The Springboks might well win the battle on this European tour by winning their tests, but ultimately, they will lose to war.
Victor Matfield was quoted recently when responding to a question on how he keeps the hunger and motivation going in what was a tough and testing but ultimately the most successful year for Springbok rugby in history.
His response; “The more you succeed, the more you want to succeed”.
I think it speaks volumes of the character of Victor and some of our senior Boks who have achieved great success in recent years, which included a World Cup win, Super 14 titles, Currie Cup titles, Tri-Nations wins and of course a whitewash of New Zealand in 2009.
It might also give us an indication of the mindset of our players, and that they feel the job is not quite yet done, where it is said that the aim for our battle hardened players are now to be the first team in history to retain the World Cup.
Success however, can also leave you shortsighted to your weaknesses and blind you to the challenges that lie ahead – and our biggest weakness currently is the depth in our Springbok squad or players being able to slot in at the highest level if and when required.
In 2008 Jean de Villiers capped a magnificent year of rugby where he was also named SA’s Rugby player of the Year. He played every single Super 14 game, every Springbok test (bar one against Argentina if memory serves) and every single Currie Cup game following his commitments following the Tri-Nations.
Back then I warned Jean will not be able to repeat this in 2009, and that in fact, he might actually break down in 2009.
Now Jean might not have broken down completely but he did not finish the Super 14 due to injury and he definitely was not the dominant force in 2009 that he was the year before.
This year it holds true for many of our current top Boks, amongst them Victor Matfield, Bakkies Botha, Fourie du Preez, John Smit and perhaps even Bryan Habana. Even newcomers to the Bok setup in Heinrich Brϋssow and Morné Steyn have played in just about every game they possibly could in 2009.
The optimist in me believes that these guys will stay fit and strong throughout 2010 and up and till the World Cup in 2011, but the realist in me tells me that with the physical and psychological demands of professional rugby, they too will break down at some point very soon.
The current European tour should have been about one thing only – one mission, and that is to find the potential back up depth to key positions within our Springbok team, and we failed before we even started.
The merits of the coach’s initial decisions or selections can be debated, but the actions of the management team directly after the tour hit its first snag with regard to results and injuries suggests that they have failed already.
As soon as the team and squad needed replacements called up, and strategies re-evaluated, the Bok management clearly fell back on the tried and tested rather than the new and exciting.
This may well be due to the pressures of being an international and Springbok coach where results mean everything, but ultimately, this short sightedness and need for immediate or present success winning the current battles, will ultimately lead to us losing the war.
It takes a brave man and brave coach to sacrifice results today in his quest to ultimately win the war, just ask Jake White, but it is a sacrifice that is needed to sustain long term success and Peter de Villiers and his team has failed.
Whichever way you look at it PA, the key is to CORRECTLY identify your second choice players and to mould them into a winning team.
That takes an understanding of combinations, overall game strategy, player mental make up and requires a medium to long term vision with a dose of patience.
The question is, does the coach think like this, or is he trying to please others in the selection issue and as a result become muddled and short term in the approach?
It certainly looks like there is not enough thought given to the above and to evaluating just who the right players are based on my observations here.
It is not an exact science and there will always be adjustments to be made, but in my book one good CC season does not make a Springbok.
As for understanding the technical issues of my favourite subject, the front row, and understanding how to build a tight forward pack for the future, he certainly gives no indication of how to do this, as the selections for this tour are very difficult to understand.
I said it last week, and I repeat it here again:
How has the coach made this tour more difficult for himself, with the decisions he has made before the players stepped onto the plane?
I see a complete lack of good planning, and the buck stops with the coach, who has some very difficult days ahead of him.
again, a well written article morné
..
dont know whether i agree with all your sentiments though
1. “It takes a brave man and brave coach to sacrifice results today in his quest to ultimately win the war, just ask Jake White, but it is a sacrifice that is needed to sustain long term success and Peter de Villiers and his team has failed” …. uhm, not sure bru, but i cant recall any games jw “sacrificed” in order to gain longterm success … unless you’re refering to the 2nd team that toured aus/nz just before the wc. btw, i dont think that was done to test our depth, but in my view was done more to ensure that aus/nz dont gain momentum before the wc!!
