We all know the joke. If you ask a couple of psychiatrists how to change a light bulb, they would debate whether the light bulb would want to change.
The joke is as old as the mountains and perhaps only worthy of a slight smirk the first time you hear it. It is however very relevant to South African rugby, whether you want to compare the Sharks to the Spartans as Spiro Zavos so eloquently did during the week, or their game plan to ‘Jake ball’, the reality is there is some truth in both those statements.
The ‘Jake ball’ reference has gotten as old as the light bulb joke very quickly. Truthfully, the Sharks could only wish to be as successful as the Spartans for so long.
Putting sensitivities aside, there are a good number of South African supporters who do agree with our SANZAR cousins that our rugby needs an evolution. Recently Armand van Zyl suggested pretty much what I have been advocating for a number of years.
Simply put, evolution and not revolution.
The biggest stumbling block in having a paradigm shift in South African rugby is the leadership in SARU, their belief that structure trumps all and risk averse rugby has served them successfully for many years.
There is also a reluctance among many South African fans to accept the fact that change is needed and to that extent they offer two objections. We don’t have the skills and we don’t have to play like New Zealand to beat them.
The brainstrust in South African rugby have decided to embrace the Heyneke Meyer way. Now many would suggest that Meyer has already begun the evolution, but if you look a little closer Meyer has not begun the evolution, he has merely improved the skills and mindset of South Africa.
He has improved the tactical awareness at the breakdown and ensured the pace and intensity of his game plan is executed better.
That is not evolution. But what about Willie le Roux? You may ask.
Willie le Roux was given a chance purely because of the unavailability of first choice players and poor form. It took Willie a long time to convince Meyer that Willie is the incumbent fullback, and even then, he had to work very hard on his basic aerial skills and defence, both of which are still consistently inconsistent.
There is no doubt his individual attacking flair has benefitted the Springboks to no end and has brought about sorely needed unpredictability and space in attack.
But what if Willie is injured? Who will then become the catalyst for our attack?
Over the past few years, New Zealand have become almost unbeatable for the Springboks, the record in itself embarrassing enough not to repeat in public forums.
Last night, the Blitzbokke did the unthinkable – they stopped a four-year unbeaten run of the All Blacks at the Commonwealth Games and in so doing earned themselves a gold medal.
Over the past few years my interest in sevens was casual at best, but as we are searching for every morsel of medals available at the Commonwealth games I have decided to follow as much as possible in supporting every member of our team for any possible medal.
When looking at our Blitzbokke, the first observation is the fact that under Paul True, transformation has occurred without anyone noticing. The Blitzbokke over the past number of seasons have been a top-three contender and to my surprise have beaten the All Blacks in 7 of their last 11 meetings.
Replacement coach Neil Powell has continued the trend and introduced a number of new players seamlessly and successfully.
Without debating the reasons for the Blitzbokke’s success in recent times against the All Blacks, the point I want to take out of this is that sevens is a game based on simple fundamentals.
It involves thinking about the breakdown, creative thinking, defensive structures and players with vision and understanding.
You do not win a sevens match with drop goals or penalties, you have to outscore your opponent in the number of tries. That requires players with the necessary skills and confidence in their own abilities to play positive rugby.
While there is still an importance to structure, it is the manner in which you can break down opposition defences that allows you to compete.
Cecil Afrika, Branco du Preez, Seabelo Senatla, and Justin Geduld are not big athletes. In fact, comparing them to the average backline player in Rugby Sevens, they are quite small. Players such as Chris Dry, Frankie Horne and Kyle Brown will remind you of the usual South African forward, but with one very important addition.
They all have skills, vision and a willingness to run into space.
In summation, if our sevens team can be built around small, skilful and fast backs, supported with the traditional forwards , but with more skill and vision, then SARU has all the confirmation it needs that SA rugby if filled with the necessary players to make the paradigm shift to more positive rugby.
It does not mean we need to revolutionise the manner in which we approach rugby, we only need to utilise more than one player with vision and preferably a whole squad embracing positive creative rugby.
Evolving the game in South Africa when all the necessary ingredients are readily available is only being stymied due to the unwillingness of Administrators and Coaches to accept change is inevitable.
Unless of course, second best is good enough for them.
Harry Jones
Guest
Wilko: The Springboks will feature prominently too, according to Wilkinson. "South Africa has a great foundation for what they are trying to do. "They also have a great identity of who they are. "That identity precedes them wherever they go. "Their physicality, their desire, their pride and integrity puts teams on the back-foot before the whistle even goes." "They pace at which they are now playing too is starting to drive opposition out of their comfort zones, forcing them to make mistakes under pressure. "It allows them to get ahead in games and allows them to push forward and win comfortably." "When they do find themselves in difficulty, which they did against Wales recently, they then find a way of coming back. "It’s ultimately the sign of a great team." "I’d like to think again that South Africa will be one of those teams in the semi-finals."
Harry Jones
Guest
BB--found this interesting from the Coach: "We have been trying the whole season [throughout the IRB Sevens World Series] to put good defensive structure in place," he told rugby365. "We wanted that work ethic and attitude on defence and we got it right in this tournament. "The last time [it was this good] was [in the IRB Round Three tournament] in Port Elizabeth [back in December] where we had a 96 percent tackle completion-rate," he said of a tournament where the BlitzBokke beat New Zealand 17-14 in the Cup Final. "We were very close to that tackle completion-rate in this [Commonwealth Games] tournament. "We pride ourselves on defence and we have a saying: 'Defence defines you as a person'. "If we concede tries it means the opposition had to work really hard for those tries. "A guy like Warren Whiteley, when he came in, had the same attitude. The first day when we worked on our defence, he said: 'Guys, defence win and lose games'. "And, when we had the ball in hand, we really attacked them. We didn't just shift the ball around from side to side, we attacked their defensive lines."
