Rugby is a game that I, as well as, I am sure, multitudes of people from all around the world feel very strongly about. We will wait in anticipation for the season to kick off, moaning constantly about the lack of any “real” sport in the off season. During the games, we will sit, breathlessly waiting until the final whistle, whether the result is a foregone conclusion or not. We will passionately defend our team in any situation, blaming anything from the ref, the touch-judge, the other team’s supporters or even imaginary people “read 1995 World Cup’s Suzie” instead of admitting that our boys were in the wrong.
Then, keeping this in mind, you turn on the television in the hopes of seeing an ugly burnt duckling, rising from its ashes like a mythological Phoenix, who, even in defeat, keeps its proud head aloft, by giving as good as it gets, and then some. Assuring all of its supporters that it will not die, that it may in the end crawl from the battlefield, but not before severely crippling its adversary.
With all of the above in the back of your mind, you then witness the abomination that was the Lions vs. the Waratahs.
As a SAFFA supporter, I was sickened by the display. So complete was the destruction of the Lions Rugby team, that the only positive to take from the match was the fact that it was only 80 minutes long with no extra time added. To make things worse it was against the Aussies, the most hateful of opposition, which obviously had something to do with my mindset as I took my place before my computer.
Many of my fellow bloggers felt that the lashing I gave the Lions was uncalled for and out of place, and that Dick Muir cannot be blamed for the Lions failing, as he has only been in charge for 5 games, while the Lions were already losing long before that.
Let’s entertain that notion then, 5 games and as he was appointed 0n 17 October 2009, about 4 and a half months? Oh wait, no, he was with the Springboks for the year end tour, where he coached 22 up and coming week-day Boks into oblivion.
I keep on forgetting that the Lions Director of Rugby is also the Springbok assistant coach, but obviously all his attention is with the Lions, isn’t it? I mean it has to be, because the Lions didn’t want to appoint Heynecke Meyer, a man that is so firm in his creation of structures, that he made it possible, for Frans Ludeke, a man sacked by the Lions because he couldn’t win a game that’s been bought, to win a Super 14 title, 3 years after his initial departure.
Muir obviously had to bring something to the table then, something huge. My guess is, he told the GLRU management, that he wants to play running rugby, exciting, bring the crowds back to Coca-Cola Park, running rugby…so much better that the tedious kicking orientated, “winning” brand of rugby that Heynecke Meyer is renowned for.
The same style of rugby that initially killed off the Sharks, before the introduction of John Plumtree, a structure freak, albeit not really a people’s person, which was where Muir came in, the two complemented one another perfectly. Dick Muir showed when he was a provincial captain,that he could get people around him to perform far above their potential. Even now, the Lions are clearly motivated, they just seem uncertain about what they are motivated about.
So how will the Lions turn their fortunes around?
I don’t think it will be that difficult, as incredible as that sounds. Just a few minor adjustments.
Firstly, Cobus Grobbelaar needs to be relieved of his duties as captain immediately, ironically, the only times you ever hear of a captain courageous, is in a losing team, read Corne Krige, World Cup 2003 or Andre Vos, during his whole reign. Sometimes a captain needs to do more than just lead by example, and unfortunately for Cobus, albeit he is an excellent player, leading by example is all he has in his captaincy arsenal. Jano Vermaak, Tod Clever or even Pumas Captain Franklin needs to slot into this role. I especially like Franklin, luring him to the lions’ den permanently might not be that bad a call.
Secondly, for heaven’s sake, appoint a defense coach, the Crusaders and the Stormers, the two stingiest sides in the tournament, has one day a week set aside for ONLY defense training…surely someone should see the benefit in this? There are many defensive experts looking for a job, names coming to mind are Andre Snyman, Pieter Muller, Henry Honiball, all guys who were tasked with organizing the defense in their respective teams, I am sure they have a lot to share, just be humble enough to accept that help is needed.
Thirdly, keep Dick Muir as DOR, removed from the direct business of coaching, appoint Hans Coetzee as head coach, get rid of Johan Ackerman, he simply cannot cut the mustard, appoint Balie Swart over the forwards and appoint Carlos Spencer backline coach, get him out of the starting line-up and into coaching then alternate between Burton Francis and Herkie Kruger at flyhalve, this we call development, this makes the team grow, this should be the way forward.
Let’s not even discuss the fat cats at the top, who is mostly to blame for everything going wrong lower down, because it is something unlikely to change, meaning that the playing structure, the past of GLRU bringing in the money, just have to adapt as good as possible.
Finally, be prepared to play boring rugby at times, I can guarantee not ONE supporter will moan about this, as long as the team is winning. Tone down the adrenaline and fuse with some good sense, fire Earl Rose and stop feeling like the team needs him, it is simply not true.
