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Après les Fidji, les Blitzboks aussi changent d’entraîneur
Deuxième coup de tonnerre sur la planète Sevens. A 134 jours du début des Jeux olympiques de Paris 2024, une deuxième équipe phare de rugby à sept change d’entraîneur principal.
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L’équipe de rugby à sept d’Afrique du Sud, vainqueur des Sevens World Series encore récemment en 2021, a décidé de tenter le tout pour le tout pour tenter de sauver sa saison, son avenir au sein de l’élite du rugby à sept international étant menacé.
Dans un renversement des rôles, l’actuel entraîneur principal Sandile Ngcobo a été rétrogradé à un rôle d’assistant et la légende des Blitzboks, Philip Snyman, a pris sa place jusqu’à la fin des Series.
Les Blitzboks, qui ont terminé parmi les deux premiers lors de 12 des 16 dernières saisons du HSBC SVNS, sont actuellement septièmes au classement après avoir terminé neuvièmes puis onzièmes lors des deux dernières éditions à Vancouver et Los Angeles.
Si l’équipe ne termine pas dans les huit premiers du classement, elle devra participer à un tournoi de promotion et de relégation à Madrid.
L’Afrique du Sud n’est pas encore qualifiée pour les JO
Comme si l’avenir de l’Afrique du Sud se jouait dans les quatre mois à venir, l’équipe n’est toujours pas qualifiée pour les JO de Paris 2024, ce qui semble impensable au regard de ses performances passées.
A Rio en 2016, l’Afrique du Sud avait remporté la médaille de bronze et avait terminé 5e l’édition suivante à Tokyo en 2020. Son absence aux JO de Paris serait historique.
Le tournoi de repêchage de rugby à sept pour les Jeux olympiques de Paris 2024 aura lieu à Monaco du 21 au 23 juin 2024. Le prestigieux rendez-vous revient au Stade Louis II, qui avait déjà accueilli les épreuves finales de qualification avant les Jeux olympiques de Rio 2016 et de Tokyo 2020.
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Rien n’est joué pour les Blitzboks puisque le tournoi masculin opposera l’Afrique du Sud, le Brésil, le Canada, le Chili, la Chine, la Grande-Bretagne, Hongkong China, le Mexique, la Papouasie-Nouvelle-Guinée, l’Espagne, les Tonga et l’Ouganda.
Les Blitzboks restent de sérieux prétendants après avoir remporté la première manche du HSBC SVNS 2024 à Dubaï en décembre, tandis que le Canada, la Grande-Bretagne et l’Espagne sont également des équipes titulaires du circuit mondial de rugby à sept, au plus haut niveau.
Changement de rôle
Sandile Ngcobo, alors entraîneur de l’Académie de rugby à sept, avait été promu pour succéder à Neil Powell en septembre 2022 et Philip Snyman, ancien capitaine des Blitzboks, avait été désigné comme entraîneur adjoint.
Snyman occupera désormais le rôle d’entraîneur principal jusqu’à la fin du mois de juillet et l’achèvement des Jeux olympiques de Paris.
« Nous avons un groupe de joueurs de rugby à sept talentueux et expérimentés, mais ils ont sous-performé depuis qu’ils ont remporté le tournoi d’ouverture des World Series à Dubaï et les résultats n’ont fait qu’empirer », a justifié Rian Oberholzer, directeur général de SA Rugby, dans un communiqué publié mercredi 13 mars.
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« Nous devons encore nous qualifier pour les Jeux olympiques et il y a un danger que l’équipe titulaire ne conserve pas automatiquement son statut de titulaire sur le circuit mondial. Nous apprécions beaucoup l’honnêteté de l’approche de Sandile et nous devons le féliciter d’avoir placé les besoins de l’équipe au-dessus de ses ambitions personnelles.
Un besoin urgent de gagner
« Nous continuerons à investir dans son développement et nous pensons qu’il a un avenir dans nos systèmes. Cependant, les besoins à court terme de l’équipe sont tels que, dans un souci de continuité, nous avons confié à Philip la tâche de relancer l’équipe.
