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 The big eight challenges De Villiers faces
    January 10 2008 at 11:07AM Get IOL on your
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It's the most prestigious position in South African rugby, but being head coach of the Springboks is also the toughest job in sport.
Chief Sports write Kevin McCallum outlines the battle ahead of new coach Peter De Villiers.


1. Transformation

There was one black player in the Springbok team that won the final of the 1995 Rugby World Cup; there were two in the 2007 side - this is one of the main reasons De Villiers got the job.


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With his background in the age group teams De Villiers will have no problems in identifying black talent and he has stated recently that black players are being under-utilised.

However, he will probably experience the same problem that has dogged every Springbok coach in the professional era and will have to hope that provincial coaches pick more black players in the Vodacom Super 14 and Absa Currie Cup to give him a greater base to chose from. He will look to the South African Rugby Union and the presidents who run it to ensure that happens.

2. Momentum

Jake White reckons that the young yet experienced team he has left behind could dominate world rugby for the next four years.

Many of the players are in their early to mid-twenties and yet to hit their peak. When England won the World Cup in 2003 the RFU were too busy admiring their reflection in the Webb Ellis Cup to realise their team was living on past glories.

De Villiers will need to tap into this huge reservoir of confidence quickly to ensure it, and the winning habit the Springboks have learnt, does not fade away.

3. Away leg of the tri-nations

The big test of the year for De Villiers is the two-match mini-series against the All Blacks on the away leg of the Vodacom Tri-Nations in Christchurch and Dunedin.

It has been 10 years since Nick Mallett's Springboks became the last team to win in New Zealand, on their way to taking the 1998 Tri-Nations.

South Africa have never won in Dunedin and last won in Christchurch in 1965. White's Springboks came close, but not close enough. A Test win in New Zealand is the new Holy Grail.

4. Saru and politics

De Villiers will have to be fully aware that the right hand usually does not know what the left hand is doing in the South African Rugby Union, and if the left hand did, then it would not trust the right... and vice-versa.

He will have to deal with internal politics, hidden agendas and administrators who like nothing more than a good scapegoat to hide their own inadequacies ... one wonders how long it will take the Blue Bulls to put forward a vote of no confidence in the new Bok coach.

There are a few good men at Saru and De Villiers would do well to get them on his side. Oh, and a suggestion ... call Thabo quick to put a gag on that sport portfolio committee fella.

5. Overseas players

With key players now overseas - John Smit, Victor Matfield and Butch James, to name the most obvious - the coach will need Saru to stick to their decision to lift the ban on overseas-based players. James, in particular, is in blinding form for Bath and is playing the best rugby of his career. Matfield's Bok future may be in some doubt after Heyneke Meyer did not get the job.

6. Captaincy

Still just 29 John Smit is the most-respected international captain on the planet. Without him the Springboks are not the same team. There have been rumours that the captaincy issue may be elementary (my dear Watson), but if De Villiers opts for a captain other than Smit, he will miss out on a truly inspiring leader.

7. Player burn-out

The Sharks and the Bulls began the momentum for the Springboks in 2007, but playing over three months of Super 14 rugby took a physical toll on the South Africans, particularly late in their match against the All Blacks in Durban. The same might happen in 2008.


8. Robbie Deans, Graham Henry

De Villiers will come up against two of the best coaches in the world in six matches. Not forgetting Warren Gatland (Wales) and a certain Nick Mallett, once of South Africa (and Province) and now of Italy.

8. Sceptical public and media

'Nuff said.



    • This article was originally published on page 24 of The Star on January 10, 2008
Showing page 1 of 1 comment pages, 5 total comments
97 Weeks ago Ron wrote :
My Congratulations to Peter DeVilliers. May your tenure be long and fruitful. Always remember, the best player for the position irrespective of race, colour or creed. May the Good Lord guide you and lead you in all your decisions. Alles van die beste
97 Weeks ago Me, who else? wrote :
Forget the racial issues, forget the politics and all the media crap and just ensure we retain the Webb Ellis Cup in SA. That's all that matters. Jake White did it against all odd, so can De Villiers.
97 Weeks ago siener wrote :
I've got high hopes for PdV. Out of the list it is only number 8 that really gives me concern. The SA rugby watching public is fickle at best and downright psychopathic at worst and the media has always been all too happy to add fuel to the fire. To have any chance of long term success he will have to start off with a bang.
97 Weeks ago Henry wrote :
Rugby belongs to those who play it, and those who watch it. De Villiers must be given a chance, the same as JW was. Hopefully, part of the transformation will be to see that the gate fees are not just paid by a 'certain' race, and that we'll have everyone in the stands, cheering their teams. Good luck, Peter. May you succeed.
97 Weeks ago Wez wrote :
What a historic time for SA. Congratulations PDV!!!Make us proud and prove to all the non-believers out there that talent is not just reserved for a 'certain' race in SA.
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