Lions rugby is currently overflowing with young players, trying to break into the big time, use this energy, and apply it positively, albeit through well constructed structures. South Africa needs a strong Lions team, stop moaning about what I wrote earlier, read it again and accept the facts.
The cliché reads, that if the Stormers and the Bulls are both strong, so is the Springboks…imagine if we had 5 strong teams…
The worst thing ever happened to the Lions/Tranvaal was when Louis Luyt became boss. His management style of “buy what I want, fire everybody who opens his mouth” lead to a situation where too many of the right kind administrators left the union.
Hi Saint,
I read your bio and article with growing intrigue.
Clearly, you are passionate about your rugby and of late have become increasingly passionate about the Lions. Why is this so and don’t you run the risk of being seen as just another one of those Stormer supporters who shoot their mouth off about other teams when their team is doing well?
And surely a statement that putting Herkie at flyhalf in the name of development borders on the fantastic.
In a nutshell, your opinion makes for an interesting read, but what really intrigues me is your motive.
goeie artikel Saint. Stem 100& saam.
The Saint, you have touched or only scratched part of the problem…
It is as if things constantly conspire against the Lions…. what I mean is the following:
1. Lions facilities are situated in a very bad area and no matter how you butter the stadium and immediate surrounds up, it is till in the arse-end of Joburg.
2. Spectator Numbers drop, supporter figures plummit.
3. Lions Union management and top-structures are “vrot”, blind, dumb, and disinterested.
4. Players contracts were a mess, not properly concluded.. ect
5. Player unhappiness results, motivation is low.
6. A mass exodus follows.
7. Spectator interest and numbers drop more, financial difficulty at the Union results.
8. Jake White makes an analysis of what is wrong, making suggestions to immediately sack a coach, but the rot at the top remains, the real issues are skirted or swept under the carpet.
9. A less than astute appointment for coach is made, with devided loyalties elsewhere (Bokke), compared to who could have been appointed.
10. Has-beens and sick notes are signed as player replacements and depth becomes a real problem.
11. Wrong game plans are implimented.
12. Defensive structure is absent.
13. More losses follow and heads and confidence drops way low, off the scale low, in fact.
14. Future possible Lions rather sign with other Unions.
15. No quality players want to come to Lions.
16. More and more losses follow.
17. Start at No 1 above again and work down the numbers and so the vicious circle keeps running, further demolishing the Union…
So what is the cure?
Do the Lions not need a Total break down of all existing stuctures… fire all management, move facilities, buy the top coach and management of his choosing, slap the biggest possible cheque book on the table to buy players of calibur… buy yourself silly….
Well, it is either that or the Lions will be in the poo for ever and fall into rack and ruin like the area around their stadium…… the once proud Union will be no more…
It is on the cards… the end could be nearer than you think…
Abomination is a strong word, was it that bad?…….uh…maybe. Good article, thanks. Good point about the captancy.
come-on guys
cant believe that none of you doesnt know someone who know someone within the lions camp!!
get of your fat asses
and
get me info!!
NOW!!
The Saint, may I ask you a personal question? If it’s none of my business just say so. You say “I like pissing people off!” why?
#7
cause its none of your business 😆
@ ja baas Ash, sorry baas Ash
#9
lol
baai for now
#2
Fender
If you ask guys that knew me from the Keo days, you’d know I always liked shooting my mouth off, and that the performance of the Stormers usually have nothing to do with it.
Ok, your questions, I am quite passionate about all rugby teams in South Africa (‘cept maybe the Bulls) 🙂 , but the Lions is the one team that always surprized me, you never knew what to expect. If my Stormers wasn’t playing, I’d always back the Lions. Then lately, they turned from pitbulls into a bunch of maltese poodles, and that just pissed me off. The way management always make excuses, always blame a 4-year plan. I was just driven to insanity. Nothing would make me happier than seeing the Lions taking their rightful historic place in SA rugby as one of the big 3, being WP, the Bulls and the Lions, where they always used to be.
If there’s a team I really dislike, except for the Bulls (historical reasons) it’s probably the Sharks, they came out of nowhere, a mere B-League History, won nothing, but still today act like rock-stars.
As for Herkie Kruger, it was maybe put a bit blunt. Francis is the one needing to be developed, but you cannot give him full responsibility from the get go. Kruger has the experience, as I said alternate between the two, start with Kruger, who is mostly dependable, the introduce Francis at leisure. Soon enough, Kruger will be warming the bench and Francis running the game.
cheers tenniselmboog
sien later!!
GrootPienk,
You wrote exactly what my mind was unable to properly construct into a proper sentence.
