Rugby

SARU killing Golden Goose?

2010-02-28 21:03
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A concerned Peter de Villiers. (Gallo Images)

Johannesburg - The SA Rugby Union (SARU) may be killing the Goose that lays the golden egg - against scientific advice and proven experience that helped Jake White's team to win the 2007 World Cup.

It is believed that SARU have agreed to an extra Test match against Wales, bringing the number of Tests in 2010 to 14 plus the non-cap "Super Test" against the British Barbarians.

It is expected that the acceptance of the Wales Test will be officially announced by SARU this week, according to Sport24 - with the controlling body being the only winners financially.

With the Wales Test added the Boks will therefore play seven Test matches in seven weeks (eight Saturdays) in June and July and five more in four weeks in Britain.

Those seven Tests in June and July include two against New Zealand, one against Australia, one against France, two against Italy, plus the Test against Wales.

The Springboks will play Wales in Cardiff on June 5 and France in Cape Town the following Saturday.

What's more, the Wales Test comes only a week after the Super 14 final - and if any South African side does play in that final the young hopefuls - players such as Joe Pietersen, Brok Harris, Deon Stegmann and Gerhard van den Heever - will probably have to be overlooked because of the "fatigue factor."

Surely the country's best team cannot be fielded every game? Not to mention the awarding of undeserved caps.

Little heed has been taken at the top level of what sports scientist Professor Tim Noakes has to say about over-playing the Boks. Or of the way that Jake White had to "sacrifice" Test wins in order to win the World Cup.

With 15 internationals the only way to prevent or control that fatigue factor, is by awarding caps to second-stringers in a travesty of all that pride in the Springbok blazer has stood for in its proud history.

What will opponents say about the weakened teams bound to be sent abroad, not to mention the sponsors of the South African team? And will there be support in South Africa for home games when an also-ran team is selected?

Springbok coach Peter de Villiers must be a perplexed man - and make no mistake, he will be the one who unfairly bears the brunt of weakened teams.

De Villiers was uncertain about the wisdom of the Grand Slam tour about which he was obviously not consulted, according to his interview with the Cape Times on February 2.

"The timing of this Grand Slam tour isn't right for me," he said to the Cape Times.

"I need to really sit down and work out when exactly we want to do the conditioning with the guys ahead of the 2011 season. From there we will know what we want to do and how we are going to approach the next two international seasons."

De Villiers then said: "I haven't spoken to the bosses yet about the Grand Slam tour, so I don't know how they see it. I haven't spoken to them or the players."

The Springbok management team faces a difficult task to identify a rest period for the top Springboks to set them up for the run in to the World Cup in New Zealand in 2011.

Sitting out either the 2010 Currie Cup or the end of year tour were two of the possible rest periods that are being looked at by the Bok management.

That has now been complicated.

Springboks’ programme for 2010:


5 June: v Wales (Cardiff)
12 June: v France (Cape Town)
19 June: v Italy (Witbank)
26 June: v Italy (East London)
10 July: v New Zealand (Auckland)
17 July: v New Zealand (Wellington)
24 July: v Australia (Brisbane)
21 August: v New Zealand (Johannesburg)
28 August: v Australia (Pretoria)
4 September: v Australia (Bloemfontein)
6 November: v Ireland (Dublin)
13 November: v Wales (Cardiff)
20 November: v Scotland (Edinburgh)
27 November: v England (London)
4 December: v Barbarians (London)

 

