The Boks can have a bright future, but not without change

By Jarryd Thompson / Roar Rookie

For South African rugby fans, life is dismal oh so dismal and come Saturday there is a realistic chance that it could get worse with the threat of another unwanted record lingering.

In the past 14 months South Africa have lost on home soil for the first time to both Argentina and Ireland, away to Argentina in this year’s rugby championship in Salta, and arguably became the victims of the biggest upset in rugby union when they lost to Japan in the opening fixture of their World Cup campaign.

These are heartbreak-inducing results but possibly what hurts the most is the nature of the performances over the last year.

Combined they point to a serious downturn in progress at Test and Super Rugby level.

South Africa finished with the wooden spoon last year after the defeat to Argentina in Durban. After losing to Argentina and Australia in consecutive weeks, and the All Blacks this weekend, the Boks look odds on to finish with the wooden spoon in hand two years running.

More reason for concern for the fans, SARU and those in charge of the professional game in South Africa are the poor results of South Africa’s Super Rugby franchises.

The performances at Test level witnessed over the last 14 months were preceded by three of the worst seasons in recent memory for South African franchises.

The 2012 season was the last year that there were two South African representatives in the semi-finals and the last time until this year’s (2016) Super Rugby season that South Africa had a side in the grand final.

In 2015, the year the unwanted records started, no South African Super Rugby franchise qualified for a semi-final.

The Lions represented South Africa admirably this year in Super Rugby but they were the only South African side to make a semi-final, saying very little for the other South African franchises as they played in the easier of the two conferences.

South African rugby has to take a look at itself and its current ideology of blueprinting a team’s way around the field at all levels of the game.

There is an awareness that the game has evolved but it’s obvious that South African sides are struggling to adjust.

The Lions lead the way and it is promising to see the Bulls and Stormers attempting to apply a more decision-dependent game that demands adequate skillsets to carry out decision making in small windows of time, which in itself is a skill that will take time and experience to bed in.

The insistence or perceived strength in this method of approaching the game has been noticed by overseas coaches plying their trade in South Africa.

Brad Mooar in a recent interview with The Star shared his opinion of what he had picked up on while coaching at the Kings: “When I was coaching in South Africa I became aware very quickly that there is a more mapped out and rigid and structured approach than in New Zealand… it was we must do this in this part of the field, then do this when we’re here, and this when we go there… these guys must hit this ruck, and these guys must hit this ruck… it was kick-chase-tackle, kick-chase-tackle.”

Mooar went on to point out that it’s the cohesion within the New Zealand rugby landscape that makes the difference: “It’s a combination of really good people working really hard and having a clear vision of how they want to play the game. I’m talking here about the coach, the players, the administrative staff and the business units.”

Immediately you think of Super Rugby juggernauts like the Crusaders, where Mooar is an assistant coach, the Chiefs, and now the Hurricanes and Highlanders.

It’s not just within single organisations though, the best interests of New Zealand rugby are the priority and it’s not just words, it’s tangible in decisions, central contracting systems, player welfare and most obviously results.

In the same interview, Mooar expressed the idea that South Africans are more inclined to take care of themselves than to put the team first or to champion teamwork – a contrast to what he had to say about New Zealand rugby: “There’s a real alignment, from the top at the New Zealand Rugby Union through the franchises to the clubs. There’s a common conversation and purpose… importantly there’s alignment, there are shared ideas; not strategy. And that’s driven by the New Zealand Rugby Union.”

The media has come hard regarding recent Springbok performances, justly so, based on performances and results, but it really should not be all that surprising that the Boks find themselves in this position.

The problem is bigger than just the Boks, the national side is only one part of what makes up South African rugby and its future well being. Right now it’s hard to picture the game operating in South Africa with the best interests of the Bok side as its core focus.

“Your country has unbelievable athletes, there are large numbers of people, but it seems each working part is working really hard to protect its own patch. If they worked together though I believe the Boks would be a helluva beast to stop.”

