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On the nights when I can’t sleep – and there are many – it plays over and over again: every terrible try, every missed tackle, every forlorn fumble and every poor defender beaten; the worst season of Springbok rugby in recent history. So let it be told quickly.
We are being buried beneath the avalanche of the South African Rugby Union’s inadequacies. There are no silver linings nor viable assurances of a better tomorrow.
The so-called coaching indaba to be held this weekend, under the reassuring guidance of former Springbok centre Brendon Venter, will more than likely offer a perfect opportunity for all the professional coaches currently plying their trade in South Africa to catch up while they share a drink or two over a smoking roast of braaivleis.
The main idea will be the right one, but ultimately it will lead to absolutely nothing.
By all means, believe that Venter is trying to do the right thing, but do not forget that those in power have egos the size of Texas. The 57-15 Durban Disgrace (yes, that is its official name), ushered by the excellent All Blacks, will not be enough to inspire change. One only need listen to Allister Coetzee’s post-match interview with SuperSport commentator Joel Stransky.
“Yes, I believe that we will have to look at our game tactics,” a near-catatonic Coetzee told Stransky when asked whether change would indeed be initiated.
“I think that our exit strategies need a lot of intention. We were caught in our danger zone far too often and in test rugby you can’t just try to run it out…”
“… But the All Blacks do,” Stransky intervened. Perhaps that was his way of declaring his own frustrations – after all, SuperSport representatives do not often cut Springbok coaches short, but of such things legends are made.
Coetzee was nonplussed:
“It’s not a question of what they do. I believe that we need to seriously work on our skillsets. I look at today’s game and I see that the entire country’s tactical kicking game is not up to standard and I saw today how lax we were in the kick-chase. Those are aspects that make the All Blacks as good as they are.”
Coetzee is absolutely correct when he says that New Zealand’s tactical kicking, as well as their kick-chase adds to their overall game. Note, however, the way he uses the words “skills” or “skillsets”. When Coetzee speaks of “skill”, substitute it with the word “kicking” – or any other term worthy by association.
Stransky notes that Coetzee is incorrect when he declares that you cannot run the ball from your own danger zone, but Coetzee redirects by saying that it does not matter what New Zealand does. This is after Coetzee witnessed first-hand that he is incorrect. Steve Hansen basically handed him the revelation on a silver platter.
Nevertheless, Stransky had a valid point.
I have an even better one: where did the Springboks try to run out of their own danger zone in last weekend’s game? Once? Twice? In the try that resulted of Patrick Lambie’s charged down kick?
In a performance that was so unbearable for so many sins committed, is that the one that Coetzee fixates on? The one that suits his ‘we’ll kick or we’ll die’ narrative? Could he not fixate on the fact that the Springboks had absolutely no possession to speak of or that, in a game of 80 minutes, the men in green and gold could only beat a grand total of three All Black defenders?
The one thing that the Durban Disgrace has made painfully clear is that Coetzee has no intention of evolving the South African game. You cannot even say that he is limited to do so.
But this is nothing new. His three predecessors couldn’t do it either.
Then we arrive at the men who are supposed to help Coetzee guide this team to something special. The Springbok backline coach, Mzwandile Stick, has the lofty standards of Eastern Province/Kings backline coaching experience to his name. The Springbok defence coach, Chean Roux, doesn’t even have Super Rugby experience – neither Currie Cup experience as far as I know. Forwards coach Johan van Graan is the sole survivor of the Heyneke Meyer era, and that isn’t saying much in its own right. Stormers partner in crime Matthew Proudfoot serves as the set-piece coach, and he is perhaps the only one doing his job.
Imagine for a fleeting moment that Lions coach Johan Ackermann was not even considered on a consulting basis. Realise that South Africa’s current best attacking coach, Swys de Bruyn (also from the Lions), was not even approached. Consider that South Africa’s best defence coach, Jacques Nienaber (of the golden Stormers defensive era) is currently overseas with formidable rugby brain, Rassie Erasmus.
This leaves us with coaches like Jake White, Nick Mallett and Brendon Venter sitting in the stands.
Are those the names you’d expect to take South African rugby forward? Not necessarily, but we can all agree that they are all better options if you want to play the traditional Springbok game.
The situation at the South African Rugby Union
Long-time president and CEO, Oregan Hoskins and Jurie Roux, have both just about reached the end of their rope. Hoskins already bit the dust and Roux is under investigation for alleged fraud. What a wonderful world.
The reality of the situation is that the entirety of South African rugby is designed to work against excellence, and there are several aspects that make an already uphill battle even more daunting.
For instance, there are 14 unions in the country, of which six compete in Super Rugby, but all require Saru’s time and resources. Then there is an understanding that all of these unions work individually rather than in tandem, meaning that it’s a dog-eat-dog world.
Where New Zealand works to aid and better the condition of the All Blacks, South African rugby sees its neighbours as competitors, not stepping stones for the betterment of the Springboks.
We have pressure from the national government to adhere to their transformation demands in the form of the quota system. Is this quota system justifiable? There are plenty of wrongs committed in the past that must be corrected, so some would say yes. I agree with them. But there is also an equally logical argument that the quota system sets itself up to fail. It’s a subject of great debate in the country, and discussing it in full detail would require its own article.
Last but not least, we have the ever-increasing player drain. It seems only yesterday when the estimated number of professional South African players plying their trade abroad was only 280. Today official numbers have it at around 350, and it’s only going to get worse.
Springbok talisman Duane Vermeulen has recently spoken out against the structures and culture of South African rugby, noting in an interview that the majority of players in South Africa are discontent, and subtly suggesting that players are leaving because of it. His closing argument was that there is no respect for players from coaching, management and administrative levels.
He had taken it upon himself to speak on the players’ behalf.
So where are the answers? Unfortunately there are only short-term ones.
Some would say that players like Rohan Janse van Rensburg, Handre Pollard, Marcell Coetzee, Duane Vermeulen, Cobus Reinach, Andre Esterhuizen, Courtnal Skosan, Jamba Ulengo and Francois Venter would immediately change the Springboks’ fortunes.
I strongly disagree.
As we’ve seen with all the in-form Lions drafted into the national side, talent and natural skill makes no difference. The moment they are exposed to the toxic environment that is recent Springbok coaching, they will fold under the shackles of one-dimensional play.
I have also seen some opine that sevens specialists would make the world of difference. Perish the thought.
Of what we’ve seen in competitions like the Currie Cup, neither Seabelo Senatla, Kwagga Smith, Werner Kok, Justin Geduld or even Rosco Speckman deserve selection over any of the fifteens specialists.
Beside that point, the last thing the Springboks need at this point are patch players who will come in without the code itself being the priority. Players like Smith and Senatla have only proven themselves in the Currie Cup, and the current domestic competition is a fair distance from Super Rugby, let alone Test rugby.
As unpatriotic as it may sound, we must hope that the Springboks plunge to deeper and darker depths. It is the only way that the powers that be will initiate true change.
Until that day comes, a once proud powerhouse of the sport will continue to be reduced to a laughing stock.
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.