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Can coaching Indaba help Coetzee NOW?

Cape Town - There is a clear air of positivity surrounding the powers that be at SA Rugby at the moment following a two-day coaching Indaba in Cape Town. 

Both acting president Mark Alexander and Bok coach Allister Coetzee were all smiles and full of optimism as the meeting of the country's heavy-hitters in the sport came to an end on Thursday, but both acknowledged that this was not a quick-fix. 

"There are some short-term interventions that we can implement but this is a long-term strategy that will roll out over the next couple of years," Alexander said.

Coetzee concurred, saying that the South African blueprint that was being formulated would take a while to make its way into the Springbok team.

"It’s an ongoing thing. It’s not something where you can say that in the next five Tests we will have an absolute perfect style of play. It’s an evolving thing," Coetzee said.

So, how exactly will this Indaba help Coetzee on next month's tour of the northern hemisphere where the Boks will play Tests against England, Italy and Wales? 

Well, the truth is that it probably won't.

There simply isn't the time.

Still, Coetzee saw enough from the Indaba to at least reassure him that the Boks were on the right track in some departments. 

"I think the big thing is confidence and belief in what we’re doing," Coetzee said.

"I've seen presentations from our two forwards coaches – Matthew Proudfoot and Johan van Graan – and that’s one area where we were great.

"The lineout stats were unbelievable."

Coetzee added that the presentation from the forwards coaches also sought to explain why, for example, the rolling maul had been taken away from the Springbok game. 

The laws were examined, and having referees such as Jonathan Kaplan, Mark Lawrence, Jaco Peyper and Rasta Rasivhenge contributing at the Indaba helped explain how the Boks could be more clinical in that department.

"There are a lot of technical things that came out that we can use," Coetzee said.

While the long-term vision may be admirable, Coetzee needs results now. 

He has a current record of four wins from nine Tests, and this month's 57-15 loss to the All Blacks in Durban has left him on the ropes in his endeavour to win over the rugby public. 

But, with the help of the Indaba, Coetzee is ready to take on the future.

"I’m really happy to see the opportunity to get it back up again. It’s obviously not ideal, but nothing special has ever been achieved in ideal conditions so I’m seeing it as an opportunity," he said.

"It might look like a dark cloud, but every dark cloud has a silver lining."

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