The Rugby Championship

I watch a lot of rugby; primarily because I like to bet on it.

As you can imagine - social media is positively apoplectic after South Africa's lame performance in Durban yesterday.

But if you add up all the criticism levelled at our national game it rather amazes me how little is levelled at the players themselves. Instead posters tend to focus primarily on issues such as the Minister Of Sport, transformation, the coach etc.

Although I am happy to concede that these issues are contributory factors to our underperformance there is not much comment on certain basic issues which are ENTIRELY the responsibility of the 23 representatives on the field.

1.) Missed Tackles : Our missed tackle count was huge. (Player responsibility!)
2.) Passing : Most of our players cannot pass correctly so seldom are support players running on to the ball.
3.) Ball Carrying : Often our players carry the ball under the wrong arm so cannot fend tacklers. We also lose the ball in contact more than other teams.
4.) Contact : Historically we love to run through rather than around opponents. This technique dates back to when we were always physically more dominant. As this is no longer the case this is an outdated practise.
5.) Game speed: We struggle with speed - both mental and physical. We have historically been used to play breakdowns as informal rest periods where you can stroll to the next set piece. No longer an option.
6.) Peripheral Vision : When a player is in possession its a case of head down until stopped or brought down. You seldom see the man in possession scanning for support (usually because there is none!). If there were such a thing as a South African rugby dictionary I believe the word 'overlap' would not be found in it as putting a player into space seldom happens.
7.) High Ball : Given that we turned kicking into a rugby lifestyle it is somewhat amazing that the majority of our players are incapable of fielding the high ball.
8.) Kick/Chase : Nah! too much effort.
9.) Overseas Players : The game is played at a different pace in Europe so 'visiting' players add little or nothing to the mix. Even NZ acknowledge this. Where their players have gone to Europe or Japan it has usually taken them up to a season to re-adjust to the southern hemisphere pace upon return.

At the very least one would expect international players to be in possession of these basic skills by the time they are picked to represent their country.

You also have to wonder how they occupy their time in training when these skills are so obviously absent on matchday. Or do they simply spend their time tweeting and visiting townships for spin purposes? Almost every post match interview has the coach identifying issues 'to work on'.

I identified only one aspect of our play which actually functioned reasonably well during the championship - the lineout. As a result opposing teams did what they could to avoid them with quick throws etc.

Rugby is a fundamentally simple game - You have to be superfit at international level. You have to be in possession of all of the basic skills at an unimpeachable level. The rest stems from that. At the moment we do not even tick the 'fit' box.

The only aspect of the South African game that has improved in the last few seasons has been discipline; caused largely by an historical avalanche of penalties and cards. This in itself highlights the reality that we embraced the 'bully' and 'intimidation' approach to the game. This no longer works so , rather like the stereotyped bully, we have no backup plan.

Whilst watching yesterday's match I couldn't help but reflect on where I had seen it all before. Then I rembered - it was a replay of the Stormers from a couple of years back with two differences - the colour of the jerseys and the fact that the Stormers knew how to tackle.

For me one of the problems is that top SA rugby players are becoming like civil servants. They are getting paid so why should they need to work?

We are w-a-a-y overdue for financial penalties as these are PROFESSIONAL players. Some of the sanctions I would like to see are :

Red Card - forfeit full match fee.
Yellow Card - forfeit half match fee. Etc.......

It's a mess but fixable. But it needs to start from the top.

But in horse racing parlance yesterday's result was the proverbial 'good thing'.

Garrick,I am no longer up to speed on Rugby ,in general ,and therefore not really on our Springboks,either.
Do you (or anybody else who cares to give us info)know how many South African players,who would probably be in our "best 30" squad, are unavailable due to them playing overseas,or excluded by quotas.
(ie. How close would you consider our side is to the best SA could produce,based purely on merit)

(the reason I ask is I think I heard one of our overseas players say on TV the other morning that there are 700 of our players plying their trade overseas- I know some are in their twilight years but,by virtue of the demand for their services ,there must many who are international class)
If those figures are true does that mean that we are technically putting out the second or even third best group of players who qualify to represent us.

Rob - The last I heard was that there are approximately 280 registered players plying their trade in Europe. ( ie players whose names you might half recognise). So your figure of 700 overall might be on the mark.

It should, however, be noted that a good percentage of the European players are in the twilight of their careers. (You will probably find a large percentage of equivalent NZ players there too).

The question of whether we are fielding a A, B or C type squad is a little more difficult to address as we have to work with what is available. But, by way of example, the Lions created a good team out of young, 'no name brand' players which conceivably might have won Super 18 if the final had been in SA. Their success can be summarised in one word - TEAMWORK.

We produce a enormous amount of talented raw material which is inevitably squandered for a variety of reasons. Not least because we believe there is always another one about to fall off the conveyor belt.

If, for example, Australia had 25% of the personnel available to us they would quickly challenge NZ again.

We are just doing little or nothing positive with what we have and are allowing future stars to be recruited at school level by European agents; lured by the prospect of big money.

