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New coaching philosophy is neededThere seems to be a change of heart around the boardrooms of the South African Rugby Football Union (SARFU) as the realisation dawns that Mission Twickenham 2015 will not be fulfilled by a national coach still embracing out-dated manifestoes for global rugby supremacy. That is clear from the stunned silence that has greeted Peter de Villiers’ decision to re-apply for his old job as Springbok coach. (Read more ...)
Several observers have said in public, or mumbled in private, that he won’t even be shortlisted for the Springbok-job again, and won’t survive the first round.
Not only was he a PR-disaster for South African rugby, but his results of only two wins from the two last Castle Tri-Nations-campaigns speak volumes for his incompetence.
Kevin de Klerk, Golden Lions president and member of the SARFU technical committee, told the Sunday Times: “Divvie is out.”
The magnificent performance by John Mitchell in taking a bunch of no-hopers, has-beens, raw, inexperienced newcomers and several players dismissed by their former unions and transforming them into Currie Cup-champions, has underlined the need for South African rugby to embrace a new out-of-the-box playing style.
The legendary SuperSport-commentator and former sports editor of the Sunday Times, Dan Retief, said on his website: “What an indictment John Mitchell’s resurrection of the Lions is of his immediate predecessor at Coca-Cola Park and of other local coaches.
“To take the Lions from where they were, with an outfit of patched-up veterans, outcasts and raw youngsters, to Currie Cup glory speaks volumes for strict, competent and astute coaching.
“The Lions played the best, most adventurous, rugby in the competition and Mitchell’s success sends a clarion message to the administrators of SARU as they ponder the appointment of a successor to Peter de Villiers.”
South Africa need to endorse a new playing style with which they can enter the ring at Twickenham, the emotional home of English rugby, come Rugby World Cup 2015.
Oregan Hoskins, president of SARFU, has already stated that the door is not closed on foreigners to become the Springbok-coach.
It is also clear that although many believe that Allister Coetzee is mooted to become the next Springbok-coach, nothing is cast in stone.
His mediocre performances during 2011, which resulted in a comprehensive defeat in the semi-final stages of the Super Rugby-season and the Currie Cup-campaign, could count heavily against him when the appointments are made.
Mitchell has already publicly stated that he will not apply for the position of Bok-coach as he is contracted to the Lions until the end of 2013. He has supported Heyneke Meyer for the position.
Yet, it is more than likely that Meyer would be challenging Rassie Erasmus for the position of director of South African coaching, somebody that will be overseeing the performances of all the national teams.
Mitchell and the Golden Lions were popular winners of the team of the year and coach of the year at the 2011 SA Players of the Year-award ceremony.
Schalk Burger (SA Player of the Year) and Bismarck du Plessis (SA Players’ player award) were two other top-award winners.
Whoever inherits De Villiers’ position will have to research the way Graham Henry presided over the New Zealand team the past decade.
Henry has just retired after 103 matches of which the All Blacks won 88. They also bagged the Webb Ellis Trophy, won five Tri-Nations-tournaments and were undefeated on Northern Hemisphere tours three times. His winning percentage of 85.4% is just phenomenal, and therefore calls for closer inspection.
Henry’s philosophy of using the ball, protecting possession and playing an attacking brand of rugby, clearly brought the All Blacks success.
Whoever takes over as Springbok-coach, will have to be a visionary with the ability to unify the national team and must have the clarity of thought and the strength of will to take South African rugby to the next level.
Furthermore, the South Africans can no longer be prepared to accept their poor performances in the Tri-Nations-campaign – only three pieces of silverware – as acceptable.
South Africa has depth, experience and exceptional player-resources.
Yet their professional leadership at SARFU and their coaching has been poor, to put it bluntly.
And, unless the professionalism in the boardroom and the skills level of the coaching staff is improved significantly, the Boks won’t easily add to that tally of three Tri-Nations-trophies.
One of the most under-rated coaches in the country is Paul Treu, the Springbok Sevens-coach, whose team bagged three trophies in the previous international sevens-season.
One of his greatest assets is his continual search for excellence and his willingness to move out of his comfort zone by researching what other international sevens-coaches are doing, and what makes other sporting codes successful.
It is an approach that has contributed to the success of Meyer when he was the Bulls-coach.
But let’s return briefly to the debate about Mitchell’s availability. He might have emphatically stated that he is not available for the national job, but there are still a few months to the deadline. Perhaps SARFU should pay De Klerk a visit and convince him and Mitchell to throw Mitchell’s hat into the ring.
It is not impossible that Mitchell could be South Africa’s answer to New Zealand’s Henry.
