Springbok rugby and South African rugby in general is coming to the end of an era, and it might be time to think about what the future holds.
2011 will see some of South African rugby’s most famous icons and hero’s retire from the game, or move abroad to close off their careers. For a country with the wealth of talent South Africa has, most people will not worry too much, but they should.
I read a recent publication by a New Zealand university doctor who argued in a 292 page document how New Zealand will fail in this year’s Rugby World Cup hosted in their own backyard. Needless to say it was not well received by his fellow countrymen but the basis of his argument was intriguing.
He argued how success in the Rugby World Cup depends mostly on leadership within the team, and how the absence of their iconic captain Richie McCaw or backline general Dan Carter through possible injury or some other catastrophe can be the difference in lifting the William Webb Ellis trophy, or not.
Apart from the Rugby World Cup, he also asks why there is such a massive void between players who are leaders, and those who follow and why not more players develop into leaders at professional level.
It is an argument which hits close to home for South Africans too.
John Smit, Victor Matfield, Juan Smith and Fourie du Preez will all most likely retire, or in Fourie’s case, move abroad. That is the core leadership group of the Springbok team and like New Zealand, I cannot see any natural or logical replacements for them.
Throughout the last 6 or 7 years, we have seen the importance of each of these individuals in the team, not only from the individual skills they bring to the setup, but how they are the glue that holds everything together. No team can hope to achieve success without these types of individuals, not the Springboks, and neither the All Blacks.
So where, and why, or how did we, and even New Zealand stop producing leaders of this ilk who are quite simply, indispensible to the game of rugby?
It is a question I have often pondered because as many of you will know from my previous columns, I value captaincy over and above insanely talented players, and Dr. David Harris, the author of the paper might have provided the answer I was looking for.
Players like McCaw, Carter, Smit, Matfield, Juan Smith, Du Preez and the likes started their rugby careers when professionalism was in its infancy. Things like rugby academies was still quite new where these guys, although not completely similar to the days of amateur rugby, came through the ‘ranks’ so to speak.
They started their senior careers, very much as juniors in an environment where there was a very distinct hierarchical structure in place where as juniors, they had to fight their way up the ranks to establish and even ‘prove’ themselves or earn the respect of their peers.
They came into an environment where they absorbed the knowledge of rugby icons like Josh Kronfeld, Andrew Mehrtens, Gary Teichman, Mark Andrews, Andre Venter, Joost van der Westhuizen and players of similar status all of whom formed part of the transition from amateur to professional rugby and who were brought up through the structures and traditions of the game in its amateur form, which included the camaraderie uniquely and exclusively experienced in club rugby.
This process of learning from players with different skills and experience in a position of power, authority and respect, equipped these players, and future leaders, with the tools necessary to one day deal with the dynamics involved in leading teams of their own.
Captaincy is more than just wearing an armband. It is the ability to lead from the front, to accept responsibility for each member of the team, to nurture each team member to perform to his potential, to resolve conflicts which will arise from individuals from different backgrounds and cultures and even languages, to plan, to strategise, motivate and pull a team through difficult times on the field, and even off it. He is a person who instigates and manage relationships between all team members and above else, he is respected as the father-figure of the team. He is not only a captain of his team, but the ambassador of the club, province, or country that team represents. In short, the team, and country, is judged on this one man or group of men.
Today, it is not strange to see a baby-face on the field representing a union, franchise or even country. The programs and structures that institutions like rugby academies provide fast-tracks this process and what was once odd, is now becoming the norm.
Players today skip the old-school process of being exposed to a hierarchical structures found in the processes of progressing through club to union level rugby by being immediately forced into an academy environment from school. From being seniors (in schools) they never become juniors again, they are exposed to , and supposed to learn, from individuals on equal levels as themselves who are not only the same age, but have the same levels of experience.
It is not that some of these players are not leaders, or capable of leading, they are just never exposed to the first-hand knowledge and mentorship which will help them develop into great leaders who can deal with the unique dynamics a team sport provides.
The formula for the magic glue that holds a team together never gets passed on. The individual becomes more important than the team, everything becomes I, not us. Pride takes a backseat, respect for the game, jersey and team mates becomes secondary, because if I am the highest paid rugby player of my country at age 22, I don’t need to listen to anyone.
Sounding a bit melodramatic?
I will challenge you to name a captain for each of our major franchises for 2012 that has, or shows the same potential, and will endure the longevity as a leader for their team some of the names above had or showed for their unions, and their country.
I expect very few nominations.
