It is becoming increasingly obvious that Springbok coach, Peter de Villiers, is starting to push the panic buttons.
After De Villiers named his squad of 51 players for the National Planning Camp, I was asked on Twitter what Louis Ludik had to do to get an invite, especially in light of the fact that we only had one specialist fullback in the group.
My answer was that Louis had better get hold of a journalist, get close to him, and have him ‘write’ Ludik into the team because it seems that is how players these days get called up to the Boks.
It was a tongue-in-cheek comment, but after reading it, I felt there was more truth in it that what I originally realized.
I also just happened to catch the SuperSport magazine program, Boots & All, a program I usually try and avoid. I am pleased I did because in this program they had a chat to John Smit, John Plumtree and Peter de Villiers specifically with the issue on captaincy, John’s future as a Springbok and where he is playing.
Plumtree’s response was typical, he is coach of the Sharks and with that comes unique responsibilities. He will be judged on how the Sharks perform during the Super 15, and not how Sharks players perform in the Springbok setup.
John’s response was also typical, he is a player part of a team and he plays where he gets asked to play.
De Villiers’ response was a bit concerning for me though for a couple of reasons. He basically said his responsibility is to the nation and the Springboks, and that his mission is to bring the William Webb Ellis Cup back home.
On the face of it his comments seems fine, it is a song he has sung for quite some time now, but in light of the specific issue at hand being John Smit and his, and other senior players’ form, I find his attitude bizarre.
Every Bok coach has to deal with pressure, and every Bok coach will inevitably deal with pressure in a different way. I am also well known to back players and coaches before I fall prey to popular media or public opinion but that only goes as far for coaches as a them sticking to their convictions, no matter how tough the times, and backing the players that has backed him.
When coaches start doing complete 180’s I start losing faith in the way they handle their situation and pressures that goes with it.
This is not the issue surrounding John Smit, and I don’t want to turn it into one either, it is about Peter de Villiers who has seemingly lost faith in himself and his ability and is desperately trying to win over not only public and media opinion but also the respect of his peers.
The man has been vilified from pillar to post since his appointment, he is also not the best communicator in the world and although I never had a problem with his vision for rugby and the Springboks, he never really sold this effectively through either actions or words.
It’s a tough job, but it is something Peter knew from the start.
I admired his conviction in his own ability and how he always backed himself. As Jake White proved, it is a trait that will prove invaluable in a South African rugby context where you are more often than not, tried, judged and convicted in the media.
South African rugby is also littered with examples of the completely opposite of this, most recently, Nick Mallet who was convinced by his brains-trust to drop Teichmann in favour of Skinstad in 1999, and of course, Rudolph Straueli who was paranoia personified going into the Rugby World Cup of 2003 having been convinced that a boot-camp navy seals style was the way to go to build team spirit.
I would personally like to remind Peter de Villiers not only of these two men and how pressure got to them, but also of his convictions of the man called John Smit over the last 4 years since he was in charge.
It was De Villiers who flew to France to convince John Smit to come back and lead the Springboks. It was De Villiers who asked John to move from hooker to prop over a year ago, and it was John Smit who heeded every call.
Why now, months out from the Rugby World Cup, after 3 years of working together, can Peter de Villiers not show the same conviction in Smit – why now the doubt in Smit and his ability as a player (at prop or hooker) and his captaincy?
I am, by nature, a very pessimistic individual, and at times I might read way too much into small things. I do however put a lot of stock in the head space players and coaches find themselves in most of which can be judged, or picked up by what they say, and what they do.
If three years is what it took for De Villiers to doubt Smit’s ability as a player and captain, or realize that he needs outside expertise in his management group, then I can only read two things into that. One, he was never good enough to take on the position of national coach or two, like many before him, the pressure got to him and we are about to see a massive implosion.
Personally, I still don’t doubt his ability, but I am afraid that Peter himself is starting to.
Good one Mier!
John MUST be there, also as captain, that’s a given, the man’s abilities as a leader is beyond questioning, and he brings tons of experience from the previous campaigns with him.
