Positive rugby doesn’t equal reckless rugby
It all comes down to playing the situation and taking the right option
WHY in South Africa is attacking rugby, expansive rugby, running rugby or whatever you want to call it, so often associated with recklessness? It can be high-risk for sure, but it’s nowhere near reckless.
I ask the question because at the conclusion of the coaching indaba last week, Springbok coach Allister Coetzee spoke about playing more attacking rugby, but not to the extent that it becomes “reckless and stupid”.
He also revealed that the indaba had provided enough insight to take SA rugby forward without “emulating” other countries, despite the fact that New Zealand are the benchmark in world rugby and one just has to look at them to see what complete rugby should look like.
“I think we have a few franchises who have been playing brilliantly on attack. The misconception out there about ballin-hand or heads-up or expansive rugby – all those terms that people chant – there has got to be a balance in everything, and we have to play in a way like that, but not to the extent that it becomes reckless and stupid and (we) make mistakes,” Coetzee said.
Coetzee, and there are others like him in SA Rugby (but not Johan Ackermann!) seem to automatically put a negative connotation to running rugby. As in people “chanting” for it. Other terms Coetzee has pinned on it include “myth” and “fairytale.”
Well, I believe the Springboks need to play positive rugby. And positive rugby does not equal reckless rugby. The two are by no means the same thing.
What do I mean by positive rugby? I mean exactly that. Rugby that is positive. Rugby that encompasses all aspects of the game and not where one area is favoured while another is neglected.
And this is what Coetzee doesn’t seem to get. You can adopt a different approach while still maintaining traditional strengths. Your set-pieces don’t have to be neglected just because you run the ball more or because you try to be more creative.
This week Coetzee said that the Springboks would spend 20 minutes extra on improving their defence and kicking skills at every training session from now on.
The Bok mentor believes that these two areas need to improve if the Boks want to produce better performances during the end-of-year tour next month. He also said that they have to up their territorial game. Oh, and they’re not going to Wembley Stadium to “entertain”. (Never mind that the All Blacks have won and entertained for at least 20 years.)
Now trying to fix or improve those areas is all good and well. But looking at what Coetzee has emphasised so far, it’s quite clear how the Springboks will be looking to play. They will play what Coetzee calls “Test rugby”, which again, is a different kind of Test rugby to what New Zealand or Australia play.
According to Coetzee, you first have to win the territorial battle by kicking your way into your opponents half before you can attack. But why on earth should that be the only exit plan from your own 22 or your own half ? If the game or the option dictates that you have to kick then by all means kick. But if there is an opportunity to run the ball, then do so.
Running the ball from your red zone is made to seem like a foreign concept in South African rugby. Which is weird, because we often see it done with great ease and to great effect by other countries. One trait doesn’t have to come at the cost of another. The Springboks can still have strong set-pieces, a good kicking game, and be more expressive with ball in hand.
In the end, it all comes down to one simple thing: playing the situation and taking the right option irrespective of where you are on the field. That concept seems to elude Coetzee.
There are a number of promising players in the Springbok squad for the Barbarians game. I am thinking of guys like Lizo Gqoboka, Thomas du Toit, RG Snyman, Roelof Smit, Jean-Luc du Preez, Uzair Cassiem, Tian Schoeman, Francois Venter, Rohan Janse van Rensburg, Sergeal Petersen, Jamba Ulengo and Cheslin Kolbe.
These are exciting players. Players that the Boks need. And now they finally get a chance. I just hope that chance will be in an environment that promotes growth and encourages expression not only when it come to the Springboks’ “old strengths”, but also when it comes to running the ball. Not recklessly, of course.