But, hey, this is the nature of any professional activity. Look at global football - most of the real talent plies its trade in Europe.

In rugby NZ have cleverly ring fenced their talent through central contracting & the understanding that you WILL NOT play for NZ if you do not play your rugby there.

In summary & in virtually every aspect SA has failed to adapt to the professional era. Unfortunately when you wave a Bok jersey or a pound/euro/dollar under a player's nose it becomes a no brainer which he will go for. Maladministration/poor coaching skills/transformation simply exacerbate the malaise but are not necessarily the root causes as most irate fans tend to believe.

Excellent post!
1.Coach must go immediately .
2.Fourie Du Preez should be called back and restore momentum in the team.He was the Colonel in the team this is what's missing.
3.Wipe politics out of the sport players should be appointed on Merit only.
4.Heineke Meyer was the only coach at the world cup to bring Boks within 3 points of NZ.Bring him back.

@ Garrick
Imo the below point you made is the main contributing factor to the Springbok's poor performance.
5.) Game speed: We struggle with speed - both mental and physical. We have historically been used to play breakdowns as informal rest periods where you can stroll to the next set piece. No longer an option.

Garrick, firstly these players dont pick themselves (I agree with their non-existant skills,speed etc ) secondly because of political interference over the past few years from school boy level we have no depth in players left. Yes the players have not risen to the plate but they shouldnt be there in the first place. They are unfortunately the best of the kak we have left.

If you gonna lose, lose with youngsters.. Dont know whats this ou balies rugby.. Beast is done, Habana is done, De Jong is done.. Still playing "drie punte rugby", game has evolved and SA being left behind.. Dane Coles on the wing is a legend! Every single player can run with the ball.. SA forwards can only play "koppe stamp".. sad, very sad!

Morne Steyn is the typical olden day flyhalf.. beauden Barrett made him look like a small boy.. Need a running, dynamic flyhalf.. Beauden's kicking was terrible, but he ran the ball so well it made up for it.. when Morne's boot lets him down its done for him, so one dimensional..

Taken off the Supersport website.............




Warren Whitely © Gallo Images

SA players head overseas after Super Rugby

by Brenden Nel 30 June 2016, 09:09




SA Rugby may have succeeded in keeping many of our top players in the country with some innovative contracting at national level, but just below that the game will be saying farewell to many stars at the end of this year’s Vodacom Super Rugby competition.

Supersport.com can reveal today that at least 45 players have been confirmed to be moving abroad as the player drain continues, with the unique feature this time that a number of South African coaches have also been targeted by overseas clubs.

While many of the players are either journeymen or looking to continue their careers elsewhere to earn money abroad, there are two significant features in the player drain that need attention, with the weak rand still being a major factor in the decisions of many when they consider offers abroad.

The first is the change in rules by the Japanese clubs to allow an extra foreign player to be contracted by clubs as long as he has not represented his country in the past, and can potentially qualify for Japan in the future. This has seen a number of players – like the Bulls’ forwards, Grant Hattingh and Lappies Labuschagne, saying goodbye to Super Rugby and they will now play solely in the Japanese league, not returning to South Africa like a number of players in the past.

The list below includes a number of players – including Springboks Elton Jantjies, Warren Whiteley and Jaco Kriel – who will all head to Japan during the Currie Cup but will return to South Africa in the new year to take up their posts with the Super Rugby sides as well.

But the Japanese clubs are increasingly looking for players who don’t want to play Super Rugby, and will make it worth their while to do so.

The list includes 15 current or former Springbok players and others, like Nic Groom and Louis Schreuder, who have both been in Springbok squads but haven’t played a test yet.

With the local transfer season opening on 1 July, a number of other local moves are expected in the coming weeks, but it is interesting to note the French clubs haven’t bought as much as in the past as the cash flow among the clubs there has been low.

The clubs have, however, signed a massive new television deal which will see clubs in the Top 14 get 97-million euros extra from next season – meaning there is a lot of extra cash to go shopping for big name players.

The SA Rugby annual listed over 280 players playing abroad at the end of 2015, and while the list may have fluctuated somewhat with player retirements and some moving back to South Africa, the 45 players below have all signed in recent months while another 16 South African players have completed moves to new clubs ahead of the new European season, to start in August.

The list also highlights that the number of players leaving leaves a massive hole in terms of depth for South African teams as for the first time teams like Montpellier are targeting under-21 players to get them into their Academy system and rise into the French ranks after that.

Grey College alumni and star fullback Henry Immelmann is one of these, while the 96kg winger Duhan van der Merwe, who played for Outeniqua at school is another of these players that will head for Europe this coming season.

Even a player such as Gerbrand Grobler, the former Western Province lock, who was suspended for using banned substances, has signed with Racing Metro. While his suspension ends on October 8, Grobler will continue training with the French club in the meantime.

One player is in the middle of a dispute. New Bok Franco Mostert has signed a contract with French club Lyon, but the Lions claim he is still one of their players. Lions CEO Rudolf Straeuli confirmed to Supersport.com that Mostert is still considered a Lions player and is part of their future plans, despite being unveiled on the Lyon website as a new signing and Mostert himself talking of the move at a press briefing.