Then, furthermore, for starters I would immediately tell Butch, Ruaan (as a scrumhalf and nothing else) as well as Frans Steyn to get ready…..if I were PdeV (not hat I want to be in his shoes right now….)
Great article Morne
Have to agree with you, the comments made by PDiv is mind boggling taking into account its just before the world cup,
PissAnt i hope i am pissed and dont understand all your great words, but tell me before i make a real comment on this new PdeV bashing by another journalist, did you write this article before or after John Smits great game on Saturday?
@ superBul:
Before, my references gives that away. I started this article right after Boots & All on Thursday but given the time of year and me being away from a PC, only got to publish it today.
@ superBul:
And I hope your pissed too! 😉
“then I can only read two things into that. One, he was never good enough to take on the position of national coach or two, like many before him, the pressure got to him and we are about to see a massive implosion”
Never good enough with that i wont agree, never the favorite yes, that he started on the wrong foot YES. Many Bulls supporters, me included< wanted Heynecke Meyer to be national coach, and to add to his woes Oregan Hoskins made a statement that would haunt him till kingdom comes. PdeV took over the WC winning team of Jake , but was this really such a wonderful team that he inherited? be honest, they peaked in the 2007 WC o yeah. They beat England in the group stage 36-0 but won in the final 15-6 after all real contenders like the All Blacks and France was out of the way. This wonderful team of Jake had a win % of less than 66%, but anyway we were quite happy with them. PdeV kept this win % up until last year when we had our annus horribillis with the Referees last year(how convenient to forget this , after all, the results are recorded and it is history) The point is we are entering exactly the same scenario as in 2007, a team WE dont believe in but who the coach believe in)Jake was in the same position). Rewind to 2007 and you will see this whole story over. Many even questioned Danie Rousouw choice and and ... aaaagh i wont win. I just wish PdeV can repeat Jakes houdini act, that wont save his skin though.
@ superBul:
What you raise initially I have spent years arguing (I agree btw).
Where I differ is that the situation is the same and thats my worry.
Rewind back to 2006/07, I always backed Jake, because he backed himself.
I only doubt PDV now, because of my last line in this article.
I believe that Snor still wants to back and pick Smittie but how can he if the man has no form? One try don’t make no summer…..
True, the prop idea was a mistake and I believe Snor realises that now. Consequently and more than anything I believe that Snor believes he owes John, hence the trip to visit Plumtree.
Good morning, afternoon, day, whatever manne.
This is a very good article Morne (again. Seriously, I dont think I have ever thought your just talking b*ll^!).
Ok, enough with the flattering.
I absolutely agree with Superbul as well. Out of ALL the media statements, comments and (mis)quotes by old Divvy over the years, I think the most singly idiot statement was the one by Hoskins, way back when Div was still strutting his pink ties.
I think as a coach you need to know how you want to play. If I for one would ever be a coach I would install breakdown, line-running (like the Kiwi’s) and defense (like the Stormers) as my three pillars.
For Jake White it was possession, territory and turn around ball.
For Woodward it was Scrums, Lineouts and Wilkinson.
When Div took over he spoke a lot about a free flowing running game. He said that we had been doing the basics right, and now he wants to start adding to it, by being more creative in the backline. Letting players play “what they see in front of them”. Did the players (who did the opp under Jake White) like it? Did the media like it? Did the fans like it? No, no and no.
Every coach also needs “his captain”. Its all good and well that the tried and tested stayed on, but in the end, it led to numerous reports that the PLAYERS were running the Bok set-up (which I still don’t believe for a minute).
Jake-Smit, Kristy-Pienaar. Mallet had-Teichman… uuum, Skinstad? You feeling me? It was not a bad idea by Div to bring back Smit, but he needed to give him a 1 year contract and then should have looked for his own captain (NOT Matfield. Biggest pre-madonna in rugby THIS side of the Millennium).