« La révision de l’ensemble de la structure du département des Sevens se poursuivra afin de s’assurer qu’elle reste alignée sur ses objectifs. Les performances remarquables des Blitzboks ont illuminé le rugby pendant de nombreuses saisons, et nous espérons les voir briller à nouveau. »
La décision de l’Afrique du Sud intervient peu après que les Fidji ont mis fin au mandat de Ben Gollings en tant qu’entraîneur principal en raison de résultats décevants.
Comments on RugbyPass
It’s a shame that Baxter wasn’t nominated for DoR of the season. what he did is more impressive than McCall imo
1 Go to commentsSeveral boks said during World Cup they play so hard to give people back home hope. As an Englishman the Springboks Captain’s life story is an inspiration which should give us all hope and inspiration. Rather like that other great South African, Nelson Mandela
34 Go to commentsFox News, Tucker Carlson, Jordan Peterson and Joe Rogan? Yikes.
1 Go to commentsThat is harsh though. Messi has/had a reputation for trying to keep his feet and keep dribbling for goal. Many of his brethren were the histrionic divers but not him.
2 Go to commentsMcReight is certainly one of the first picked. He’s going to be the glue, a Wallaby with some rugby IQ and the everywhere man for the Wallabies.
7 Go to commentsSophie De Goede is one of the best players we’ve ever produced. Kicked all the points, 2 try assists, line out takes, carries, tackles, charge downs… what a player
1 Go to commentsThe guy had just beasted himself in a scrum and the blood hadn't yet returned to his head when he was pushed into a team mate. He took his weight off his left foot precisely at the moment he was shoved and dropped to the floor when seemingly trying to avoid stepping on Hyron Andrews’ foot. I don't think he was trying to milk a penalty, I think he was knackered but still switched on enough to avoid planting 120kgs on the dorsum of his second row’s foot. To effectively “police” such incidents with a (noble) view to eradicating play acting in rugby, yet more video would need to be reviewed in real time, which is not in the interest of the game as a sporting spectacle. I would far rather see Farrell penalised for interfering with the refereeing of the game. Perhaps he was right to be frustrated, he was much closer to the action than the only camera angle I've seen, however his vocal objection to Rodd’s falling over doesn't legitimately fall into the captain's role as the mouthpiece of his team - he should have kept his frustration to himself, that's one of the pillars of rugby union. I appreciate that he was within his rights to communicate with the referee as captain but he didn't do this, he moaned and attempted to sway the decision by directing his complaint to the player rather than the ref. Rugby needs to look closely at the message it wants to send to young players and amateur grassroots rugby. The best way to do this would be to apply the laws as they are written and edit them where the written laws no longer apply. If this means deleting laws such as ‘the put in to the scrum must be straight”, so be it. Likewise, if it is no longer necessary to respect the referee’s decision without questioning it or pre-emptively attempting to sway it (including by diving or by shouting and gesticulating) then this behaviour should be embraced (and commercialised). Otherwise any reference to respecting the referee should be deleted from the laws. You have to start somewhere to maintain the values of rugby and the best place to start would be giving a penalty and a warning against the offending player, followed by a yellow card the next time. People like Farrell would rapidly learn to keep quiet and let their skills do the talking.
1 Go to commentsThe name “Kwagga” came to mind while I was reading this. And there’s another Sevens convert roaming the wide open kant at the Lions now - JC Pretorius. Keep an eye on him.
7 Go to comments2024 Rugby Championship: Sat, 10 Aug 2024 – Sat, 28 Sept 2024. Looking forward to watching the All Blacks coached by Scott Robertson, with or without the ‘dynamic’ qualities of Shannon Michael Frizell - see his display against South Africa at Go Media Mount Smart Stadium on July 15.
