It is interesting to note the difference in reaction to two South African Super Rugby franchises which seem to be having the exact same problem.
The Vodacom Bulls and MTN Lions are both teams who find themselves in dire-straights where in both instances, the players performances, mostly their commitment, are being questioned.
If we could forget for one second the situations surrounding each individual franchise and just look at what we see on the field, it would be quite logical to believe that the root of the problems for both teams originates from exactly the same source.
Both sets of players seem to be suffering from poor skills levels and technique, not learning from their mistakes or an inability to change their approach, and extreme low confidence which results in players developing a negative attitude, or lack of commitment.
Of course many will point out the situation within each franchise is indeed very different. On the one hand, you have a team loaded with superstars and on the other, you have none. The one team is the defending champions and the other perennial under-achievers in Super rugby.
This is true, but also, circumstantial.
If we strip down all the bullshit, it is clear both teams had expectations and realistic ones at that given their individual circumstances, and both teams failed to live up to those.
My question then is this; ‘If both teams failed to live up to their individual expectations through seemingly experiencing the exact same problem, why is the focus of attention the coach for the one team, and the players for the other?’
JJ Harmse, one of the biggest Bulls supporters and rugby scribes you could wish to meet, recently said that given the problems of the Bulls, the focus now has to shift to coach, Frans Ludeke. In comparison, Lions coach John Mitchell has squarely put the blame of his team’s problems on his players.
Now if both teams are experiencing exactly the same problems, why are we looking at different areas to fix them?
I know the most logical argument here would be to tell me that the one team is loaded with superstars, but that is not the point. Individual expectations for both teams and coaches might have been very different, but if they both failed for exactly the same reason, it does not mean the problem lies in two different areas.
I do not propose that I know exactly what the problem is; in fact I think it is more psychological than anything else, but in this specific instance I find it strange that we would identify two completely different areas as the root cause.
Which of the two are closest to the mark? Well I tend to side with Harmse that the coach is the only person that can change the fortunes of each team, whether you are blessed with a bunch of superstars or not.
After all, I have seen superstars turn into useless players within one week in South African rugby and average players become world beaters.
Fact remains, any player’s form is relative to the environment he finds himself in, and the environment of both camps needs a massive overhaul.
Miskien moet die twee spanne afrigters ruil?
Manne, ek het so paar comments op Voldy gelees, en kyk waarop kom ek af? Klink dit of ons gemis word? The Bruvvahood for life! Hehehe
85.JL1 said:
25 Apr 2011, 20:08 pm
@wooden spoon(wooden spoon)-81: This site used to have great bloggers
In 2005 and 2006 when Pietman, Saint, GBS and co were here, but alas people like Hater, her behaviour and troll comments led to loads leaving the site, even great bloggers like Rugby Princess, a Kiwi blogger,left
Morne
I also happen to feel that the greatest problem is between the ears of all people concerned (psychologically). The players do not seem to be focused at all, it might seem harsh, but it is almost as if both teams are content to be in the position they are in at the moment.
The Bulls give off the DIVA vibe while the Lions seem to be afraid to be labeled as predictable, which at the moment they actually are.
I differ from the opinion that the coach is to blame…the Bulls for instance, does Victor, Bakkies and Du Preez have no influence? They have amassed a tremendous number of Superrugby caps, can they not play without the guidance of a coach?
And the Lions… running from your own 22, throwing balls away, refusing to kick…that isn’t the coach…it’s children at work, plain and simple stupidity. There is no respect for basic rugby skills in Johannesburg. They will never win, because they can’t drop the tempo…otherwise they fall asleep.
@ The Saint:
I will repeat what I said elsewhere Saint;
The expectations of the Bulls being defending champions, and those of the Lions, would be completely different. No-one on this planet would have believed the Lions to be title contenders, realistically however, you would have expected the Bulls to be.
Each team had pre-season goals, for the Lions that might have been to end in the top 10, or win all their home games, and that would have been realistic.
Each team however failed, and from where I sit, they failed for the exact same reason and that is players underperforming to the levels expected of them in their respective scenarios.
It is as close as comparing apples with apples as you can get, albeit comparing a green apple to a red one perhaps.
Morné Pismier,
Lekker Article, once again.
Exactly, now the question remains, are the one teams players out of it? Or merely out of form?
And the other team, are they good enough? Or do they see themselves as the perennial underdogs.
@ Morné:
Het jy Dewalt se nuutste artikel gelees? Wat dink jy daarvan, ek hou niks van sy uitpratery nie. Oom Buurman sou sy dinges afgesny het.
@ Morné:
I can’t agree with you completely, I said this in the beginning of the Super15. The Lions will be in last place because they don’t have enough depth.
Yes they do make plenty of mistakes and most of all their ability to make decisions after scoring and then recieving the ball in their 22 they make stupid errors. But the fact is they do not have any world beaters in their team.
The Bulls on the orre hand Darren, I mean Morne, has plenty of stars who are unfortunately getting on, they seem unmotivated and slow. We may want to call this out of form, but who knows what the reasons are.
Liverpools resurgence in the English Premier league is a great example of what a rotten apple can do and the effects of a coach not dealing with it.
Torres left and went to Chelsea and Kenny Dalgleish took over as coach….I have met Kenny at Anfield when he was a player and afterwards a more simple down to earth guy you couldn’t wish to meet….but he talks to the players at their level and they will die for him.
In the Bulls case the players should carry most of the blame it is a well known fact that senior players lead in the Bulls team and the Boks team, because the coach does not enforce the rules. Ludeke now has a choice, to either step up to the mark or tell Big Vic to let him have a plan on how the senior players plan to fix the problem.
In the case of the Lions, it is 90% down to the coach, he does not have a bunch of superstars, so his job is to shape raw talent in a cohesive unit…..dropping guys willy nilly is no good….you got to get the buy in, then show them the way and then let them do it. Lions had the worst start to the season against two very hard teams and were behind the 8 ball from day one as one scribe put it. It is now their confidence that is damaged….in my opinion if Mitchell shows his confidence in the players and thus appeals to their sense of loyalty (with South Africans it is easy, we are inherently loyal people) you will see improvements, they should readjust their goals to realistic ones and then beat them. A mid table finish would be first prize….to finish 4th from the bottom is realistic. JMHO
Morne, you make a VERY good point (or 3) but let me lift out some other points as well (if I may).
The past decade the Bulls have been living in a winning environment. The Lions have done the opposite. Here I believe it is mostly due to the performances of the administrators.
Mitchell is one of the best coaches of the world of the past 10 years. Ludikak was useless in 2008 when Matfield was in Eu and the form of other senior players also dropped. The same is happening this year. He could achieve nothing at the Lions either.
The Lions NEED some steady hands. This is what Rassie and Co. realized at WPRU and that’s why they bought all those experienced players, to guide the ones coming through.
IMHO
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