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Div hits out at Smith, says Boks will struggle

Cape Town - Former Springbok coach Peter de Villiers has hit out at the tactics employed by Cheetahs coach Franco Smith and doubts that he’ll be able to improve the national team’s attacking structures.

Smith was recently appointed backline coach of the Springboks on a permanent basis.

Via a column for Kwese Sports, De Villiers criticised the Cheetahs' tactics following their 41-14 Super Rugby loss to the Jaguares in Buenos Aires.

“It seems like the Cheetahs, coached by Springbok assistant-coach Franco Smith, have forgotten that the tactical kick is still an integral part of setting up the platform from which you can create attack,” De Villiers wrote.

“The one-dimensional way in which they tried - without success - to bridge the Jaguares’ defence during their 41-14 loss by running every ball made them extremely predictable. The team frustrated themselves, and in doing so their Argentinian opponents played off their mistakes.”

According to De Villiers, there was not enough variation in the Cheetahs’ play.

“Running every ball makes it easy to defend against,” De Villiers continued.

De Villiers said Springbok fans should be worried with the current management team, which includes Allister Coetzee as head coach and Brendan venter expected to be named defence coach.

“This should be of some concern for South African rugby fans, because Cheetahs head coach Franco Smith is our country’s new attack coach. And if it is tough for him to understand this, how on earth will he be able to improve the Springboks’ attack?” De Villiers questioned.

“You have to question the make-up of the new Springbok management, especially with Brendan Venter (who has been assisting the Italian team as defence coach) expected to also come in.”

De Villiers coached the Springboks between 2008 and 2011, with his most notable achievements being a Tri-Nations win in 2009 as well as a series win over the British and Irish Lions that same year.

De Villiers was the director of rugby at the University of the Western Cape between 2012 and 2015, but has since struggled to find work in rugby.

Read De Villiers' full column on Kwese Sports

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