Div takes a beating – again
27 Jul 2010
P Divvy’s honeymoon period with the overseas media is over. Where they once laughed with him, all they do now is mock the man leading the Springboks’ World Cup defence.
NZ Herald‘s Chris Rattue, in his weekly column, wrote that it was incredible the champions of the rugby world attributed such a lack of importance to who coached the team.
‘De Villiers is a faux test coach, a man who got his lines from a joke shop with a free Groucho moustache thrown in.
‘South Africa may feel the rest of the world is unduly harsh on de Villiers, but the rest of the rugby community can rightly feel miffed that the game’s leading team doesn’t take the job of head coach seriously enough.
‘Having been given a leg up to the very top, de Villiers should be made to earn his stripes, increase prowess and prove his ability in the Super 15 while a competent man takes charge of the world champions.’
Rattue added that the surprise was not at the Boks’ decline, but at how quickly it has all happened.
‘What is happening to the Springboks was inevitable under de Villiers, although the cracks have appeared a bit quicker than many of us expected.
‘Men far more qualified than de Villiers have fallen on hard times with apparently good teams, but those who have earned their stripes through the grades – such as Graham Henry – can fight their way clear.
‘Sports teams can function superbly when dominated and effectively run by legendary players, but only for a short time. They will self-destruct when age and fading form emerge and the old hands refuse to relinquish power or embrace new trends. Nothing exemplifies this more than the placing of the cumbersome Jean de Villiers on the wing.
‘Under the new rules, which encourage ball in hand over kicking, the new breed in South Africa must be given their chance to take over, players such as Gio Aplon and Juan de Jongh.
‘But these gifted players, many of them black, will land in the middle of a dysfunctional team, a side run by old players, tight forwards at that, who will fall back on conservative ways.’
201 Comments
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27 Jul 2010, 15:21 pm
Awww CAB. Your pain is evident. Hope you can overcome it soon mate. I’d rather you worry about your team then how mine may not win the thing
I think at this moment mine would stand more of a chance then yours.
27 Jul 2010, 15:23 pm
No chance poops, and what happens when we beat you next week? Oh **** I can’t wait
27 Jul 2010, 15:25 pm
CAB
Could your team beat Tonga,Fiji,Arg and Eng at the moment?
I’m not so sure.
27 Jul 2010, 15:27 pm
Next week? Bwahaha. Mate we don’t play you again for 3 weeks, I know it’s hard through the tears, but try and keep up.
27 Jul 2010, 15:28 pm
What happens if we win the next 3 games? What happens if PDV and his brains trust take the next month to work on improving their gameplan and figuring it out? Then what? All it says is that we went over with the wrong gameplan and can still dominate the All Blacks and Ozzies at home.
World order will still be maintained with us at 2 and the All Blacks at 1…so we are back to where we started before the test match in Auckland.
27 Jul 2010, 15:29 pm
Must be just a matter of time before Div plays the race card again.
27 Jul 2010, 15:31 pm
Remind me again how far did nz get at the last world cup?
We’ve just had ainor blip and will hammer you shortly whereafter there will be big tears and big reports commisioned to get poor young barnesey stitched up. Disgraceful
27 Jul 2010, 15:35 pm
I just hope mealamu and nonu don’t conspire to ruin another young career, dirty ******** those, nearly maimed the best player in the world 5 mins in on his tour
27 Jul 2010, 15:36 pm
Cab
“SA Rugby is K@k”
All that need be said.
Take your piece of humble pie and have difficulty swallowing it.
27 Jul 2010, 15:38 pm
@cab(cab)-57: Cab I agree with you on the minor blip…people can read as much or as little into these losses as they like…just yesterday I read an article from a NZ jorno saying that there were a few things that the Boks did get right in NZ/Oz and will work on those over the next 4 weeks and to expect a completely different Bok team in SA.
