Ex-Boks coach blasts 'stupid decision' behind South Africa's downfall
Former Springboks head coach Peter de Villiers has labelled South Africa’s “stupid decision” to leave Super Rugby as a key reason behind their lack of recent international form.
Following a two-year hiatus from test rugby amid the Covid-19 pandemic, the Springboks returned to action this year for the first time since the 2019 World Cup triumph in Japan.
A series victory over the British and Irish Lions throughout July and August appeared to consolidate their status as the world’s best team, as did further victories over Los Pumas in their opening two matches of the Rugby Championship.
However, back-to-back defeats to the Wallabies has seen South Africa lose its place as the world’s top-ranked side to the All Blacks, who they will face off against this weekend in Townsville in what will be their 100th clash against each other.
The Springboks have been lamented for their conservative attacking tactics as they also struggled to cope defensively against Australia’s far more expansive style of play during their matches over the past fortnight on the Gold Coast and in Brisbane.
Speaking to Newstalk ZB, de Villiers attributed that in part to South Africa’s decision to leave Super Rugby after the competition was halted and eventually abandoned last March due to the initial outbreak of the virus.
Since then, Super Rugby has undergone a significant overhaul, with the New Zealand, Australian and South African franchises playing their own makeshift domestic versions of the competition over the past two seasons, while the Jaguares and Sunwolves were disbanded.
The Kiwi and Australian sides went on to play each other in Super Rugby Trans-Tasman this season, and all 10 of those teams will play alongside new expansion franchises Moana Pasifika and the Fijian Drua in the revamped Super Rugby Pacific in 2022 and 2023.
The future of Super Rugby now appears to be focused solely in the Asia-Pacific region rather than across the entire southern hemisphere, as South Africa’s four franchises have shifted north to play club rugby in Europe.
Joining the newly-formed United Rugby Championship – previously known as the Pro14 – the Bulls, Lions, Sharks and Stormers will now play alongside Irish, Welsh, Scottish and Italian teams on a full-time basis beginning this weekend.
De Villiers said he disagreed with South Africa’s call to abandon their SANZAAR counterparts at Super Rugby level as he believes it has contributed to making the Springboks less competitive than the All Blacks and Wallabies.
“That was a stupid decision that somebody has made,” he told Newstalk ZB.
With South Africa no longer a part of Super Rugby, things are only going to get harder for New Zealand’s young test stars. #AllBlacks #Springboks #NZLvRSAhttps://t.co/av6EDVqZcl
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) September 24, 2021
“I don’t see any financial gain in that thing. I don’t see any rugby specific role that gives the game the edge that we need. That was a very, very bad decision that we made.
“I think we gave up that competitive edge where we could mould players at a lower level at Super Rugby so they can be ready at the stage where they can represent their country.
“We have stolen from ourselves something that was very good for the game and we are paying the price.”
The 64-year-old coached the Springboks between 2008 and 2011 and was in charge when South Africa achieved a rare clean sweep of the All Blacks during the 2009 Tri Nations, the last year of which New Zealand lost the Freedom Cup.
De Villiers, who also guided the Springboks to two further victories over the All Blacks in 2008 and 2011, said his squad at that point in time was far superior to the current crop of players South Africa currently have.
“I don’t think we can match them [the All Blacks] at any level,” he told Newstalk ZB.
“We had a midfield with Jean de Villiers, Jaque Fourie, Adrian Jacobs, guys who could at any time be a game breaker. Then we had players around the wings like Bryan Habana and JP Pietersen, people who from nothing [could] create something.
“I don’t think we have that [now]. In the pack we had natural, strong players and we used the back to bring the forwards into the game and it works for us. It’s going to be tough [this Saturday].”
De Villiers also waded in on the criticism of South Africa’s negative attacking play as he said their high volume of kicking needs to be replaced by more creative freedom with ball in hand.
“There’s no traditional style of South African rugby. There’s only a style of the coaches. Kicking will always be part of the game. It was there for years. With Daniel Carter then at the world’s best, you could count how many times he did kick.
Former All Blacks and Wallabies skills coach Mick Byrne has been unveiled as head coach of the Fijian Drua for their inaugural season in Super Rugby Pacific. #SuperRugbyPacific #FijianDrua https://t.co/XB7UPNP5eN
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) September 24, 2021
“So, kicking was always part of the game, but you can’t build your game plan around kicking. Kicking should be a part of the game and not the game itself.
“In South Africa’s case before the World Cup, they started this kind of game plan, and at this stage everybody else is now so happy with chasing and [going] for the 50-50 balls in the air.
“Nobody has worked on their own creative skills and if the kick doesn’t work, they can’t fall back on something.”
After playing their centennial test at Queensland Country Bank Stadium on Saturday, the All Blacks and Springboks will close out their Rugby Championship campaigns against each other on the Gold Coast next week.
Comments on RugbyPass
I bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
19 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
7 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
19 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
9 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
9 Go to commentsAI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
45 Go to commentsIt couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
28 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
19 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
28 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
19 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
90 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
4 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
9 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
19 Go to comments