There are a number of rugby supporters who don’t hold much hope of the Springboks winning the World Cup in New Zealand next year. The criticism of coach Peter de Villiers and several players has been harsh, to say the least, but it has also been justified: The Boks have not enjoyed a good 2010 season, losing five of their six matches in the Tri-Nations.
By Jacques van der Westhuyzen
But more than the poor results, several senior players lost form, poor selections were made and more recently De Villiers went behind the backs of his two assistant coaches Gary Gold and Dick Muir seeking new lieutenants.
And now, a week out from the kickoff to the Grand Slam tour – which includes Tests against Ireland, Wales, Scotland, England and the Barbarians – the Boks have it all to do.
They need to show the rugby-playing world they are still among the best in the business despite their fall from grace in the Tri-Nations; the players need to prove to the doubters they are the best men to wear the green and gold and; De Villiers needs to prove himself a worthy Bok boss.
The pressure is, indeed, on.
According to Henning Gericke, the well-known sports psychologist and the man tasked with getting the heads right of the 2007 Bok class of Jake White, there is a lot to be positive about regarding the Boks of 2010 … with just under a year to go to World Cup kickoff.
“What has happened in the last few months, with the team (losing as much as they did) and De Villiers coming under severe criticism, is a good thing … it had to happen,” opines Gericke. “I’m not saying it’s nice to lose, but no team can be on a honeymoon for four years.
“The Boks won the World Cup in 2007, they got a new coach in 2008 and they dominated the game in 2009. It was just not realistic to think they would continue the good form in 2010 and into 2011. They needed to go through what’s happened this year to learn ahead of the biggest challenge of all … the World Cup.”
Gericke has, during the course of his involvement with the Boks and several other provincial rugby teams, discovered all the World Cup-winning teams of the past have 10 key elements in common. “And if the leadership of the Springboks can take these points to heart then I know the team will be fine in New Zealand next year.
“Crucially, the Boks didn’t learn any lessons in 2008 and 2009, the first two years under De Villiers, as they were winning more than they were losing. But they have learned several valuable lessons this last year and if they’re able to say to themselves ‘we’re in a good space, we don’t need to be favourites now, as long as we know where we’re going’ then they’ll be okay.
“What the Boks need to get right in the next 11 or so months is the following: They need to realise that everything they do in preparing for the World Cup must be targeted towards what will be a career and life-defining moment, the 80 minutes of the final.
“It is the only thing that matters.”
Here then, in Gericke’s own words, is his 10-point plan for Bok success, discovered after conducting several interviews with an array of sporting personalities and from reading the biographies of men like Francois Pienaar (World Cup winner in 1995), Rod Macqueen (World Cup winner in 1999 with Australia) and Clive Woodward (2003 World Cup winner with England).
1 Firstly, from what I’ve picked up is that all the victorious teams at the World Cup knew where they came from … I’m talking about a beginning. They all went on what can be termed a “journey” and they all knew what their destiny would be. Everything from the previous World Cup was designed for one last goal … victory in the final.
2 I have come to discover these teams have all had a strong dynamic between management and the players … the mix has been spot on. Past winning teams have been built on the family principle, where everyone has a specific role and understands that role.
3 Every single cup-winning coach has been mentally tough. Rod Macqueen and Kitch Christie both suffered from illnesses … yet they were strong and pushed on. They took themselves to the so-called next level and right now Peter de Villiers is learning how to be tough. A coach can’t expect the players to show toughness if the coach hasn’t had to deal with it too in some form. Being able to handle the adversities and lead from the front will ensure the players follow.
4 Every winning team has displayed creativity in coaching … none of the cup-winning teams focused only on the basics. All of them wanted to be one step ahead of the rest … consultants and advisers joined the ranks to add value, to make a difference. Macqueen, for example brought SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) analysis into the Wallaby team, while Christie decided to ‘run the All Blacks off their feet’ in 1995. De Villiers must now ask himself whether his team are creative enough … where and how do they plan to outperform the opposition.