The Boks know what to expect from the Kiwis and Ozzies and will plan accordingly. Far too much experience in this squad not to right the ship. 4 weeks is a long time.
27 Jul 2010, 15:40 pm
Snr Coach De Villiers Is not only hatching the mother of all plans but he’s going to really give you muthas something to moan about
27 Jul 2010, 15:40 pm
@poppa69(poppa69)-59: Hi Poppa…first time responding to your posts…hope it’s a long and fruitful relationship…my question to you. What happens if the Boks win the next 3 in SA? What does it say about the 3 Tri-Nations teams…other than all 3 are good at home. Thoughts?
27 Jul 2010, 15:42 pm
Exactly Wolfman, you know the score, Popps is on for a big surprise – I’m just worried for the ref
27 Jul 2010, 15:43 pm
Mealamu and NONU??
Bwahahaha
It was Umaga, your hurt must be excruciating if you could get that wrong.
BaXXies!!!
27 Jul 2010, 15:44 pm
Fark all of this….
i don’t know what the root cause is, but it is clear to me that the bokke do not look like they are enjoying themselves on the field.
That would be step one. Just stop worrying about beig the best and get back to playing because you love it. and if you don’t…well what the hell are you still doing around…go be a marketing agent for some sports supplier
The boks are playing as if they don’t have a goal, their just trying to hold on to something – i don’t think they even know what the something is….but it ain’t working.
Whether its the coach, the senior players, the junior players, the medics…who knows
Where is the inspiration guys????!!!!
27 Jul 2010, 15:47 pm
@cab(cab)-61: I wonder at your belief!!!!
I am not a divvy hater, but I am finding it hard to see any progress in this team, any unity, or any positive vibes….and for that, one must look to the coach…..
27 Jul 2010, 15:48 pm
As bitter as this article is to swallow, it does ring true. We need a more fluid style of play, PdV started his tenure as the bok coach promoting this style of play. After a few failed attempts he brought out the JW blueprints. If SA players can dominate the S14 but fail to get a single point in the 3N, the problem must lie with the Brains trust(or lack there-of).
27 Jul 2010, 15:49 pm
Sorry yes quite coirect Tana heralded falsely like mccaw as gentleman, gentleman my arse, Richie is the biggest crook on a rugby field known to mankind, and what worse he’s inherited fitzys innocent smile, which no doubt sends the kiwi faithful into raptures.
The only ref to stand up to Richie and they villify him
27 Jul 2010, 15:51 pm
@Wolf(Wolf)-62:
Unless we can outscore them the way whey did to us (8tries to 2 i think?) I’d say that we’ve failed..
27 Jul 2010, 15:51 pm
Faust, it’s only 3 down, all hard games away, we missing 8 players from the 2009 side that rocked their world, but ja some of our snr players need to rest and condition
27 Jul 2010, 15:54 pm
@cab(cab)-63: Another note as how similar this is to our 2007 WC campaign…other than JW’s disaster in the 2006 Tri-Nations campaign was that in the 2007 Tri-Nations the Boks played their matches at home first with their strongest team and then sent the dirt trackers over for the away leg…resting the starters.
I believe this might happen again in next years Tri-Nations campaign. Unless there is no Tri-Nations of course and we get shafted on the draw.
27 Jul 2010, 15:57 pm
@Wolf(Wolf)-62: Then it comes down to the end of year tour. We always win a couple of games at home in the Tri-Nations, we even managed that with Kaptein Staaldraad as coach – beat the Aussies when he stumbled onto playing de Wet Barry at 12.
The awkward situation is that since last year’s Tri-Nations, we have won one game outside of South Africa out of the last six and that was against Italy. Out of the last 9 away from home, we have only won three – once in Italy, once in Australia at Perthfontein, and once in NZ.
That is not a good look at all.
27 Jul 2010, 15:57 pm
@RaGe_X(RaGe_X)-69: I don’t know Rage…according to the masses…NZ are so superior to us that they cannot possibly lose to us…so any victory against them would be massive. A win is a win is a win…ecspecially against the Mighty NZ.
