Building a dynasty
14 Sep 2009
If Peter de Villiers wants the Springboks to build on their recent success he’ll need to develop a quality second-string contingent.
A year ago, South Africans had to endure Kiwi taunts about how the Boks’ 2007 World Cup win was a fluke. The Boks bombed out of the 2008 Tri-Nations when they diverted from a more structured approach, and the All Blacks finished the year top of the IRB rankings. The Boks finished that tournament last when they should have finished first.
2009 has been the year 2008 should have been. Superior personnel, superior tactics and just reward. The new Bok management should have built on what worked during Jake White’s tenure, and fortunately for the sake of Springbok rugby, they’ve learned their lesson.
The result is a win over the British & Irish Lions and a Tri-Nations title. In terms of ambition, it doesn’t have to end there. As long as these players are fit and available, the Boks are well capable of an unprecedented world title defence come 2011.
Peter de Villiers was humble following Saturday’s victory, and he and his assistant coaches will know they have plenty to do in the next two years. The Boks are blessed with a gifted match 22, but as the head coach himself admitted after defeat in the third Lions Test, they are a bit thin on depth.
The 31-year-old John Smit is yet to decide whether he will continue with the Boks. If he does commit to SA Rugby, he will command a larger leadership group that includes Victor Matfield, Bakkies Botha, Juan Smith and Fourie du Preez.
That list of players inspires confidence, but to win big tournaments you need to have quality in reserve. To build a dynasty and sustain success, the management need to look at the alternatives and start giving them opportunities.
The Jean de Villiers move is a classic example.The Bok centre made a massive contribution to the Tri-Nations victory and will be sorely missed when he heads to Irish club Munster. He may yet return in time for the World Cup, but alternatives need to be identified, alternatives that can perform a similar role.
De Villiers’s World Cup dream was shattered when he tore his bicep in the first 2007 pool game against Samoa. Frans Steyn stepped in at No 12 and proved a great replacement.
Steyn won’t be available in the forseeable future so what are the other options at No 12? Wynand Olivier had a fantastic Super 14 and would complement Jaque Fourie well in midfield. Playing Adi Jacobs at inside centre would alter the Bok attacking dynamic as he’s a completely different player to De Villiers. Because of Jacobs’s suspect defence, the Bok midfield would also become a target.
This is just but one example. Who is going to replace Fourie du Preez if he gets injured? Ruan Pienaar is the second best scrumhalf in South Africa and would be the logical choice, while a player like Jano Vermaak must be close to joining the wider squad. Du Preez’s a class apart, but Pienaar and Vermaak have the kicking game to ensure the Bok gameplan wouldn’t suffer in Du Preez’s absence. There’s no longer a place for Ricky Januarie as long as the current tactics hold sway.
Pienaar has enjoyed mixed success at flyhalf, and is currently the alternative to Morne Steyn. Apart form his obvious goal-kicking attributes, Steyn’s all-round game has improved immensely since he played his first Test this June. He’s always been a good flyhalf when his pack is going forward, but he’s also learned to perform when his forwards are under pressure.
Pienaar’s opportunities have been limited by injuries, but time is running out. He needs to be afforded an extended run at Test level, and in two years the Boks may be in a rare position when they possess two great and experienced pivots.
There are players like Odwa Ndungane who can fill a gap, but the Bok management needs to seek out players who can offer as much as a Bryan Habana and a JP Pietersen. Pienaar has been mentioned as a fullback option, but what if he were to get injured? Conrad Jantjes will be back in 2010, but there needs to be a drive to develop an understudy. Zane Kirchner is one that springs to mind.
Peter de Villiers told the press on Saturday that ‘Players make coaches’. If De Villiers can keep a group of 30 players together in the build up to the 2011 World Cup, they might just make him the greatest coach ever. In developing that elite group, however, he’ll need to start cutting the dead weight and identifying the men to support players that have quickly become legends.
By Jon Cardinelli
154 Comments
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14 Sep 2009, 06:25 am
Respect for Peter, well earned.
Also great to see a season with very few injuries to vital players.
No complaints of burnouts
Just great.
14 Sep 2009, 06:42 am
#1 111BIG5: Agreed. PdV now actually has some points in my books.
