Boks are repeating history but is it too late?

 
kynang Roar Pro

By kynang, 28 Jul 2010 kynang is a Roar Pro

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It wasn’t so long ago that the Boks went down 49-0 in Brisbane and people were calling for the head of Jake White. “Joke” White, the headlines read. And now we have a new clown.

Peter De Villiers has maybe built less than White, but before we all write the Boks off completely, it is worth comparing histories.

Jake White took over from a Springbok team in ruins. Kamp Staldraad and all the homo-eroticism disguised as team building, a Quarter Final exit in the World Cup … Danie Craven was turning in his grave.

In stepped White, and the Boks were immediately resurrected and won the Tri-Nations in 2004.

2005 was an equally good year, though people seem to forget it. The Tri-Nations was barely lost on the bounce of a ball. The Boks and All Blacks won three games apiece, the Boks going down to a last minute try, denying them their first win on New Zealand soil in years.

And then the infamous 2006 Tri-Nations humiliation, Schalk Burgers neck injury (inevitably related), political interference, doom-and-gloom, calls for the head of the coach.

And then World Cup victory in 2007. How did Joke White turn it around when they had supposedly sunk so low?

In his book, Jake White claims that the team moves in cycles, and he expected the terrible third year given the amount of rugby being played. He knew that if he just rode it out, he would win the World Cup, as that is what he had been building his team for all along.

So he put his players on a reconditioning program, forgot about results in 2007, and became a national hero.

Can Peter De Villiers do the same?

Are the Boks just in a cycle of burnt out bodies from over-use? I think it’s key to point out some similarities and things that did change, and need to be adhered to once more.

Yes, the key Boks have played WAY to much rugby. Matfield, Habana and Smit are in serious need of reconditioning. They look like corpses out there (bloated corpses in Smit’s case – the man needs a diet and some gym).

Again, the Boks are missing a key flanker in Heinrich Brussow, and Juan Smith for that matter.

Their return should make a huge difference. What White did effectively is blood youngsters in the pre-World Cup year. We saw the rise of Francois Steyn, Ruan Pienaar, Bismarck Du Plessis and JP Pieterson.

Taking a leaf from the Book of Jake, De Villiers needs to give his youngsters a chance. It’s time to put Januarie out to pasture and give Francois Hougaard a run at scrumhalf.

Likewise Juan de Jongh needs some game time, and come end of year tour, he needs to introduce Mapoe, Mvovo and Lambie to the squad.

Perhaps, most significant, was White’s willingness to admit his short-comings, and bring in some fresh eyes. The contribution of former Aussie coach Eddie Jones cannot be overstated. He brought life to a stagnant backline, and shook up the complacent Bokke.

De Villiers needs to swallow his pride, and do likewise.

I’m thinking Brendan Venter – he has transformed Saracens. Or perhaps Ian McGeechan. His work with the Lions backline was revolutionary – I have never seen such dangerous running, and bizarrely, no-one has tried to replicate it.

Maybe Rod McQueen, if we can get him to leave the Reds for a spell.

Regardless, there needs to be fresh input, because the current pond is stinky.

So don’t discount a Bok victory next year. New Zealand is nice and over-confident again – ripe for the picking as home pressures mount.

Perhaps it’s all part of some bizarre Peter De Villiers masterplan.

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