5 Success depends on meticulous planning. In 2007 Jake gave the players a 10-point plan of their role in the team. Macqueen had the “What if” plan in ‘99 … how would the team react to losing a player to the sin-bin inside the first five minutes, or if they conceded two early tries. No successful team plans on the field or lives in hope … they know where they are going and what they need to do. Jake White had a few issues with Victor Matfield at one stage, but they sorted things out and Victor became a key man in his squad. Right now De Villiers needs to sort out any problems with Frans Steyn, for example.
6 There has always been a special bond between the winning coach and his captain. That dynamic is crucial for success, but also between the senior players and the whole coaching staff. They need to trust and believe in each other. The character of the captain must also not be questioned … the captain needs to be supported by every member of the squad and there should be no doubts about his worth as team leader.
7 All the winning teams have been on a different level when it comes to fitness. They peaked at the right time … key players were rested at certain times of the season leading up to the World Cup. I wonder whether the Boks have a plan in place to rest their key men and what will be their role in next year’s Tri-Nations? It is crucial the Boks act smartly. The bigger picture (the World Cup) is what’s important from now on.
8 Another key component for success is learning from past experiences. In 2006 when we lost 49-0 to the Wallabies in Brisbane we adopted the motto “Turn adversity into advantage”. How the Boks perform now in Europe and next year will be dependent on what lessons they’ve learned from the Tri-Nations this year and last year’s November tour.
9 Winning a World Cup has nearly more to do with having the right attitude than what happens on the field. Winning teams know how to identify pressures, but they also know how to deal with them. At a World Cup you don’t need to play that well all the time as it’s not possible to be on a “high” throughout the tournament. It’s a six-week event full of pressure so teams need to break away from rugby from time to time to get fresh energy. If you’re always on the “up”, like the All Blacks often are, then you don’t learn how to deal with, and handle, the “downs”.
10 Finally, everything that is done and said by the players and management needs to be geared towards the World Cup and the 80-minute final. It is about achieving one’s destiny … the reason why the players play the game and the coaches coach the team. All the winning teams of the past knew they were in the right space to achieve their ultimate goal.
Ouch! What a mouthful. PdV is ‘n moegoe wat nie leer uit sy foute nie en net voort f@k omdat hy nie van beter weet nie.
Ja, mens kan nie als wen nie en jy moet verloor. Maar dis hoe jy verloor! Ons het ons naam in elke toets behalwe vs Fra gatgemaak hierdie jaar. En as PdV goed doen oorsee nou, is dit meer ‘n case van swak opposisie as ons wat sterk is.
Ek gaan nie positief wees nie, want ek wil eers resultate sien. Moenie my vertel van nuwe talent en honger vir sukses na ‘n slegte drienasies, en, en… bla…. bla…. bla….. Wys dit oppie veld.
Bokke het meer as ‘n kopdokter nodig. Hulle het ‘n pass dokter, ‘n skop dokter, ‘n tackle dokter, ‘n skrum dokter, ens nodig. En ‘n coach om die ‘coaches’ te coach miskien? En ‘n praat dokter sodat daai gesnorde sot nie sy en sy land se naam weer verder pawpaw maak nie.
Maar laat ons sien wat maak die ouens Sat teen die arme Iere. Dis seker ‘n 50/50 game? Maar as die AB teen Ierland speel sal jy dit nooit so stel nie of hoe? Want hul WEET Ierland is nie in hulle klas nie.
Die ou Gericke mannetjie beindruk my glad nie. Wat hy hier sê is “commen sense”.
@ McLook:
Die groot ding van sielkunde is daar moet n saambindende ding wees. a Cause. Dit kan iemand se dood wees, geloof in jou spanmaats en coach. Soos wat almal n ruk gelede gekom het en die coach beskerm het. Die Bokspan het vir mekaar en Peter geleef. Peter het by sy manne gestaan deur dik en dun.
