Lol.
So.
You cant recall the ground.
Or even the year.
Yet you can confidently state that Os was scrummed into the ground.
Ja-nee, dis reg so.
20 Jul 2011, 16:39 pm
@Taahirah(Taahirah)-251:
It was 96, thats a few years and a few tests back now, I know its hard for you to swallow as it would be for me but they broke him and he waved the white flag, still a legend of the game and few better. Watch the tape.
20 Jul 2011, 16:40 pm
@NZINCHINA(NZINCHINA)-250:
The same way the nick evans & dan carter gave up vs France in 2007 RWC quarter final???
We can all make claims about faked injuries.
Ive heard Im gatvol from plenty players on the pitch but its not tantamount to quitting or anything of the sort.Said it myself towards refs etc
20 Jul 2011, 16:44 pm
@NZINCHINA(NZINCHINA)-252: Why would it be hard for me to swallow?
Os is not invincible and contrary to popular believe, not the best scrumaging prop ever. He’s been outscrummed on more than a couple of occasions in his career, his value lay in his allround ability. Strong ball carrier and even stronger defender. I remember the specific incident because he was accused of being unpatriotic in criticising team management in the manner he did. Olo Brown may or may not have had the better off him. That wasnt the reason for him walking off though.
20 Jul 2011, 16:45 pm
@mshiniwami(mshiniwami)-253:
I don’t expect a Bokke supporter to like it but it happened no big deal probably the only time Big Os got his ars e handed to him, the same as what happened to young Franks at Twickers last year. Watch the tape.
20 Jul 2011, 16:46 pm
This is what Os had to say on the incident:
“”Oh that one in Cape Town.”
“I don’t know what happened there. I was not concussed, frustrated yes, because we were leading the game and lost.”
If you can get a statement from a more reliable source Ill give up on the issue.
20 Jul 2011, 16:47 pm
@NZINCHINA(NZINCHINA)-255: Os has always struggled against stocky 3′s.
20 Jul 2011, 16:49 pm
@Taahirah(Taahirah)-254:
So your saying in the middle of a test match against the Ab’s he pulls up stumps and says I’ve had a gutsful deserts his teamamates and walks off the pitch?
20 Jul 2011, 16:51 pm
@NZINCHINA(NZINCHINA)-258: Yes.
20 Jul 2011, 16:51 pm
@NZINCHINA(NZINCHINA)-255:
stop talking out yer @r$e my china.
I can say one thing though.
You WILL look like a complete KNOBBER if the the all blacks DON’T scrum the boks into oblivion this year. because your north and south has been working overtime recently.
oh yes it’s true.
20 Jul 2011, 16:55 pm
@Gunther is looking to the future with hope in his heart.(gunther)-260:
I’m pretty comfortable we’ll do ok in the scrums this year, it wont be like the comedy act in Cape Town a few weeks back , but they will dominate.
20 Jul 2011, 16:58 pm
@Taahirah(Taahirah)-259:
and your thoughts on that if that was the case?
20 Jul 2011, 16:59 pm
@NZINCHINA(NZINCHINA)-261:
oh so now its we’ll do ok?
don’t make me larf…
you guys were going to scrum us into the ground remember?
I’ll be watching you my son.
20 Jul 2011, 17:05 pm
@Gunther is looking to the future with hope in his heart.(gunther)-263:
Yip we’ll do ok in the scrums this year pretty comfortable were we are at, what do you call 8 Saffa’s dressed in green in Wellington running backwards?
20 Jul 2011, 17:06 pm
Which props would you take to the World Cup?
I’d pick Jannie and CJ [van der Linde] as the tighthead props
Maybe he isn’t the man for the job… those two have been snot!
20 Jul 2011, 17:11 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-3: How ******* predictable!! I only read these comments cause i knew youd make a negative comment about os. yet when the Dork exposes himself you cry into your panties defending him here. your a pathetic runt with a capital c. isnt there a farm you could be stealing you piece of ****? os did more for the boks than all quotas combined! bwahaaahaaa . but dont let these facts deter you hand-out boy. hehe
20 Jul 2011, 17:13 pm
@NZINCHINA(NZINCHINA)-264:
nope.
nothing less than obliteration will do.
because that’s the tune you’ve been playing on your mouth organ.
so let’s not suddenly lose our balls and start talking about we’ll do ok….
that’s not acceptable.
20 Jul 2011, 17:13 pm
@seamus(seamus)-265: the best of a bad bunch of props. we dont have quality tightheads. but then you probably know more that os right? having scrummed for at top level for many years and knowing these players personally having worked with them.
20 Jul 2011, 17:15 pm
@NZINCHINA(NZINCHINA)-264:
I see you are quite the historian on the almighty NZ pack that never has, done or will take a step back….
Does the name Perry Harris ring a bell at all son…china??
20 Jul 2011, 17:15 pm
@Gunther is looking to the future with hope in his heart.(gunther)-267:
righto boss, did you get the answer to the joke?
20 Jul 2011, 17:16 pm
@Blitzbok(Blitzbok)-266:
ok.
put down the gun and lie on the floor.
anyway, xhosakid is the farm stealing murderer.
transformation already owns half of the transkei.
20 Jul 2011, 17:17 pm
@Bod(bod)-269:
can’t recall saying that, one comment about Os that was all, the Bokke pack has dominated the Ab pack many times no problem with that doesnt change the fact the Os folded like a pack of cards that day.
20 Jul 2011, 17:19 pm
@NZINCHINA(NZINCHINA)-270:
I suspect you are going to tell me anyway.
to be honest though I’ve gone off jokes a bit.
I have been banned from the pub quiz at firemans becasue the asked me a biology question that I misunderstood
quizmaster:
what two things belong in a cell?
gunther:
a nigerian and a zimbabwean.
