Shattering the McGeechan myth
28 Jun 2009
Hopefully now the perception that Ian McGeechan is a rugby genius has been well and truly shattered.
McGeechan is revered in the northern hemisphere, enjoying god-like status in Scotland and with London Wasps, where he has served as director of rugby since 2005.
The travelling media have written him up to the point that one could be mistaken for thinking that all a team needs to do to ensure success is to employ him. A closer inspection of his record, particularly with the Lions, suggests this is not the case.
In five years as Scotland coach, McGeechan won one Five Nations title (a Grand Slam). He failed to secure any silverware in his seven-year tenure at Northampton, and in five seasons at Wasps, has won the Anglo Welsh Cup, European Cup and Premiership title.
It is, however, with the British & Irish Lions that the myth that is McGeechan is exposed. After Saturday’s defeat to the Springboks, McGeechan’s record with the Lions reads – played 14 won seven.
A 50% return for a coach who has had the elite players from the northern hemisphere at his disposal is hardly impressive. In fact, it’s decidedly mediocre.
Last week McGeechan made the fundamental and ultimately costly error of not replacing tighthead prop Phil Vickery, who was clearly been mauled by a relative rookie in Beast Mtawarira. McGeechan was spared criticism for the error, with the vast majority of his disciples in the travelling press overlooking it, preferring to lament what they believed was inconsistent law application by referee Bryce Lawrence.
Let us not forget the fact that the Springbok coaching staff did everything in their power to aid McGeechan’s cause by making a spate of perplexing substitutions, in which he hooked the experienced quartet of John Smit, Bakkies Botha, Fourie du Preez and Jean de Villiers.
On Saturday his Lions were tamed once again, despite being the superior side for the majority of the contest.
They failed to close the game out when they should have, and tactically they were flawed. Injuries to key players had an adverse effect, but that cannot be viewed as the sole reason for the defeat.
A coach who only managed a 50% record with the southern hemisphere’s elite players wouldn’t have made it past one tour. McGeechan’s been rewarded with four.
McGeechan is a good coach – his record at club level reflects this. But he is not the guru the northern hemisphere would have us believe he is. His ceiling is club rugby. The sooner the Lions realise this the better for them.
There is no room for sentiment in professional rugby. If the Lions hope to win their first series in three tours, in fact, if the Lions hope to win their first Test since 2001, McGeechan must be shown the door.
By Ryan Vrede
177 Comments
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28 Jun 2009, 19:14 pm
#96 Bul-a-Bhloo: No bud, you have more class than your post.
This article is a piece of dirty toilet paper. And you know it.
And yes I enjoyed the win. Both wins. And I am happy to say we were fortunate in both.
28 Jun 2009, 19:14 pm
#98 PissAnt: The rules dictate that the citing officer must cite the players BUT the team managements CAN bring incidents to the citing officer’s attention. They cannot however insist that he cites.
28 Jun 2009, 19:16 pm
#100 Heavens Game:
It was bloody lovely.
Test match rugby the likes we dont see anymore.
28 Jun 2009, 19:17 pm
#101 SodaJoe: :blush:
28 Jun 2009, 19:17 pm
#102 Bul-a-Bhloo:
Yes I know this, and nowhere did I read they initiated any action from their part.
Unless I missed something.
28 Jun 2009, 19:18 pm
#100 Heavens Game: Oh please ! Rugby must evolve . The era of uncordinated fatties went out in the 70s ! Get with the times mate !
28 Jun 2009, 19:18 pm
#101 SodaJoe:
Correct, it is toilet trash.
28 Jun 2009, 19:21 pm
#103 PissAnt: Taking away Schalk’s indiscretion and that we were lucky to play with 15 men, and the uncontested scrums (may this never be allowed to happen again). It was a wonderful game, with everything you could hope for from both teams.
Going back to one of the previous threads PA – the 2 defining moments are Jacques try – such determination and awareness, and Brussow tackling and coming up almost in a pick drive with the ball.
I thought JPP & Habs tries were executed beautifully.
28 Jun 2009, 19:22 pm
#106 rugbygenius: yawn. You are such a bore.
28 Jun 2009, 19:23 pm
#104 Bul-a-Bhloo: You old girl you.
28 Jun 2009, 19:25 pm
#105 PissAnt: I think you might have. You know how and where to fish.
I got it at a chance meeting during an early lunch (brunch) today.
28 Jun 2009, 19:26 pm
#108 SodaJoe:
Oh mate I have seldom been so involved in a rugby match from a spectator point of view.
You could not have scripted this any better.
A team (Lions) written off by all in sundry. All they had was their pride, and pride in the jersey and tradition of the Lions.
They came up against a team, the World Champions, in their backyard, with a team that has hundreds of test caps and guys that has just about won everything the world of rugby has on offer.
Those Lions were ready to die for one another on that pitch yesterday, and the Boks I suspect (maybe even know) got a taste of what real test match rugby is really all about.
If anything, this series has shown me the expanded and even more expanded 3N series which sees us up against Aus and NZ 3 or 4 times a year, has devalued what test match rugby is all about.