Dat Peter vreemde en kontroversieele goed se is en was waar. Maar to hel with them let him do it , we went through this before. We are not a prim and proper English colony , we dont have to speak like the Queen. Let him say that he supports Bakkies in his own way, i can promise you he never asked Bakkies to go out there and hit someone. So deal with it he is Afrikaans and we have our own funny ways of saying things. Yesterday after that stunning victory by Pakistan they did not even bother to translate the interview, i dont even know what language was spoken by the Pakistani.
Die span het ge-unite agter Peter in 2008, toe n paar van die senior Bokke uitgekom het en heelhartig hul ondersteuning aan Peter verklaar het. En die rusultaat was spectacular in 2009. So kom ons hoop dat Victor, in JS se awesigheid, die span kan laat glo in Peter al maak die publiek en pers n mockery van ons coach.
Peter moet net baie vinnig n blaadtjie uit Jake se boek vat en verklaar dat hierdie(ja noem maar die kern nou) die span is wat hy WB toe vat. Ja laat ons mor en moan oor wie ons daar wil he maar hy moet sy kern aanwys en ons laat weet , back off. Dit sal daardie spelers sit waar Jake White gewees het. a Settled team with a clear mission.
@ Rugbyprof:
Eish Prof die beledigende name is nie hier nodig nie. Peter en sy span het ons baie vreugde gegee in 2009. Wees tog net eerlik en kyk hoe kwaai is ons getref met beserings aan sleutel spelers.
Kyk ook maar terug dan sal jy sien hoe swak het die All Blacks gelyk sonder Carter en McCaw. In NZ se hulle selfs dat Saterdag se game verloor is toe Carter af was. En dit terwyl hulle op n roll is en ongetwyfeld die beste span ter wereld is. Een swaeltjie maak nie somer nie maar Carter en Fourie du Preez is ook nie swaeltjies nie , ne 😆
Die Wallabies het die All Blacks goed opgedons Saterdag. Kyk in een van die vorige threads na die stats, die telling vlei die All Blacks. Maar maak dit nou Graham Henry en sy span moegoes? Net soos ons in Bloemfontein guts en determination getoon het om terug te kom na die blits begin van die Aussies , so het die All Blacks Saterdag gedoen. Maar hulle het ook in die laaste minute verloor teen n hoogs gemotiverde Aussie span.
Dat die All Blacks goed was die jaar stry ek nie , maar die erg ontwrigte Springbokke onder Peter het bleddie naby gekom. En in elke enkele game terug gekom en dele van die wedstryd gewen of oorheers. Daar was net daai eksta zip en n beslissing of twee wat ons gekelder het.
So hierdie outjie is nie desperaat nie, ek sien nog hoop. Maar dat ons bietjie breinkrag inspuiting nodig het is wel waar.
Dit is sad dat ons weer doer ver vir n “Eddie Jones” inspirasie moet gaan soek omdat ons eie belange onder SA afrigters hul nie kan sien om n mede Suid Afrikaanse afrigter te ondersteun nie. Peter moet veraai voel deur sy eie mense, so bleddie jammer.
Simply boils down to strong, intelligent and inventive leadership.
Have we got it?
Obviously not.
@ tight head:
Well done on the CC, you were right after all.
I agree we have some key injuries, but all it has shown is that we don’t have depth. Just look at our center combinations currently, Jaque Fourie is the only center you can put money on to perform. Juan de Jongh is very promising, but now injured, Wynan Olivier is not good enough, Adrian Jacobs is plain poor, Jean de Villiers has not been the same since leaving SA. So compare that to the all Black situation, the players there are fighting for positions.
Getting back to the article, we must lose to learn?
Bullshit, that is nonsense, if you have enough grey matter, you will be a forward thinking coach, and not be in denial, blame referees, conspiracies, say everone is on the same page etc.
Graham Henry and Robbie deans has simply shown that they are far more echnically forward thinking than our own coaching staff. It is as simple as that.
I will write you a letter, that we won’t win the world cup next year. Thus far it has been proven that we aren’t fit enough, do not listen to sports scientists, are not forward thinking and refuse to accept that our game plan, executions and skills are flawed.
