Following on from GrootBlouSmile’s article about South African rugby’s next step. Here is my input.
Most importantly we need some intelligent players, players who can truly live up to the idiom of playing what is in front of them, not only the opponent but the referee, for too long South Africa players have not been coached to have the ability to think on their feet, to have the ability to adapt midstream.But before this is to happen SARU needs to get their house in order. South African rugby in the professional era has slowly been degraded into a collective mess of political correctness, incompetent coaching, poor administration at the top where individual self promotion and egocentric agendas are the order of the day.
There are a whole host of local candidates who will put up their hands for the job. Dick Muir and Gary Gold will be the first to throw their names into the hat. Rassie Erasmus, Allister Coetzee and Heyneke Meyer . Hopefully Jake White resists and does not put his name in the hat.
The most appropriate candidates in my opinion would be Nick Mallet, John Mitchell, Rassie Erasmus and Naka Drotske. Why? Well I think these guys can break the mould, they have all shown an ability to coach more expansive rugby and the willingness to be less conservative. Even though I would like to see John Mitchell be the next Springbok coach, I doubt whether he will want to get involved in the politics that is SA rugby.
One thing South African rugby doesn’t lack is talent, if you look towards the provinces and ignore all players older than 28 then these are the potential players who have in my view a shot at the international stage.
Prop
Beast Mtwarira (Sharks), Jannie du Plessis (Sharks), Coenie Oosthuizen (Cheetahs), Wimpie Nel (Cheetahs), Eugene van Staden (Sharks), JC Janse van Rensburg (Lions), Werner Kruger (Bulls), Dean Greyling (Bulls)
Hooker
Bismarck du Plessis (Sharks), Adriaan Strauss (Cheetahs), Deon Fourie (Stormers),
Lock
Andries Bekker (Stormers), Ross skeate (Sharks), Michael Rhodes (Lions), Juandre Kruger (Bulls)
Back row
Jean Deysel (Sharks), Joshua Strauss (Lions), Nick Koster (Stormers), Heinrich Brussow (Cheetahs), Schalk Burger (Stormers), Duane Vermeulen (Stormers), Willem Alberts (Sharks), Francois Louw (Stormers)
Scrum half
Francois Hougaard (Bulls), Dewaldt Duvenage (Stormers), Ruan Pienaar (UK)
Flyhalf
Patrick Lambie (Sharks), Elton Jantjies (Lions)
Center
Frans Steyn (Racing), Johann Sadie (Stormers) Juan du Jongh (Stormers), Jaque Fourie (Stormers), Alwyn Hollenbach (Lions), Pierre Spies (Bulls)
Wing
Lwasi Mvovo (Sharks), JP Pietersen (Sharks), Michael Killian (Lions), Bjorn Basson (Bulls), Gio Aplon (Stormers), Bryan Habana (Stormers)
Fullback
Riaan Viljoen (Cheetahs/Griquas), Jaco Taute (Lions), Morne Steyn (Bulls)
There are some controversial positional choices I would like to see, Pierre Spies at center, apart from Jaque Fourie we don’t have strike runners, and we have more than enough loose forwards, so why not gamble and give it a shot.
If we are to break the mould and go for more expansive rugby Morne Steyn isn’t the pivot, but his boot and general positional play can suit him well at fullback.
Frans Steyn must settle at inside centre, he was enormous during the World Cup and has shown his ability to not only break the gain line, but also get the rest of his back line away.
South Africa must not forsake their strengths, they still need to do the basics right and first control the match, and only then will they have earned the right to attack, but a little more skill and adventurous play will be welcomed.
The future for SA rugby is bright, but only if SARU gets their house in order and appoint a coach on merit only, that, and a willingness to bring back the importance of winning every test. I do not ever want to hear a coach say “Judge me on the World Cup” and I never want to see a coach forsake one test for some greater goal somewhere in the future. A 75% win ratio should be the minimum goal, nothing less will be acceptable.
@ grootblousmile:
My Afrikaans is heelwat goed, en as dit nie is nie – is daar altyd google translate
@ Tripples:
60@ Tripples:
The next SA coach, Mr Coetzee, was quite magnaminous in defeat on Saturday evening!
@ pink bokkie:
trips @ 60
be nice!!
63 @ Scrumdown:
That worries me, he is such a good loser….
65 @ Ashley:
Asblikkie,
Trippeljips is just being honest!
Hoe gaan dit daar in Slaapstad?