A Lions series is the last thing we have left that holds the amateur values of rugby close at heart.
May it never end…
28 Jun 2009, 19:27 pm
#111 Bul-a-Bhloo:
Oh okay, my apologies then!
28 Jun 2009, 19:28 pm
So on the theme of this article.
I wish to thank the Lions, their management and players and supporters for an absolute wonderful test series.
Please continue with this great tradition you have.
28 Jun 2009, 19:31 pm
this article is an embarrassment.
almost as bad as all the whining by the lions players on this tour.
they have left a bad taste and could have taken a bit of a lesson from their magnificent supporters.
28 Jun 2009, 19:32 pm
#112 PissAnt: If the tradition of the Lions (as suggested by Stephen Jones) had to end it would break my heart.
I am indebted to the 1974 Lions for instilling my love of the game – despite the pain – JPR, Mervyn Davies, Gareth Edwards. The pain of 1997. The joy of 1986 and 2009.
Bud this article shames South Africans in every way.
Having said that I still think Jeremy Guscott is an unmitigated prick.
28 Jun 2009, 19:34 pm
#114 PissAnt: Aye. I second the motion.
28 Jun 2009, 19:35 pm
#115 rangerman: Hell that is so true.
You can’t fault their support base. Imagine 40000 supporters traveling 11000km to watch a game.
28 Jun 2009, 19:36 pm
#115 rangerman: Bushwhacker. These guys hate to lose. The losing hurt. And they lashed out.
A forgivable sin.
And one that would have probably been perpetuated by us if the shoe was on the other foot – see Smit Thorne for comparison.
We should not throw stones in glass houses.
My guess is that the players probably get on pretty well.
28 Jun 2009, 19:38 pm
#118 Bul-a-Bhloo: One of my closest friends is English in SA – he has loved every moment of it. His first trip (albeit in luxury most of us would kill for).
28 Jun 2009, 19:39 pm
#116 SodaJoe:
Wasn’t it great to see Will’s John in the stands yesterday???
Hell this is the highest honour any player in the NH can aspire to, to wear that red jersey.
Shaw, who went on three Lions tours, got his debut yesterday, and won a deserved man of the match – you tell me this does not mean anything to them or to rugby.
****…
I reckon the IRB and the rest of the rugby world can learn something from this…
28 Jun 2009, 19:39 pm
#103 Pissant – it was a privilege to watch one of the best Lions games ever. One team might have underperformed for part of the match and another overperformed, but wow it will live on in memory. The Battle of Loftus. No prisoners were taken from both sides
#106 “Rugby Genius” you don’t get it do you. Rugby is not just about fancy moves and looking good. Its called “fronting up” in your parlance. After being forcefed Tri-Nations **** for years at last we had a test series worthy of the name. We used to have that with the ABs but they seem to be more worried about posing in scants
28 Jun 2009, 19:42 pm
#6 Durban Poison: This article is very sad & reflects poorly upon South Africans. I know there are many Saffas on here who do not share this article’s views. Nevertheless it does not show Saffa supporters in good light.
Congrats to the Boks for winning the series. The two matches were great to watch. Let’s give credit to both teams. Remember the adage to be gracious in defeat & magnanimous in victory. Few former players here would have minded playing under a coach like the “Geech”.
28 Jun 2009, 19:43 pm
#121 PissAnt: My biggest disappointment has been that the provincial teams were denuded of their Boks.
Man – in the days that the Lions would poep themselves to play Province or Noord Transvaal.
Or we would poep ourselves to play the NZ Maoris when we toured.
This is why the June SH tours are so pathetic.
Tell you what – Morne Steyn 24 or so years old – nerves of steel. He will live with that moment and that joy for the rest of his life, and he will tell his grandchildren of the magnificence of the moment.
Because it was the Springboks vs the Lions.
28 Jun 2009, 19:44 pm
And that brings me back to this toilet trash article.
It has done a great disservice to one of the greatest Lions coach’s of all time, and in effect, insulted the tradition of Lions rugby and what it has brought to the rugby world especially in the professional era where money robs us of the values of this great game.
I actually hope, no I wish the Lions players gets hold of this article and meets Ryan in a pub before they leave to go back home.
28 Jun 2009, 19:44 pm
#123 JimT: Jim. My deepest and sincere apologies.
I can say no more.
28 Jun 2009, 19:46 pm
#125 PissAnt: Honestly. You would not speak to a man with such disrespect face to face.
I believe an apology is due.
But that would take a real man.
28 Jun 2009, 19:49 pm
Gentlemen, adieu.
See you through the window.
28 Jun 2009, 19:50 pm
#122 Heavens Game:
The battle of Loftus.
Man that about sums it up! Let’s remind our children of this, so 12 or 24 years from now they may be reminded what this game is all about!
#124 SodaJoe:
We lost a lot in rugby thanks to professionalism, and one cannot really blame what happened prior to the tests and with the midweek and provincial games – it is almost part and parcel of pro rugby thanks to the fact that where Lions tours in the past were 4 months, this one is 6 weeks…
Thank goodness the tests have not lost its values.