Brad Mooar sees the potential for a bright future. It is conditional, though, dependent on the steps those in power take to create progress within South African rugby.

It’s easy to point out coaches and players – consider for a change the role the men in suits are playing in the struggles South African rugby is facing on and off the field.

The Crowd Says:

2016-09-19T06:16:44+00:00

likkewaan

Guest


Agree about Doc Craven Harry. Just pointing out that it's not marketed as the Craven Week anymore.

2016-09-17T03:27:32+00:00

superba

Guest


AAAJorrie You are correct on this .Time for the demonstrations to begin against a team selected on race .Time to take the Springbok off the jumper . And if we become another Fiji we can at least win the Olympic 7s .

2016-09-16T22:17:00+00:00

lassitude

Guest


Did you forget the "Self" in front of your name ?

2016-09-16T15:28:36+00:00

Fresney

Guest


It's not complicated. Plenty of good rugby talent exists in South Africa. The problem is SARU for once again blindly selecting a coach with as much international experience as the characters in Mafeking Road. Jut take a look at this young man's talent. https://youtu.be/feuoTA3h6tM

2016-09-16T13:13:29+00:00

Kirky

Roar Rookie


Never!!

2016-09-16T13:12:33+00:00

Kirky

Roar Rookie


Harry, thanks for that clearing up re Danie Craven and his affiliations, one way or another as I had always been of the opinion that as you say "He was a force for good", but in trying to read between the lines of other posts on here at the moment, ~ I really couldn't figure out those affiliations, one way or another, as he always came across as a pure rugby man to the good,!~ He was a great guy and inventor of the 'dive pass', ~ certainly he was one of my idols of rugby in every way! Respected everywhere the game was played!

2016-09-16T12:33:27+00:00

Harry Jones

Expert


It will always be Craven Week. Doc Craven was a force for good.

2016-09-16T11:21:02+00:00


So political interference plays no part in this?

2016-09-16T11:20:10+00:00


Righteous, could you be so kind as to tell me from which country you hail?

2016-09-16T10:00:01+00:00

Dave

Guest


Jarryd, I share "Blue's" frustrations - I wish you'd taken a stance, rather than skip around the real issues. And in saying that, the real issues, I think, are mostly beyond South African rugby. The rugby administration can't fix the poor exchange rate and they can't build high schools for the development of rugby. Add to this the fact that its a new side (they're certainly no class of '09), a lack of top local coaches, a thin player base stretched across 6 franchises, and you have this situation. The best they could do is fend off the sports minister's demands and centralise rugby under one national controlling body. Even then, I wouldn't trust SARU to do a decent job (political puppets), and still, that's not going to fix the exchange rate. @ Peter Evans - I disagree. England rugby is an immensely wealthy union, and buying out Eddie Jones from the Stormers was a masterstroke and very fortunate for England. The result in Aus would have been other way round if it wasn't for that. Government intervention is NOT an excuse, look at the semi-final in last year's cricket world cup. @ Righteous - sure, maybe we'll knock down some statues too... oh wait that's already happened...

2016-09-16T09:49:47+00:00

hein cloete

Guest


How long do you still want to blame apartheid? Most of these players weren't even born. Must all white players now for ever be faced with racist selection policies?

2016-09-16T08:27:11+00:00

likkewaan

Guest


It has not been called Craven Week for the last 18 years. It's called the Coca Cola Schools Rugby Tournament.

2016-09-16T08:19:49+00:00

Old Bugger

Guest


Didn't know that but then again, it is a game that requires more, than just the 7player backline.

2016-09-16T07:38:22+00:00

nickbrisbane

Guest


Their backline coach comes from the Kings.............................................!

2016-09-16T06:54:08+00:00

righteous

Guest


There's some of the problem, " craven week ". Maybe if you stopped glorifying your racist players of the past you might not get the government dictating terms to SARU.

