Johannesburg - They held their heads high, but they also looked a little embarrassed as they walked through the international arrivals hall on Monday morning; the Springboks returning home with their tail between their legs after what coach Allister Coetzee termed a “disastrous” 2016.
Coetzee’s men won just four times in 12 outings for a 33% win record. And if we’re honest with ourselves it could very easily have been nought from 12 as many will feel the Boks got lucky against Ireland in the second and third Tests in June, and against Argentina in Nelspruit and against the Wallabies at Loftus Versfeld.
It was rather interesting to note the few Bok supporters who turned up on Monday morning to see their heroes return home asked certain players to sign their names on provincial jerseys rather than the Bok jersey. In fact, there was not a fan in sight who had the green and gold on.
It was a sombre affair and so was hardly surprising when Coetzee said the season had been “disastrous.”
“I can understand the supporters are disappointed ... we are just as disappointed,” said Coetzee.
The Boks drew to the Barbarians in the first game on tour and then lost all three Tests in November – to England, Italy and Wales. It was the first time since 2002 that the Boks failed to win a match on the European tour.
But while Coetzee, who was appointed in April to succeed Heyneke Meyer, has copped plenty of flak for the poor performances and been advised by many to step down, the coach was defiant, stating he has a contract with SA Rugby until 2019.
“I’ve been appointed to 2019 and I want to make sure that when I leave I do so with a firm, concrete tangible blueprint in place for how the Springboks must be run.”
Coetzee added that the current poor state of the Boks was perhaps a blessing in disguise as there was now an urgent desire to fix the problems that have dogged the game in this country for several years.
“Sometimes things have got to go as low as they can before they can go upwards again,” said Coetzee.
“This now is a massive opportunity for SA Rugby to not only plaster over the cracks, but to clean it up. We’ve got six months until we (as a Bok squad) get back together again and need to spend that time wisely, planning for how we’re going to get back to the top.”
Coetzee and his management team will undergo a review process of the season in the coming days.
Independent Media