2. i believe theres more than enough time to give certain players a break …. i think pdv (like jw before him) will rest his stars in the coming year (EOY tour)
3. just for interest sake …. who are the players that you wouldve drafted?
oh, and good morning everyone!!
Agree with Ashley, another great article.
Lets look at it this way… since The end of Jake white, Pieter introduced 4 “new” players that have worked out very well. Adi, at least last year, the Beast, Morne Steyn and Brussouw.
Now, there have been many other guys that were “tested” Look at the Emerging Boks and the “Springboks” that played against Leicester. Even the dead rubber game against the B&I Lions. We can even go back to 2007 in the world cup when Jake used the Fiji game as a tester for his fringe players, which we almost lost.
But none of them have really worked… why
On the few occasions that it did work, the players picked had a few things in common. They proved all round they were the best on offer at the time. Secondly, they were slowly eased in. M.Steyn’s job was surely made better when he played alongside two of the best Boks ever.
We have a GREAT team. We have GREAT fringe players. But to get those fringers in and build squad depth, we need phase the guys in, 1 or 2 at a time. Give Bekker a chance in the SAME pack, but leave out Matfield. Or if you have to Bekker and CJ. 2 changes up front at the most. At the same time, the regulars will be rested and motivated not to lose there place.
Its a simple solution. It will work. But will the Bok management see it the same way…?
Greenpoint, you knock the nail on the head.
Bring in 1 new prop, 1 backrower and 1 backline player. Surround them with experience and cool heads rather than expect a youngster like Raubenheimer, to start in a combination where Dewalt potgieter is the the senior. Come on, surely Kanko should have been there, or they should have started Danie @ 8.
Now Raubenheimer played in a combination with no specialist opensider and Potties were awarded this job, on what grounds? He never played a good game @ 6 and I doubt he ever will, no 7 is his only position, maybe 8.
Good article Morne, but like my friend Ashley, I do not agree with some of you sentiments.
I agree with the fact that players are over played and need to be managed more efficiently, but this must not be done at national level but at provincial level. There are 13 tests more or less in a year, and the best 22 must play in those games all the time.
For the record, I am of the meaning that every test that we play is important, and must be won at all costs. Building for world cups is nonsense, and we need to build for every test we play in. The Springbok team does not consist of 22 players, who are 30 years old, these 22 players range from an age of 20 to 32 most of the times. The point I’m trying to make is that as players leave the system due to age, the younger ones in the system becomes the seniors and starts to mentor the new guys entering the mix.
So when do we rest the top players in SA? Well we do that in the S14 and CC. We call rugby a professional game, but the opposite is true in fact. The national players should be contracted via the national setup, and these players should be released to their unions so that they will perform at their optimum when the tests are played.
Most of our provincial players play against some of the best the world has to offer in the S14, and these games they play in is almost harder than most international teams these players will face in their careers. In my book the S14 is and should be the perfect springboard for future internationals, they don’t need to keep someone better out of an official test to gain experience; they will get that through continuous performance or injury by the incumbents.
Get the professional structures in place and work on a points system for players where they can be ranked fairly to see who the top players in every position are. The moment a player knows where he stands in the system and he is aware of what he needs to work on to climb the ladder, we will produce even better players than what we already have for the Springboks.
Perhaps the message is not as clear as I thought… 😉
In coaching you never throw the baby out with the bathwater.
In essence, you do not make wholesale changes for the sake of testing depth, but also, you have to be brave enough to leave out a John, Bakkies or Matfield in giving a youngster or greenhorn the chance to experience rugby at test level.
You mentioned Morne Steyn earlier, and that is a great example, so too Brussow.
They were introduced into combinations that were world class, and settled.
The problem with our midweek team and that of the 3rd B&I Lions test was that we had 6 untested combinations – that is a recipe for disaster.
Building depth does not mean select the second best 15 and throw them together in a match, building depth means introducing new players in tested combinations.
