South Africa must field a second string rugby team on the end of year tour each season if the Springboks are to compete at their best in major global events, renowned sports scientist Tim Noakes said on Tuesday.
Article from Sport24
“SA rugby must learn that you can win those games with a second team of players who are named earlier in the season and are able to prepare together,” he said.
“Every year, they can put together a group of players who are able to play in cold, wet conditions, and who can play together as a team.”
Five days before the first game of the Springboks’ 2010 end of year tour to the United Kingdom, 13 players have already been removed from the national squad. The tour starts against Ireland in Dublin on Saturday.
“You don’t need the best rugby players to play the best rugby,” said Noakes.
“If you have a group who have had a chance to prepare together, they will be able to compete at the highest level.
“Ireland have been playing together for years, and they will play together as a team, but we think we can put together a side at the last minute and we’ll go over there and beat them.”
Noakes said the SA Rugby Union (SARU) should give regular Springboks motivation to put their feet up at the end of each year.
“I’ve learned that the players want to play every game,” he said.
“They are also rewarded for playing, but they’re not rewarded for resting.”
After repeatedly warning the national federation that senior players needed to be rested every season, Noakes said SARU had turned a blind eye and their injury woes would only be compounded.
“The guys didn’t rest after last year’s tour, then they played too much rugby this year,” he said.
“Some players have not rested properly for three or four years, and it gets worse every season.”
Players were also in danger of shortening their careers if they played year in and year out without sufficient rest.
“Former Springbok captain Andre Vos (who retired from professional rugby in 2007) told me the other day that at the age of 27 he was completely wiped out,” Noakes said.
“He just wasn’t able to play any more, but at 27 or 28 the guys are at their peak and they should be playing their best rugby.”
Ironically, South Africa’s recent injury worries may have boosted their chances of taking the title at next year’s World Cup in New Zealand for a third time.
However, the regular Boks who would end up playing on the upcoming five-match tour could not be expected to perform at their best in the global championship, said Noakes.
“We lost the 1999 World Cup because we toured England in 1998, and key players were exhausted and under pressure,” Noakes said.
“We had great players, but they were tired, and we had lost key players through injury, so as the defending champions we had to settle for third.”
Eish here we go again, i will disagree with you again Mr Noakes.
Team sports and individual sports differ for me. In short i believe that a great team spirit brings out something your science still does not understand.
The fact that a great team player will bend his back, run trough walls to stay in the team. The small percentage of power and strength he concedes will be nothing compared to the will power to play his guts out for the team.
This bond of brothers made pensioners like Os and Percy most valuable players in 2007.
Superbul, sorry man, but can you explain a a bit more… how do you differ from Noakes?
“Ireland have been playing together for years, and they will play together as a team, but we think we can put together a side at the last minute and we’ll go over there and beat them.” How is this different from what you said…?
Remember that Os took an extended break in the middle of his career, probably thereby prolonging it just long enough. And Percy went overseas where, as we all know, the players has a MUCH more relaxed lifestyle and training regime than in the south. Rugby, all players will tell you, is not as high paced and intense in Europe either.
“After repeatedly warning the national federation that senior players needed to be rested every season, Noakes said SARU had turned a blind eye and their injury woes would only be compounded.”
Someone please tell me if I am wrong, but doesn’t our current situation basically confirm exactly what Noakes warned us of? Ok, he said ‘rest the players or they will burn out before the WC’
Were the players rested – no: so what did he predict will happen?
The players will burn out – yes: unless there is another stat that contradicts 13 1st choice players injured.
BEFORE the WC in NZ – yes: unless the whole world has fallen asleep and it is in fact 2011 already.
I mean, do we have to wait for 2013 for the NEXT sports scientist or even Noakes himself to be quoted in an interview saying “I recently spoke with F.du Preez, Habana, Smit, Burger, Matfield, and he said that by 2010 they were spent, but they destroyed themselves for the WC.”
Seriously…
Greenpoint-Gunner wrote:
Injuries cant all be blamed because of fatigue , Brussow was injured early in the season, and he is n young player. FduP went for a operation he carried with him for a long time, maybe from the 1st halve of the S14 campaign.
My main disagreement is having 2 teams, ask Mr Graham Henry about his 2 full AB teams in 2007.
“You don’t need the best rugby players to play the best rugby,” said Noakes.
Put it this way would you like to play your second best against their best. And go back to GH in 2007, he also claimed he had 30 player all equal. The rest is history, but to remind you Henry had unproven COMBINATIONS playing, individual brilliance yes but no team cohesion.
Team dynamics (if that is the right word) is most important.
Superbul…Me thinks you are still old-school. Nothing wrong with that though. The contents of this article is a exactly what I said on an earlier debate a few month ago re: an article by Morne. When we listen to prof Noakes we will have a full strength squad for the World Cup just like before. But for some reason the current bunch rate their unfounded opinions on the matter higher than someone who is the leading expert in the field.
@ rugbybal:
Exactly.
This is a game that has very little resemblance to how rugby was played some years ago.
You just have to look at the pace of the CC final and the tackling, as well as last weeks NZ versus Aus game to understand that the physical demands are enourmous.
We have to listen to sports science.
If we don’t we will continue to underperform.
And don’t ask the players, because they are financially motivated and are not sports scientists.
@ tight head:
You are so right. What a difference. Just compare this years CC with that of a few years ago.
@ superBul:
I absolutely agree with you on that point. Combos ARE important.
I think though that with the player corpse we have available, maybe they should try to expand the squad to such a length that you are able to “field” 2 teams without much disruption. Pick 10 overlapping players and mix the rest up. It can be done.
Example: You can choose between Schalk and Brussouw (if both are fit) or Aplon and JP. And don’t mix them up game for game. Take the tri-nations for example. Play your “green” squad on the away leg and your “gold” squad on the home leg. Also, it doesn’t have to be unfamiliar combos. I bet you can give Schalk and Juan a 3 month rest and they can come back and gel like cream and koek.
It simply comes down to GOOD PLAYER MANAGEMENT and not killing the work horse. Something 90% of Rugby-lovers in SA does not understand.
Btw, sure Brussouw did not carry much fatigue. But then why didn’t anyone think to rest FduP when he was PLAYING WITH AN INJURY??? Does that help the cause at all?
But again, going the GH way is not gonna work with ANY team, agreed. But there is no point killing the goose with the golden egg.
@ tight head:
Agreed. The amount of games, plus the level of intensity has definitely risen.
You don’t need two teams, you need a bigger squad with more depth. You then go out to win every match with the best possible players. Come RWC you play the best available then, and hope they are good enough.
This thing of forsaking grandslams and tri nation trophies in the hope to win a RWC is nonsense.
I would rather have a 75% win ration than win a RWC every 12-20 years.
@ biltongbek:
Exactly right.
It is about a biggger squad of excellent players being managed correctly.
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