27 Jul 2010, 16:01 pm
@WOLFMAN21(WOLFMAN21)-72: Understood…so I think we need to sit back and let PDV and his boys work things out over the next 4 weeks and let’s see what happens in Jo’burg.
I have no faith in the EOYT but only because we have no idea which team they will send over there. Always a lucky packet.
27 Jul 2010, 16:27 pm
@Wolf(Wolf)-73: so show me wolf, where have these posts been saying NZ is superior to SA??? if you were here 3 weeks ago, you would have seen countless number of posts speaking of SA depth, SA domination etc… I dont believe Ive seen a kiwi post that NZ or the ABs is superior to the boks…
unlike some of the posts Ive seen when the Boks werent losing… hoo boy, was there a severe superiority complex going on then…
shame you guys cant acknowledge it though, it may be the first step to getting your team back on track..
lord knows they all believed the hype you guys built them up with..
27 Jul 2010, 16:30 pm
@sparticus(sparticus)-29: Point taken! And to be honest the Stormers didn’t set the world on fire when it came to attack. However, get an attacking specialist to assist. I still believe that defence will play a 60% role during the WC with attack only 20% (and the ref/conditions another 20%). One missed tackle can cost you the cup and you have to wait 4 more years for another chance.
Remember our game against England in 2003? We were the better team in the first 20 minutes, but England absorbed the pressure and once they got ahead we could not cope and it turned into an easy win for England. The same thing happened in 2007 against the AUS/NZ teams. England and France defended them out of the WC.
The only WC where the best attacking team won was 1999 (I didn’t watch in 1987 so maybe then to, but not sure). Jannie de Beer dropped the best defence out of the tournament.
27 Jul 2010, 16:41 pm
@poppa69(poppa69)-75: I agree with you Poppa…my sarcasm was based on the fact that several bloggers (not just this blog) have written off the Boks already (including Bok fans).
Not retaining the Tri-Nations very possible…if not probable…but all the “cracks are showing”…”no chance at next years WC”…”too old”..etc is a little premature.
We were well and truely spanked by a better team in NZ and Oz. No excuses. We need to improve and work out some kinks. Let’s see what happens in 4 weeks and we will go from there.
You still owe me a response to post 62.
27 Jul 2010, 16:51 pm
@Wolf(Wolf)-62: 3Ns has always been about winning away from home, think we all know that… I do think the two bonus points are the big talking point, so if SA do win all 3 at home I dont believe they will do it with any bonus points (unless a dramatic tournaround in execution and technique in the backline). this will be the difference at the end of the tourny IMO. Im not sure your young guys are up to the level yet, much like we were last year with players like Ross (and he is nowhere now), good s14 form does NOT equate to good 3Ns form…
@Wolf(Wolf)-77: I never write off the boks, they are the old enemy after all, I in fact have a high regard for the Bok team… Last year we were forced through injury (similar to SA this year) to blood new players, we are now starting to see some benefits from that.. I am under no illusions though, the 3Ns is still to be won and the WC is too far away to even worry about..
hope that answers you some…
27 Jul 2010, 16:59 pm
@poppa69(poppa69)-78: Perfect…like your thoughts. The Boks have work to do over the next 4 weeks…that is for sure.
Important that they regain confidence in their gameplan and it’s execution. I am under no illusion that August 21 is a big day for SA rugby.
All the best for Saturday. Chat soon.
27 Jul 2010, 17:00 pm
Gecko @ 13
you’ve clearly never read am article written by Rattie on his views re NZRFU let alone Henry. This article about Krusty looks like a pro-Div PR campaign compared !
27 Jul 2010, 17:02 pm
@Wolf(Wolf)-79: cheers Wolf…
27 Jul 2010, 17:48 pm
WOLF and POPPA69. Good conversation between you two. I am looking forward to that in future.Good points made by both.
