Breaking up gracefully with the Boks ain’t easy. Jake White took shattered Kamp Staaldraad survivors and won a World Cup, but he was exiled for being too proud.
Nick Mallet won seventeen Tests on the trot, but was fired for suggesting lowering ticket prices could broaden support.
Pieter de Villiers won a Tri-Nations title by beating the All Blacks three times in one season and took the Boks to world number one again, but is now considered lucky to bag the Zimbabwe job.
Heyneke Meyer’s team came within two points of beating one of the best rugby teams in history in a World Cup semi-final, and now he organises high school festivals.
Thus, the latest Bok coach departure drama has historical precedent. But Allister Coetzee has abysmal on-field results to use in his public biff with SARU.
He was the first Bok coach to lose a Test at home to Ireland. His team lost twice to Wales, gave up 57 points to New Zealand twice (once, in Albany, without even registering a point in return), had the worst year in history (2016: eight losses), caught a 3-38 hiding to Ireland even after two years of team-building, and lost to Italy.
(AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)
If White, Mallet, P-Div, and Meyer were trashed after winning top 1-2 status, why would ‘Toetie’ (or ‘Kootchie Koo’) be treated kindly?
Coetzee has made a number of arguments as to why he is special; some of them even made in writing in a shocking 19-page missive to his employer.
Toetie does not argue that his 44 per cent win ratio was really just a missed Elton Jantjies drop goal in Perth and a missed Jantjies penalty in Port Elizabeth away from meeting his (surprisingly low) 50 per cent win requirement. That might have been an interesting argument: the old draw-is-not-a-loss theory or “I can’t make the kick; Elton has to” approach.
Presumably, Coetzee’s lawyers avoided any talk of win (or not-loss) ratios because they wish to claim he had no enforceable performance clause. Also, to make his other race-based conspiracy claims, it might have been awkward to cast Jantjies as the brown tool of white racists.
Coetzee instead chooses to argue SARU really wanted a white coach, so they fired Meyer and hired him as a ‘ceremonial’ cover, but set him up to fail by providing fewer massages to players, less psychological therapy, allowing 257 Saffa pros to play overseas, and by giving him less support in general.
His rant, extraordinary even by South African rugby drama standards, effectively ends any chance of any other national body hiring Kootchie Koo as a head coach. But he and his lawyers must believe that ship has already sailed. Thus, his letter is probably only for short-term gain.
A payout, by revealing more proof of what must already be obvious: SARU is the worst administrative group in top tier rugby.
The ARU looks like a smoothly-oiled super-machine compared to SARU. Just take ‘ARU’ and add ‘Silly’ to the front.
SARU cannot even produce a signed version of the 50 per cent clause (and why was it only 50 per cent?).
Their chief executive allegedly had off-the-record conversations with Coetzee that are now the fuel for Coetzee arguing SARU essentially replaced him with Rassie Erasmus before doing Coetzee’s review.
And at this point, Eddie Jones has prepared more for the June tour than the Boks.
(AP Photo/Koji Sasahara, File)
Yet, as sloppy as SARU is and was, Coetzee’s excuses for only winning 11 Tests in two years are even sloppier.
He explained 2016 by not having enough time to prepare, but he had the same time as Jones did with England and had better familiarity with his players, after coaching Western Province for seven years.
He used the same excuse in 2017, because he was in limbo, but the Boks were unbeaten after the first six Tests, falling apart in the second half.
To play the race card now is rich. Coetzee rejected P-Div’s plea to help the Stormers, and Coetzee picked marginal to poor Test-level players like Ruan Dreyer, Andries Coetzee, a series of non-eighthmen, Ross Cronjé, Jesse Kriel (poor at 13 in defence), in place of promising black Super Rugby stars like Lukhanyo Am, Warrick Gelant, Nizaam Carr, and Rudy Paige (not great, but worth a look, as Cronjé slowly crabbed the Bok attack into the doldrums).
He also persisted with the Matador, Raymond Rhule (who missed more tackles than he attempted in Albany) when really good black options at wing abounded.
Coetzee was the sole selector for two years. His game plans were on trial. He failed, dismally,
Now he claims it was all a trap. If so, and it’s a trap which would have required strange race-motivated collusion by Jantjies, Rhule, Tendai Mtawarira, Cortnall Skosan, and Siya Kolisi, we now have a better idea why so many coaches had an easy time trapping Coetzee tactically.
He was promoted two levels above his skill set.
And the soap opera that is Bok coaching succession continues. Same as it ever was.
Harry Jones
Expert
Hahahaha
Harry Jones
Expert
Yes. And what better way to announce: "Da Bok is Back!" than to whitewash--is that allowed--de Pom.
Harry Jones
Expert
True dat
Harry Jones
Expert
The Kings just need SOMEBODY!