The effect of the mass exodus is that Super Rugby teams inevitably get younger, and the depth in local sides is eroded even more. This at a time when SA Rugby are looking to limit selections of Springboks that play abroad and pick more from locally based players as part of their campaign to keep players in the country.

Some, like 21-year-old Blue Bulls lock Le Roux Roets, believe moving abroad will make them better players, as he told Sunday newspaper Rapport a few weeks back.

“The opportunity to play for one of the biggest clubs on the planet, Racing Metro, will only be offered to you once,” Roets told Rapport.

“I believe the chance to play Top 14 rugby will make me a better lock. I’m also hoping to learn a lot from a player like François van der Merwe. But the Bulls and South Africa will always be very close to my heart.”

For the first time South African coaches are in high demand as well, especially in Japan where the likes of SA under-20 coach Dawie Theron and former Bulls coach Frans Ludeke will join Jimmy Stonehouse coaching in the Japanese league.

Players confirmed to Europe/Japan (with clubs they are heading to in brackets)

BULLS
Dean Greyling (Oyonnax)
Marcel van der Merwe (Toulon)
Werner Kruger (Scarlets)
Nicolaas Janse van Rensburg (Montpellier)
Le Roux Roets (Racing Metro)
Lappies Labuschagne (Kubota Spears)
Deon Stegmann (Honda Heat)
Grant Hattingh (Kubota Spears)
Jacques Potgieter (Fukuoka Sanix Blues – returns for Super Rugby)
Duhan van der Merwe (Montpellier)

CHEETAHS
Maks van Dyk (Toulouse)
Coenie van Wyk (Toshiba Brave Lupis)
Henry Immelman (Montpellier)
Willie Britz (NTT Shining Arcs)
Francois Uys (Toyota Verblitz – returns for Super Rugby)

STORMERS
Vincent Koch (Saracens)
Schalk Burger (Saracens)
Nic Groom (Northampton Saints)
Louis Schreuder (Kubota Spears)
Jean Kleyn (Munster)

SHARKS
Marcell Coetzee (Ulster)
JP Pietersen (Leicester Tigers)
Paul Jordaan (La Rochelle)
Joe Pietersen (Kamiashi Seawaves) Kyle Cooper (Newcastle Falcons)

LIONS
Franco Mostert (Lyon)
Derick Minnie (Zebre)
Marnitz Boshoff (Connacht)
Warren Whiteley (Docomo Red Hurricanes, returns for Super Rugby)
Jaco Kriel (Kubota Spears, returns for Super Rugby)
Lionel Mapoe (Kubota Spears, returns for Super Rugby)
Elton Jantjies (NTT Shining Arcs, returns for Super Rugby)
Lloyd Greeff (Zebre) Warwick Tecklenburg (Kamiashi Seawaves, returns for Super Rugby)

SOUTHERN KINGS
Steven Sykes (Oyonnax)
Schalk Oelofste (Mont-de-Marsan)
Philip du Preez (Mont-de-Marsan)
Louis Fouche (Kubota Spears)
Aiden Davids (Toulon)
James Hall (Oyonnax, returns for Super Rugby)
Shane Gates (NTT Shining Arcs)
Jurgen Visser (Docomo Red Hurricanes)

SA SEVENS
Francois Hougaard (Worcester)

LEOPARDS
Bart Le Roux (Zebre)

Unattached
Gerbrand Grobler (Racing Metro, suspension ends October 8 2016)

South Africans moving between overseas clubs
Pedrie Wannenberg (Castres to Denver)
Nick Fenton-Wells (Bedford to Bristol)
Pat Cilliers (Montpellier to Leicester Tigers)
Dewald Potgieter (Yamaha Jublio to Worcester Warriors)
Matt Williams (Northampton Saints to Worcester Warriors)
Sebastien de Chaves (Leicester Tigers to London Irish)
Devin Hope (Coventry to London Scottish)
Jody Jenneker (Oyonnax to Castres)
Robert Ebersohn (Montpellier to Castres)
Juandre Kruger (Racing Metro to Toulon)
Pellow van der Westhuizen (Clermont to Montauban)
George Earle (Scarlets to Cardiff)
Pat Howard (Northampton Saints to Newport Gwent Dragons)
Rynier Bernardo (Ospreys to Scarlets)
Gerhard van der Heever (Munster to Yamaha Jubilo)
Jean Cook (Zebre to Kintetsu)

Coaches heading overseas
Dawie Theron (Docomo Red Hurricanes)
Andre Tredoux (Docomo Red Hurricanes)
Rassie Erasmus (Munster)
Jacques Nienaber (Munster)
Frans Ludeke (Kubota Spears)
John McFarland (Kubota Spears)
Eugene Eloff (Austin Huns)
Phil Pretorius (Cayman Islands)

Vern Cotter the current Scottish coach will be joining up with Montpellier at the end of this season. This means that Jake White will be without at job. Now if the hierarchy at SA Rugby had a miniscule of a brain cell they would offer White the job as Bok coach.