By David Beniuk
August 27th 2008 @ 1:45am
Jones calls Springboks game plan ‘nonsense’
Eddie Jones has turned up the heat on beleaguered South African rugby coach Peter de Villiers, describing his much maligned new game plan as “nonsense”.
More rugby
Guilty Elsom rubbed out for Jo’burg
Tahu ready to start for Wallabies
Rob Andrew slams Woodward’s legacy
Former Wallabies coach Jones was a member of previous Boks coach Jake White’s staff when South Africa won the Rugby World Cup in France last year.
His comments come amid rumours of disunity and confusion among the South African players and after de Villiers, the first black man to coach the Springboks, was booed loudly by fans following Saturday’s 27-15 loss to Australia in Durban.
“The Springboks will get worse if they continue in this way,” Jones told English newspaper the Independent.
“Mate, no-one in world rugby is playing the way their coach is talking about, not successfully anyway.
“Everyone has discipline, policies and a procedure in their game. The way he is talking is nonsense. You can’t just play an expansive, wide game.
“This is still a very good squad of players. Most are even at their peak or approaching it. So there is plenty of talent but what they need is the organisation and discipline.
“The hard thing for Peter is that he has never coached professionally and this is one of the most difficult teams to coach.
“They’re attacking off everything. And they’re going lateral, not through defences. You have to go through sides like Australia and New Zealand first.
“But he has to change his philosophy because it doesn’t fit these players. It’s not credible.
“Peter’s big test now is to learn. If he learns, he can turn it around. But if he continues to be stubborn, he won’t last long because his tactics won’t work.”
De Villiers has accepted responsibility for a Springboks’ slide since the Cup - just one win in five Tri-Nations games.
“If a company is doing badly, then you blame the managing director, so it is right and fair that the coach be held responsible,” De Villiers told reporters in Johannesburg.
“I know people are angry and rightfully so.”
SARU president Regan Hoskins reiterated his support for the coach.
“Peter de Villiers, his management team and playing squad have my unequivocal backing,” Hoskins told South Afrivan newspaper The Times.
“Peter’s future is secure - we are not in the business of sacking Springbok coaches within three months of their first match.”
South Africa were to name their team later today for Saturday’s clash with Australia at Ellis Park.
Winger JP Pietersen was ruled out with a hamstring strain and Odwa Ndungane was called into the squad as his replacement.
Hooker Bismarck du Plessis (knee) and captain Victor Matfield (groin) are in some doubt but flying winger Bryan Habana is an outside chance of recovering from a hamstring injury.
Like this article? Please spread the word about the Roar to your mates.
Free Email updates:
Our daily emails are only sent if there is content for the sport or that author. You can subscribe to multiple daily emails; or get the daily Roar email with all our content in it. We value privacy. More...
(23)
Darryl said | August 27th 2008 @ 2:26am | Report comment
As a South African, may I just say to Eddie Jones………… HEAR HEAR!
Frank O'Keeffe said | August 27th 2008 @ 3:45am | Report comment
Eddie Jones gets a lot of crap from the Aussie media but I quite enjoy his analysis of rugby games. What’s that rugby show the goes Worldwide where each week Eddie gives his analysis of teams progress and which tactics they should use? Anyway I really enjoy that.
Rod Kafer (Fox Sports’ best commentator) always said Eddie most the best coach he ever had and the most knowledgeable. I don’t think Eddie was a great coach of the Aussie side, but he clearly has a good mind for the game.
As for this article, there’s nothing deep in Eddie’s words. I think the consensus all week has been that you can’t instill a running game overnight. Campo said it and Eddie Jones said it.
Darryl said | August 27th 2008 @ 3:57am | Report comment
Frank, totally agree about Jones. I am sure Eddie Jones is an excellent rugby coach. He may not be a great ‘manager’. By that I mean, that you see how some coaches just have that Midas touch on teams. There’s nothing particularly brilliant about them, but they know how to get that something special out of their team. I think Rod McQueen was such a coach, as was Woodward, as was Jake White, as is Graham Henry and Nick Mallett, no doubt Robbie Deans is as well. I think Dick Muir also had that effect at my Sharks team. The moment he made his Bok coaching aspirations public knowledge, the form of the Sharks dropped noticeably. It’s that ability to get that extra bit of effort out of their players that distinguishes the really great coaches.