I wont mind to see Dewalt Potgieter as a future Bulls captain. He will show this year his true colors, well i hope he takes on the challenge.
Morne
Unfortunately (as always) what you say is very true.
In my opinion, it the very nature of extreme professionalism which has bought about the problems you mention.
Because there are very few players at provincial level (or national level) that have come through the club systems and learnt those intrinsic values of tradition that Rugby Union always stood for it won’t be easy to reverse the trend, and eventually the gap between amateur and professional Rugby will be too big for it ever to get closed.
Parallels can be drawn between engineering and Rugby.
In years gone by, some people went to University and got an Engineering degree, while others left school, did and apprenticeship, worked as an artisan, studied further and then became an Engineer.
Today nobody does it the “hard way”, and unfortunately the majority of young engineers graduating from Varsity are just not up to the job in the same way that the “old school” guys are.
The same in Rugby, the young guys coming out of the academies have no time for the Rugby traditions associated with clubs, and the vast majorities don’t even get to train at the clubs they are “allocated” to.
There will always be some players (like Dewalt Potgeiter mentioned by superBul) who are natural leaders, but the natural development of players’ personalities into those of leaders doesn’t happen.
Time and again we hear of players being forced through the system from young ages and then falling off the bus because they don’t know how to handle the money and lifestyle changes.
It’s up to the Unions that take these youngsters to provide them with life coaches and mentors, so that when they get to the lofty heights of “I am the highest paid rugby player of my country at age 22, I don’t need to listen to anyone.” they don’t quickly end up on the front page of dubious publications drunk in a pool of their own vomit lying in a gutter somewhere.
Sounds dramatic, but it has and does happen.
Professional Rugby Unions who only act half professionally or in their own best interests are the cause IMO. IE they don’t look after there best assets – the players.
@ Scrumdown:
This happens in all facets of life in our beautiful country. Working yourself up is out, merit is a thing of the past. Aaagh lets leave it there.
@ Scrumdown:
Could not agree more.
gelukkig is daar n nuwe generasie jong leiers op die horison adriaan strauss hein brussow potgieter hougaard,juaan smith gaan nie in 2011 retire nie en het nog beslis 4 jaar in hom so hy kan die leisels vat en oorgee aan strauss of potgieter na die 2015wb
The brothers DuP are both graduates, Jannie is a Doc and Bismark is an accountant. I wouldn’t want either of them captaining my team.
Lets look at the S15 teams and their next Captains:
Bulls: as superBull says, Dewalt Potgieter, probably Bok captain too.
Freestate: Straus
Sharks: no this is not easy. Terblanche will be to old next year, Daniel isn’t always guaranteed a start, nor is Botes. I doubt whether a DuP will be made captain. Hargreaves has done it before but is only an average player and Skeate should start before him every time. That leaves Sykes?
Is there anyone in the backline to do the job?
WP: Bekker
Lions:I would go for Vermaak.
When Barney was picked as Captain by the then coach of the Boks there were lots of comments “who is this guy”. I say cometh the hour cometh the man, South Africans are instilled with leadership qualities from a young age. We will find an appropriate Captain….of that I’m sure.
Potential Captains will not make themselves known beyond helping in the team, as they would not tread on the current Captains toes….it is the South African way of doing things….show respect for the leadership. When the Captains depart the new ones will step up. JMHO.
Hel ek raak moerig as daar nie rugby is nie. guiness Premiership….I pick the games to watch depending on how many South Africans they have in the team!!!
As for Natal, I see Keegan Daniel stepping into the Captains role.
WP/Stormers: I would actually say you can choose between Bekker and van Zyl.
Bulls: Potgieter
Sharks… uuum, Alberts? Daniel?
Lions: Vermaak, Van der Heever? Franco van der Merwe? Wie was die kaptein die laaste seisoen?
Cheetahs: Adriaan Strauss, Heinrich Brussouw.
This has been Robbie Deans biggest challenge in Australia. Australia is probably the country that seems to fast track baby face players the quickest into the big time and it has cost them a couple of games over the last three years.
Aussie has lost some of their senior players like Mortlock, Rawhtbone, Vickerman, Gregan, Larkham to mention but a few which opened the door for playesr like O’Connel and Quade Cooper. Leadeship or composure under pressure has been the major issue for the Aussies -as a result of that- over the last two years.