Yes we may be able to send 15 guys onto the field that are close to the best in their positions in the world, but there after it falls flat.
We keep on kicking possession away, just watch this autumn, the same thing will continue to happen. Our players played as frustrated individuals his year, stupid off the ball incidents, poor discipline, and very little defensive organisation. And last but not least, very little variation and we became predictable.
There is always a cause when playing for the Springboks, and that is to win every game.
The fact is we do not know what is going on behind the scenes, but I can tell you now, just by looking at how the coaching staff and SARU is handled in the press tells me enough to realise all is not coshure, and people are being protected and therefor players behave the way they do out of frustration.
goooooooooooooooodmorning everyone!!
..
„ø¤º°¨¨°º¤KEEP THE WAVE GOING¸
„ø¤º°¨ ¨°º¤øº LETS GO
W.P¤¤º°¨¨°º¤øº¤ø„¸¸ø¤º°¨„ø¤º°¨¨°º
L-E-T-SGO!„ø¤º°¨ ¨°º¤LET’S GO
W.P¸„ø¤º°¨¨°º¤øºL-E-T-S GO!¤¤º°¨
¨°¤øº¤ø„¸ ¸ø¤º°¨W.P WAVE:„ø¤º°¨¨°º¤
Ek dink ek was nogal matig in my kritiek teen PdV! Ek sal nooit openbaar maak wat ek regtig van hom dink nie. Hoekom moet ons die vent krediet te gee vir ‘n wen, maar moet maar sluk aan ‘n verloor, en elders kyk? Ek was baie geduldig die laaste paar jaat met hom en sy stellings, en soos ek voorheen al gese het, ek sal baie daarvan hou as hy my kan verkeerd bewys!
Nee wat, in 2009 het die AB nie so pak gekry soos ons in 2010 nie. Sonder van hul sleutelspelers en met nuwe outjies. Ons het deurgeskuur teen die Britse Leeus, ‘n klomp individue wat nog nooit voorheen saamgespeel het nie, maar tog beter as ‘n span gelyk het as ons, wat uiteindelik op individuele briljantheid moes staatmaak om hul te troef. Hierdie jaar het hy geweier om aan te pas by die veranderde tye en gedink dat met 2 SA spanne in die S14 finaal dat ons net hoef op te daag om die drienasies te wen.
PdV het die drienasies al verloor nog voordat ons teruggekom het, en het die gulde geleentheid verspeel om nuwe spelers in te bring. Hy’t toe maar wyslik besluit om JS en kie nog verder in die grond in te speel.
Jy kan nie ons vergelyk met NZ of Aus nie. Hulle het eenvoudig nie die resources wat ons het nie. Daarom moet hulle die eilande plunder. Ons het nie net een Brussouw en een Du Preez nie, maar oorgenoeg backup daar buite vir hulle.
Dit bring my weer terug na die stelling dat SA met al sy spelerspoel en talent maklik ‘n 2de span op die veld kan stoot wat die AB kan opkeil. Maar daar’s geen plan of visie nie. Kyk maar na die bulle en saders. Perfekte voorbeelde van die punt wat ek probeer maak.
Ek’s jammer, maar as dit by die bokke kom duld ek nie 2de plek nie. Ons het nie ons gelyke in wereldrugby nie en hierdie janniejammergat houding en kyk wat gebeur staan my nie aan nie. Ons is alleenlik ons grootste vyand.
@ Loosehead:
Thank you Loskop.
@ Rugbyprof:
Prof, ek sien daar is n’ bietjie woede in jou hart.
Maar ek stem saam met jou dat 2de plek nie goed genoeg is nie.
Ek dink nie die probleem le by ons spelers nie, ek dink dit kom van daar bo af, corporate politics ens.
#1 HAHAHAHAHA. Ek dink die WP se loss het jou HARD getref.
Superbul, ek hou van jou houding. Rerig. Ons moet agter die manne staan… maar soos ek nou die 10 punte gelees het besef ek ons is EFFE geskroef.
