Publications
Partners
Johannesburg - Springbok coach Allister Coetzee believes that the opportunity for planning ahead of 2017 gives the Boks a much better chance of success than they had last year.
Coetzee has already had three meetings with the six Super Rugby coaches as he seeks to implement something resembling a South African coaching blueprint, while he has also headed up a three-day training camp in Johannesburg that was completed on Tuesday.
After a woeful 2016 that saw the Boks win just four of their 12 Tests, Coetzee is under immense pressure to turn things around this year.
But, speaking at the end of this week's training camp, he feels far more prepared than he did ahead of last year's fixtures.
"It's great to know that I am where I am with my planning," Coetzee told media.
"I don't want to say this in a negative way, or have it come across as negative, but last year I wasn't even appointed at this time."
Coetzee was only unveiled as the new Bok coach in April last year, giving him roughly two months to prepare for a home series against Ireland.
The Boks went on to scrape a 2-1 series win then, but things got significantly worse after that.
This time around, Coetzee is working hard at ensuring the Boks do not go down the same path.
"I'm done with the planning. The logistical planning of where we're flying with which airlines we're using and where we're staying ... that's done," Coetzee said, adding that he even knows where the Boks are training on their European tour in November.
"We've done so many things up until now, so from that perspective I'm really happy with where we are as a coaching team, management team ... we've sorted a lot of things out up until now," Coetzee added.
The Boks play their first Test of the year against the French at Loftus on June 10.