In 1965 the Springboks had their worst tour ever to NZ and Australia. It was a disaster but it started as far back as 1956 when Craven picked a lot of baby face boks to go to NZ. The payed their school fees during that tour and their was some upward curve but by 1963 leaders like Johan Claassen have retired and Avril Malan, Abie Malan and Nellie Smith were tried as capatains and then for the 1965 tour they appointed baby face Dawie de Villiers as captain. It was a disaster because de Villiers was fast tracted into the Springbok team after an injury which had him on the sideline for almost two seasons. He was made captain after just two tests and the leadership structure took a dive. He and Hennie Muller didn’t gell and Abie Malan was a destructive influence as an ex-captain who tried to take control.
Leadership is not just one great captain in the team but a group of at least three players of stature in key posisions and that have came through the ranks and who works well together. At the moment we have Juan Smit, Barney, Matfield, FdP, Jean de Villiers and Schalk Burger as a leadership group. By the end of this WC 5 of that 6 players are probably going to retire to be replaced by fast tracked wannabe’s.
Our problem after 2011 is going to be that we will have mostly new faces in the team as well as a new coach. I’be surprised if we don’t take perfromace wise a dive after 2011. We’ll start losing against the likes of Aussie and Engaland who have just gone through their rebuilding phase.
Here is how I see it.
Yes, Morne, you are absolutely right, I would say.
But guys, you know what, I would go even one step further and take it to South African and particularly white South African society as a whole. The men that served in the Army are now becoming oupa’s and are not the pappas anymore. My dad did his service back in 59 (when it was still one year) and BLIKSEM, the way that we grew up… if two grown ups were talking, you would never dare to interrupt. If you did, it was either a fowl look, or a moerse lekker kop klap. Hierarchy, respect, those things were just the way you lived. END OF STORY.
But now we have a more “opoen and free society”. Which btw makes NO sense because as far as I can gather, Black South Africans also have a very strong tradition of respect for elders.
But the focus, in society, has definitely gone into a more “liberal” direction. Look at the French, they are openly considered one of the most liberal countries in the world, and they have no structure and purpose in the way the team and captain is picked. Then look at NZ. I have quite a few Kiwi friends and they respect elders, much like we do. In come McCaw.
So there you go, I think the problem/issue runs much deeper than just professionalism.
What is the solution? GET A COACH PEOPLE RESPECT. You don’t have to like him, or think he is the best, JUST TRUST AND RESPECT! Cause if the players are willing to pledge to him, and he chooses a captain and says that come hell or high water, you are my captain, players tend to respect the coaches choice. What is more, they tend to support it. And the first thing a captain needs is the respect, loyalty and trust of his players.
Barny, lets be honest, is NOT the best nr.2 in SA, or even at the Sharks. He seems to be very quite on the field, and speaks more to the ref than his players.
On the other hand, Luke Watson is an outstanding player. Honestly, one of the best between 2005 and now, among others like Brussouw, Burger, Spies, Smith, etc. He talks to his players, talks to the ref. Does all thats expected of him on the field.
Which one would make the better Bok captain?
@ Greenpoint-Gunner:
10
i would say the one that is respected.
@ Greenpoint-Gunner:
did you read the interview Sarah Boomgard had with Luke, some people say that is the best interview ever with him. Sarah was the young girl on Voldys. She is of course Lukes biggest fan so we had a scrap or 2…with her before.
http://blogs.sport24.co.za/msjacobs9/the-luke-watson-interview
@ superBul:
I just read it. To be honest, I think most of the questions were not very probing, and were definitely designed to make Luke feel loved and relaxed. The one question that stands out for me is the last one. I think his time in Bath really made him grow up. He knows he is not a kid anymore, and he is not Cheeky’s little boy anymore. Or at least, I hope so. Cause to be honest, I really like him as a player. Its just his attitude that rots.
I suppose what would really prove that he has grown up, is if he holds a press conference, admit to everything (even unproven allegations) apologize to all the Dutchmen and then move on and focus on rugby.
8@ Greenpoint-Gunner:
GG, van Zyl is one of the few Super Rugby players to have come through the club system.
He was picked by the Lions when they were in k@k and he was playing for Pirates Rugby Club in Greenside.
Again, to the best of my knowledge, he was never offered a contract by the Lions and was remunerated on a game by game basis.
Sad really isn’t it!
Great article and comments.
It has all been said, however the simple fact as stated above is that we are breeding individuals and not people who put the team first.
This is very true at professional rugby level but it starts at junior school and is fuelled by parents.
Parents today only see their son in the team and have a need to control and interfere in the school when they don’t get what they want.
The school very often caves in to pressure.
Parents are raising selfish kids because they want them to get ahead and beat the next kid not only for the kid’s sake but also for the parents ego.