66@ grootblousmile:
He’ll fit in just nicely at the SARU offices in Cape Town then.
Sad MF’s are a bunch o losers at the best of times.
Cheers. Going to a meeting in your favourite town of Germiston.
61 @ pink bokkie:
We have Google Translate built in… see the TRANSLATE button at every comment
@ Scrumdown:
Is net ‘n ou grappie Scrummie!!! I actually like Mr Coetzee!!!!
68 @ Scrumdown:
Eishhhh
Germies is so full of kakkas… flokken vuil plek, that one!
biltongnek @ 35
lol, was just voicing the complaints the media will have when anyone talks “heads-up” rugby!! they just need to add “running rugby is from the devil” and they will have covered all angles!!
ok everyone……..hope you have a nice evening!!!! Gotta go.
Flok, I’ll have to get used to the way kinders write again… No Capital letters, mxit abbreviations…
All the lol lol lol
We’re raising a generation of half-literates….
gbs @ 67
nice broetsie. as always!!
gbs @ 74
flok gbsie
djy gebryk wee ve’dag groot woore nê?
73 @ Tripples:
Cheers…
Gooooooooooooi Mie….
Wait… can’t say that to Tripps…
Vaaaaang Mieliessssssss!
Hehehe
76 @ Ashley:
Ek moet mos!
76 @ Ashley:
Het jy gesien hoe stout wassie Iere, mettie Ingelse papiere?
gbs @ 79
yep!! this wc turns out to be the most controversial ever!!
eg.
1. bryce lawrence is given the most important Pool C match and just happen to knock the strongest of the 2 sides between aus and ireland right into our path? yes everyone has an offday, he acknowledged as much when he said that he “may of made a crucial mistake or 2″ in that match which ‘may have cost the aussies the match” … just a coincidence that a nz was in charge of that match, wasnt it?
2. bryce lawrence gets the most important quarterfinal match (from a nz perspective) and just so happen to have another offday … this time knocking the strongest side out of the wc and out of nz’s way. must be a coincidence, surely.
3. almost as coincidental as france joining nz in one pool?
80 @ Ashley:
… en as Osama Bin Laden nog gelewe het, was hy ook dalk betrokke….
So, you think there was a general conspiricy against the Bokke… in that case don’t forget that Samoa was placed in Pool D to go out and hurt the Bokke, on purpose…
Flok, ek glo mossie in Conspiricy theories nie… bring vir my die bewyse… Bryce Lawrence se bankstate vir die laaste jaar sal doen.
gbs @ 81
😀 nee as osama nog gelewe het, sou ons gewen het 😆
en
ja, ek weet die frankryk storie is bietjie verregaande … dit daar ingegooi vir effek
maar
brycie …. uuuuhm ….. moontlik, baie moontlik!!
We have some absolutely brilliant youngsters coming through.
I would like to see us be brave and get John Mictchell in as coach. Now I normally would always want a South African first. BUT feel we need the best for the unbelievable talent we have in our country.
Mitchell is a tough no nonense man. Something we need. My only concern if he did get the job is not to stray completely away from our strengths but to combine them with attacking flair.
Mitchell – Head Coach
With Gert Smal and Rassie or AC.
Surround ourselves this time too with all the best. Bring in a scrum coach and defence coach from the start. Calder the eye coach. Lineout specialist get Victor. He has a weather of knowledge there. We must not spare a thing on getting the best and in all positions.
Be brave Saru bring in Mitchell. That is if he wants the job.
Mallett does not want the job and think Meyer is busy with the Bulls.
@ Puma:weather = wealth.
puma @ 83
well said, pums
@ Ashley:85 – Thanks Ash.
How you doing boeta? Jeez I am still feeling the pain of our loss. Also feel the pain for the team and Peter. They must be feeling even worse than us.
Another thing we need in world rugby. Is totally Professional Rugby Refs. They don’t have to come from rugby countries either, as long as they have studied the game and reffing game inside out. They could come from anywhere then. What we need is total professional refs and the very best. None should qualify if they are under 35 either. Need young refs that can keep up with the players at all time. Once a ref is over 35 no matter how good he is must not qualify.
In the next world cup we need total neutral refs too. Never and never again must a sh ref two sh teams. Espcially if they are to face his home team next. Same must apply for nh teams. We need a total fair contest. Never again must a ref have the saying of the outcome of a game. Never again. We should use the tmo far more too. The team should have 3 calls as well to go up stairs to the tmo. Like we do in cricket and tennis. To question a refs call. NO more must the players have no say at all. Could even have two refs. But we have to get it right and a lot more fair to both teams.
