'K**kest plan in the world': Nienaber explains why the Bok coaches lost money for World Cup dream
It is not easy to tell assistant coaches to continually chop and change teams when they stand to lose 40 percent of their income when things go awry.
Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber was very forthright in his explanation of the need for the rotation policy, especially if you consider that 40 percent of the coaching staff’s contracts are based on win bonuses.
“It is not nice to chop and change teams. Remember, our contracts are based on 40 percent win bonuses,” Nienaber said during the writers’ briefing on Saturday ahead of the team’s departure to the United Kingdom.
“So it’s tough to tell an assistant coach we need to build squad depth but we might lose this Test match, which is 40 percent of your salary. We are taking a risk.
“But that is the best for South Africa, for where we are, the squad that we have and that we feel – and we might be wrong – we will actually only be right if we win the World Cup.
“If we don’t win the World Cup, everyone will say this was the k**kest plan in the world,” Nienaber said plainly.
According to him, lessons were learnt from the 2011 World Cup squad, when South Africa got eliminated by Australia in the quarterfinals.
“We learned these lessons in 2011.
“We had a squad of 27 World Cup-winning players. At some stage, only 17 were training.
“Everyone had injuries and some couldn’t train on Mondays and/or Tuesdays. That didn’t work for us back then.”
But Nienaber feels that the core of the team has been established and that very little changes will take place in the next two games, against Wales this weekend and New Zealand the following Friday.
“We will probably chop and change a little bit less in the next two games,” he said.
“We need to get combinations now. We haven’t given the team the luxury of building combinations and little micro-units within each other.”
Jaden Hendrikse will most likely get the nod to start at scrumhalf since he hasn’t had a lot of playing time due to the passing of his father last month.
“Jaden needs to get a chance now, rather than Grant [Williams]. We would like to see where Jaden is.
“We have seen him in training, but that’s different. So it would be good to see Jaden in action, if we can, as well as Grant,” Nienaber said.
“I think Faf [de Klerk] also needs more game-time. Cobus [Reinach] was exceptional when he played, especially against Argentina – it was probably the best that he has ever played for the Boks.
“Faf was also brilliant, even against Argentina.”
The coach said Williams was over his concussion sustained in the Test against Argentina at Ellis Park and might even run out at wing in one of the two warm-up games.
Comments on RugbyPass
“Cortez Ratima is light years ahead of anyone on current form, while TJ Perenara has also skyrocketed into contention following the unfortunate injury to the talented Cam Roigard.” At last some sanity. Hitherto so many pundits have been wittering on about Finlay Christie to the point one wondered if they were observing a FC in a parallel universe where the FC they saw wasnt just the mediocre Shayne Philpott project of Fosters hapless AB reign in the real world. Ratima, Perenara and Fakatava are the ONLY logical 9s for Razor now Roigard is crocked.
2 Go to commentsThis game was just as painful as the Hurricanes game. It was real fork-in-the-eye stuff.
2 Go to commentsNow if they could just fire the Crusaders ground PA guy who likes to play his dance music and just loves the sound of his own voice the entire game, even when play is going on. And I thought their brass band thing of a few years ago was bad.
5 Go to commentsUnfortunately when you lose by far the two form players this season in Roigard and Aumua, you're left replacing two game changing Tanks with a couple of pea-shooters. Which is also about the speed of TJs pass.
2 Go to commentsBit rich coming from the guy with zero loyalty to anyone or any team, including happily taking a players place in a league world cup squad because well, SBW wanted to play in it and thus an already named player got told he was no longer going. And airing stuff like this, which may or may not be true, doesn't exactly say you're a stand up guy either SBW. Just looking to keep his name in lights as usual.
37 Go to commentsTamati Tua. …the Taniwha NPC midfielder. Ollie Sapsford, Hawkes Bay NPC midfielder…doing well
2 Go to commentsFiji deserve to be in the rugby championship, fans love seeing the Fijian national team play, the Fijian Drua is a wonderful idea but the players can still be stolen to play for NZ and AUS…
1 Go to commentsThe first concern for this afternoon are wheather forecast…
1 Go to commentsWhy cant I watch Rugby games please?
1 Go to commentsBeautiful shot from Finau, end of story. Gutted for Shaun Stevenson though.
4 Go to commentsThe Chiefs definitely didn’t win ugly. They had the superior scrum, a dominant lineout, and their defence was excellent once the Waratahs scored their two tries (thanks to some lucky refereeing calls mind you). They put pressure on the Waratahs lineout throughout the game, and the mind boggles as to why the referee did not award a yellow card or a penalty try against the Waratahs for repeated scrum infringements on their own try line before Narawa’s first try. And the Chiefs were slick with their passing and running angles on attack. It was a dominant performance all round, even with many questionable refereeing decisions.
1 Go to commentsWasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
4 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
4 Go to commentsBig difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
5 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
33 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
4 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusaders , you can keep going.
5 Go to comments