Lastly, he should have had HIS squad. If many of them were from 2007 at first, great. But the team have always looked like Jakes team in a way, and never had Divs stamp on it. Maybe also a good thing, otherwise it would be full of Earl Rose’s and Januarie’s. Nevertheless, even if this would not have been the case, would the fans or media ever go for this idea, when you have “the worlds best ever players”. Think about that one.
So basically because of media pressure, Div could never exert any kind of dominance. From the start. Style, Captain, Squad. Its not something new. Where Div has failed most as coach is not in his selections, coaching style or comments. It is, like you say Morne, his ability to stand up to the media from day 1.
Greenpoint-Gunner wrote:
In NZ they say rugby is a religion. Here a coach is fair game to anyone.With the start that Peters career had, thanks Mr Hoskins, he was immediately on the back foot.
Greenpoint-Gunner wrote:
Ironically i was one of those heavily critical about this game plan , ever more ironic is that in those days the WP players were the ones picked because they played this open “airie fairie” running game. He loaded his teams with these players. Now the Stormers can barely cross a tryline.
If one pick a team to this years WC, not many would be brave enough to drop all these under performing Bulls players. Who would go to the WC without VM, FduP, MS, BB, DR,WO? One or two might miss the bus but no one would be brave and drop all of them. For me the big challenge is to get the Springbok team combinations that already exists is good peak performance at the right time.
When is the right time? Well it is certainly not now 137 days before the start of the WC.
I might be killed for saying it but now is the best time for VM to get injured and be out of the game for 2 months. Maybe some other players too. RM will be fresh come WC time.
superBul wrote:
Add another 30 days?
Quarter-finals
Saturday, October 8 Venue
QF1: W Pool C v RU Pool D Wellington Regional Stadium
QF2: W Pool B v RU Pool A Eden Park, Auckland
Sunday, October 9 Venue
QF3: W Pool D v RU Pool C Wellington Regional Stadium
QF4: W Pool A v RU Pool B Eden Park, Auckland
Morné wrote:
I really hope that PdeV did not lose confidence in himself. He was a good people manager. Completely different to most others, there was a happy family of players who walked the road with him. Sadly the players when off form will find any straw to clutch onto. The media made it easy for them to shift blame to PdeV because they question his plans so much.
Jake went through it too, and he released pressure on himself by appointing a inspired assistant coach, Eddie Jones to take the wind out of us, his fiercest critics.
It is obvious i still believe Peter can do it for us. Just so sad he could not get rid of his assistants , Dick and G(h)ary. Hope the next coach learn from this, give them only a 2 year contract.
@ Greenpoint-Gunner:
Thanks!
I think you might have missed one thing.
Peter loves to empower his players, at some point I just think he might have gotten the balance wrong.
Morning fellas…
The sun is out, nature is smiling again… how can we not be positive in a situation like this?
Handbriekie wants me to go with them to the Rand Easter Show… I said no
Regarding Snorrie, my feelings are well known, the man will take us nowhere in the Rugby World Cup!
This will be partly due to whom we WILL draw in the semi’s, partly due to Snorrie’s own stupidity, partly due to the out of form nature of senior Bokke, partly due to the game plan we will play… and partly due to the fact that John Smit will most probably be the captain, at hooker, keeping the world’s best hooker (Bissie) out of the starting lineup.
Who do we blame for all these “partly’s”?
1. The draw we can do nothing about
2. Snorrie’s stupidity we’re stuck with…. and SARU should take the blame for his appointment in the first place!
3. The out-of-formers, like Habana, Bakkies, John Smit & Spies should have been cut from the broader squad long ago, by Snorrie… that would have sent a clear message to Bokke and Bokke aspirants that they would have to keep form and play their hearts out. It has not been done, so as a result we now sit with more out of form players, Victor, Fourie du Preez, Morné Steyn.. ect
4. The game plan…. well, blame for the total disregard for basic skills must be laid in front of Franchise coaches and the players doors, but Snorrie should have worked on variations to avoid the stale kick and chase and crash and bash long ago, there he’ll have to share blame.
5. I feel Snorrie has been too afraid and too hesitant in not identifying a worthy successor for Smit as captain, and see it as a shame that Bissie will play second fiddle…
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