Time for Boks to part ways with the 2007 history

IN 2007 the Springboks were on top of the world after winning the World Cup in France and the players that starred in that triumph defined the team for the next eight years.

But after coming up short at this year’s event with nine survivors from 2007, it’s time that Springbok rugby breaks with that part of its history.

A post-World Cup year is usually a transitional one and in the two cycles since that famous victory over England in Paris, the coach has changed twice. Peter de Villiers succeeded Jake White in 2008 and Heyneke Meyer succeeded De Villiers in 2012 after the Springboks were eliminated, by Australia, from the quarterfinals of the 2011 World Cup in New Zealand.

Entire backrooms were also cleaned out, but the one thing that remained consistent was a large group of 2007 winners that played on — mostly with distinction.

As Fourie du Preez said in the immediate euphoria of the 2007 victory: “This team is only at the beginning.”

He was right, but through a combination of coaching changes that led to tactical confusion, coupled with injuries and perhaps too many strong characters, the team never fully fulfilled its potential.

“Most of us older guys have come a long way,” flank Schalk Burger, who has not confirmed whether he will be eligible for test rugby next year, said.

“Most of us started in the early 2000s, played three World Cups, and won one, beat the Lions and beat the All Blacks three times in a row [in 2009].

“It was a special group of players but maybe we weren’t always as successful . . .”

The All Blacks have dominated for six years since that 2009 season, keeping several key players but also blooding new talent along the way. Everything is geared towards their success. South Africa tried to keep up with a big core of experience. The approach will have to be different now.

Meyer’s future is in doubt, but even if he stays on, the time has arrived for a total clear out of aging players to make way for new talent and a new identity

A total clear out of aging players to make way for new talent and a new identity

for the Springboks, as they work towards the next World Cup in Japan in 2019.

Du Preez and Jannie du Plessis (both 33), Burger and Bryan Habana (both 32), Ruan Pienaar, Bismarck du Plessis (both 31) and JP Pietersen, 29, could all, in theory, give another year or two to the Boks. But is that the way forward? Certainly the talent is there and they have experience, but at most only a couple should play through a transitional season.

“The Springboks always want to be the best and when we are not, as players we’re scrutinised, which is fair,” said Burger. “We have a band of players with 20-30 caps who are all between 22-24 years old. Now they have to start being consistent.”