Hope he utilises the year end tour to give a couple of guys like Olivier, Kirchner, Muller and Sykes some game time. We definitely need to start building depth. If he can give 5 fringe players some game time, it would go a long way.
14 Sep 2009, 06:44 am
Funny to see another dig at Jacobs’ “suspect” defence, especially after Jaque Fourie’s poor showing on the weekend.
Some good questions raised though, it will be interesting to see what youngsters are included on the end of year tour.
The Boks look to have an embarrassment of riches in the loose forwards, hooker and scrummy, but what about the other areas.
Who are people’s predictions as tour bolters in the key positions of lock, prop (esp tighthead), centres and fullback?
14 Sep 2009, 06:49 am
Reason 2008 was a bugger-up was because of politics – we changed coaching staff.Let that be a lesson.Continuity is everything – coaches, players et al…..
That’s what scares me about NZ – if Henry survives – they will win 2011 – he would have absorbed all the lessons by then.
14 Sep 2009, 07:12 am
#4 raven: I disagree. Henry’s team has not shown a lot of development. His game plan is based around Carter, McCaw, Mils and a couple of others. The scrum has not shown improvement, and nor has their lineout. No-one really knows where Henry is heading with the All Blacks and he does not have the talent he had in 2007. One or two injuries (Carter, McCaw) and the start to struggle. The Australians seem to be developing nicely. They have a lot of talent, and for once actually appear to have some strength in depth, and despite losing, they atleast appear to be developing along a structure and with a plan in mind.
This is the same with the Boks. The only question is whether they have reached as high as they can get, and whether they might begin to struggle-some of the players are getting older-or whether they can carry on developing.
14 Sep 2009, 07:18 am
#4 raven: Not too sure about that.
You could also take the opposite view and think that because he has been around so long he can no longer pop any real surprises.
Continually evolving and adjusting your coaching as the game changes takes its toll, especially at the elite level. No-one stays on top forever.
#5 WOLFMAN21: Agreed, the All Blacks lineout has not been up to scratch for years now, and unlike the Wallabies with their scrum, they appear to not be making any attempt to get it up to speed.
14 Sep 2009, 07:19 am
New Zealand confirmed their reputation as bad losers when Springbok centre Jaque Fourie was suspended for four weeks for an alleged spear tackle on Ma’a Nonu in Saturday’s Tri-Nations Test.
All Black lock Brad Thorn was suspended for only a week for a far more serious spear tackle on Bok captain John Smit last year.
Kieran Read, who shoulder-charged Bryan Habana without the ball in Saturday’s Test, was not even cited.
The citing commissioner, Scott Nowland, was the same man who suspended Bakkies Botha for legal play against the British and Irish Lions.
Brian O’Driscoll headbutted Danie Rossouw in the same Test without anything being said about the incident.
14 Sep 2009, 07:23 am
#7 JL1: Perhaps it’s not a New Zealand thing, just a Scott Nowland thing.
All countries have their wankers, it doesn’t have to necessarily be some conspiracy.
14 Sep 2009, 07:25 am
#8 DonutDunning: OK, I have to agree with that
14 Sep 2009, 07:26 am
#8 DonutDunning: …but I also recall a certain Dempsey which changed the Pacific vote and Dempsey was also a Kiwi
14 Sep 2009, 07:37 am
Wc Champs.
S14 Champs.
3Nations Champs.
Charraaaaaaaap you Aussies and A4Y’s….
!
14 Sep 2009, 07:39 am
#2 King Shark:
Muller?
14 Sep 2009, 07:40 am
Is Jantjes really international quality?
14 Sep 2009, 07:52 am
#11 Staal: 2 years Staal.
2011-2009 = 2, not 4
14 Sep 2009, 07:53 am
#3 DonutDunning: PdV should use the end of year tour to blood some youngsters, but he should no go overboard the way he did in the 3rd BIL test. Remember, we’re playing France and Ireland this year – the two best NH sides at the moment.
#13 Lions_Soutie:
It is amazing how short people’s memories are. After last year’s S14 just about everyone (Aussies and Kiwis as well) agreed that Jantjes was the best fullback in the tournament. He played brilliantly in the Bok jersey as well and it was only really towards the end of the year that he had a slight drop in form.