Good Article, but I totally disagree!!
Squad selection for the Bokke should ALWAYS BE about taking the best 28 or 37 (as it is on this tour) players, no matter how much rugby they have played….
If, despite their amount of play, they are still THE BEST in their positions at a given point in time, they should be selected…. fringe players will be included and nurtured and prepared for bigger honours gradually by means of the process of natural selection…. by means of sitting on the bench and getting game time that way (every bench player gets game time these days), by means of injury enforced replacement.
Playing a complete second stringer side is always dodgy because it is mostly inevitable that combinations are created who have NEVER played next to each other… and the resultsof experimentation speaks for itself!
What is worse than supposed player burn-out is playing players out of position, playing “hopeful favourites” or political pawns in stead of merit selections, not playing older players because they might be too old in a couple of years…. what a crock of shit!
There is nearly 2 years left before World Cup 2009, we are in the middle of the cycle, there’s plenty time to rest players left, plenty time to groom players.
If the need arises, domestic level rugby is where you rest the Bokke stars end of next year (CC), not at International level….
Rest them for 4 or 5 weeks during the last phases of the Currie Cup, then let them Tour, then rest them for 4 or 5 weeks before the Super 14…. 10 weeks of rest is enough…
In the 2011 Super 14/5 they can get match hardened and ready again…
Its VERY VERY tricky, because winning every test for the Boks are really really important. But what if we rested all the Boks for this years CC, then it would have been WP and Cheetahs in the final, no doubt. And then everybody would be unhappy. Besides, franchises and unions pay players way to much not to get full service, and fans wants to see the best there is.
So the only option is to enlarge the Bok squad. Get 3 centers you can always call on, 2 scrummies, 5 back 3, ect.
That way guys can get rested with the Boks, and all the fans are happy. Could work, but something like this will need massive structures in place.
I agree wit post 3 @ GG.
Players should be brought into the starting line-up one or two at a time. Not 11 changes at a time.
A player like WO for example, has played really good rugby the past year or so. But every time he got a opportunity this past year at international level he had too play with 9, 10 new guys.
“What is worse than supposed player burn-out is playing players out of position, playing “hopeful favourites” or political pawns in stead of merit selections, not playing older players because they might be too old in a couple of years…. what a crock of shit!”
Goeie punt GBS. Ek dink… maar dink so daaraan. Fourie du Preez is DIE beste scrummie wat daar is. Nou moet ons hom nie dalk rus en reg bestuur sodat hy 4-5 jaar se top gehalte rugby lewer, in plaas van 2-3, en daarna is hy uitgebrand, en iemand anders, die volgende goeie scrummie deurkom, ens.
Deur die ouens te oorspeel kan ons dalk 1 of 2 jaar van hulle loopbane aftrek. Wil ons dit regtig he?
Oh and as to who I would have drafted in…
Let me just say one good currie cup does not mean the guy is a potentially great Bok…
The test team for me has the following guys as first choice players (guys that should take the field in the World Cup in 2011 or if World Cups is not your flavour, guys that are the best in their positions and would be selected for tests against the best rugby nations):
1. Beast
2. Bismarck
3. John (I am going with PDV’s choice here to make it easy)
4. Bakkies
5. Victor
6. Brussow (same reason as my selecting John at 3)
7. Juan
8. Spies
9. Fourie
10. Morne
11. Habs
12. Jean
13. Mossie
14. JPP
15. Frans
Now this is not my personal choice 15 but the one that achieved most success this year.
Our problems is obvious.
Quality prop back up’s (both sides)
Quality 4 lock
Quality 7
Quality 9
Quality 10
Quality 12
Quality back three
Props:
Heinke, Blaauw, WP Nel
Lock:
Fondse, Sykes
Blindside flank:
Deysel, Vermeulen
Scrummy:
Jano, Hougaard
Flyhalf:
Pienaar, Grant
Inside center:
Wynand
Back three:
Nokwe, Rose, Ndungane, Kirchner, Van Den Heever, Viljoen
Those would be the guys I would have tested on this tour, in combinations that has experience.
