De Villiers still on track

So what have we learnt from Peter de Villiers’ tenure so far? Certainly there hasn’t been enough sustained evidence of the promised shimmering new expansive game plan in the three Tests thus far. That though, I believe can be attributed to the nature of the opposition and the very fact that well, it’s only been three games. Though try telling that to those who have written him off already, and seem to be more concerned with poking fun at his snor and his unfortunate Stuart Little vocal tone, and you’d swear he has had a full season to impress his ways. But then again, Jake White also had his doubters when the wheels seemed to be coming off in 2006, and yet everyone claims they are now a believer that backed him all the way. We are nothing if not fickle hey?

My observation so far is that there is enough change in at least the on-field demeanour of the players to give credence to the notion of a new era. Certainly they are looking to make decisions and back themselves as opposed to looking to go to ground, take the obvious or safe option and keeping to structure at all costs. It’s still rough and not always pretty but it is a huge step in the correct direction. After all, if de Villiers could get a new vision working in just a month of international coaching he would surely be the tactical Messiah, amalgamating the best of the Henrys, McQueens and Mains that have walked the Test backroom scene.

First up, the Boks still scrum well. This always seems to be a primary concern whenever a coach says the words “expansive” and “running” as if he has no intention of securing the ball first and wants to run straight off first phase. This is, mind you, a relatively new front row combination (and as a combination the loosies), and as anyone who has put their head down in that cauldron of grunt and murderous intentions known as the scrum will tell you, knowing the men between whose nether regions your head is wedged against matters about as much as your individual ability.

Case in point: The Bulls pack of the past few years, not all of them the best in their positions (Matfield, Bakkies and Guthro being the exceptions) but as a unit, as unstoppably destructive as a Zanu-PF mob after a few ‘Jubas’. Beast, Mujati, Bismarck et al are gifted young forwards and can only get better under the guidance of Smit, Matfield and others.

The loose forwards have also settled well, though having the irrepressible Juan Smith will make any bunch of big fast lads look awesome. Pierre Spies seems to be relishing his return to the green jersey, though he is someway off his best, Luke is technically flawless in his own style (cannot understand those who expect him to play like Schalk when his best attribute is that he is a rapier to Schalk’s mace), and knowing you have Schalk for the blood and thunder stuff must be the greatest feeling for any coach. If Luke’s influence has been felt it’s in the way the back row has been gaining their yards quietly, consistently and notably, without isolating themselves from the play, and with an expansive game in mind, there’s the small matter of the ball skills in a Spies, Smith, Watson axis. Blockbuster? No. Versatile? Indeed. Effective? Damn straight.

Then there’s the 9-10 axis, a fit Ricky Januarie is still your best bet for quick ball out to the backline and scrapping for every 50-50 with his opposite number. Fourie du Preez remains more polished and a better playmaker but while he is not there, Ricky is a more than good enough option. I agree with those whose minds boggle at the selection of Bolla Conradie over Ruan Pienaar. I just do not get it. Which is not to say Bolla has not been perfoming, more of what has Ruan done wrong to be sidelined so?

Disclaimer: I’m from Sharks territory; feel free to take this as being conducive to bias towards Gysie junior.

Butch is becoming as steady, polished and assured as he was kamikaze in his early days, and as more than one commentator has pointed out, his mere presence precludes the Number 10 channel being used a point of entry. Short of Mr T, there’s no greater deterrent factor.

So what do we do with Frans Steyn? He provides the single most brilliant moment of the international season thus far, takes the initiative on attack, boots it for miles when we need a clearance, is solid defending his channel, yet the backline only sparks when he is substituted for a less gifted player? SA Rugby has been down this road before, Brent Russell anyone? Ruan Pienaar seems to be going down that road as well.

Jean de Villiers provided a useful example of what happens when you look to keep the ball alive with his first try at Loftus, taking a pop-pass while the Welsh backline was awaiting an old fashioned, ground and recycle. Expect him to get those outside firing even more as the team gels. This game plan will showcase his class.

Outside centre remains a contentious issue, Adi Jacobs’ distribution skills need no explaining, and they have been plenty evident in his time on the pitch, yet some, with no little justification, harbour doubts as to how he will cope the behemoths from the Middle Earth, or if he even is starting XV material. Gcobani Bobo did not have the most ideal game, between the atrocious conditions and Frans Steyn wanting to do everything himself, he was not going to showcase his abilities. He certainly inspires more confidence on defence than Adi (maybe that’s the issue there, our mindset won’t move beyond size…)

Conrad Jantjies has not disgraced himself at number fifteen, being turned every which way (along with a third of the Bok team) by Shane Williams aside, but then again, God would have fallen for that sidestep. Between that and Frans Steyn’s moment, I think we have valid reasons why the drive to make rugby more attacking and keep the ball in play longer is the way to go. Percy may have come to embody the ideal of a solid, defensive fullback but he still has that vision and eye for the gap that marked him out in his youth and is Mr Consistency.

So if it happens that the Bokke come unstuck at the Cake Tin a few weeks hence, will that prove de Villiers’ vision a failure? Get real, changing a national mindset is not an overnight thing, I will still back him till at least after the outbound November Tests. Now is certainly way too early for a verdict. We’ve seen some immense running rugby and in the second Test against Wales,a resilience and relentlessness in attack. The Italy mud fest showed this side knows how to strangle the life out of an opposition keen on spoiling and little more.

We will obviously have a better idea after the Antipodean Tests, but for now, I remain a believer.