Saru to blame for Super stuff up
21 May 2012
MARK KEOHANE, in his weekly Business Day column, says Saru should be held to account for the Kings fiasco.
Where is the accountability in the South African Rugby Union for the fiasco that is the 2013 Super Rugby situation? Where is the leadership?
There never has been accountability and there never will be, whether the subject matter is transformation, the retention of coaching intellectual capital or Super Rugby participation.
Saru CEO Jurie Roux told the media that no stone would be left unturned as the national organisation, along with the regional franchises, sought a solution in which no franchise would be prejudiced.
The statement was as embarrassing as the situation the clever blokes within South African rugby have fashioned. If no stone had been left unturned then the situation would not be as it is — with none of the five existing regions in agreement on the apparent agreement that one team would be relegated to accommodate the Southern Kings next year.
The Kings were guaranteed Super Rugby because of promises made to the government, which in turn would financially stand guarantee in the 2011, 2015 and 2019 Rugby World Cup hosting tenders. The clever guys were bullish about telling the Kings they were in because they were convinced it wouldn’t be an issue to get a tournament expansion that accommodates six South African regions.
When the 14 provincial presidents so unanimously endorsed the Kings’ inclusion they did it believing five would become six and not that six would have to fit into five.
It sums up SA’s rugby administration.
Now the fight has been turned into the Kings versus the Lions because the latter are the worst performing of the South African sides — and have been for the past five years. Provincial bias has come to the fore, especially on social media networks. Racism and pure hatred have reared their head, and the Kings and Lions are the target when those who govern and administer the game in SA should be first in the queue.
In an ideal world this situation would never have been allowed to unfold. In an ideal world professionalism would come with accountability.
Those who put South African rugby in such an embarrassing situation should resign, but that will never happen. They will simply be at the next meeting making more unanimous decisions, like the one that reduced the Currie Cup to six teams before another decision a few months later changed it back to eight teams.
And so they stumble on, from one embarrassing moment to another; the very same guys who convinced themselves that SA’s 2011 World Cup campaign was a success.
It should disgust every supporter of South African rugby, but it won’t because the hapless supporter is powerless to influence change. If only Saru was listed and stakeholders actually could make a difference. If only.
Click here to read Keo’s latest SA Rugby magazine column
The chaos in the administration, fortunately, has not been translated to the general competition performance and SA will be guaranteed at least two teams (and possibly even three) in the top-six play-offs in July.
The more immediate focus is the pending three-Test series against England and the selection of Bok coach Heyneke Meyer’s first squad. The world-class players (read Bismarck du Plessis) know there is a Test series around the corner and the rise in standards has been substantial.
The selection area that looks most vulnerable is among the loose forwards — and that is the one area where no one would have figured that there would be any doubt. A month ago Meyer’s headache was who to leave out. Now it is where to find the right balance of experience, youth, power, strength and height.
Schalk Burger, Juan Smith, Duane Vermeulen and Jacques Potgieter are injured. Danie Rossouw is unavailable. Willem Alberts can’t make the Sharks Super Rugby squad and there is more mediocrity than magic among the loose-forward options.
Young Sharks loosie Marcel Coetzee is the exception and he will play many Tests, but his initial role will be from the bench. Heinrich Brüssow should start as the fetcher although his penalty transgressions this season match his turnovers, and Pierre Spies and Ryan Kankowski provide options at No 7 and No 8.
I’d still not discount the claims of France-based pair Joe van Niekerk and Jacques Cronje because of the experience they bring in the enforced absence of Burger and Smith. If the aim is to pick the best team to beat England then look all over the world to fill this team.
SA has so many world-class players here, in Europe and in Japan that if there were no prejudice about where a player was based, there would also be plenty more victories.
I’m confident who ever Meyer picks will be good enough to beat England. We have the players and in Meyer we certainly have a coach with the necessary rugby acumen.
If only it was as easy to say that about the game’s administration. If only.
229 Comments
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21 May 2012, 12:23 pm
1. beast
2. bismarck
3. jannie
4. etzebeth
5. bekker
6. brussouw
7. elstadt
8. spies
9. hougaard
10. m.steyn
11. habana
12. f. steyn
13. jdv
14. mvovo
15. lambie
16. chilli/strauss
17. coenie
18. j kruger
19. alberts
20. du preez
21. de jongh
22. aplon
21 May 2012, 12:23 pm
Fck it, comment number 50 doesn’t get the attention it deserves. Here goes again.