You must be reading my mind, or the Lions fate is becoming ever clear for all to see…..the next Valke team, but with a shiny new empty stadium.
#7
In the context of taking a stance in the face of established structures. I like asking the questions, and giving the comments that no-one else does, even though they may feel the same. Pissing off, might be strong words, but I have a bit of a dislike for authority. Maybe I see myself as a rebel without a cause… 🙂
ThePaint,
Sharks won nothing? Ummm, you must have been asleep during most of the nineties.
As for your Streamers, what exactly have you guys won thus far? 2nd place on the log in week 5….ya-%$#%%^@%#-hooooooooo.
Anyways, just had to have a stab at you, good article though. 😀
7@ Balle – Is it not good to play “Devil’s Advocate” every so often?
One needs to stimulate thought, otherwise you lot will sit here and every 10 minutes nothing will happen… and so it will continue day in and day out.
If you have a different slant on things, motivate what you see as being wrong at the Lions… if you do not agree with Saint, spell it out and motivate why…
This is what stimulates debate, not true?
Lions supporters should have jumped all over this site by now, motivating why WE need’nt be so negative, why Saint’s perspective is flawed… ect.
In turn that would have stimulated more and more debate, healthy debate, that is!
#16
If you want to delve into the history books, pray tell me about your glorious pre-90’s history?
Even in the 90’s you basically shared the spotlight with the WP x 2, the Bulls x 2, the Lions x3, you won it only 4 times…not as hugely dominant during “most of the 90’s as you might think IMO…
1990 Natal 18 – 12 Northern Transvaal
1991 Blue Bulls 27 – 15 Transvaal
1992 Natal 14 – 13 Transvaal
1993 Transvaal 21 – 15 Natal
1994 Transvaal 56 – 33 Orange Free State
1995 Natal 25 – 17 Western Province
1996 Natal Sharks 33 – 15 Golden Lions
1997 Western Province 14 – 12 Free State Cheetahs
1998 Blue Bulls 24 – 20 Western Province
1999 Golden Lions 32 – 9 Natal Sharks
2000 Western Province 25 – 15 Natal Sharks
ThePaint,
7 x finals, 4 wins. I’d call that dominant. As for Super rugby? The Streamers? CC since 2000, how have Prooooblems fared?
Glass houses hey.
Play nicely but fairly…. I’m out at clients….!!
Great article Saint, I agree with most of what you say. DM as DOR, should stay out of the day to day coaching, and JA, isn’t doing much with the forwards. He needs to gain some experience at lower levels than the S14. Carlos has a coaching clause in his contract, and if he needs to play, he can be used off the bench.
We have another FH who should also be used alongside Burton Francis and Herkie.
GBS, have you been to Ellis Park recently? I agree, not the best part of town, but the GLRU has made good progress with parking, especially if you can get into the parkade. Where would you recommend the Lions play, if not Ellis Park? Its expensive to build a stadium.
I don’t agree with DM as DOR, look at Rassie at the Streamers, he’s the rugby brain, Coetzee is the people’s person.
You claim Dick to be the peoples person, so make him coach, get a DOR to get the structures right.
#20
That’s why I like you…you never read what I write, I spoke about the big 3 historically, WP, Bulls & Lions…all have pedigrees stretching back decades, centuries in WP’s case…
The Sharks does not have that, statistically the produced the fewest Springboks of all 5 franchises, they don’t even have a university that plays rugby in the top brass.
The Sharks picked up all their supporters in the past 20 years, before then they didn’t have any, because they didn’t exist for all intent and purposes. I am not slaying the sharks, it’s just, to see the Lions go down, being one of the traditional powerhouses of SA Rugby is very sad…
You can argue all you like, but historically, the Sharks just never featured.
Say what you like about Ludeke, he has added a running dimension to the Bulls. Total rugby
#22
Coetzee is a people’s person as well, and he has been deeply involved with the union for eons. My thinking is that he is someone the players probably trust, like Wynie Strydom at the Bulls, a confidant.
If Dick reads my article he will see I sorted out most of his structures already, so he can just concentrate on fixing what is wrong in the youth teams.
ThePaint,
‘a mere B-League History, won nothing, but still today act like rock-stars.’
After the 90’s and even to this date they’ve got more reason to act like rock stars than most of the power house unions.
I think they’ve earned their spot as one of the big guns in SA rugby.
#24
I’d like to think it is the province factor that added the running part…you know Slaptjips?
ThePaint 25,
So when will you be sending your application for director of rugby to the Lions union? 🙂
Fires @ 22
well said!!
Saint, he obviously was able to get the team out of the “kick and chase” mentality that the Bulls had, but Ludeke had to recognise that they needed to change that gameplan, so as head coach he must get some credit.
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