Remember, we can pick a dirt tracker side that has lots of experience and introduce combinations.
Example:
1. Heinke
2. Strauss/Liebenberg
3. Blaauw/Nel
4. Sykes/Danie
5. Bekker
6. Schalk
7. Deysel/Vermeulen
8. Kanko
9. Jano
10. Pienaar
11. Nokwe
12. Meisiekind
13. Adi
14. Odwa
15. Kirchner/Viljoen/Rose
Some of these player will feature in the test side either run on or bench, or as this tour would have it now, Meisiekind, Kirchner and Schalk would feature in the test team too (dont forget bench players or other players like Danie) because of losing Jean, Frans and Spies to overseas or injury.
That dirt tracker side is very experienced with Boks in just about every combination.
The test team against France and Ireland would then present a similar team that played in the 3N this year, apart from injury or other enforced changes.
Tests against Italy will see Smit, Beast, Bakkies, Victor, Fourie, Morne, Habana rested or on the bench with the newer combinations playing proper tests.
Something like (against Italy):
1. Heinke
2. Bismarck
3. Nel
4. Sykes
5. Bekker
6. Schalk
7. Deysel
8. Vermeulen/Kanko
9. Vermaak/Hougaard
10. Pienaar
11. Nokwe
12. Meisiekind
13. Adi
14. Odwa
15. Kirchner
16. Smit
17. Strauss
18. Bakkies
19. Brussow
20. Fourie
21. Mossie
22. Morne
But i guess you get my point – build depth through proven and/or experienced combinations.
Supa, ja, wat de hel. Hy kan goed genoeg wees om Jean te vervang, maar dit help NOKOL as hy tussen Adi Jacobs/De Jongh en Pienaar speel. Nie dat daai ouens sleg is nie. Maar hulle moet op hul eie ontwikkel.
Toe Jake White oorgeneem het was daar GEEN gevestigde span/ervare spelers, en hy MOES GEDWONGE die ouens toets in splinternuwe internationale kombinasies (Joubert en barry het lank saam vir die WP gespeel voor hulle vir die Bokke gespeel het).
supa @ 9
gbs @ 7 etc etc etc
i agree with your sentiment of NOT making too many changes
BUT
thats what mid-week games are for … testing the dirt-trackers
…
had pdv only made minimal changes to the side that played last friday
it wouldve been discribed by all and sundry as
1. a wasted oppertunity
and
2. he wouldve been lambasted for playing guys thats already playing way too much rugby anyway!!
8# GG
Yes, its tricky. But thats why they need to be brought into the system one or two at a time, then it wont make such a huge difference as when you change 10 and throw a match.
The next two years player like Potgieter or Deysel for example, should each get gametime in a full strength team and in a loosie combo of Spies and Brussouw/Schalk for example. The in two years, we will have 6 good loosies ready for Wcup.
Same with lock. Bring a player like Sykes or whoever, and let him play 30minutes when Bakkies comes of or let him start a game or three between our best players. Then you build depth.
But chosing a game, example the 3rd Lions test, and changing 10 players, are not the way to build depth in my opinion.
#13,
The only guys I would have selected on CC form would have been props and perhaps a fullback, because of the fact that the lack of depth there is shocking.
So I would not have picked De Jongh/Mapoe, etc.
Hahahaha, Morne @12, you went all out hey.
#13 Presies.
Bokke het speel 13 toetse n jaar omtrent. Laat Wynand bv 4 begin langs Mossie en die ander 4, o5 5 van die bank af kom vir so 30min. Doen dan dieselfde bv met Juan De Jong. Ek weet dit n fyn balans. Maarn goeie speler soos WO, gaan niks regkry as almal om hom in nuwe kombinasies is nie.
Think we are too shortsighted, we want to win every test and only give the 15 best gametime. We can still win every test, but by changing one or two every now an then, can create depth.
I just saw my last two paragraphs and can see how that threw you guys off…
The message here is simple – sustainable success, or long term success, or dominating rugby the AB’s have for the last 20 years…
We have the platform now, but we are not using it.