2016-09-16T06:38:26+00:00

Peter Evans

Guest


Writer has hit the nail on the head. Some of the above comments about government intervention is just an excuse. Welcome to the world of us Brits. For 10 yrs we've kidded ourselves that the next game will be different. We found even more ingenious excuses. Bad weather, bad pitch, missing a 1st XV player...you name it. We kidded ourselves. Coetzee is still mired in strategy of 10 yrs of Stormers. The players are there in abundance. It isn't just that 3 of 5 teams in SA also play staid rugby to one degree or another, it is that Coetzee himself refuses to play ball in hand and with the backs. Just look at the metres run in the stats. Forwards have more metres most of the time. I've seen centres with 20 metres at half and similar at full. Heck full back should be doing 80 meters yet is doing half of that. These are professional players and can play 'heads up' rugby and an expansive game if Coetzee allowed. He has said he admires Lions but Bok will not be emulating that style.

2016-09-16T06:17:37+00:00

AKAJorrieKruger

Roar Rookie


Heres your change thats needed: The IRB to ban the Boks from any further international fixtures until the racist agenda being followed by the South African sports ministry is brought to a halt. The IRB has a mandate: In terms of By-Law 3 of the IRB rules and regulations, the IRB is compelled to prevent any form of racial discrimination in rugby. IRB Regulation 20 also stipulates that any action which may be construed as racial discrimination will be regarded as misconduct. In terms of By-Law 7, not only is a country’s international team bound to this; the provincial rugby unions resorting under a country’s board must adhere to these principles as well. In terms of By-Law 9.4(r) the IRB may institute disciplinary steps against any rugby body that violates these rules. This is not the only issue, but add to that a poor local currency, massive salaries on offer in Europe and you quickly get the picture... Before anyone comments.. I am all for transformation and most South African fans and players are as well. The reality is that the South African government institutions who's job it is to transform the sport, can't manage transformation at a grass-roots level for various reasons I won't go into here. Its been 20 years and (generally speaking) previously disadvantaged players cannot find their way naturally into provincial sides or the Springboks, there are exceptions of course and some glimmers of hope. However the powers-that-be are trying to hide their failures by blaming SARU and forcing them to fix a problem that was not entirely theirs of the making. You only have to look at Cheeky Watson's tenure at the Kings as a perfect example. There will be no game left for anyone to play in SA in the future, previously disadvantaged or not... South Africa will simply become another Fiji / Samoa... A source of pillaging for international rugby unions from Europe and Australasia. The French scouts have already been attending Craven week (SA schools comp) for a few years now...

2016-09-16T05:36:38+00:00

Jono

Guest


Two things: 1. I would not underestimate the 'brain drain' that has happened as a result of the marked devaluation of the Rand. New Zealand have retained the vast majority of their talent within their clubs in no small part because they can be internationally competitive on a salary basis. Compared to 2012, our boys are earning a quarter less, assuming inflation linked salary increases. Try retain ANY top talent at a private organisation with that sort of a salary shock. 2. It is contested territory whether the politicians have a point - the team that represents SA is hardly representative of SA. It is unfortunate that we haven't gotten the transformation politics right at a grassroots level, because I do believe that it makes us uncompetitive trying to apply the quotas to the top flight teams. That being said, this should have been an issue that school rugby fraternities addressed 10 years ago. It is as a result of them passing the buck that we struggle with this issue at the top level or representation.

2016-09-16T05:24:03+00:00

RUserious

Roar Rookie


RWC 2019 draw is set for May 2017 so they should be worrying about the results a bit...

AUTHOR

2016-09-16T05:20:14+00:00

Jarryd Thompson

Roar Rookie


Spot on blue. Not intended to be an argument, its a look at how things are. We do all know there is plenty wrong and unique within SA rugby but our focus and coverage is limited to only what can be seen on the tele (results, players, coaches) which is only a piece of the problem. Small attempt to get people thinking about the root of the problem instead of just assigning blame to those in the public eye. As for the headline, credit goes to the R.O.A.R team (thanks guys).

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