‘My job is to boost confidence’
SPRINGBOK coach Allister Coetzee says it is his job to instill confidence and not to introduce an individualistic mentality in his team by constant chopping and changing.
Ahead of naming his team to play in a series-deciding match against Ireland at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium tomorrow, he gave an insight on how he approached team selection.
“The experienced players know they must lead by example and there is no getting away from that,” Coetzee said.
“I believe in second chances and I have been doing that. Some have put their hands up and played well and contributed to the result.
“I look at the challenges that the Irish will bring and I must make sure I select a team that will combat those challenges.
“But it is not just about senior players. We are quick to use something and just chuck it out and start with some new, untested thing we have an opinion about.
“I have been in the business for some time and I know I need to get players to perform.
“How do I get players to perform? By just dropping them and making the other players nervous?”
Coetzee speculated that the players would think: “I have to come to play now and I have to play this one opportunity for myself and then we start becoming an individualistic team.”
The new Bok coach said he wanted his players to be bristling with confidence ahead of the decider.
“Players must have the confidence and I need to bring that confidence and make sure they have it to perform as a unit.
“Everyone has to be better from the outset in this test.
“From the start we must have more accuracy and discipline in our game and cut out the unforced errors,” Coetzee said.
Springbok assistant coach Matt Proudfoot said the first half would be vital in deciding the outcome of the test.
“You can see the way tests are won now. It is really a slog in the first half and about who makes the least amount of errors and who controls territory. Then you start building up into the game,” he said.
“Test match rugby is tough. It is not like Super Rugby. You have to be effective in that first half. We made three mistakes in the 22 and it cost us 19 points, and that is what we have to get out of our game.”