2012

Have you seen the movie 2012? It paints a scary, Armageddon type picture of the world in 2012. Just a reminder to you all it is now September 2011 … I thought I would look at such a picture in relation to South African rugby.

As is common in world rugby teams, coaches and captains build from RWC to RWC. Often people ask why a team can not defend the trophy. Quite simple you spend four years building a group of players and “neglecting” all else. It is rather hard to then rebuild with a new batch of players, limited experience, most probably with a new coach and captain — it sounds simple but really it isn’t. If anything I believe that the Springboks going into 2011 are the best positioned team to change the course of RWC history and yet still this may not happen.

So what is in store for SA Rugby post the 2011 showpiece? I think it actually looks quite good and that it is worth stirring the pot a little bit regarding the next four years.

Coaching
I believe that win the RWC or not, assistant coaches Dick Muir and Gary Gold will want to make sure their CVs are out and about as I believe their Springbok days will be over. Perhaps some Currie Cup or Super Rugby experience could bring one of these coaches back to the head coach role in the future.

If we win the RWC 2011, I believe it will Peter de Villier’s call as to whether he stays or not. If we exit the RWC at any point I have no doubt he will be replaced. By who? Well there is Heyneke Meyer who has been out of top-flight coaching since he was unfairly rejected for this post after Jake White was sacked. There is the current technical adviser to the Springboks, who I believe to be the favourite, Rassie Erasmus. He has been described as the sensational brain to the game we all hold so dear.

I feel it only right to include Allister Coetzee, head coach of the Western Province rugby team and Stormers. He is a rugby 2007 assistant coach but has had more success in the Currie Cup and Super Rugby games maturing I believe into a real contender for the head coach to the Springboks.

My call: Rassie Erasmus, I believe he is the new age coach, the professionally evolved rugby person that has really embraced all technologies and cultures that characterise the so-called “modern” game. He is a Bok himself and knows the passion of the people.

Captain
I do think that a black Bok captain would be a wonderful step for this country but I have to be frank and say that Bismarck’s time is upon us and he will justifiably dominate the number two jumper till at least the end of the 2015 Rugby World Cup, all things being well. This means that the prospective hooker in Chiliboy Ralepelle falls out the debate. So who then will captain this amazing team?

A lot will depend on who the coach is and so based on “my call” and in not really knowing which of the Bok players are plying their remaining rugby time offshore, the thinking could be linked to Jean de Villiers who has made it very clear that he will playing his rugby out in South Africa. He has captained his province before but is this enough experience? I don’t think so. In trying to be as open-minded as possible, I always come back to the one player who is watching the Boks from his home in Bloemfontein, Juan Smith. A proven leader both in conduct and diplomacy. Juan has Bok experience and is a player who wears his heart on his sleeve.

My call: Juan Smith.

As for the team and the players, I believe that we have no reason to panic about the Bok team post RWC 2011 and I will venture to name what I believe should be the squad for the end of year tour (see the bottom). But I will warn you, the reader, don’t expect the Boks to dominate the rugby world in the short term, this for me being up till end of 2013, the new coach and captain will need time to instil any new thinking, plans, structures and ethos. But I do believe that we have no reason to panic.

My call: 15. Pat Lambie 14. Lwazi Mvovo 13. Jacque Fourie 12. Jean de Villiers 11. Brock Jensen 10. Morne Steyn 9. Francois Hougaard 8. Pierre Spies 7. Juan Smith 6. Heinrich Brussouw 5. Johann Muller 4. Andries Bekker 3. Coenie Oosthuizen 2. Bismarck du Plessis 1. Beast Mtawarira. Reserves: Backs — Elton Jantjies, Juan de Jongh, Johann Sadie, Jano Vermaak, Louis Ludik, Riaan Viljoen, Johan Goosen. Forwards — Marcelle van der Merwe, Alistair Hargreaves, Franco van der Merwe, Hilton Lobberts, Flip van der Merwe, Chiliboy Ralepelle, Francois Louw, Duane Vermeulen, Dewald Potgieter and Ashley Johnson.

These are names that come to mind right now and I know that the current Currie Cup will show up some more names and so I remain extremely positive that this list will not only grow but improve. I just want to emphasise that as supporters we must be realistic, I don’t believe that these Boks will speedily get the Test arena under their hat, but there is no doubt that we can win any Rugby World Cup we want to.

No doubt 2012 and beyond I believe will be exciting for SA rugby, let’s remain in support of this and all national teams that go and defend the nation’s pride on the sports fields. I look forward to your thoughts, remember these are only my opinions and look forward to the debate and predictions.

Onward and upward for the Boks!