Harry Jones
Guest
SA Schools Under-18 Rugby Team 2014: Morne Joubert (Glenwood), Eduan Keyter (Affies), Keanu Vers (Grey PE), Nazo Nkala (Welkom Gim), Barend Smit (HTS Middelburg), JT Jackson (Oakdale), Jerry Danquah (Queen’s College), Andell Loubsher (Menlopark), Curwin Bosch (Grey PE), Tinus de Beer (Waterkloof), Marco Janse van Vuuren (Transvalia), Embrose Papier (Garsfontein), Jaco Coetzee (Glenwood), Junior Pokomela (Grey PE), Edmund Rheeder (Klerksdorp High), Cobus Wiese (Upington High), Victor Maruping (HTS Louis Botha), Arnold Gerber (Menlopark), Eduard Zandberg (Outeniqua), Jaco Willemse (Paarl Gim), Ashton Fortuin (Southdowns), Ignatius Prinsloo (Grey Bloem), Sarel-Marco Smit (Eldoraigne), Jan-Henning Campher (Garsfontein), Le Roux Baard (Outeniqua), Ngonidzashe Chidoma (Northwood), Michael Kumbirai (St Alban’s College), Lupumlo Mguca (Daniel Pienaar).
Harry Jones
Guest
Agree on Hugh. But hardest Aussie is Fardy.
Johnno
Guest
Harry I know I was haveing a bit of fun. Heck Andries Bekker the big Boer lock is bigger than Will Skelton anyway at least he is taller. He's 6'10, Skelton is only 6'8. Bakkies is 6'7 and a bit harder anyway, Etzebeth is more abrasive than Skelton. Skelton is a big boy but for a boy his size, he's not soft but he's not the hardest cookie. Palu is a more abrasive player as is Hugh Mcmenniman.
Harry Jones
Guest
We must see this soft side of Etzebeth, Bakkies, Vermeulen, and Alberts. :). In all seriousness, the Boks will enjoy tackling such a static target as Skelton; line him up and knock him back! They are more worried about catching steppers like Beale or Folau at 70:00.
He has been handled for the past few years in Super rugby, can't see anything change.
Johnno
Guest
Eztebeth is young, he might be a bit soft and take a backward step when he sees big Willie run at him, and Bakkies Botha might be a bit soft when faced with 140Kg Will Skelton. Eztebeth and Bakkies might be a bit soft and take a backward step when faced with a big man like Will Skelton. So yep blokes like Eztebeth and Bakkies, and Richie Gray of Scotland or luke Charteris or Wales, SImon Shaw of England,or Jonah Lomu, or Nemani Nadolo, or Andries Bekker of the Boks, might be soft or take a backward step when faced with a big man like Will Skelton.
corporal punishment
Guest
Here is a size related question for the saffas. Will the Boks be able to handle the 140kg Will Skeltin? How will they do that??
corporal punishment
Guest
Harry, you are right, the Kiwi teams and the AB's in particular are more and more concerned with size in the backline , particularly in the midfield and on at least one wing. The lack of size in the Chiefs midfield really told against them against the Brumbies, Speight had a ball, and Ben Smith was not a great success at centre for the AB's as he didn't really get over the gainline or dominate his tackles. The only areas where the kiwi teams are ok with small players is 9 and 10, but even then a player as small as Cruden becomes a target for opposition centres and backrowers.
Jake
Guest
Jappie u have rocks in you're head too u can't take anything out of the 7s results yes great win for SA but that means nothing come 15s whole new ball game
Harry Jones
Guest
It's happening. But it's denied. A "soft quota." 14 of the 28 will need to "not be white." So, there's 55 boys battling it out, but some have a better chance than others, bc of their colour.
I try to think about it as little as possible, you know politicians, what they say, what they mean and what they enforce are all distinctly varied. They lie, they BS and they backtrack. I read the other day that according to them there has never been a quota in schools rugby, whilst a mate of mine had to hear the coach tell him his son can't go to Craven week as they had to select another. It is there but they will tell you it isn't Why worry about something you cannot do anything about.
Sharksfan
Guest
Biltongbek , what do you make of the "alleged" quota in the Sa schools team as well as the increased political interference in the rugby landscape especially by Cosatu and the Anc ?
Sharksfan
Guest
Biltongbek , what do you make of the "alleged" quota in the Sa schools team as well the increased political interference in the rugby landscape especially by Cosatu and the Anc ?
Rabbits
Guest
The Cats have been playing this type of rugby for years. Their only problem is that they could never had the caliber of player to make their style more successful or accepted. But the intent was and is certainly there.
Harry Jones
Expert
Agree, Chris. That's the crux of the issue. I hope the Bulls don't ruin Pollard. He looks like he wants to have a go from the first receiver position. If he can keep that, we would have two young playmakers (le Roux and Pollard) making NZ and OZ have to guess more about our attack. But then.... There's the issue of 9.
Harry Jones
Expert
Sure. I was just saying who I think WILL be our backup to Willie. Lambie is solid under the high ball, has two good boots, and offers more on the counter than Kirchner or Taute. I agree with the idea of Mvovo. He looked really good at 15 for the Sharks. He is not bad! I like the way NZ thinks of all the wings and fullbacks as one unit. I think we should do the same, actually.
Paul
Guest
in other words WBs and Abs will have no problem fitting into 7s. Theres already talk by Gordon Tietjens to ask the NZRU to release 15s players for Rio and looks like Hansen is on the same page. I say dont change anything. If its working against NZ (now and then) then something has been done right.
Harry Jones
Expert
I agree. Taute has regressed. Turning into a slower version of Kirchner.