14 Sep 2009, 07:54 am
#14 DonutDunning: hehehehehe in 2 years time it will be A4Y’s.
14 Sep 2009, 07:55 am
#8 DonutDunning: I agree. I don’t think that there is a wide spread anti-SA conspiracy, but I definitely think there are a few individuals with an axe to grind.
14 Sep 2009, 08:00 am
#15 siener: Sorry Siener – maar ek dink Jantjies is useless. Wil nie persoonlik raak nie maar sy verdediging is pateties. Het jy gesien hoe hardloop daai senter van wallis bo-oor hom – goeieste hy probeer nie eens nie. Aggenee … kyk hoe tough was Frans die naweek met of sonder die bal. Hy is n kompiteerder … Jantjies…. neee wat … hy laaik ook maar die bol in hand maar andersinds is hy maar average
my 2 sente….
14 Sep 2009, 08:04 am
#8 DonutDunning: Agree, the conspiracy theory is a bit OTT but there can be no doubting the outrageous inconsistency when it comes to player citings in this year’s Tests.
However, as I posted on another thread, Nowland should be made to explain why he cited Bakkies’ indiscretion against the Lions but failed to cite Woodcock for running in (off about five paces) and diving into a Bok player at a ruck in the 14th minute in Hamilton. At no stage was he bound onto another player.
Maybe the SARU hierarchy can do something useful for once and seek an explanation.
14 Sep 2009, 08:06 am
What about Pietersen or Fourie … both have played there before and been pretty good. An experiment to be tried out at the end of the year.
Stefan will surely hang up his boots at the end of the CC for the Sharks so moving JP to ullback for the Sharks and Boks is an option.
14 Sep 2009, 08:08 am
#19 cambok: Yeah, it’s unfair … but we’re still winning and that makes the victories even sweeter!
14 Sep 2009, 08:09 am
#18 Staal: Wel, dis nou maar een maal so dat mense net die foute raaksien in spelers waarvan hulle nie hou nie terwyl hulle hul gunstelling spelers se foute heeltemal miskyk.
Die “swak verdediging” aanval is die een waarvoor mense gewoonlik gaan as hulle nie iets noemenswaardig het om ‘n speler voor te kritiseer nie.
Almal maak af en toe foute op verdediging. Jaque Fourie die naweek is ‘n goeie voorbeeld. So ook Odwa, wat gewoonlik rotsvas op verdediging is. JdV het gereeld blapse op verdediging. Die naweek het sy onderskep poging gewerk, maar in die verlede het hy al gemis en dan ‘n lekker groot gaping gelos vir die ander span.
Dis maar die aard van die sport. ‘n Mens moet ‘n balans tref tussen aanval en verdediging.
Vir lank was Spies die koning van gemiste duikslae, maar jy sal hom nie sommer net daaroor afmaak as ‘n swak speler nie?
Op sy beste is Jantjes ‘n wêreldklas speler en as hy fiks is sal ek hom vir die Bokke kies voor Kirchner of Terreblanche. Nou dat Fransie weg is het Jantjes verseker ‘n rol om te speel.
14 Sep 2009, 08:10 am
#15 siener: Who are the young guns to look out for, besides Vermaak and Kirchner?
Who is your pick out of the young loosies – Botes, Potgieter, Stegman etc
14 Sep 2009, 08:12 am
Well done Boks – got to admit they are the best team on the planet. The Abs had little chance when we lost every single lineout( even the scew throw in s!) Respect where respect is due.
14 Sep 2009, 08:14 am
#23 DonutDunning: Sorry I was thinking of Deysel not Botes
14 Sep 2009, 08:14 am
PDV has done it, this is by far the most succesfull rugby year for the boks since 1998, only 2 losses against the best teams there is besides the boks.
PDV is humble and it seems he is learning to control his tongue, he has proven us all wrong. (including myself)
14 Sep 2009, 08:17 am
#22 siener: Ek verstaan. LW dis mos my opinie… soos jy n opinie het. Niks persoonliks nie.
Eerlik – Jantjies n wêreldklas speler? ….. soos jy sê – ek sal bietjie kyk.
14 Sep 2009, 08:17 am
#23 DonutDunning: Duane Vermeulen is also on the fringes and deserves a spot on the bench IMO (if only there was any space!! Too many quality loosies). He’s also in that Burger/Smith mould of big powerful loose forwards.