1: Na vanjaar sal die ouens bymekaar moet kom en se, ons “journey” begin NOU, op 6 November 2010. As mense egter gaan kyk, meeste spanne begin lank voor dit. Maar is PDiv se storie ‘n nasmaak van JW se storie? Wanneer het dit rerig begin?
2: A strong dynamic between players and management. Ok, hoe? Dit help nie veel as van jou top spelers se lojaliteite aan die begin by 1. hul vorige afrigter en 2. hul provinsiale afrigter was nie. Dan is daar die Frans Steyn debakel. En wat se dit as jou hoofafrigter agter sy assistente se rue vir ander manne gaan soek, van die “team dynamic”?
3: Would a mentally tough coach blame EVERYONE around him?
4: Creativity…? The Boks basically reverted back to JW’s way of playing after much MEDIA PRESSURE and the early losses. True, they need to be MOERSE creative now, with 11 months to go. But I mean, the assistants and the head coach doesn’t even share playing philosophies, and then the players and coaches are still kinda stuck on the plan of the previous coach. How can you be creative if you don’t even have a blank canvass to paint on?
5: meticulous planning… ok, ja, 12 maande voor die WB en die coach kannie besluit of hy die spelers wil rus of nie. Moerse beplanning.
6: I think this is one area we could be safe. It is after all PDiv that went to France and brought back JS, and who has backed him ever since. Barney is a very professional, experienced and respected captain. PUNT
7: Different level of Fitness. Reg, op die punt wil ek julle graag voorstel aan Prof. Tim Noakes.
8: As die hoeveelheid foute wat mens maak = aan die geleenthede om te leer, dan het die Bokke ‘n groot bron van inligting om na te verwys. Kom ons hoop ons leer eintlik IETS.
9: Jeese, iemand sal HARD moet werk om my te oortuig dat PDiv nie onder druk vou nie, en dat hy die regte houding het. Kom ons kyk weer na die punt NA die EOYT. As hy sukses behaal (4/5 wen) dan het hy bewys hy swik nie voor druk nie. Op die oomblik…
10:Weti so mooi nie.
Dis MY mond vol. Dankie julle.
Congrats to all the Sharks supporters!!!!!! Amazing game and well done……
Province – julle moet maar Weer Probeer 🙂
Rugbyprof wrote:
Ek dink hy het die talent wat daar was gebruik. Slegs GvdHeever was nie gebruik nie. Juan, Aplon, Hougaard, vd Merwe, Louw, almal het kans gekry. Lambie, Jantjies en Taute was nog nie in die prentjie nie.
Maar tog, die ou manne moes meer gerus het. Ten minste JS, Matfield, Habana en Burger.
#14 GG
Habana het die hele seisoen gerus 🙂
@ biltongbek:
Exactly Biltong.
The difference between winning and losing consistently amongst the top 6 teams in the world is all about intelligent coaching.
Al of these teams have players who are good enough.
The difference is in how the coach builds a team mentally and how he decides the game has to be played.
Those forward thinking, progressive coaches are out in front more often than not.
Take the CC final in which the only real major difference between the 2 teams was in how Plum built his team to play a type of game that right now is the most successfull playing pattern.
It has taken him some time to get this playing style right and that includes getting the selections right and working hard at developing those players into a skilled unit.
Coaching at the top level is everything, and the best coaches amongst the top teams more often than not come out on top.
With all the kak and pressure on this year end tour, in which we only fly out on Wednesday to play a fired up Ireland team at their new stadium on Saturday, I feel for the youngsters who have come from a tight team spirit at their unions, are excited about being Boks and will now enter a totally different dynamic in which the coach has to try and build a team and a playing pattern in no time, when he has also done and said things that do not help him gain respect from the group.
@ Greenpoint-Gunner:
Ek het nie veel tyd nou nie maar op punte 1-3 moet jy toegee dat alles nie waar is oor Div nie.
1. sy journey as darem al lankal aan die gang, almal weet hy het beplan om met JS aan die voortou te gaan.