1 Go to commentsI agree about 8 being too many The English premiership has top four only Top 14 has six URC has 8 I think 6 would be fine It gives those other two teams an incentive But rewarding a team in perhaps 8th with three wins is atrocious If they get in they know they only need one big game
7 Go to commentsInteresting article. I think the answer lies in a comment Kwagga Smith made during the World Cup. Asked whether it bothers him that the Bok team doesn’t get more credit he said: “We don’t play for people to respect us: we play for each other and we play for South Africa.” The Springbok team is a brotherhood - an incredibly tight unit, most of whom are good friends off the pitch as well. Not only do they not want to let South Africa down, but they fight like crazy not to let their teammates down. Not saying they don’t care about their club teammates, but I think the bond shared in the Boks is just much, much deeper. Tough to forge the same sort of bond at a club over a handful of years. That must translate into superior performances for country over club.
34 Go to commentsThere is very little creativity in the 9-10 axis for SA. 10 needs to be solid, put the work in and kick the points. the SA counter is almost always via the edge or a kick through for a winger. When was the last offensive backline score from SA against a top team? Perhaps the ultra physical nature of the SA teams means players they get to hit more stats in those games. Maybe the SA pleyers are perfectly suited to the SA system. In other Words they are not club players gathered to play SA Internationals. They are SA International players adapting to play club.
34 Go to commentsJust what you want your prop doing 😂
2 Go to commentsEveryone needs to have a bit of ball player in them Nick and second phase but forwards and backs are still different coz of where you stick your head most of the time. Pocock and tizzano were 12s right up to the edge of seniors. Pocock was 12 to quades 10 then pocock was at the force At 17 year’s old or so. Hamish Stewart was apparently was a junior 7. Don’t know when he switched but apparently he was crons 10 in the Oz 20s. A mistake too often made is playing a guy like taquele nairavuro at wing instead of as a power 8. On rugby tours we often had a spare 7 playing crash 12 coz the regular 12 stayed home. Often had a spare 7 playing on a wing too.
7 Go to commentsyikes - what a load of crap Gallan. Interesting until after your 1st paragraph, but then again not worth anyone’s time responding to such pointless analysis and of course your dumbass opinions.
34 Go to commentsOutside of their national camp, club teams seem to take a tighter stance on doping. Think that explains it really.
34 Go to commentsThanks Nick Ive always thought that there should be a few more innovative attempts at players moving from backs to forwards and vice versa. Samu was one, as was Jim Williams last century. Cole certainly could run like a back, as can Lonergan from the Brumbies. I think that it’s going to become hard again for hookers though as front rowers seem to be getting bigger and bigger, and the guys have to look after their spines as well as (in Australia) their achilles! I always thought that Folau should have been tried in the lineout…. I think the same for Vunavalu…if he lasts any longer. Movement between positions is much more common in League, mainly because the size requirements between backs and forwards are not as pronounced. Hookers and halfbacks interchanging and second rowers and centres as well. The great Cameron Smith was effectively a hybrid hooker/halfback, being able to play both positions…sometimes it seemed simultaneously! For now, it seems like McReith and before him Hooper are the standouts, though Cale could be anything. John Eals did a few “back” type things mind you, including running and kicking. As for Jones, I don't credit him as anything (in an Australian context) other than a speaker of a million throw away lines, with the occasional one being picked up! Sorry
7 Go to commentsHe's Big in Japan
2 Go to comments“England are set to lose some of their best ever players at the end of the season with the mass departure to France”… Really? Best ever? What a joke of an opening line. The england players leaving for France are… Sinckler, Ludlum, Tuilagi… that’s the list of players England are losing at the end of this season to France. All 3 are fringe players at best these days. Manu is the only one you could fathom debating being one of “their best ever players” and even that debate would be shut down pretty quickly. Pathetic excuse for journalism this. Not grounded in reality.
3 Go to commentsYep. The insanity of the decision of trying to outspend RL for outside backs just looks more and more stupid as time goes on and talented players either bully us into paying overs to keep them (Jorgensen) or simply leave as Uncle Nick comes calling (Nawaqanitawase).
20 Go to comments