Five things the Boks must fix
JOHANNESBURG: The Rugby Championship takes a break this weekend but there will be no rest for Springbok coach Allister Coetzee as he tries to find the recipe to get his team firing after the dismal performance against Argentina in Salta.
Here are five areas that Coetzee must sort out as soon as possible ...
Selections FOR starters, Pieter-Steph du Toit needs to be in the starting team. The Boks are missing his prowess in the lineout, but it’s his powerful ball-carrying and tackling that could boost the team significantly. Whether he plays at lock or flank, Du Toit must play. Sadly Frans Malherbe and Julian Redelinghuys are injured, so there’s a problem at tighthead, while Beast Mtawarira simply isn’t the player he once was. Steve Kitshoff could get a look-in, and so, too could Jaco Kriel. There will also be many saying pick Juan de Jongh ahead of Damian de Allende – and, why not?
Leadership RIGHT now the issue of captaincy is a major problem in the side. In fact, the whole issue of “leadership” is an issue that needs to be sorted out very quickly. It’s amazing how often we hear of all the leaders in the team, but at times against Ireland and in the two Tests against Argentina, it’s looked as if the Boks haven’t a leader in sight. Unfortunately Adriaan Strauss, so impressive as Bismarck du Plessis’ back-up, just hasn’t been the same player as a starter, and then he’s still the captain. Coetzee might have to make a big FOR the best and the strongest flavour of PSL coverage, you simply can’t miss our special local soccer page, tomorrow and every Tuesday in the Cape Times. See if you agree with the Team of the Week selected by our stable of soccer writers, and follow them all on Twitter
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Game plan THIS is probably the biggest worry at the moment. No one quite knows what type of game the Boks want to play. Are they trying to be more expansive, to play like the Lions or are they trying to marry the Lions’ style with the Boks’ old traditional strengths, and that is powerful forwards and a strong kicking game? It’s a mess right now. Why pick Morne Steyn on the bench when you want to
run the ball and play attacking rugby? It makes no sense. And, where were the lineout drives on Saturday? Where were the phase-after-phase, pick-andgos?
Kicking IF Coetzee and the men in his team who handle the kicking duties are honest with themselves they’ll admit the tactical kicking so far has been woeful. And then we’re not even talking about the goal-kicking. If the Boks are to have any chance of progressing and winning more matches they’re going to have to sort out these issues as soon as possible. Too many up-andunders don’t fly far enough, or they go too far, and too many touch finders are missing their mark. And we haven’t even got to the points going begging as a result of poor goal-kicking.
Defence WE’VE seen enough of Argentina to know that when they get some confidence they’re as dangerous as anyone with front foot ball. But that shouldn’t result in the Boks slipping tackles and leaving gaping holes for the opposition to run through as happened in Salta and at other times this year. Where are the big hits, the in-your-face defence? Oupa Mohoje has stood out for tackles made and Warren Whiteley’s not been far behind, but it’s out wide and at the back where alarm bells are ringing. Rugby writer JOHN GOLIATH says: NAAS BOTHA may have inadvertently opened a can of worms on Saturday night during the post-mortem of the Springboks’ shock defeat to the Argentina in Salta. Botha questioned the credentials of new Bok defence coach Chean Roux, who replaced Jacques Nienaber, who recently left SA Rugby to take up a post at Irish club Munster. Roux previously assisted the Boks as part of the Mobi Unit on refereeing and technical aspects, and before that coached Maties and played as a loose forward for Western Province and the Stormers. Botha wanted to know why SA Rugby didn’t replace Nienaber, a specialist defence coach, with a person of similar experience and expertise. Surely SA Rugby is in a position to find a top-class defence guru locally or abroad rather than just changing one guy’s portfolio. But we have to ask that question about some of other specialist coaches on Coetzee’s staff as well, and whether the Bok coach should consider outside help to assist with the breakdown and their attack, and someone who can get Elton Jantjies to aim straight for poles. Coetzee needs help to steady the Bok ship. It’s maybe time to look abroad ... in New Zealand to be exact.