On Morne Steyn…
Hell man he had a Joel Stransky (1995) moment there.
lets just hope and pray he does not fade after this or it is the only thing we will remember him by.
Let’s hope he has tons of Stransky moments for the Boks in future!
28 Jun 2009, 19:51 pm
I agree that this article is trashing one of the best coaches around and is in poor taste. What I would like to know however is what has happened to Geech’s relationship with the Scottish union after he delivered them a 6Nations triumph. There is apparently something not right there evidenced I believe by him not picking any Scots until forced to.
28 Jun 2009, 19:52 pm
#123 JimT:
I think by reading most of the comments, you can be assured we do not share this toilet trash point of view.
28 Jun 2009, 19:52 pm
#51 JL1: BOD’s tackle was not high. He may have been offside in making a tackle but the after effects came from an accidental clash of heads. Evidently both players have suffered concussion.
28 Jun 2009, 19:57 pm
Gatland has changed into a whinging Pomm and the players have also become egotistical not shaking hands against the Emerging Boks
28 Jun 2009, 19:57 pm
#60 cane: Yes that the difficult thing to comprehend, an offense like this after only 1 minute!! In the middle of a heated match when the blood is boiling, not acceptable still but understandable. What goes on in this man’s mind? Sad very sad
28 Jun 2009, 19:57 pm
#132 JimT: not using his arms and he hit him high, have a look at the replay-I did
28 Jun 2009, 19:58 pm
#133 JL1:
They formed a little tunnel for them as far as I can remember…
28 Jun 2009, 19:59 pm
#62 Boksarenumber1: C’mon 5 pt & 3 pts wins, hardly destroyed, get a grip on reality.
28 Jun 2009, 19:59 pm
#131 PissAnt: At varsity in res the journalist students were mostly used as furniture. Ryan seems like good footstool material.
28 Jun 2009, 19:59 pm
#60 cane: Like Richard Loe played for yours,move to England you sound like a whinging pomm
28 Jun 2009, 20:00 pm
#136 PissAnt: O’Gara was one of the main ones not shaking any hands, quite apt for him to throw the 3 points to the Boks
28 Jun 2009, 20:03 pm
#129 PissAnt: PA One thing that hasn’t been mentioned and I think should is the impact that Gatlands comments pre-match had on the tone of the match, in particular the start. I believe he was goading the Boks into overly aggressive play and Schalk played right into his hands.
I was also astounded by the amount of negative play off the ball by the BI Lions. You go and watch that game again and dont follow the ball but watch the blocking,obstruction and deliberate incitement off the ball.
28 Jun 2009, 20:06 pm
#132 JimT:
I’d like to personally shake BOD’s hand for that – it got Brussow on the field. Old PdV brought the wrong loosie on. Tosser !!
28 Jun 2009, 20:07 pm
#138 Beertjie:
Sounds about right in my view
#140 JL1:
He cost them 10 points, he missed Mossie when he scored too – but I still think it is terribly unfair to pin this on one player.
#141 bananaboy:
I make a point of not reading or listening to any pre-match stuff. So can’t really comment.
Look there were stuff that was not needed, and stuff that is part of the game.
All in all, it was a great test and I would like to remember it as such.
28 Jun 2009, 20:08 pm
#138 Beertjie: Ryan is not any worse than the British press-look at what the drivel that they write:
News of the World:
Lions fury at Springbok cheats
Luke Fitzgerald speaks out after being gouged by Schalk Burger
The Mail on Sunday:
Lions uproar over gouging: Springboks accused of vicious attack after Test triumph with the last kick
They are really the pits
28 Jun 2009, 20:08 pm
#124 SodaJoe: Soda, agree with you over the provincial matches. That was very disappointing. I was expecting so much more from the rest of the tour
28 Jun 2009, 20:09 pm
#143 PissAnt: Not so sure he is known for having a gambling problem
No the whole team finished very poorly
28 Jun 2009, 20:13 pm
Good comments from Phil Bennet:
“For all their bravery, for all the guts and pride, and savage self-sacrifice, the bottom line is that the Lions have lost the series.
In fact, there’s another bottom line beneath that. The Lions have now lost seven Test matches in succession.
In Australia in 2001, they lost the final two Tests after winning the first.
Four years ago in New Zealand they lost all three and here they’ve been beaten even if they were certainly not bowed.
To beat these southern hemisphere teams on their own patch you have to get everything right. Everything.”
28 Jun 2009, 20:15 pm
#147 JL1: One of the few objective comments
28 Jun 2009, 20:15 pm
#126 SodaJoe: Thank you Soda, accepted in the spirit it was given. Let’s forget this trash talk from an embittered few & revel in the two magnificent matches we were fortunate to watch. As for for some of the Lions comments directly after the match regrettable I must say. I’ve never believed in interviewing players/coaches so soon after a match when emotions are still running high. I’m sure comments today would be more tempered.
28 Jun 2009, 20:17 pm
#143 PissAnt: PA there was too much negative stuff from these Lions even to the extent that after both tests none of the management have come out and said “the better side won”. I’m sorry but when you want to cry about refs and unsportsmanlike behaviour then start by being gracious to your conquerors first.
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