14 Sep 2009, 08:18 am
JC,
You mention that Adi is a completely different player to JDV…
In what way?
I would love for you to explain that one to us.
As for developing depth, start by identifying crucial specialist positions.
2, 3, 8, 9, 10 and 15
Ensure you have world class players there, and world class back up’s.
This means that if PDV is serious about his groupd he has stuck with this year, Chiliboy needs a lot more game time, so too Jannie, Kanko, a scrummy, Pienaar at 10 and we need to desperately find a 15.
Jantjes and Kirchner are the logical guys for 2010, but perhaps with Jantjes still injured, it is time to pull Ludik in closer for the EOYT.
14 Sep 2009, 08:21 am
JP for Bok fullback!
14 Sep 2009, 08:22 am
#15 siener: Conrad J is not the solution for SA at fullback , he lacks BMT and would not be a benefit to an already firing team …. Got to chose a player who will add benefit not be a passenger … It would be better to give Kirchner a run at the end of year tour
14 Sep 2009, 08:22 am
#29 PissAnt: JY was weer verkeerd die naweek! Baie dankie.
14 Sep 2009, 08:23 am
#27 Staal: If I had to pick any player in SA under a hanging up and under, it would be Jantjies… but there are a few criticisms of his game, one being that he needs to work on his kicking. Steyn’s obvious strength is his ability to turn defence into attack by launching one of those missiles back into the opposiiton 22, whereas Jantjies tendancy is always to run the ball. However, Steyn used to do the same thing in the not-so-distant past, so these technical issues can be dealt with.
With experience he’ll learn to read the game better and if he can regain the form he showed last year prior to his injury, he’d be my first choice fullback (albeit after plenty of S14 game time though)
14 Sep 2009, 08:23 am
End of year tour squad:
15. Jantjes
14. JP
11. Nokwe
13. Fourie (since he’ll have a 4 week rest now)
12. Adi (Must get game time with Fourie since he’ll be the no 12 from now on.)
10. Pienaar (he should only be 10, nothing else)
9. Vermaak
8. Kanko
7. Burger (C)
6. Brussow
5. Rossow
4. Bekker
3. Jannie DuP
2. Chilli
1. Guthrow
16. Liebenberg
17. Du Preez
18. Muller
19. (Who’s that big Sharks guy again?)
20. January (Yes, correct)
21. Olivier
22. Kirchner
Rest: Beast, Bismark, Smit, Bakkies, Victor, Smith, Spies, Du Preez, Steyn and Habana after a long season!
14 Sep 2009, 08:24 am
#32 Staal:
Ek is bly om te help!
14 Sep 2009, 08:26 am
I would bring players like
1) Heinke van der Merwe /Wickus Blaauw
Willem Alberts
2) Adriaan Struass / Deon Fourie
3) Werner Kruger / WP Nel
4) Flip van der Merwe
5) Andries Bekker / Franco van der Merwe
6) Duanne Vermeulen / Deon Stegman
7) Jean Deyzel / Piedrie Wannenberg
9) Jano Vermaak/Francois Hougaadt
10) Peter Grant/Meyer Bosman
11) Nigel Mpoe/ Chavange
12) Wynand Olivier/ Swanepoel
13) Alwyn Hollenbach/ Corne Uys
14) Jongi Nkowe/ Louis Ludik
15 Zane Kirschner/Joe Pietersen
This reserve team is not to bad. We should have a back up player in every position.
14 Sep 2009, 08:27 am
The Boks have their core players all world beaters. The focus must now be to source the up and coming talent. We should not have situations where a player like Brussow but for Burger’s indiscretion might have played currie cup rugby this season. It cannot happen again. The suspension of Burger was acutally a turningpoint inasmuch as it brught Brussow in form nowhere and has actually also imprved Burger who I thought had a big game on Saturday. Januarie is now a spent force – he has had his time and offers nothing to the Boks. The S14/15 will agian show we have a wealth of talent the 2010 season will be all importnat to harnmess that talent if we are going to defend in 2011. Ither than the Wallabies I cannot see any other challengers. The AB have it all to do playing at home is not such a key factor them.
