When is it time to call it quits? It all depends on who you talk to. In the world of rugby, this time can be decided by the player themselves, the selectors or by the unfortunate situation of a career ending injury.
Some players know it’s their time and throw in the towel before they are booted from the team sheet, others fight to the very end until they are no longer required or some one younger and better is selected.
What happens when a captain of the team is considered second best in his position and is clearly reaching the twilight of their career? Do you, as a coach or selector sit the captain down and hand him his final pay package and give him a pat on the back or do you keep the faith and let him prove that he is still a valuable player in the team?
This question, I’m sure, has come up before in the past for many coaches and selectors and on most occasions the captain recognises that the end is near and gracefully steps aside to let new blood and talent take up the reigns.
The same cannot really be said for the Springbok captain, John Smit. There is no doubt that this man has contributed more than enough on and off the field and continues to give everything he has to offer for the green and gold jersey of the Boks, but is it enough?
Some argue that he is only in the Springboks, and to a certain extent, the Sharks, because he brings immense experience and leadership qualities, but lacks player ability to justify his position. If he were not captain, would he still be selected in either team? Is he selected purely for the fact that he has a ‘c’ next to his name on the team sheet?
There is no doubt that he is a brilliant leader as has been proven in the past, the most recognisable example would be in 2009 during the British and Irish Lions Tour to South Africa. During the first match, the Boks played themselves into a lead through aggressive scrumming and great team work and then, with 30 minutes to go, the Bok coaches began emptying the bench out en mass.
This would obviously disrupt any team’s dynamic and flow, but this almost cost the game for the Boks. One of the players to be initially brought off was John Smit who thought that his game was over for the day. The Lions mounted a strong comeback and were looking to steal the game from the Boks, but then Deon Carstens, who went on for Smit, sustained a shoulder injury forcing Smit back into action. You could almost see the change in attitude as Smit ran back on.
The captain is here – no need to worry. This reverse substitution smelled of the Harlequin scandal but Carstens did have a legitimate injury, as was later revealed.
Once Smit walks out onto the park as a starter or, rarely, a substitute, people know that the team will be steered in the right direction on the field and the players will play their absolute best for their captain. There hasn’t really been another captain in recent Springbok history that carries the same aura as Smit, possibly Francois Pienaar back in the mid-90’s or even Gary Teichmann in the late-90’s.
This aura of a captain is priceless and isn’t evident in most players so is it worth it to dispose of a player that commands so much respect? If there is a better player waiting in the wings, does the fact that a great leader, with a questionable skill set, deserve a call up? John Smit is not the only world class hooker in the line up and, in some circles, certainly not the best.
Bismarck Du Plessis proved to be a ballistic missile on the year end tour for the Boks in 2010 and made his intention known that he wants to make the number 2 jersey his. There are other players that can take up the reigns of hooker, Gary Botha, Bandise Maku and Adriaan Strauss and the likes of others. With such depth in the position of hooker, John Smit has been played in the prop position with limited success and was seen as a weak link in the Bok front row. Even though he is perceived as a weak link, he still can cover the front row from 1 to 3.
John Smit isn’t going to give in easily before the World Cup later this year and like most stalwarts, he wants another crack to win the Webb Ellis. There has been talk of excluding Smit from the playing roster and having him along as an advisor or mentor.
This would be a unique situation, but it’s not at all an alien situation for the Bok management as they have done a similar thing in the past a la Eddie Jones in 2007. Jones was brought on as a co-coach/advisor of sorts by Jake White which some believe was the extra push South Africa needed to win the World Cup. The difference is that Jones was an authentic coach with experience at the international level and taking a team to a close World Cup win.
Smit, on the other hand, is a brilliant player and captain but has little experience in the coaching role, but would this hinder his ability to lead a team? Would his leadership qualities on the practice pitch and change room translate to the field during game day?
Questions will always be asked about the legitimacy of the selection of John Smit in the team until after the World Cup when it’s rumoured that he will retire or follow a nest egg to a European club. His operation on his neck has presented Bismark Du Plessis with an opportunity to solidify his position as the Sharks and the Springbok hooker which brings the argument full circle.
Is the experience of a world class leader worth keeping talent on the bench?
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