Your Comments

Bob3/1/2010 10:05 PM
What a load of hogwash!!! Why offer contracts to players until its test time. They automatically place themselves in the side without really trying. The best players in the currie cup or players who excell during the season should be picked as they did years ago. As for this bull of being overplayed --- if I pulled that one I would be told to pack my bags and my job is a lot more stressful than a rugby players. Does anyone hear the All Blacks complain or make excuses !! No, they get on with the job and win.
Sally3/1/2010 3:25 PM
I have two comments/statements: 1. He hasn't spoken to the bosses. surely the coach should take the initiative and be involved in the schedule of his team. His excuse is pathetic and really not acting like a pro-active coach. 2. With this schedule we can kiss goodbye the RWC in NZ next year. We will be exhausted before we board the plane. What the hell is SARU thinking here!
Gorden3/1/2010 1:59 PM
Please ever play second stringers, they will embarrass the jersey
djvol3/1/2010 11:27 AM
What hogwash - they must start earning their excessive salaries. Imagine an artisan telling his manager that he is too tired and he needs a couple of weeks of every now and then. Half of these players can not play a full 80 minutes as before the "replacement era" Teams used to play twice a week with several of the players being involved in all the games and playing with zeal. The only major difference - they were amateurs. Get somebody that still plays with pride and see the difference - no more of this overplayed nonsense.
Smoky3/1/2010 10:45 AM
I can predict with 100% certainty that South Africa will lose the test against France in Cape Town in June. Why? Just the impossible setup of playing a test in Cardiff and then flying back to play another one week later. Simply stupid.
Ha Ha3/1/2010 9:43 AM
I know a lot of people who would give many parts of their anatomy to play in 14 tests for the Springboks. These guys are professional, for goodness' sake, and if they want to earn the substantial salaries they do (which I think they are entitled to) then they must see to it that their employers' coffers are bursting at the seams. The statement that we will be handing out caps willy nilly is utter rubbish because I believe we have a good number of Springboks in the system that have been capped already. I quickly counted 46 players - a minimum of 3 players per position - who are actively involved in Super 14 at this very moment. Some of them are injured, admittedly, but they will be back in time for the tests this year. No, this article is pure sentationalism and not well thought through
Dgs3/1/2010 9:36 AM
All SARU sees is MONEY!!!! More for them to pay themselves fat bonuses (ala ESKOM) and to steal and waste (also ala ESKOM). Wankers!!!!!!
Theuns3/1/2010 9:32 AM
SARU - you are setting up Peter de Villiers to fail. He will be seen as the culprit when we do not win the next World Cup, but it will be as a result of your bad planning. Please start listening to experts like Prof Tim Noakes - we have the players to win the World Cup again, if they are fresh and without injuries.
Louis G3/1/2010 8:42 AM
Again the 10 or 15 or 20 or 30 old farts (vis a vis england a while back) will kill off our players for the sake of a quick buck. Ask Oregan Hoskin to sacrifice his body for the sake of rugby glory, or as will probably happen, defeat,then we as the public will hear reciminations about the team and a call for the captain to be chopped etc etc etc. There is a world cup next year so please someone tell the SA rugby board about it in case they have forgotton. Maybe the coach and captain will be changed by then and we can perhaps prepare the team with another coach and maybe another Kamp Staaldraad !!! in 2011.
John3/1/2010 8:38 AM
Drop the TN or play it every second year. Substitute it with a 3 game test series. This reduces OZ, NZ games by 3. They should also consider taking Bok contracted players out the CC. The CC will remain well supported and provide players coming through to challenge for Bok spots. Another solution would be to build a bigger stronger Bok squad and rotate players.
ET3/1/2010 8:31 AM
All this will kill the CurrieCup, weaken teams playing in CC.....shame on the money grabbers!!!!
Brad K3/1/2010 8:29 AM
i really dont care who fields what when....win we must! and 2011 RWC.... we best have our better players rested.
Christo3/1/2010 8:13 AM
Don't worry, Joe Pietersen won't be tired for the Wales game... cause the stormers won't make the semi's....
A.D3/1/2010 8:03 AM
Stephen are you stupid?
Robert3/1/2010 8:03 AM