14 Sep 2009, 08:28 am
#34 Lobberts, you Dragon:
19. Deysel
14 Sep 2009, 08:28 am
#34 Lobberts, you Dragon: I’m not sure about all your selections but strongly support your plan to leave those 10 at home for a rest.
14 Sep 2009, 08:31 am
#29 PissAnt: Think you got it dead right about the spesialist positions.
See my team at#34 Lobberts, you Dragon: , I’ve got them all in there.
14 Sep 2009, 08:33 am
Incorrect. The boks dont have a quality match 22. They have a quality starting 15. Everytime the sub-standard replacements come on, things fall apart. Hence, the starting 15 are forced to stay on past the point of exhaustion out of necessity and as a result we start leaking tries in the last 20, making the opposition look better than they really are. In truth, we have guys like wynand olivier, jano vermaak, adriaan strauss etc who could retain the intensity in the last 20, but its a quota thing, of course.
14 Sep 2009, 08:38 am
#30 kevin w:
Nah, pick Ludik. he’s the best bet after Oom Stef
Deysel is too good not to go on the EOYT, while I cannot understand the picking of Vermaak over Kockett?!?
D. Vermeulen also looking good but I cannot see him being put in ahead of Potgieter or Deysel. Sykes and Flip vd Merwe need to be there and should be groomed to take over the enforcer role from Bakkies.
AB’s have problems, how players like de malmanche and masaga didnt really get a look in after their S14 performances is beyond me while guys like Kaino, Joe R. and other underperformers were maintained.
#25 DonutDunning:
When can we expect Digby back?
14 Sep 2009, 08:39 am
#39 cambok: Even if that means we lose a test or two, we’ve got the 3N and the Lions series, and next year we’ll be back aging, with our strongest team, but also a stronger back-up!
14 Sep 2009, 08:39 am
Just thought I’d repost what I posted on the SA-NZ Preview blog on Friday
:
91. WP_ :
September 11th, 2009 at 9:22 am
Why are the ABs so confident? They’ve got no right to be!
I was watching ReUnion last night, and Grant Nisbett and Willie Lose predited huge wins for the ABs by 13 or more.
Wat the ****! Talk about getting carried away, they’ve shown nothing all season that suggests that they can beat us by such a margin. They’ve got a make shift combo in midfield, a winger who isnt in great form, a very, very average no. 8 in Read and an inexperienced lock in Ross who we can easily dominate at line out time.
Boks by 3 or 4
14 Sep 2009, 08:43 am
#41 Tacitus:
Same could be said for Oz and Nz as well to be fair Tac and that is as it should be. Where in the world do you find a team of 22 players that are all of a similar class?
14 Sep 2009, 08:46 am
Steyn showed what a quality and gifted player he is this weekend . So many people on this website have bemoaned Steyn for being overated , flash in the pan …. but to be able to kick a 60 m penalty in the final of the Trinations shows this player has the BMT and attitude to do great things . As a kiwi there is no answer to the 60 m “siege cannon” , it is so demotivating being on the other end.
Steyns genius has been wasted in SA – imo he has not been managed propely and has been pushed from pillar to post by coaching staff in SA ( being dropped for the Aus test was spite not tactical). I see Steyn coming back to SA as a much better and smarter player , hopefully he gets the respect and the coaching that he needs – i wish him luck
14 Sep 2009, 08:58 am
#46 stew: well said, can’t believe that i am agreeing with a kiwi, but when you right you right
14 Sep 2009, 08:59 am
#42 Ruggaluvva: the Namibian, Sharks, Southern Kings & Wallaby supporter: Requires a shoulder reconstruction, they said it could be 6 months.
So unfortunately it may not be until next Super 14 season.
A real shame, I would have loved to have seen him go on the EOYT on the wing, or even tested out at outside centre.
14 Sep 2009, 09:02 am
#43 Lobberts, you Dragon: i agree northern tour should just be used as a testing ground for southern hemisphere up and coming players to ensure our domination over them
14 Sep 2009, 09:02 am
#41 Tacitus:
I agree with your selections, why is Chili in the squad if he never play’s, and January let me not even start with old pap sak…
Fransois Hougaard is the back up to Fourie at the bulls and will be in the bok frame soon.
Also Potgieter but we have a lot of loose forwards.
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