The SA Rugby Union (SARU) is killing the Goose that lays the golden eggs – against scientific advice and proven experience that helped Jake White’s team to win the 2007 World Cup.
That is the only way to describe the extra Test match against Wales that SARU has agreed to and which will bring the number of 2010 Tests to 14 plus the non-cap “Super Test” against the British Barbarians.
It is expected that the acceptance of the Wales Test will be officially announced by SARU this week, according to sport24 – and the controlling body will be the only (financial) winners.
With the Wales Test added the Boks will therefore play seven Test matches in seven weeks (eight Saturdays) in June and July and five more in four weeks in Britain.
Those seven Tests in June and July are two against New Zealand and one against Australia, one against top Six Nations team France and two against Italy. Plus then the Test against Wales, of course.
The Springboks play Wales in Cardiff on June 5 and France in Cape Town the following Saturday.
What’s more, the Wales Test comes only a week after the Super 14 final -and if any South African side does play in that final the young hopefuls for Bok colours – like Joe Pietersen, Brok Harris, Deon Stegmann and Gerhard van den Heever – will probably have to be overlooked because of the “fatigue factor.”
It certainly won’t be the country’s best team that is fielded every time, and the awarding of undeserved caps and the reverence for a Test cap that goes with it, will be ignored in this pursuit of money.
Little heed has been taken at the top level of what sports scientist Prof Tim Noakes has to say about over-playing the Boks. Or of the way that Jake White had to “sacrifice” Test wins in order to win the World Cup.
With 15 internationals the only way to prevent or control that fatigue factor, is by awarding caps to second-stringers in a travesty of all that pride in the Springbok blazer has stood for in its proud history.
What will opponents say about the weakened teams bound to be sent abroad, not to mention the sponsors of the South African team? And will there be support in South Africa for home games when an also-ran team is selected?
Springbok coach Peter de Villiers must be a perplexed man – and make no mistake, he will be the one who unfairly bears the brunt of weakened teams.
De Villiers was uncertain about the wisdom of the Grand Slam tour about which he was obviously not consulted, according to his interview with the Cape Times on February 2.
“The timing of this Grand Slam tour isn’t right for me,” he said to the Cape Times.
“I need to really sit down and work out when exactly we want to do the conditioning with the guys ahead of the 2011 season. From there we will know what we want to do and how we are going to approach the next two international seasons.”
De Villiers then said: “I haven’t spoken to the bosses yet about the Grand Slam tour, so I don’t know how they see it. I haven’t spoken to them or the players.”
The Springbok management team faces a difficult task to identify a rest period for the top Springboks to set them up for the run in to the World Cup in New Zealand in 2011.
Sitting out either the 2010 Currie Cup or the end of year tour were two of the possible rest periods that are being looked at by the Bok management.
That has now been complicated.
Springboks’ programme for 2010:
5 June: v Wales (Cardiff)
12 June: v France (Cape Town)
19 June: v Italy (Witbank)
26 June: v Italy (East London)
10 July: v New Zealand (Auckland)
17 July: v New Zealand (Wellington)
24 July: v Australia (Brisbane)
21 August: v New Zealand (Johannesburg)
28 August: v Australia (Pretoria)
4 September: v Australia (Bloemfontein)
6 November: v Ireland (Dublin)
13 November: v Wales (Cardiff)
20 November: v Scotland (Edinburgh)
27 November: v England (London)
4 December: v Barbarians (London)
Jan Bok’s….On the road.
I don’t think it is that bad. We will play second stringers vs italy. That takes 2 tests off the list.
The barbarian match will also be second raters and there we have it, 12 tests for the menere.
Look on the flip side guys, maybe this is the first step towards a global season. Playing wales in June in wales! Don’t you think those guys will find it more pleasant going to watch a rugga match in the summer? I mean their summer is not warmer than it is here currently and we are playing rugby.
Once the puplic see the benefits for them to play in warmer climates maybe they will realise that we can all play rugby from February until October. I cant believe no-one has thought of this.
Carol – Having experienced the B&I lions tour here, played in sunny conditions and hottish temperature, would you prefer to watch the bokke play England at Twickenham in June or November?
Surely it is more pleasant to watch in the sun than in freezing conditions?
Your take would be appreciated.
WHY are we playing Wales on the 5th of June in Wales off all places?
Very stupid. S14 final will just have taken place a week before. If one of our teams makes that final(Bulls should) then we can not send any top players to play in that game.
What a waste of time and once again it will ruin our Bok name by sending a under strength side if we lose.
SARU that is just greed. Also taking our players for granted like that. They will need a rest before the France game which we will want to win on home soil.
Just playing our players into the ground. Rest is just as important as playing. Even the France game comes too soon after the S14 final. Players going to be very tired and watch we may have too many injured players for the Tri-Nations. Rest weeks has to be thought about before they schedule the rugby year.
Remember,this rugby season is a bit of an aberation, away from the norm, in 2010 as far as SA is concerned, due to the Soccer World Cup 2010 in the middle of the year.
Next year it will be back to normal again.
GBS, ek stem saam. Speel in Cardiff anders moet hulle op ‘n nie WB veld speel wat nie genoeg inkomste gaan bring nie en die koste om die span te husves met vlugte gaan te groot wees vir SA rugby. As ek dit reg het moet die gasheer land vir dit betaal. Speel in Cardiff, spaar geld en worry nie oor beskikbare vlugte teen 300% van die normale pryse.
Thing is, a S14 gold medal is becoming much more important than a test match win. You can not expect the Bulls to rest their Springboks to win tests and then loose the S14.
OK, why is a World Cup win so special vs a Three nations or Six nations?
OR, why is a Olympic medal so much more valuable than a World championship medal?
BECAUSE, they only occur every FOUR YEARS. They are rare. IF we have World Cups and Olympics more often, they get diluted, less valuable.
The same with 1-day cricket matches. Who cares who wins or loses, they are dime a dozen. The only thing that matters are the WC’s and tests series.
Too many tests, and they become valueless. Just like soccer ‘friendlies’… who cares.
Less tests, but make them special!
3 – Onerb – Watching rugby in the sun sounds great, we are used to dressing up warmly to watch a match though!!
The Shark Tank and Loftus were really warm and it was in the middle of your winter, however Newlands was as cold as Christmas!! 😉
We really felt right at home!!
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