de Villiers - Shape up or Ship out!

As Springbok supporters, we find ourselves at the end of a frustrating 2010 Tri Nations and the Springboks are seriously in need of a major overhaul.

I do not for a minute believe that we need to make wholesale changes to the squad of players we currently have. We have the players who possess the skill, talent and passion to beat any team in the world and everyone knows that. It is how we manage these players and design our tactical play that is the fundamental disparity between the current management team and their predecessors.

Since the present Bok management took over in 2008, we have not seen any significant changes in the Springbok game play. Tactics remained largely the same and when we did try to alter our game and it didn’t work, we resorted back to what we knew under Jake White.

The All Blacks and Wallabies are the most astute rugby nations in the world and it is no secret that to beat the best you need to study the best. They did and our attacking strategy based on our kicking game was measured and found wanting. Our rush defensive system was measured and was found wanting. All this points to our management incumbent being found wanting.

Jake White took Springbok rugby to new heights in terms of management. Looking from the outside in and from feedback from players quoted in the media, he created an atmosphere that oozed World Class. His professionalism towards studying of opposition and tactical play was a welcome new found characteristic of Springbok rugby and by the 2007 World Cup he and his management had worked out specific tactics for every team and player.

Unfortunately, three years after Whites departure it seems that this is no longer a facet we can be proud of as Springbok supporters. Our management team seems like they lack the ability, creativity and vision for the job.

Our world class players were given sand to build a house with when the old foundations were found to be unstable. If de Villiers is to resurrect Springbok dominance in time for the World Cup he needs to change his approach be it by shifting his views, bringing in someone else or letting go because he has run out of ideas.

To create a talking point, Springbok coaches have been fired for less and I’m sure a guy like Alistair Coetzee would fulfil the quota desire and the coaching role to everyone’s satisfaction.