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…
FireS
I agree, they fought to be where they are currently, and they probably deserve it, even though you can also see talent isn’t exactly coming through the ranks if not bought.
I am not picking on the Sharks, just probably being sentimental, I liked the old way of things, and I don’t really care much for the Sharks, but for that matter the same can be said for the Bulls which I also don’t like.
It’s probably because they sometimes win, while my team loses, but mostly it’s the supporters, they tend to get under one’s skin.
The Saint @ 18
Stormers only won once in the nineties. And only once in this decade.
In my book that makes them an ordinary team. They had to buy players this year to perform mildly better than previous years.
snoooooooooooooooooooooooeeeeeek!!
welcome back broetsie
o,
and well said!! 😉
ThePaint,
Well we’ve got one thing in common, a passionate disliking for the Nulle (fans).
I do however support the Streamers as my second team, my weekend would have bee pretty disappointing if it wasn’t for their slaughtering of the ‘Canes (by Canes standards that was a pakslae). Can’t expect me to celebrate a Nulle win.
#28
Nah they already turned me down.
Seems my application wasn’t up to standard…wrote it on a WP Rugby letterhead…
#32
No, we won in 1997, 2000 and 2001, that’s 3 times.
But talking about buying players is a bit rich coming from a Sharks fan.
Howzit Ash
Hoe lyk dinge daar in die Perel?
#32
Ordinary we might be, but we never ended at the bottom of the Super 14 yet. I know that only makes us average, but in a country where only the Bulls have ever won a S14 trophy, that makes us damn well, better than the other 3 franchises.
36 – Still, only once in the nineties.
So how do you feel about the Stormers buying other players to perform better?
snoek @ 37
lekke broetsie
weer is nice vir ñ slag
ek het vandag meer tyd om te blog
soe daas f*kkol klagtes nie!!
snoek @ 39
for once i can say
…
we have bought well!! 😆
#12 The Saint
Thanks you for your honesty. Look, I don’t know you but as someone who marched the streets of Cape Town in the 80’s, I probably understand your dislike of the abuse of power better than most.
But, I would like to share something with you that I learnt the hard way.
There is a time to get off the soap box and submit to others, if only to keep the peace, but more importantly, so that others may submit to you at some future junction. You see many people will not see you as an authoritive figure until such time as you dump your dislike for the authority vested in others.
I have reason to believe that your desire to stir the pot has played a pivotal role in the departure of the Lions supporters like Willa et al – guys whose opinions I didn’t always agree with but who I enjoyed. I miss those guys….and I’m sure GBS misses the hits too.
Lastly, GBS: the devil does not need an advocate, he is already one.
38 – Thats only your point of view, and might i add, through striped glasses. Luckily for me “average” doesn’t get me excited.
#39
I guess it’s not ideal, but at least we have many of our own also coming through on the big stage, our starting 15 only has 5 players who hasn’t originally come from in and around the cape.
Tiaan Liebenberg
Duane Vermeulen
Bryan Habana
Jacque Fourie
Sireli Naqelevuki
44 – Peter Grant i think was schooled PMB.
Agh Ash, what would a Stormers supporter know about rugby in any case?
46 – Loosehead, looking for a win this weekend?
#42
Fender, just for the record…I highly doubt that Willa and Ed left because of me, I wrote a series of articles pre-season where I bashed all 5 Super 14 franchises. The Dick-ing around article was my first lion bash…
I only once or twice blogged with them, and then it wasn’t even on the matter of the Lions.
I am open for criticism, if people don’t like what I say, and they can prove me wrong, I will submit, and apologize…but really, if people only cry and run off, how can that be helped? Surely freedom of speech applies to me as well?
As I said, I really like the lions, I am fanatic about the WP, but taking their past 10 years into consideration, I can hardly lose my temper if they are insulted or critisized, they were rubbish, plain and simple. Yes I will defend them, but I refuse to go sit in a corner and sulk, every-time someone tells me how poor my team is.
A blog is for bantering, if not, why blog at all?
#45
Yes, but attended Maties, wasn’t drafted by WP.
48 – Some teams was bashed more than others. 😉 Even GBS asked why you where so light on the Stormers.
#47
Cheaters like being spoilers…but for once they are also contenders, let’s wait and see how they fare overseas. I see Stormers/Cheetahs game going down to the wire.
Snoek, you know me so well.
49 – Problem the Sharks have is that there is no decent university in KZN, which means that most intelligent people move out of KZN for University. Then they suddenly become property of the province in which that University resides.
I see the Stormers getting their arses handed to them on a plate.
Bunch of pretenders.
#50
🙂 I honestly never tried to be lighter on my own team.
In any case…GBS, seriously? I could set fire to the Stormers team bus, and he’d say, I was organizing a marshmallow braai.
If that was the case, maybe there wasn’t too much wrong in the first place?
#54
I wish everyone can see this post, then they’d know all we do on Rugby-Talk is banter, who would take a post like that seriously? 🙂
#53
Would you have stayed? Honestly?
56, Saint……..you think that I am joking?
55 – 🙂
#58
You’re not?
Are you of sound body and mind?
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