My biggest worry about the Springbok squad is our tight three! Okay rather two of our props... Yeah John Smit is a great captain and I have a lot of respect for him.... But come on guys, never has a Springbok scrum been pushed around so much... And now... look at the Sharks, I shudder and wonder what will our Boks be like??
Darkie3/1/2010 7:52 AM
I think SARU has a cash shortage and needs as many games for the Boks to balance the petty cash box. So what , just create a Balck only Springbok side and sned them to the N. Hemisphere end of year. Then the politicians can see how good there quota players are. Of course they will say No that is not good enough we need to see Super 14 teams with 3/4 of the players black then we have leveled playing fileds. Why? becuase no one will go and watch such a Springbok rugby team made up of just black players. They will watch merit teams. The excuse of being 'disadvantaged' has worn thin now and SARU needs money and lots of it. Thats why we have so many games.
stephen3/1/2010 7:17 AM
if the players are so fatigued, why then do they choose to go play overseas during the off season for a month or so?? we get all these experts telling us how tired the players are, except for the players themselves who seem to want to play extra games?? who do we believe then??
dronkie3/1/2010 7:03 AM
All in the hope that they lose enoough times to have a reason to sack Peter Div. - I smell con-spirit-see
norman3/1/2010 6:48 AM
Those boneheads dont have a clue,the bokks looked like a crappy schoolboy side at the 2009 end of year tour.Why dont the listen?
Steadfast3/1/2010 6:01 AM
WE are killong our top players. SARU has been warned for years now by top experts - have they listened - NO.Many of our top players are over pkayed. The comments after 2009 season was that the last few games the Boks struggeled due to fatague. Lets take a player like Matfield - 15 Bok games, 15 Super 14 games plus 6 games in Curry Cup = 36 games. That is over 9 months of punishing rugby. That is where injuries happen and with RWC around the corner we could find ourselves sadly depleted. Something has to be done to reduce the number of games of our top players. Players go overseas to get a rest.
the oracle3/1/2010 5:33 AM
shame on u saru u r going to kill our players with fatigue money(from tours ) vs winning world cup not a very difficult choice , is it
Gunnar3/1/2010 12:28 AM
Even I get tired if I work too much. As for div's meek remark that he's not sat down & spoken to the bosses or players is shameful. He should be leading & suggesting the best for the players!
Louisg3/1/2010 12:17 AM
Do we want to be world champions again (rhetorical question) this is what we have to do...!! Get the best support team money can buy to help De Villiers,(engage industry and sponsors its a good bet the Bokks have a great chance to win and they know the returns they can make, they must contribute) Identify players for an enlarged team and ROTATE THEM.... I do not believe in wrapping players in cotton wool, and that certainly will not happen, (we playing Super 14, Tri-nations, currie cup, 5 European tests, AGAIN Super 14, Tri-nations then a rest until Sept/Oct ), our players will make Spartans "shake in their loin skins!" (15 men against the world, there is an advert for Supersport, Spies and others, Beards, Loin cloths Riding Elephant's hunting with Lions for other Rugy Players, sorry I detract). Operative word ROTATION not experimentation. Yes politicians are going to make Lots of Noises before The boks get on The field for the world cup, (It's the only way they can take the nations attention of the local Failures in service delivery etc.) but players must stay focused...!! good Luck bokks, De Villiers and support Staff P.S. I think playing wales is a great idea, since we will be playing them, first in the knock-off stages
nic2/28/2010 11:32 PM
To me perhaps the advantage of all this is that when South Africa play the important matches there will not be the pressure of including 'quota' players as these second string players will have had there chances in the less important matches. You could argue that every match is important but for example the tour overseas could be to give experience to new players and at the same time fielding our quotas and therefore keep the brainless politicians happy about racial representation over the season rather than per match. Come Trination and World Cup time we could field a team based completely on merit. So maybe an advantage!
edward2/28/2010 11:17 PM
What is all the fuss about. South African rugby is now in the lucky position were they are able to choose at least three sides that would be able to beat any side in the world..In fact we could field a Springbok side made up of only black players that would be unbeatable.It is unfortunate that the racist IRB will never allow that to happen.