Hence winning the battles (tests), but losing the war.
15 Morne, agree, bring in guys one or two at a team, and build a big ass squad.
GG,
Those are just names and we will all differ from who we want to see there, but I think we all agree that we need something there.
16# Ja, dis moeilik. Meeste mense, ek self, lees some te veel in die CC. Juan De Jong en Mapoe was goed in die CC, maar hoe gaan hulle doen in die s14? Ons weet nie. Maar, ons moet POC he, en daai twee lyk goed, so in die midweek span dink ek hulle albei moes n kans gekry het.
Jy kry nou en dan n speler soos Frans Steyn, JDV en Schalk, wat internasionale rugby speel voor s14!
#19 Supa,
That is my point…
By selecting our best, we will win 90% of our tests – but there is far more to it.
19 Supa. Dit is ‘n fyn balans, maar dit is deel van die Bok coach se werk. Hy moet die balans hou. En soms kry Div dit reg, soms nie… ons kan maar net hoop hy leer en kry sy kop reg voor dit te laat is.
Ons moet begin infaseer teen volgende jaar as ons wil reg wees vir 2011.
supa @ 19
maar as jy bv wynand 4 games langs jfourie speel
en
DAN
die kombinasie change om jdejongh in te bring
gaan
ALMAL sê dat wynand en jacques MEER games moes gehad het om regtig mekaar te leer ken, hehehe!!!
25 GG
Daar is twee jaar oor. Omtrent 25 toetse. Hy moet nou begin besluit wie is sy second stringers, en hulle een of twee n slag kans gee. Buiten die feit dat hy nuwe ouens in n sterk groep inbring, gaan hy spelers soos Matfield, FDP ens ook ruskans gee.
Ons weet nou nog nie wie is ons back-up as FDP seerkry nie?! En as Bismarck seekry? As Morne seekry? As Mossie seerkry? Te veel posisie wat daar nie GOEIE back-up is nie.
The thing is that in general, we have more than enough good players to replace the current Boks. I honestly think so. It may take time to get them some experience, get the best out of them and build combinations. I think we will all agree that the only problem is that the coaches strike the right balance and build do all this while still winning tests.
Yes players need to be rested but not when representing your country. Rather rest them sraight after the Tri-Nations. Bok players should not play the CC. There is where the rest should come.
We have now gone straight from CC right into training for this eoyt. Not sure how long the Bulls Boks got to rest after the final. Brussow from the Cheetahs either.
Another thing is if we want to try out our new exciting talent that is coming through, then it makes very good sense to take those players to play in the mid-week/dirt-tracker games. We missed a great opportunity to test out those players against Tigers. That was a huge mistake by the coaches. About 8 to 10 players should have made that team instead of some that played in that game. If we keep doing that we will never know how good our 2nd best players really are. That is where we test out our 2nd best not in Test rugby where we should always play our very best in the Bok jersey. Please we don’t want to throw our Bok name away. We are a very proud rugby nation.
Not sure now when we will ever get to test out our very best 2nd side. Maybe if they can organize more of these club games in the NH for next year. Then we need to take our very best 2nd side over, otherwise we will never know who we have to fill positions if players get injured or retire before the wc. It may even be a bit late for that. This was the ideal time to start doing that on this tour.
#26 Ashley
Wat ek se. As PDV besluit Adi en Mossie is sy eerstekeuse senterpaar. Dan moet hulle meeste van die toetse begin. Na 50min bring hy vir WO op en hy speel n ruk saam Mossie. Volgende game haal jy Mossie af na 50min en speel vir JDJ saam Adi bv. En so nou en dan laat hy bv Wynand en Mossie begin en na 50min bring jy weer vir Adi op en dieselfde met JDJ. As jy dit goed beplan oor twee jaar en 25 toetse. Het jy 4 goeie senters wat mekaar ken na twee jaar.
Maw. Jou sterkste kombinasie kry die meetse van die speeltyd, maar geleidelik bring jy ander spelers ook in die span.
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