Peter de Villiers under fire

John Mitchell for Bok coach!

'Whilst being far from a PDV apologist I do wonder how ANY coach-virtually unknown and appointed in apparent cronyism could take over a side like the Boks containing Messers Matfield&Smit-two all-time legends with hefty credetials-and hope to exert ANY authority.' Erm... Eddie Jones anyone?

Tough luck Yarpies, you were done by the better team twice this season. Really it should have been three times. Have a cup of concrete South Africa and harden up!

Both those games were played out against severely weakened sides, Sam. It's not a coincidence. SA does have some very good players, but take Pietersen and Habana, for example. Neither player can kick or pass to Test standard. They simply haven't improved as players. South Africans also like to cite JdV and Fourie as the best centre partnership in the world (not IMO they aren't), and yet how many times over the past two seasons have we seen Fourie fudging attacking opportunities by either taking the wrong option or making a bad pass? That Frans Steyn is continuously played at 15 sums up to me why SA backline play has generally been so one-dimesional recently.

And you don't think that placing a kicking fly half who has never played 12 might stunt the creativity of a player brought in to fly half with the sole purpose of adding creativity?

They can keep PdV, but for crying out loud, get some decent assistant coaches and start acting like a head coach and not a damn clown! Or alternatively: They can keep Deans, but for crying out loud, get some decent assistant coaches and start acting like a head coach and not a damn motivational speaker!

Whilst being far from a PDV apologist I do wonder how ANY coach-virtually unknown and appointed in apparent cronyism could take over a side like the Boks containing Messers Matfield&Smit-two all-time legends with hefty credetials-and hope to exert ANY authority.I read somewhere that early on in the 3N those two players were doing very little fitness work etc with the rest of the squad.If that was an example of the senior players 'running' the team-its quite an irony and we all know what happened down the track.

What I'd like to know is what happened to the Boks team that played so impressively against the Wallabies in Johannesburg and England at Twickenham in 2008? The rugby they played on those two occasions was irresistibly good and proved they can play a wide, attacking game as well, if not better than anyone else. Imagine the quality of rugby in this years Tri Nations if the Wallabies could combine their two first halves at Pretoria and Bloemfontein into a whole game, the Boks played like they did in those two tests in 2008 and the All Blacks current form. That would bring the fans streaming back to test rugby.

"It is crazy how 2 points plasters over what would have been another epic implosion for the wallabies…which is now an epic win" That's so true.

Bokfan it's nice to have a good article from a South African showing your point of view and on this subject, rather than the normal Australian subjects.

It is crazy how 2 points plasters over what would have been another epic implosion for the wallabies...which is now an epic win. Those same 2 points are the difference between an historic come back and a T3 disaster for the Boks They can keep PdV, but for crying out loud, get some decent assistant coaches and start acting like a head coach and not a damn clown!

In my humble opinion, the only reason PdV has managed any success (ableit 1 yr ..'09) is that he had a group of World Cup winners in their prime leading the way. Unfortunately as a coach you have to make decision and ultimately you have to be the leader. There is no problem with empowering your players and giving them leeway. However when your senior players start running the team, no matter how good they are, then you WILL run into problems. "He listens to the players and he makes informed decisions in my opinion." In my opinion he doesn't make any informed decisions, he has mediocre credentials at best with a mediocre support crew. Muir has lost all 13 of his S14 matches and 5 of his 6 T3 matches. Just look at what Mitchell has managed to do with the same lions team.... PdV has shown that he lacks the technical knowledge and the management skills to successfully develop an international team. I'm not a PdV hater, not by any means...he has some very good characteristics; he backs his players to the HILT...which is great & but he has blown Habana's confidence by continuing to play him... he has a tendency for some flair he has thick skin....which could also be his downfall Ultimately this is a SARU problem, PdV should never have been given the job so soon...he should have cut his teeth at provincial level & S14 first. Send him back and let him learn, he can always come back wiser and stronger While they're at it, send him to english classed to learn how to conduct an interview and think before he speaks.

'I have been told that Steyn started as a running 5/8. ' I certainly can't see that either! Butch James is far more creative than Steyn and his influence would improve the backline's effectiveness 100% Obviously it would tough to drop Steyn because he does kick every goal, so that's why I suggested putting him at inside centre so he can take the shots at goal and perhaps the clearance and positional kicks, and nothing else.

It seems to me that PDivvy is in the same position as Deans. Win a close one and you are a hero, lose a close one and you are toast, as you point out Bokfan. I read that Jake white is putting the knife in in no uncertain terms, announcing that he and Eddie J are sitting around twiddling their thumbs and raring to go. What do you make of this? Posturing, or is PDivvy really on thin ice? Personally, I don't buy the argument that it is too close to the WC to change coaches, especially as this Boks team, like the Wallabies, is not that far off the pace. A little tweaking here and there, some players returning from injury and there could be a whole new outlook. I guess the question is whether PDivvy is the man to make those tweaks. Personally, I hope he sticks around, if for nothing else than the entertainment factor. This 3N, the Boks have uncovered a couple of gems in Hougaard and Aplon, shown that Habana needs to go away and have a think, and that a couple of players need to be rested this spring. I would put Spies in the same category as Habana also.

I think South Africa has always struggled with finding 5/8s that can run the ball. I have been told that Steyn started as a running 5/8. I can't see it myself. He seems to just play the role of a distributer. He can run well enough, making good breaks, but that doesn't make him a good running 5/8 really. He doesn't create anything with his backline, he just passes to the next man out. The South African backline doesn't seem to have moves to create overlaps or create holes for anyone to run into.

Bokfan I have always thought De Villiers has been doing perfectly well until the last two matches when I have begun to doubt him for a different reason from other people: not because he is losing or because his comments to the press which have nothing to do with his ability as a coach and are really a separate issue. The reason is that he does not seem willing to abandon a kicking strategy. The new law interpretations completely outdate this approach and favour the running side. This is why the Springboks are losing. I can imagine De Villiers keeping faith with last year's method for a while, but it is now time to abandon it for a running style and he gives no signs of doing so, indeed saying the structures in place now are fine. It is not that he doesn't have the players to play like this. Aplon, Habana and Pieterson, with De Jongh out wide provide lightening pace and penetration. He has two powerful midfield runners in Fourie and De Villiers. He has two creative fly-halves in James and Pienaar. I understand Steyn is worth a million points and so should be in the team, but he has no creativity and poisons backline play, so if he is to be kept he should be shunted to inside centre to kick goals and someone like Butch James moved in to ten to make the plays. A backline such as Hougaard, James, Habana, Steyn/De Villiers, De Jongh, Pieterson, Aplon with a more attacking philosophy on the back of their superb pack could turn things round for South Africa. So if De Villiers persists in playing the old style I think he should go, if he adapts I think he should stay.