1. Beast
2. Bismarck
3. Jannie
4. Eben
5. Bekker
6. Brussow
7. Alberts
8. Spies
9. Hougaard
10. M Steyn
11. Habana
12. F Steyn
13. Jean
14. Mvovo
15. Aplon
16. Chili
17. Kitshoff/Coenie
18. Juandre
19. Johnson
20. Ruan
21. Lambie
22. De Jongh
21 May 2012, 12:24 pm
@>^..^< katman(katman)-52: lol
more or less the same
21 May 2012, 12:25 pm
@David(David)-12:
I also like the idea of converting Kruger to a blindside flank. He has the mobility to adapt well and would offer an extra lineout option (in the mould of Juan Smith). Can also cover lock if needed due to injury.
Maybe now is not the time to test this theory but certainly one for the future!
21 May 2012, 12:25 pm
Yeah well,if only…
21 May 2012, 12:28 pm
@Sasuke(Sasuke)-53: Indeed, I saw that. The only differences:
1. I don’t think Elstadt has done enough yet.
2. Du Preez has left the building
3. I’d pick Alpon over Lambie every time
21 May 2012, 12:28 pm
@David(David)-12:
Nah, if you are going to pick a guy with zero test caps in any position, at least pick a guy that specialises in that position.
21 May 2012, 12:29 pm
@stand-off(Braders)-54: Yes will be a viable option in future. Same can be said for Elstadt.
21 May 2012, 12:31 pm
“Now the fight has been turned into the Kings versus the Lions because the latter are the worst performing of the South African sides —and have been for the past five years. Provincial bias has come to the fore, especially on social media networks. Racism and pure hatred have reared their head, and the Kings and Lions are the target when those who govern and administer the game in SA should be first in the queue.”
Isn’t it ironic that one of the main instigators responsible for spinning this whole Kings fiasco, for his own personal gain is now jumping onto his little pony in an attempt to claim the high ground.
LOL Keo, throwing in the towel on Luke already.
21 May 2012, 12:38 pm
@stand-off(Braders)-54: If I’m not mistaken, he did play there (at 7) on occasion for the Northampton Saints.
21 May 2012, 12:40 pm
@>^..^< katman(katman)-52:
Very close to what Heyneke will end up picking, I reckon.
Just the bench that has me bamboozled. It could have any combination of a wide range of “almost first choice” players.
I think Heyneke will be conservative with his starting 15, and adventurous with his bench.
21 May 2012, 12:42 pm
Dont know the reason why we would pick Steyn at 10, used to be for his goal kicking but Grant has showed his goal kicking is on a par with Steyn, his defense and attacking game is far better? No?
21 May 2012, 12:43 pm
@fogdog10(fogdog10)-62:
It’s not goal kicking. It’s tactical kicking that differentiates the two. And to Heyneke tactical kicking is pretty much the most important aspect of the game, after physical domination by the forwards.
21 May 2012, 12:44 pm
Self Absorbed Ruinous Underachievers…if it wasn’t for parochial provincialism in SA, the game would be fukkd.
21 May 2012, 12:44 pm
@fogdog10(fogdog10)-62: Grant can only pop them over from less than 40m out. He has a great success rate because he doesn’t attempt anything close to the halfway line.
21 May 2012, 12:46 pm
@>^..^< katman(katman)-50:
No Ruan Pienaar, please.
No BMT.
21 May 2012, 12:46 pm
@fogdog10(fogdog10)-62: Maybe so,but I reckon HM will go for combinations,and that means Hougaard and Steyn.The rest of the backline should not have too many Stormers players either imo,always makes me nervous.Can’t score for Stormers,can’t score for boks!
21 May 2012, 12:46 pm
@fogdog10(fogdog10)-62: Grant made the top 10 list for the season on missed tackles about 2-3 weeks ago. He has managed to get him out of it again though
21 May 2012, 12:47 pm
@Te Rangatira(Te Rangatira)-64:
Uit die mond van die suigeling…
You’ve touched on something very important there, albeit by accident.