Anyway, so far I don’t see that in Pieter de Villiers, and in retrospect, Eddie Jones didn’t have that X factor. I don’t know if you can ‘learn’ that X factor, or whether you just have it.
Eddie Jones is however tactically very astute and understands the game of rugby very well, which is what made him a perfect consultant to Jake White. It remains to be seen how he’ll fare in the UK.
Frank O'Keeffe said | August 27th 2008 @ 4:10am | Report comment
I agree.
After reading MacQueen’s book I sort of have a higher regard for how he fostered a team spirit. There was one story in his book where a Wallaby came to him not long after he got the Wallaby coaching job. MacQueen asked him what was wrong, and the player said the hotel they were going to stay at in England wasn’t near a certain night club. MacQueen was flabberghasted. Then there was that time Australia lost to Argentina in 1997 and MacQueen was more concerned with their body language afterwards.
MacQueen changed all that.
Of all the things he did to the side, I loved how he created the tradition of having old Wallabies give out new caps to players before Tests. I like how he taught the Wallabies to conduct themselves with esteem when they lose. Remember Matt Burke’s face when the Crusaders thumped the Waratah’s back in 2002 (was it 2002?), that was MacQueen’s influence. He really united that team brilliantly and they had a great spirit. Even things like telling Matt Burke he wanted him to join the line more in attack so he’s stripping him of goal-kicking duties (when Burke was out-of-form with the boot) as a way of protecting Burke’s confidence…. That’s an example of great man management
As far as MacQueen’s rugby knowledge goes. I can’t say whether he was better or worse than Jones. Kafer said Jones was the most knowledgeable he’d ever met. But it’s MacQueen’s man management that set him apart.
And to think, 15 years before MacQueen people scoffed at Alan Jones for refusing to allow the Wallabies to have a beer in 1987 during the World Cup or for taking the team to singing practice in 1984. That was Jones instilling pride and dicipline into the side - Man Management.
Darryl said | August 27th 2008 @ 4:30am | Report comment
Frank, I think you’ve identified the term I was really looking for - ‘man management’. All great coaches are not necessarily the best rugby tacticians, but they are excellent at man management. They command respect, instill pride, confidence and discipline.
LeftArmSpinner said | August 27th 2008 @ 5:53am | Report comment
There are calls for eddie to be flown in to take over from PDV and help the Boks recover from the train wreck that is their 3N tilt!!!
I fully support this initiative. Eddie’s 30 page play book will be just what the Boks need. AND, Eddie’s arrival would cost SAR a bomb, and ensure that the Boks cant win the RWC 2012!!!
By the way, I am a Wallabies supporter!!
Darryl said | August 27th 2008 @ 5:58am | Report comment
I wouldn’t support Eddie as the head coach, but as a consultant, he’d be awesome. Bring it on!
Benjamin said | August 27th 2008 @ 7:02am | Report comment
He can’t. He’s Saracens Head Coach.
Darryl said | August 27th 2008 @ 7:17am | Report comment
Of course, but then it was obvious to me that LeftArmSpinner was just having a laugh.
Benjamin said | August 27th 2008 @ 8:09am | Report comment
I know Darryl, but your response seemed a bit less tongue in cheek. You’ll have to excuse my impudence but quite a lot of Roar contributors aren’t too clued up on the GP.
Justin said | August 27th 2008 @ 8:13am | Report comment
Frank I agree wholeheartedly about McQueen being one of the best managers of men, possibly of the past 20 years. He created a harmonious working environment and had the belief of the players. He also knew his limitations and brought in the best people to help create his vision. No ego thats for sure. He had the ability to see where the game was going before others did and thats we AUS and ACT played such a pre-planned strategy. I had John Ross (a former Brumby and Wallaby) as a coach for a number of years and McQueens influence in game style was obvious (unfortunately we didnt have the skills/brains to carry out such planned attacks!).
Re Jones it would appear he had the knowledge but I am not sure about the forward thinking and definitely not the man management skills required. His work ethic was second to none but I think this drove the players and his assistants around the bend. It was a regime of “I am working 15hrs days, so should you”. No down time or ability to switch off.
