The Rugby Championship takes a break this weekend but there will be no rest for Springbok coach Allister Coetzee. Here rugby writer Jacques van der Westhuyzen proposes five areas Coetzee must sort out immediatly, and takes a look at how the teams have fared thus far
Selections
For starters, Pieter-Steph du Toit needs to be in the starting team.
The Boks are missing his prowess in the line-out, but it’s his powerful ball-carrying and tackling that could boost the team significantly.
Whether it is at lock or flank, Du Toit must play. Sadly, Frans Malherbe and Julian Redelinghuys are injured, so there’s a problem at tighthead, while Beast Mtawarira simply isn’t the player he once was. Steve Kitshoff could get a look-in, and so, too could Jaco Kriel. There will also be many saying pick Juan de Jongh ahead of Damian de Allende - and, why not?
Leadership
Right now the issue of captaincy is a major problem in the side. In fact, the whole issue of ‘leadership’ is an issue that needs to be sorted out very quickly. It’s amazing how often we hear of all the leaders in the team, but at times against Ireland and in the two Tests against Argentina, it’s looked as if the Boks haven’t a leader in sight. Unfortunately Adriaan Strauss, so impressive as Bismarck du Plessis’ back-up, just hasn’t been the same player as a starter, and then he’s still the captain. Allister Coetzee might have to make an extremely big call here sooner rather than later.
Game plan
This is probably the biggest worry at the moment. No-one quite knows what type of game the Boks want to play. Are they trying to be more expansive, to play like the Lions or are they trying to marry the Lions’ style with the Boks’ old traditional strengths, and that is powerful forwards and a strong kicking game? It’s a mess right now. Why pick Morne Steyn on the bench when you want to run the ball and play attacking rugby? It makes no sense. And, where were the line-out drives on Saturday? Where were the phase-after-phase, pick-and-gos?
Kicking
If Coetzee and the men in his team who handle the kicking duties are honest with themselves, they’ll have to admit the tactical kicking so far has been woeful. And then we’re not even talking about the goal-kicking. Heck, if the Springboks are to have any chance of progressing and winning more matches they’re going to have to sort out these issues as soon as possible. Too many up-and-unders don’t fly far enough, or they go too far, and too many touch finders are missing their mark. And we haven’t even got to the points going begging as a result of poor goal-kicking.
Defence
We’ve seen enough of Argentina to know that when they get some confidence they’re as dangerous as anyone with front foot ball. But that shouldn’t result in the Boks slipping tackles and leaving gaping holes for the opposition to run through. And, the Boks haven’t even played against a team like the All Blacks. Where are the big hits, the in-your-face defence? Oupa Mohoje has stood out above everyone else for tackles made and Warren Whiteley’s not been far behind, but it’s out wide and at the back where the alarm bells are ringing as the defence seems porous and ponderous. - The Star