Harry Jones
Expert
Yes, George, even in the big losses to Ireland and NZ, the pack wasn't actually outclassed, and in the close loss to NZ, I would say the Bok pack outplayed the AB back. In all the other matches, the SA pack was the better one. But jeez, service from 9 was tortured and slow. On his slowest day, Ruan Pienaar was faster at getting the ball in the hands of the receiver--and at least he kicks well. Elton deteriorated, as the heat turned up; Pollard was okay, but rusty. Sertontein was actually very good. But then the rest of it (13-11-14-15) with the exception of Leyds when he finally got a shot was really rubbish, and that's sad because we had L. Am in top form, with W. Gelant, Nkosi, and Bosch waiting to be used (Bosch needs some work on D, but he also offers a massive exit boot).
George
Guest
The Boks have 2 very different teams, your forwards are top notch and you have depth from 1 to 8. Its the back line that poses the conundrum's, 9 is a big concern, and then 13. AM and Vorster at 13. 9 is a head ache, this kid shreuder looked decent. The only chance Rassie has is D formation shallow lines on England and hope his boys settle rattle Jones lads. He doesnt have much time.. and cant reinvent the wheel... welcome to the rescue Rassie..
Superba
Guest
....the mattress is in a Swiss hotel .
DavSA
Guest
All comments on Bakkies pov are relevant but the biggest single reason is a certain man called Dr Ali Bacher. Post apartheid he controlled the SA Cricket board. He immediately and publicly began to set development structures in place . If one goes to our rural areas for example the Transkei you will find in the region a trained and qualified coach supported by the cricketing authorities. You will find a whole generation of kids being introduced to the game of cricket . This was a 25 year old project and is reaping big rewards . Rugby was insular , divided and seen as exclusive . It remains as a result very sadly a divisive sport . I can probably write a thousand words on what the reasons are , the historical jealousies and anger. But what does it matter ? There is almost a mini rugby civil war taking place here on racial lines and both sides are wrong.
Ex force fan
Guest
Yes, I also noticed how aggressive NRL is promoting their game and that rugby union became invisible. It will definitely impact junior levels. There is not much time to give Twiggy the green light as the ARU/RA has no clue what is going on in the state with the 3rd most players. Clarke would have noticed that the Wallabies and rugby are invisible at the opening of the country's third biggest stadium and that there is nothing to look forward to. The short sighted and stupid decision to cut professional rugby in WA and put nothing else in its place put the WA Rugby already 5 years back. Shame on you ARU.
Ex force fan
Guest
Yes Bakkies more Afrikaans schools play cricket. Grey and Affies have been instrumental and many of these school have good coaches. Kepler, Hansie etc opened up,the sport for,Afrikaners but it was only recentlymthat they managed to break through to the highest level. I remember at school we had one cricket team per age group and up to 10 rugby teams. However, cricket it is not as integrated into Afrikaner culture as rugby. Rugby songs, braai, springbok, etc....Also you do not hear that much Afrikaans on the cricket field pitch while Afrikaans is used in 7s and 15s as the communication langauge. The ANC knows where to hurt Afrikaners and rugby is most often the instrument of choice. Few are as emotionally invested in cricket as they are in rugby.
robel
Roar Pro
As in pervious the NRL is advertising a few games in Perth. This year there are no Force games to counter the allure to the general public, and RU slowly dies some more in WA. As an old RU player (to 48yrs old), whose son can't be bothered to play (18yr old) I feel absolutely betrayed by the (e)RU. Long may Clyne, Eales etc rot in hell.
DavSA
Guest
As I write this OB Coetzee has been terminated. He drinks too much and I suspect will celebrate his payout with anutha bottle of JW Blue. Same time this bloated man will cry .....RACISM.... yes he will.
DavSA
Guest
If you watched our Varsity rugby series which is the level below Currie Cup and 2 levels below Superugby the quality of rugby was class. No!!! SA Rugby is still thriving at grassroots level. It is the totally moronic fools that currently "manage " it that are the problem.
DavSA
Guest
100% Bakkies.
DavSA
Guest
Ah Harry . Multichoice know the numbers to the last viewer . They Know that their viewership re the Boks are rapidly declining . SARU had no choice . This incompetent pumpkin had to go. Period. He has precided over the worst period in the history of the Bokke. If he has an ounce of pride in his achievements or rather lack thereof he would do the honorable thing but......no.......he plays the race card . Let him go back and coach the Kings .....If they will have him .
Fionn
Guest
Don't worry, I suspect the Boks will have a much improved year this year ?. You have the players and now you seen to have what will hopefully be a better coaching team too.
robel
Roar Pro
The SARU still managed to ensure both their axed super teams were in transfered to a new competition and the provences they represented still had a pathway from juniors to national reps. Something the ERA couldn't even manage for one team.
Bakkies
Guest
Cricket has the advantage of finding black talent to bowl fast. It is becoming more of a Afrikaans game when you look at the current squad de Kock, du Plessis, de Villiers, Steyn, Morkel, Markram.
Bakkies
Guest
'Lack of $$$ to pay out his contract might be the only reason.' and performance clause to sack him without a payout.
RobC
Roar Guru
Thanks Haazaaaaaaaaaaàåæāáaàä!!!!!! Rassie will make it better. Then again my my could made it better. KK is gone. Time for the Bokke to get back on the saddle