It is the top provincial unions – with their fanatical supporters – that keep SA rugby strong. Despite SARU’s best attempts to torpedo us year after year.
So to all those who moan about provincialism so much, think again. An unintended consequence is that the provinces continue to chase excellence, SARU be damned.
Provincialism is all that is saving our rugby from centrally controlled. dictatorial ineptitude.
21 May 2012, 12:47 pm
65: but we’ll have Frans Steyn on field for the longer kicks
21 May 2012, 12:50 pm
Cheeky for president hey Keo?
He has his entire fist up your fundament and is working you like a punch and judy doll.
Very embarboer.
21 May 2012, 12:50 pm
The real questions are:
Will Meyer pick a Bok and a specialist loose forward at blindside flank?
Or will he pick a new cap there or a Bok who doesn’t generally play there but could conceivably fill the role?
Will Meyer opt for the conservative choice of CJ Van Der Linde on the bench to cover both prop positions?
Or will he bold enough to acknowledge that Van Der Linde hasn’t given anything really substantial to the Bok cause in years and thus opt for a younger, untried option like Coennie Oosthuyzen?
Will Meyer opt for the experience of Habana over Basson or Mvovo?
Will Meyer opt for the experience of JP Pieterson over Aplon?
Will Du Preez start ahead of Hougaard?
Which of the 3 hookers will be left out of the initial match-day 22 (unless of course Meyer opts for Battleship at 7 to accomodate all three hookers in the 22)?
Will Lambie start at fullback and cover 10, or will Meyer have a third option for flyhalf on the bench?
Will Olivier make it into the 22 ahead of De Jongh, or will Meyer opt for a bolter like Sadie who he rates but who has yet to prove his worth?
21 May 2012, 12:51 pm
68: Bokhoring, I hear you but he still attempts and makes far nore tackles than Morne, Morne hasnt missed any because he never attempts any
21 May 2012, 12:51 pm
@>^..^< katman(katman)-65:
That’s what Frans Steyn is there for.
21 May 2012, 12:53 pm
72: Puff: If Meyer picks Sadie and or Olivier in 22 then we have a problem and he is picking players that he likes not that will do the best job
21 May 2012, 12:53 pm
My non-negotiable starters vs England:
Brussow; The Bis (Bismarck); both Steyns; & Hougaard
21 May 2012, 12:53 pm
@Tacitus(Deucalion)-69:
Not by accident…always respected provincial die hard supporters who keep the fires burning against inept national adnministrators
21 May 2012, 12:54 pm
@fogdog10(fogdog10)-73:
I think you should check the stats before talking based on your “general impression”.
In any case, to compare some stats for Steyn and Grant:
Most tries scored by his outside backs: Morne Steyn
Most points – Morne Steyn
Most metres gained with tactical kicks – Morne Steyn
I think that settles the matter between the two of them.
I think Lambie this year is far more of a challenger for the no.10 spot than Grant.
But even then, Steyn comes out on top.
21 May 2012, 12:58 pm
And one more question:
Beyond Fourie Du Preez and Frans Steyn, will Meyer draft in more overseas-based players?
21 May 2012, 12:58 pm
78: Tacitus: Stomers and Bulls playing different games at the moment, Stomers playing like boks at 2007 RWC. Also Grant hasnt played every game has he
The debate over their defensive abilities is none existent
21 May 2012, 12:58 pm
@Te Rangatira(Te Rangatira)-77: you’re endorsing cronyism, protectionism?
21 May 2012, 13:01 pm
@fogdog10(fogdog10)-80:
Skinstad had their comparative tackle stats up on Boots and all the other night, and Morne Steyn was well ahead, if I recall correctly.
So you right. The debate is non-existent.