You guys are very quick to want John Mitchell… and I agree to the most extent.
In fact I think John Mitchell is an excellent coach.
But ask Scrumdown, that man Mitchell is a difficult bastard, with no relationship with the Media, an obnoxcious fella… and I cannot see him getting along with the slapgat houding at SARU. He won’t keep quiet and he’ll send them straight to hell, where they belong.
Mmmmmm maybe we DO NEED HIM, he’ll shake their cages well and solid….
I also believe we need a bit of an Authoritarian Coach after a very Player-driven era, to set the record straight very quickly about just who is in charge, and maybe Mitchell fits this bill too.
I however doubt that he would at all be interested in the Bokke job, and if memory serves he has already indicated that he will see out his obligations at the Lions and therefore would not consider applying for the Bokke job.
Who are the other prime International candidates?
Graham Henry – ending his stint with the All Blacks now
Eddie Jones – coaching somewhere in Japan, Suntory Goliath or something
Gert Smal – Ireland Forwards coach
Nick Mallett – just finished his stint with Italy
John Kirwan – just finished his stint with Japan
Warren Gatland – Wales coach but his contract is up for renewal
There’s bound to be a few more…
Locally we have Heyneke Meyer, Alistair Coetzee, Rassie Erasmus, Paul Treu and not much more than that… specially not Dick Muir or Gary Gold.
Each candidate, whether local or overseas comes with baggage too… eg Mallett and his SARU history of being too outspoken, Mitchell being a difficult bastard, Gert Smal who infuriated us when he was Assitant coach under Jake White, Eddie Jones who is joined at the hip with Jake the Snake, Kirwan who has not achieved anything yet, Gatland who has now already been involved in 2 Countries coaching… and who’s loyaly must be questioned, Rassie who is rumoured to be somewhat of a snorter, Alistair who did nothing at the Bokke as backline coach and who still does nothing with brilliant backs at WP / Stormers, Paul Treu who’s been out of the 15-man game for a number of years.
pums @ 86
see you’re still worked up about that loss boet (as i am, although i’ve cooled down quite a bit since sunday)
unfortunately the damage has been done
but
i can assure, if that was a sa ref who had officiated like bryce lawrence did
he wouldve been banned for a long long time (if not for life) like the sa linesman (cant remember his name right now) was banned because he wrongfully got a player (from aus … think it was drew mitchell, not sure) yellowcarded!!
..
this is shit!! in my opinion, someone behind the scenes are pulling strings to ensure nz win their first wc in years .. yes, theres no way i can prove it, but it is no coincidence that bryce lawrence got the most important 2 games (from a nz perspective) and then 1st knocked the aussies our way (would make it easier for any ref to ensure a certain result if theres almost nothing to choose between 2 sides, isnt it?) and then knocked the stronger of the 2 quarterfinalists out of nz’s way. these 2 examples makes me even wonder if their bogey team appearing in their group is such a coincidence or whether it was orchestrated!!
88@ Ashley:
But what if NZ meet France in the final……with Wayne Barnes as the ref’?
The problem with this whole scenario, is that the SARU exco’ are basically entrenched in their positions, and it is VERY difficult to get rid of them.
An example of someone at SARU who does absolutely sh1t all is Mark Alexander (one of) the Deputy Presidents. When with the GLRU he was known as being as decisive as a frog in a pot of water that’s just been put on a fire. (If you don’t know what that means, the frog basically doesn’t realise he’s slowly being boiled, and so just sits there until it’s too late.) I spoke with a National Rugby President of an African country not too long ago who noted of Mr Alexander that he wouldn’t respond to a “good morning” in kind unless he had been outside to check on the weather. So WTF is he ever going to decide to change the face of SA Rugby?
The whole voting set up is as straight as my dog’s back leg, (as is the set up at the IRB), and it’s almost impossible to get rid of non-performers. As the public who basically pay all of the wages at SARU (albeit indirectly) we have absolutley zip say on what goes on there, and we can respond to as many “customer survey’s” as we want, it won’t make one cent’s worth of difference to Mr Hoskens and co.
I could tell you about a meeting I had with MrHhoskens at his suite in a luxury Sandton Hotel, but the thought of the money the room must have cost makes me want to puke.
I know he is the President of SA Rugby, but that was really shafting the kitty IMO.
Anyway, enough complaining.
GO LIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! CC Back where it belongs this season?
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