With regard to Jones I am not sure his man management was that great. I think his style was only good for a short time. Very much schoolboy and the headmaster. Also the big downfall was hypocritical stance during the WC about players not working during the tournament while re shuffled training around his radio show. Certainly a motivator of the highest order and could obviously inspire feeling amongst a group.
Justin said | August 27th 2008 @ 8:20am | Report comment
The with regard to Jones is paragraph about Alan, sorry. The re about Eddie
Big Kev said | August 27th 2008 @ 10:10am | Report comment
Ben - come on SAIL part owns Sarries - I am sure they would give Eddie Van Der Jones a release to coach the Boks!
Benjamin said | August 27th 2008 @ 10:20am | Report comment
I’d be very surpirsed if Eddie manages to stay the whole course at Saracens without upsetting someone. Who knows? He could be on a flight to SA within the next 6 months!
jam said | August 27th 2008 @ 10:34am | Report comment
Kev, What does SAIL stand for? You don’t mean Sale do you?
TembaVJ said | August 27th 2008 @ 11:06am | Report comment
Well after Eddie said this, he wont be consulting to Stubborn De Puppet anymore. Trust me when I say this, Africa will not fire the first black coach. His contract is solid until 01/03/2010 only then must he produce a win ratio report of 75%. Then fire him, bring in Rassie as Head coach, Eddie Jones as backline coach and win the 2011 RWC.
I’m dreaming…..
TembaVJ said | August 27th 2008 @ 11:07am | Report comment
I HAD A DREAM
Peter K said | August 27th 2008 @ 12:38pm | Report comment
Steddie Eddie was and is a great thinker of the game, a great analyst.
He is a very cerebral person.
He lacks empathy and the human touch, so he rubs people up the wrong way. Often he knew what was the right way BUT had no skills to take people on that journey.
Also he like PDV is really stubborn and won’t admit when he is wrong.
This made him flawed as a coach even in tactics, he did not develop Plan ‘B’ since plan A had to work, well it was 30 pages after all. When it was clear in a losing game it was not working he never shifted and tried something different.
Sure he anlaysed the loss and came up with another 5 pages to fix, but could not adjust in real time.
McQueen, like Deans, is a leader and inspires people to join the journey. That is the difference. McQueen could always get experts to help him figure out the detail and such.
The ideal combo is a head coach like McQueen or Deans and as a tactical assistant a guy like Eddie Jones.
Big Kev said | August 27th 2008 @ 2:09pm | Report comment
Jam, SAIL Groupl Ltd are a S African company who part own Sarries.
Companies within the South African based SAIL Group Ltd offer a wide range of sporting services and brands including; Navitute, which offers sports business consulting and rights commercialisation; SAIL Sport & Entertainment, an event, merchandising and sponsorship management company and CIRCA offering hospitality management, stadium management and event creation.
The group also owns shareholdings in the Blue Bulls Company, Western Province and Griffons rugby organisations while their non-sport owned investments include a stake in a sport-travel company, Edusport.
see http://www.rugby365.com/tournaments/heineken/news/612526.htm
Shaun said | August 27th 2008 @ 2:34pm | Report comment
TembaVJ- I think although his contract runs until 2010, the win-loss ratio(ie the performance clause) will come into effect for the end of 2009. Apparently it was initially end of 208 but they negotiated..
TembaVJ said | August 27th 2008 @ 2:45pm | Report comment
That is good news Shaun, it should give Rassie another season in S14 to sharpen his skills. Hopefully Eddie will be done at Saccas and my evil plan will come together!
At this rate Wales and England will beat SA in the November tour, one more tri-nations thrashing in 09 to end his coaching career. Its not so bad only another year of losing before we can start enjoying rugby again.
TembaVJ said | August 27th 2008 @ 3:01pm | Report comment
Setup by who the 3rd force? This is like anything else SARU touches, they don’t know rugby and certainly don’t love the game. Its yet another example of people in Africa jumping on the gravy train and stuffing pockets. Now that Jake is gone the last bit of love walked out the door.
PDV will fail and the brand will lose money… Sooner or later someone is going to relize “eish no more BMW” and put the right people back in place to build the brand up again.
TembaVJ said | August 27th 2008 @ 3:07pm | Report comment
oops wrong post