Traditional ‘Bok Rugby’ Needs to Evolve

When Heyneke Meyer’s Boks were shocked to the core against Japan, he said the game plan would revert to traditional ‘Bok rugby’. This meant we will try to bash the opponents with direct, 10-man, one dimensional and predictable rugby, based on physicality and territorial gain. Kicking possession away and forcing the opponents to make mistakes, which turns penalties into points. Wow, how boring and outdated.

When Allister Coetzee was appointed, he immediately said that he will still focus on coaching according to the perceived Springbok strengths. Dominating set play and bashing up opponents! Well Allister has now joined John Williams as the only Bok coach to lose their first test in charge. I didn’t rate John Williams as a coach at all, but he lost to the All Blacks and world champion Wallabies, when the Boks were allowed back after isolation.

It might be true that ‘traditional’ Bok rugby worked, as the Springboks were leading the All Blacks by 5 tests when isolation began in 1981. Admittedly, the Boks played more tests at home than away against the All Blacks up to that point, and home ground advantages also included local referees for host nations.

The Boks record against the Kiwis before re-admittance (1992) was 37 played, 20 wins, 2 draws and 15 losses. Against the Wallabies it was 28 played, 21 victories and 7 losses. Currently, the Boks have lost 53 out of 91 tests played vs the All Blacks. The Wallabies have also closed the gap. Boks have won 45, Wallabies 35 with 1 draw out of 81 battles.

The ‘let’s bash them’ game plan worked in the amateur days, but no more. The Springboks, All Blacks and Wales were dominant in the 70’s. Why? These nations were physically stronger. Saffas and Kiwis were hard farmers and outdoor types. The Welsh were a mining nation. While the English were office workers and as for the Aussies, well rugby union was effectively second class to Rugby League, which was bigger and professional.

Now, the game has changed. It has been professional for decades and every player hangs out in the gym and consumes protein shakes. Every team is better equipped physically. Most of all, other teams don’t fear the Boks physicality anymore.

So to call for more traditional Bok rugby and revert to a 10-man game is ridiculous. Yes, it might have been a playing style at some stage, but, that was when Apartheid and segregation reigned. Thus it was a ‘white man’s game’! It is not traditional South African rugby anymore. South Africa has thousands of non-whites playing this wonderful game and coaches should include & integrate the talents and skills of the nation now. This is the rainbow nation and that has many colours, a rainbow is not dull and boring.

Players like Cheslin Kolbe, Seabelo Senatla and before them, Breyton Paulse, and Gio Aplon’s skills should have been part of the game plan, not, just keeping the politicians off SARU and Bok coaches’ backs. They are not too small. How many tries did Julian Savea score against the Boks in the RWC 2015 semi-final None, and ditto for Jonah Lomu in his career vs the Boks. Size is not everything. Poor Brent Russell was wasted.

Siya Kolisi is good enough and has more skills than Willem Alberts in my opinion. Trevor Nyakane, even at tighthead, is not a weaker in scrums than what Jannie du Plessis is or was. Would Nyakane make it on merit ahead of Frans Malherbe, Julian Redelinguys and Steven Kisthoff? Currently, no; however, if props like Dean Greyling and Werner Kruger, to mention a few, have Bok blazers, surely Nyakane deserves more game time.

Let me be clear though. I believe in merit only as selection of any sport team! I believe quotas are wrong and racist; however, SA coaches must have a more open mind.

Springbok rugby has the potential to use aggressive big forwards who can bash it up and dominate set phases along with the natural flair of a Mannetjies Roux, Cheslin Kolbe and the raw pace of a Seabelo Senatla! Traditional rugby is passed its use by date. It’s time to adopt a game plan that includes all the talent of the Republic!

Written by Kevin D alias AussieBoer for www.TheRugbyPod.com