Leeuvdwestvl2/28/2010 11:16 PM
Kiss my assssss...If u do not have anything to write about, become a blogger, or a province supporter, because i read every week how great they are now that they have bought 7 Lions in the last 3 years and a couple of cheetahs... but if the Lions, or Cheetahs could not achieve anything with these miracle workers How the hell will U??... by selling MORE PAPERS TELLING THESE DIPS HOW GREAT THEY ARE?????? Hell i heard about reverse psychology but U take the cake... Ok Joke on u.. Back to Your flimsy article.. Boks need 12 weeks before world cup to start prepping... That is12 weeks before MID worldcup not start. so seeing that worldcup start sept if i am righ it means they can play a lot of rugby beginning of the year.. and then rest for 4 weeks..NO TRAINING .. and then start training at 12 weeks to go.. REMEMBER TIM GOT HIS PROFESSORATE AT A TIME IN SA WHEN IT WAS PASS ONE PASS ALL at MOSCOW on the hill and WITS.. and when asked why his theories do not apply to Bruce fordyce, or Frith van der merwe, he could only say that there are alwayse exeptions to the rule.. If you want to win a world cup, u need 2 exceptions to the rule.. a coach who can coach.. and 22 blokes who REALLY believe in him... So Boetie vat nog n dik boek van oom Tim en bly vir 2 jaar besig, want jy weet nie wavan jy praat nie en Tim ook nie... OF WYS MY 1 atleet wat hy ge coach het?? O jy kanie? Hoekom nie? want Timmie kan net melk op my en ander se regte werk resultate.. Ek kan jou 5 springbokke wys wat ek gecoach het,So moenie n poepsak aanhaal om jou artikel wat niksseggend is krag te gee as nie een van julle weet wavan jul praat nie, GAAN PRAAT EERDER MET HENNING GERICKE EN VRA HOM WAT MOET SA DOEN ONM TE WEN DAN SKRYF JY 5 WOORDE NEER...... ONS MOET GLO EN OEFEN. The only reason why Jake had to sacrifice end of the year tour was that it fell slap bang in his supposed rest period, and he listened to his conditioning coaches, even though the rest of the country wanted to crucify him at the time.. No wonder you do not put your name on the article.
Stephan2/28/2010 10:51 PM
This is just ridiculous, especially the 5th of June Wales test followed the next week by a test in Cape Town. The team for the Wales test will definitely be a weakened one. I love my rugby but come on SARU, use your head a little here ahead of next year's world cup. Excuse the pun.
Maci2/28/2010 10:24 PM
I say play them to death this year , get all the combos going , build some depth and experience ,but next year.........cotton wool ,then the world cup!
piet2/28/2010 10:24 PM
The greed of professional sport.....
Bloubul Jannas2/28/2010 10:13 PM
Training by test matches? Poor bokke will be totally exhausted by Christmas. Perhaps we'll need an A- & B- team.
steminibos2/28/2010 10:02 PM
My advise: no 1 - you MUST have trails - dont pick on reputation (take a chap like Ruan Pienaar - he would battle to play for a club at the moment? ) - have trails in May and choose 25 players for the A squad and another 23 for a B Squad - then play with a core of senior players making the grade at trails - for the rest you must rotate all 48 players, and against teams like Italy etc also rotate the core players - take your best 22 on the year end tour. More importantly we need a "second" Bok team - call them the Kwaggas - and let them tour South America and USA/Canade at year end - you pick from the above 48 that did not make year end tour - here you can have quotas for development - and voila! WC 2011 - on form you will have a tiptop team with ample depth! This burned out thing is rubbish - when they stop here they all play in Europe/japan - its an excuse for poor form. PICK on FORM!
wickus2/28/2010 9:54 PM
Hoeveel speel die ander top spanne ???
WB2/28/2010 9:33 PM
This is crazy. Players should only be entitled to play a predetermined number of hours/games per calendar year. This should apply to all players. Thereafter it is up to the coaches and the national Federation to plan the season.
Stephan2/28/2010 9:26 PM
We need to take 30 players to the world cup any way so start breeding players now and leave the Boks top players out of the currie cup & year end tour. But the guys that goes on tour must be future boks not just a one of thing.
bulawayo-based-bok2/28/2010 9:19 PM
i don't think their will be too much Overload on the players this year.....although i think the boks schedule along with the numerous comps we have in this country might be a bit much! esp with the Currie Cup, Vodacom cup, Varsity cup and the super 14.......we might have to play some 2nd stringers in most of these intls!
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