21 May 2012, 13:02 pm
My prediction for Meyer’s extended 35-man squad:
1. Mtawarira, Greyling, Oosthuyzen
2. Du Plessis, Strauss, Ralepelle
3. Du Plessis, Kruger, Van Der Linde
4. Etzebeth, Van Der Merwe
5. Bekker, Kruger
6. Brussow, Stander
7. Alberts, Deysel, Kolisi
8. Spies, Coetzee
9. Hougaard, Du Preez
10. Steyn, Grant
11. Habana, Basson, Mvovo
12. Steyn, Olivier
13. De Villiers, De Jongh
14. Aplon, Pieterson
15. Lambie, Kirchner
21 May 2012, 13:02 pm
F Steyn only takes the monster kicks – the ones where 50-50 is seen to be good odds. M Steyn would take everything up to the halfway line, which would be about 80% of the kicks. And at least a third of these would be in that 40 to 50m range, which is Grant’s Achilles Heel. Plus Grant’s kicking from hand is very average, and M Steyn’s is virtually faultless. For me it’s not even a close call.
21 May 2012, 13:03 pm
@fogdog10(fogdog10)-80: ja nee msteyn is a defensive liability but at least when his pack is going forward he ‘impose’ himself on a game unlike grant (even though he’s improved somewhat this year) who just floats around doing only the minimum required.
21 May 2012, 13:05 pm
@puff(puff)-83:
Spot on, I reckon. Except for Kirchner. I think Joe Pietersen and maybe even one or two others will be ahead of him in the queue.
21 May 2012, 13:06 pm
@puff(puff)-83: That’s probably the squad, except for Ashley Johnson instead of Jean Deysel. And Ruan Pienaar as an outside chance at back-up scrummie.
21 May 2012, 13:07 pm
@fogdog10(fogdog10)-73: A bit like Grant’s kicking stats then?
21 May 2012, 13:07 pm
@Tacitus(Deucalion)-86:
I prefer Pieterson to Kirchner.
But Kirchner has test experience, not just at 15 but at 13 too.
And with Frans Steyn able to shift to 15 in a crisis, I don’t know if Joe P will get a look in right now.
But he is playing some great rugby at the mo.
I’d like to be pleasantly surprised and see Meyer select Joe P.
21 May 2012, 13:10 pm
@>^..^< katman(katman)-87:
Please, please, please – not fragile Ruan Pienaar.
Depth at 9 is Bok’s greatest complication long-term.
Lets hope some young looseheads willingly make the shift to 3, so depth at tighthead won’t be a head-ache too.
Coenie, Kitsoff and Heinke Van Der Merwe at 3?
I’d buy that for a dollar!
21 May 2012, 13:10 pm
@puff(puff)-89:
If the Bulls had to play the Stormers tomorrow, the names I’d be most happy to see missing from that Stormers teamsheet would be Etsebeth and Pietersen.
Pietersen gives them that solidity at the back that makes all the difference.
21 May 2012, 13:10 pm
@Tacitus(Deucalion)-86:
Would also prefer to see Elstadt there rather than Flip, but that probably won’t happen right now either.
21 May 2012, 13:14 pm
8 Tacitit: Teams are picked on individual stats otherwise some geek would just run a report and pick on the players who have the best stats in their relevant positions and the team would pick itself.
21 May 2012, 13:18 pm
@Tacitus(Deucalion)-91: Bulls players I’d least like to see against Stormers are Hougaard and Jaques Potgieter,Spies is just fine
21 May 2012, 13:18 pm
I think Heyneke will make use of a lot of overseas based players and the team will differ a lot from week one to three of the incoming tests. Meyer will be thinking about the derbies leading up to and after the England tests. I suspect a lot of public outcry at the first team that is selected, but if you look at the bigger picture the same team should not play all three tests. The squad for the Rugby Champs should look a lot more like the Boks of the future.
21 May 2012, 13:18 pm
@puff(puff)-72: Confused? You will be. Tune in next week for another episode…..
21 May 2012, 13:18 pm
82: i didnt see that so educate me with what they were plse?
21 May 2012, 13:19 pm
@fogdog10(fogdog10)-93:
I have no problem with your statement if seen in isolation.
But the question I ask you is what do you base your preference for Peter Grant on then? Personal favour? The way he combs his hair?
Something else?
21 May 2012, 13:20 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-81:
I hope not, not my intention, every organization needs to be accountable and transparent, otherwise you get debilitating intrusions,like those you mentioned.
21 May 2012, 13:23 pm
I think Sasuke’s 22 is what HM will go for as well.
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