2. Daar is ek ook bekomerd, die rumour is dat die senior spelers sy standpunt oor Frans Steyn teengestaan het amper n soort muitery. Almal weet wie se kant ek kies oor die FS/PdeV saak. Nogtans jammer dat een speler so belangrik geag word terwyl die afwesigheid van n ander as niks afgemaak word.
3. oor en weer blamering in my oe
tight head wrote:
And therein lies the problem!!!! Intelligent Coach!!!!
Even the Assistant coaches do not pass the intelligence criteria
tight head wrote:
Tell me what is so earth shattering different in the game the Sharks played.
I will first say how i saw it.
1. The TEAM is a great unit, played together a lot this year and great combos was well drilled.
2. They had a brilliant game breaking scrumhalf and Flyhalve right on song that made the difference on the day.
3. They always had this big good forwards bashing it up just like WP do.
4. They were highly motivated.
5. The skip passes of McLeod completely dismantled the WP previously wonderful defense.
@ superBul:
you just answered yourself in a sense.
The sharks played as a unit, they did well in the breakdowns becuase they arrived at the breakdowns in numbers. Bismarck and Jannie did very good work there.
Then there was variation in their play.
Then the most important aspect was motivation.
Focused roles, every player knew what his role was.
four things the springboks lacked this year.
@ superBul:
Well Super you have all but answered your own question.
Also remember the half backs firstly got good front foot ball, but more importantly the playing pattern is designed to run directly at speed into the inside half gaps with the half backs and quick loosies running off the ball set up by players like Bismarck and Willem.
They have a distinct playing pattern and make the right decisions with the ball in hand that play to that pattern.
biltongbek wrote:
and four things our current staff can fix.
But i am not against new blood and ideas, its just not so dark for me.
@ superBul:
Well I hope for all our sakes that the current staff can fix this. I am just not very confident about it.
Let’s see how dark things are after the autumn internationals. I see that New Zealand took their players out of the ITM before the tour, we didn’t and will basically play Ireland with virtually no preparation. This speels disaster for the team we have now lost 3 matches in succession. I will be very, very surprised if we beat Ireland.
😆
en watse swartgalligheid is dit op die mooi maandagoggend?
I have my worries about the Bokke coaching staff, about this End Of Year Tour… and even more trepedation about the World Cup…
… but let’s stand behind our team…
@ grootblousmile:
Ek ook GBS en ek is bitter jammer dat toe Peter hulp soek dit so hanteer is deur ons provinsiale coaches. Kan eie egos nie vir die liefde van ons Springbokspan opsy geskuif word nie. Help die man dan as hy hulp nodig het. Wees n raadgewer en as hy dan nie luister nie blameer hom dan. Ons as ondersteuners sal mos self kan sien wie die eer toekom.Hulp sal erken en deur ons waardeer word. Maar los net eie egos vir n ruk.
Voor die 3N het ek gesê, as ons die eerste een verloor, is dit afdraande pad. Hoop nie dieselfde is waar van saterdag nie.
@ superBul:
Ek stem saam… Div was in ‘n baie ongunstige situasie gegooi. Ek bedoel, is dit SY skuld dat sy werknemer aan die wereld verkondi het dat hy op miriete nie die eerste keuse was nie? Is dit sy skuld dat die spelers en sy voorganger so ver pad saamgestap het en ‘n werled beker gewen het? Nie juis nie.
Maar hells bells, hy het nie die saak makliker gemaak vir homself nie.
Oor die heen en weer blameerdery… dalk waar, maar dis altyd beter om nie modder te gooi nie, want jy maak net jou hande vuil en verloor grond.
FS is ‘n geniale speler, en as mens hom op heelagter kan speel en Lambie op losskakel, gaan die poppe nog dans. Maar geen speler, nie John Smit, Francois Pienaar, Frik du Preez, Luke Watson of Frans Steyn is groter as die prentjie nie.
Sy pad het lankal begin, ja, maar na vanjaar is daar so baie herbou werk wat nodig is, dis basies van voor af bou.
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