Just go and watch the parents on the side line at a primary school game this year!!
Helloooooooooooo
Well, I must say I agree with Sammajoor 4man…. cometh the hour, cometh the man… there will be captains material who step up when needed.
…. but then again I also agree with Morne Pissmier, the advent of professional rugby and the course rugby has taken in the last 15 or so years are far different to times gone by in the “good old days”.. fast tracking players into Academies are good on one hand but also have their down-sides.
What worries me more than anything else though is the generations of TV Kids born and raised these days… soft little Jelly-Telly-Tubbies, who hardly play outside and who play less and less serious sport like we all used to do. Combine that with the lack of National Service conscription, the slapgat and ill-diciplined houdings derived and South Africa is poorer in many respects.
The positives though of Academies far out-weigh the negatives and South Africa is poised to become stronger and stronger on the Rugby front as our Academies gather speed and momentum…. it WILL bear fruit in future… be patient!
How are the holidaymakers?
Whats going down? (or up) ? 🙂
Here’s a little about the GBS holiday…. eat your hearts out:
Last time I reported, we were at Storms River Mouth, Tsitsikama National Park, where my 3G Internet Connection was slower than snail’s pace..
Since then Handbriekie and myself went Zip Gliding (harnassed in and zipping in the air suspended from a steele cable) over a gorge near Storms River Village, 10 Extreme “Foofie-slides” in a spectacular area, where the longest Cable Zip Glide was 211m long and over spectacular waterfalls…. It was spectalularly good… got the Pictures and the DVD…. will share some of them when back in Brakkenjanpan.
Yesterday morning we bade Storms River Mouth goodbye and resumed the journey Eastwards…
First we stopped at Bloukrans River bridge, speaking under correction but it spans something like 462m accross over a 216m gorge.
…. yes, of course I did the highest bridge bungi jump in the world…. what a wonderful adrenalin rush, completely different from the rush when skydiving, but just as awesome!
There was a host of overseas jumpers, it is rather expensive to do measured in South African Rands, so very affordable to the overseas tourists.
There was no hesitation folks, it was bombs away…….. fly down and rebound a million times it seemed….
Got the T-shirt, the photo’s and the DVD, once again I will share some of that with you guys when back in The Panne.
From Bloukrans we went to the Elephant Sanctuary and Monkeyland and then to Bramon Winery and Restaurant (Bramon is the only winery this far west from the regular wine areas and I must say their wines are good).
We briefly went to Plettenberg Bay, did a bit of shopping and then went to Tharfield Estate in the Harkerville forest between Plettenberg Bay and Knysna where we stayed on the Estate, which belongs to an old school friend of mine and Tripples. He has about 35 Raindeer wandering about, as tame as they come, so tame they eat mielies out of one’s hand.
Old Gertjie made us a Karoo Potjie and we caught up on good times…. and abused the Bachus fluid a bit till about 02:30 this morning, so much so that old Gertjie was rather speech-challenged eventually…. but damn, it was good!
We’ve had the best possible weather on holiday you can imagine….
We left Tharfield late this morning, it was freegin impossible getting me out of bed early!
We ate lunch at Crabs Creek, a Restaurant and pub just off the Belvidere / Brenton-On-Sea turn-off. The restaurant belongs to 2 friends of Handbriekie’s, who both worked at Media 24 with her for years.
We booked in at Brenton-On-Sea just after 15:00 this afternoon, went shopping in Knysna thereafter and came back to just chill for a while. There was some time for a nice long walk on the beach, sloppies in hand, bare feet in the sand…. saw an awesome sunset from the beach tonight!
Now back here in the chalet…. as chilled as can be.
What a wonderful holiday and what a beautiful country we have…. we are truly blessed!
See ya!!
@ grootblousmile:
Hey there GBS interesting stuff sounds like you and family are having a great time. ope you get some nice weather to enjoy the beaches some more. Are you going to make it to Victoria Baai, what a beautiful wee place that is. Enjoy the rest of the garden route and the rest of your holiday, travel safely.
19@ Bullscot:
I’m enjoying the much needed break very much…. ek le soos ‘n landmyn, stil en rustig… tot mense op my beginne trap…. hehehe
We’re in Wilderness now, right next to Victoria Bay, booked into the Hotel for 3 nights.
From here we’ll explore the area an definately visit Vic Bay, amongst others. Luckily I know the area well, lived in George for 4 years in the early Nineties.
The weather has been great, today being our 1st misty day, so we’re lounging around like vrot velle, just resting and relaxing.
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