27 Jul 2010, 19:07 pm
It won’t happen.Ill discipline is costing the Boks plenty.
Never in my life seen as many ‘captains’ as in this particular
squad.
No defensive system, no communication,no leadership.Just
a bunch of lack lustre players,with Habana-intercept leaving
defensive holes as big as Kimberley’s big hole.Sad day to see
World and Tri-nations champs reduced to rubble under current
coaching staff.
27 Jul 2010, 19:31 pm
@Brentie1(Brentie1)-83:
This coaching staff is not doing worse than Jake White did, but they just have an attitude problem.
I believe PDV is a good coach when he is humble, but he has probably been the opposite for the last year. If he changes his attitude, then we can expect a turnaround in the home leg of the Trinations.
27 Jul 2010, 19:42 pm
I recall at some stage after snors appointment that SARFU called him in and disciplined him for making stupid comments to the media. In fact, I think they actually appointed someone (Gideon Sam?)to handle the media conferences and it went well after that with snor not getting the chance to talk kak. When did this all change? Snorre has been given free reigns again and is embarrassing SA Rugby wherever he goes.
27 Jul 2010, 20:11 pm
One thing that you can say about Jake is that he was no fool in handling the media and PDV could certainly ;learn from Jake who was pretty good considering he went to Jeppe (joke) ….. if PDV could communicate in Afrikaans then he might not put his foot in it all the time . If you watch Alistair Coetsee from Province you can see he has been trained and hes damn good on TV.
I can tell you Deans and Mains are also pretty kak with a microphone in their face ….one thing is that they dont say much ( probably too dof )but rather say little than try be too clever.
PDV needs training thats all ….. thats all behind us now and PDV , **** and Gary have a chance to recover and put in a good show for the rest of the Tri-Nations.
What is more of a worry is the form of our so-called stars ; Habana , Smit , Fourie , Spies , Victor have all been pretty kak . PDV sort them out and you are back on track .If the Boks win all PDV’s noise will go away and the press will get back in there box ….
So PDV “se maar niks” and just go for it !!!!
27 Jul 2010, 20:16 pm
Imagine if we could Nick mallet back into the mix ……..I think PDV and Nick would be a power combination ???
27 Jul 2010, 20:17 pm
@Duncan(Duncan)-86: The form of “Habana , Smit , Fourie , Spies and Victor” is PDV’s problem, not our problem. If he continues to select underperforming players then he is responsible for bad results. It is ultimately up to him.
I am confident in his ability to make the right calls if he becomes humble. In fact, a lot of his arrogance may have rubbed off on the players, which would explain their bad form.
Let’s see in the next few weeks if PDV starts to become humble, and accepts his mistakes. Hopefully he gets a proper grilling in his review. I think we will know what to expect after the next few weeks.
27 Jul 2010, 20:35 pm
‘But these gifted players, many of them black, ….” huh who says these players are black, we’ll show dem show dem show dem!!
27 Jul 2010, 20:53 pm
@poppa69(poppa69)-59: Poppa u either dissapear or be nailed big time , u do realise that the tables will turn ? ABS dominance in rugby will not continue , SA has turn the tide and this year is just a little blotch on the roadmap of success.
I am not saying that SA will dominate but rather that the balanc e will be restored and soon , u forget that not longer than a few weeks ago the Bulls and Stormers whipped your buts. I hope u stick around and be a man when the packslaa comes.
27 Jul 2010, 20:57 pm
@Duncan(Duncan)-86: How often do you see the SA assistant coaches do the media talk in the SA media? One thing noticeable in the NZ coaching team is how often the assistant coaches do the media interviews. Could not the SA team do the same to reduce the focus on PdV and how he expresses himself?
27 Jul 2010, 20:58 pm
@sparticus(sparticus)-90:
and, so, this is your way of showing how to ‘be a man’ is it ?