I am serving a two month suspension, but I hoping to use the mealamu strategy and get it reduced.
20 Jul 2011, 17:20 pm
Jeez I am bored, horrible feeling. So the Samoa/South Africa game is now sold out for the RWC since they doshed the Aussies. So any thoughts on it being strange that we playing Samoa and Fiji again this year in RWC. Makes life very difficult for us as they are both such physical sides.
When the draws are made is it quite a public thing or is it just suddenly announced in the press.
20 Jul 2011, 17:20 pm
@Gunther is looking to the future with hope in his heart.(gunther)-273:
He should have got off completely very unjust.
20 Jul 2011, 17:23 pm
@NZINCHINA(NZINCHINA)-275:
jaysus.
you are worse than an aussie commentator.
he is a little vuilgat.
hopefully his moment of truth will arrive in the semis.
20 Jul 2011, 17:24 pm
loads of QQing going on in the article, Os coming across a bit graceless
20 Jul 2011, 17:25 pm
@Treehugger(Treehugger)-274:
Fiji not so physical they wont be a problem, there will be plenty of SA support from the north shore for the Moan game but they are going to be a big big handful for your boys expect an all in brawl at some stage during the game on and off the paddock.
20 Jul 2011, 17:26 pm
@Gunther is looking to the future with hope in his heart.(gunther)-276:
He’ll be rested for the semi.
20 Jul 2011, 17:26 pm
@Blitzbok(Blitzbok)-266: clearly my comment got up your nose, deal with it plonker
20 Jul 2011, 17:27 pm
@fantasticbarnsmell(fantasticbarnsmell)-277: why should have said anything different. every word was true. get got fucked over by those inbred arseholes at Saru and the coach who I suspect isnt human but filth that congealed in the gutter. Divvy gets praise but for doing **** all! os actually did some work for the Boks, and look what he gets? fucked in the ***.
20 Jul 2011, 17:29 pm
@NZINCHINA(NZINCHINA)-279:
course he will.
so will the rest of the squad.
if your last effort is anything to go by.
20 Jul 2011, 17:29 pm
@NZINCHINA(NZINCHINA)-272:
Ok, just remember to google the name Perry Harris first should you ever, ever, have a tiny inkling to mouth off about invincible AB packs.
The game you are referring to was at Newlands in 1996, when were were whipping your butts until Francois Pienaar got concussed and had to leave the field.
That was the cue for the wheels to come off and we were hammered thereafter so badly that Os driven to frustration mouthed the comment that he was ¨gatvol¨¨ of being on the receiving end of a hammering.
Nothing wrong with that, as most hate being on the end of a hammering
20 Jul 2011, 17:31 pm
@Gunther is looking to the future with hope in his heart.(gunther)-282:
Yip not a great result fortunately we get another shot at it in a few weeks.
20 Jul 2011, 17:32 pm
@Gunther is looking to the future with hope in his heart.(gunther)-273:
Yegads
After that I would have thought Kevin would have tossed you into a cell with the Nigerian and Zimbo…. and then tossed his Chinese manslave in afterwards as well in order to sort the men out from the boys
20 Jul 2011, 17:34 pm
@Bod(bod)-283:
I wouldn’t dear do that mate, we all know Bokke rugby produces the meanest hardest packs around and everybody else in inferior to the Africkaner rugby player.
20 Jul 2011, 17:43 pm
@Bod(bod)-283:
Are something wrong in the story here, the bloke above says it was directed at Bokke mangement for some reason, and he just walked of the pitch your saying it was becasue he was getting hammered on the scoreboard, another says he had an injury, which is it?
20 Jul 2011, 17:45 pm
@Bod(bod)-285:
welcome to the jungle baby….
be gentle with chinaboy and return him to the upright position in time for landing.
20 Jul 2011, 17:46 pm
@mshiniwami(mshiniwami)-245:
bwaahaa
post of the day
20 Jul 2011, 17:46 pm
@Gunther is looking to the future with hope in his heart.(gunther)-288:
You’re a clever guy can you answer 287?
20 Jul 2011, 17:47 pm
@NZINCHINA(NZINCHINA)-286:
What king of garbage comment is that now????
How am I supposed to feel as an English speaking South African….. inferior??
No man..
20 Jul 2011, 17:50 pm
@Bod(bod)-291:
Correction SA rugby player, it was a typo.
20 Jul 2011, 17:50 pm
@NZINCHINA(NZINCHINA)-287:
Naaaaa…… it was the scoreboard, take it from me….. I am even cleverer than Gunther
20 Jul 2011, 17:51 pm
Where is KEO the guru he should be able to tell us the answer my money is still on Olo folding him.
20 Jul 2011, 17:51 pm
@NZINCHINA(NZINCHINA)-290:
Pray tell…. gissa the answer, I´m chomping at the bit
20 Jul 2011, 17:53 pm
@Gunther is looking to the future with hope in his heart.(gunther)-288:
Strange set up with ol Kev and Chinaboy indeed
We just have to thank the biological gods that man on man cannot reproduce
20 Jul 2011, 17:55 pm
@NZINCHINA(NZINCHINA)-278: Am a bit concerned about those 2 games, what about the draw is it public or just announced.
20 Jul 2011, 17:55 pm
@Bod(bod)-295:
Ha ha Gunther is re-watching the tape now.
20 Jul 2011, 17:56 pm
@Treehugger(Treehugger)-297:
Don’t think Fiji will trouble you Moans will come out swinging.
20 Jul 2011, 17:57 pm
@NZINCHINA(NZINCHINA)-294:
I dont think so as Olo battled to fold his dressing gown.
I see you are not taking heed of my warning
Pages: « 1 2 3 4 5 [6] 7 » Show All
Have your say
You must be logged in to post a comment.