Jones: Man with a plan
Stormers coach has a brilliant, clear rugby mind
EDDIE Jones breezed into Cape Town last week to take up his role as Stormers coach and it already feels like a gale-force southeaster has cleared the air at Newlands.
Gone are clichés and meaningless phrases. In comes a brilliant rugby mind with a clear focus of what needs to be done to deliver the Stormers’ first Super Rugby title. And it probably won’t be in 2016.
The 55-year-old Jones, one of the most respected and soughtafter coaches in world rugby, has said change will take time. But change there will be. And he is excited because of the raw material at his disposal.
Jones once said you have to play rugby that is “culturally sympathetic” to wherever you are. In South Africa that is different to Australia or Japan.
“You are how you’re educated,” Jones said. “Australian players are educated to be quite adventurous and are generally at their best when they are a bit arrogant. That’s the reality.
“South African players are educated to be physical, there is no doubt about it. They are also quite obedient boys, so you have to play in a way that takes those factors into consideration because you are not going to change what they have been educated to be.
“So I don’t want to lose sight of that fact.
“There is a real desire to play this side-to-side game here at Western Province where the ball is fizzing around, but the reality of rugby is that no one plays like that.
“The All Blacks have become unbeatable because they can play like that when they have an opportunity, but firstly their
CULTURALLY SYMPATHETIC: Coach Eddie Jones believes South Africans are taught to play physical rugby scrum is strong, their lineout is strong and their defence is brilliant. We want to develop the same mentality here, where we have the base set so that when an opportunity arises we are good and skilled enough to take it. If there is a five-on-three situation on our tryline, we can score down the other end.”
Jones, who masterminded Japan’s 34-32 win over the Springboks at the World Cup, believes South African players have ignored skills development because of their physical superiority. That will change at the Stormers.
“Over the years the primary way South African teams saw themselves winning was by being physically stronger,” Jones said. “And when you’re physically superior you don’t need great skills such as forwards who can pass. If they can run over the top of someone they don’t need to pass.
“But the rest of the world has caught up in strength and condition and the natural physical advantage South African players enjoyed has diminished.
“There is an increasing need now to produce not only physical players but skilful players.
“And it can be done. We’ve seen Schalk Burger develop from a specialist fetcher, smash-and-take-it-forward type player into one of the most skilled players in the world.
“If you look at flanks globally — and you examine their absolute skill — Burger and George Smith [Wallabies No 8] are way ahead of everybody including Richie McCaw.
“Now McCaw is a great contester and has other abilities, but Burger and Smith have the ability to carry, to pass and to see space and so it proves it can be coached.”
One of those that Jones has special plans for is inside centre Damian de Allende. The Bok midfielder was superb at the World Cup, regularly beating defenders with footwork and power. But he hardly made a pass. It worries Jones.
“I’m not sure what the tactic was for De Allende at the Springboks — maybe it was just to get over the gain line,” Jones said. “But here at the Stormers we need him, not only to run and make yards, but to shift the ball to other people. He has to fix defenders. enough to do it.
“Take [Welsh centre] Jamie Roberts for example — he’s an outstanding player but he can’t pass. So when teams double tackle him he loses his advantage. We don’t want De Allende to end up like that.
“I want him to be like Ma’a Nonu. Look at how well Nonu played at the World Cup. But when he started he was a crashand-bash centre with little else. He developed his skills and is a sensational player. De Allende could be like that.”
To that end, skills training will be key.
“The way we will approach our preparation is that everything will be geared towards the game plan, and that includes strength and conditioning,” Jones said.
He’s
young
Schalk Burger and George Smith are way ahead of everybody I want [inside centre] Damian de Allende to be like Ma’a Nonu