All wheels turn, Einstein. And a table is shaped like a wheel. If you have a round one that is. Its just that when it turns and stops on ‘SA’, it tends to stay around just long enough for a quick schlurp of cheap champagne before moving on again. Enjoy it while you can. Its already moved, unless you hadnt noticed.
Altho I do note some progress when you doubt whether SA will “dominate” again. Because last year they ‘dominated World rugby’. From 2nd. On the ‘table’.
27 Jul 2010, 22:29 pm
@Cyborg(Cyborg)-2: A stellar record last year? Forgotten the EOYT?
27 Jul 2010, 22:34 pm
@Dazzler(Dazzler)-12: The worst coack in Super Rugby history isn’t Dic Muir. It’s actually Heyneke Meyer — in his first TWO seasons of Super 12, he lost 20, drew one and won one out of 22 games.
27 Jul 2010, 22:36 pm
Maybe the coach didn’t have enough “coack” in his Klippies?
27 Jul 2010, 22:41 pm
PROFILE OF PETER DE VILLIERS
Born
03/06/1957
Playing career
Played scrumhalf for Boland and Griquas (SARU teams, period before unity)
Coaching career
Club:
Tygerberg 1996-97. Finished top of Super League B. Qualified for Super League A
Provincial:
WP Disas 1997
Asst Coach WP Vodacom 1998
Valke 2002 & 2003
National:
SA U19 – 1998 & 1999 (SA finished 3rd in 1999 at world championships)
SA U21 – 2004, 2005 & 2006 (3rd in 04, winners in 05 and losing finalist in 06 at world championships)
Emerging Springboks 2007 (Winner of IRB tournament in Romania)
27 Jul 2010, 22:45 pm
@GriekwasStormer(GriekwasStormer)-76: no you are wrong about attack and defence importance.
The new rules allow for quick ball (at least for the Australasians) and we MIGHT get a fair ref at the RWC. Against quick ball, you cannot defend the entire game. You will concede ground, and you WILL end up defending on your line. nd teh other team probably will score against you if they hold it long enough without making mistakes. It has become almost impossible for a team’s defence to be attacking defence. They just have to scramble as best they can, and wait for a mistake. Of course if the rf allows one team to get away with murder on defence, and penalises the other, there is a massive disadvantage to that team being penalised, so they have to keep it tight, and ensure that they are playing to a pattern so that their pack can clean effectively without conceding the ball on attack. Clearly to do this, we will need something more than “heads up rugby”. We will need to plan for the ref blowing unevenly, and take it into account into our play.
Given that scoring is a likelihood (even against good defence), the importance of not making mistakes ON ATTACK becomes vital. Its like basketball. One team gets possession and scores, then the other team gets possession and scores – ad nauseum. The team that makes the least amount of mistakes on attack (i.e. that applies the right kind of pressure on defence) and wastes the most opportunity to score, loses.
27 Jul 2010, 22:52 pm
@Amerifikaner(Amerifikaner)-25:
Cos you gys hate Kwiw and Ozzie refs. Its been noted before how SA only have the best refs and the rest are useless. All this complaining about refs from the Bok team and supporters has caught up with you all,the whinging and crying after every lose is pathetic.Seen as no human is good enough to ref the boks you really have limited options.
28 Jul 2010, 00:36 am
Let me see, South Africans think that IRISH referees allow the ABs to get away with murder.
And South Africans think that when the ABs played the Lions, in the first test two ABs upended the IRISH lions’ captain.
And South Africans think these two things are linked.
Irish referees reward the ABs for a sin committed by a present and a former AB on the Irish captain.
And the logic of this is??????????????
28 Jul 2010, 00:40 am
Aust vs NZ game coming up will have a SAf ref who will slow the game down to the snail’s pace enjoyed by South Africans.
So the fans of the two competing sides will be disappointed while the fans of the ref will be delighted?
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