Fitness comment rubs SA coach up the wrong way
SPRINGBOK coach Allister Coetzee seemingly took offence at Scott Robertson’s fitness comments‚ saying little attention should be paid to his predecessors.
In the aftermath of the Crusaders’ 62-24 thumping of the Bulls on May 6‚ Robertson said the South African Super Rugby teams were not fit enough.
Conditioning‚ or a lack thereof‚ was a trending theme during the Springboks’ disastrous season last year.
An example was the 57-15 caning against the All Blacks in King’s Park, where Steve Hansen’s side rifled in five tries in the last quarter.
Coetzee said: “I know the predecessors have mentioned this, but don’t jump up and down‚ especially over what the Crusaders guy had said.
“It’s something we took on board last year. That is why we had a conditioning indaba.
“There’s a standardised test protocol from each of the conditioning coaches and we’re in a good condition from a collaboration point.
“The Bok players are in the hands of the franchises and coached through the franchises to get better Boks.
“When we conclude the inbound series‚ these players must go back to their franchises fitter to contest Super Rugby playoffs,” Coetzee said.
“It’s not about staying fit for your franchise and not worrying about the Boks. It’s a collaboration, otherwise we’ll never win the conditioning battle. “We are getting better – and results. “The players understand and the onus is on them to understand they’re fit enough to compete at this level.”
The French may be Coetzee’s immediate problem, but the menacing All Blacks loom on the horizon, should Coetzee’s side beat France and ostensibly‚ keep him in the job.
There has been the significant matter of the Bulls‚ Cheetahs and Stormers struggling against the Kiwi sides.
The Bulls have a tough task against the Hurricanes on Saturday, while the Cheetahs have been blanked by the New Zealand sides.
The Stormers beat the Chiefs and the Blues at home but their “progress” was put in perspective with the consecutive 40-point plus clobberings by the Crusaders‚ Highlanders and Hurricanes.
Coetzee admitted SA still had a way to go to catch up with New Zealand, but that the Boks would at some point.
“When the Stormers beat the Chiefs at Newlands‚ we were very excited and that’s something I have to look at.
“We’re probably not where we’re supposed to be, but that doesn’t mean we won’t get there.
“There’s constant improvement and the Lions have been fantastic‚” he said.
“There have been glimpses from the other teams‚ especially the Sharks.
“It’s not a question of looking at the scoreline, but at what certain players can do in terms of their skillsets.”