Unless Allister Coetzee suddenly sees the lights of Damascus twinkling in the distance, I don’t think he is the right man to take the Springboks to the top of world rugby.
And there is a sad, hollow space next to my heart when I say that. I have written many times over the years that I admire Allister for the cloak of dignity he carries so easily around his shoulders. When Allister spoke Xhosa at his inauguration it brought tears to my eyes because it was a rare and beautiful thing. Just like having a black Springbok coach is a rare and beautiful thing that our country needs dearly.
But I have also written over the years that Allister’s conservative nature when it comes to a game plan means that the creative, expressive players who play under him are systematically stifled, ignored or sidelined. It means he can take his teams only so far and no further. That is precisely what happened during his reign at the Stormers. To the consternation of many Cape fans, he changed the Stormers culture to a safety-first, defensive one. He failed to win a Super Rugby title, and winning titles, in the end, is all that matters.
Right now, many people, including Allister, are fingering a leaky defence and a lack of tactical kicking as the big problem areas for the Boks. The defence is certainly a major concern, both in terms of one-on-one tackles and the general defensive system (although how someone with the experience of Bryan Habana still rushes out of his line belongs on the Ripley pages). And it’s clear Faf de Klerk and Elton Jantjies have not been able to astutely kick the Boks out of trouble.
But even if the defence and tactical kicking are magically fixed, the Boks will not seriously challenge the All Blacks or any top team unless Allister changes his mindset. Before the Christchurch Test, he recycled the same old cliches: “Build an innings, win the territory battle, play in the right areas, respect the conditions, play the percentages”. Even worse: “You can’t score 70m tries in Test rugby.”
Maybe I’ve just been too high on doughnuts and Coca-Cola, but I have seen Test tries of 70m and more for the last 20 years by a team in black shirts, black shorts, black socks, black boots. And I’m talking year in and year out. Haven’t you seen them too?
The week before the Christchurch Test, Independent Media rugby writer Jacques van der Westhuizen did an illuminating interview with former Crusaders assistant coach Brad Mooar, who also coached in South Africa.
I’m going to quote parts of the interview in full, because, hey, it says what it says.
Mooar said: “When I was coaching in South Africa I became aware very quickly that there is a more mapped out and rigid and structured approach than in New Zealand ... it was ‘we must do this in this part of the field, then do this when we’re here, and this when we go there ... these guys must hit this ruck, and these guys must hit this ruck ... it was kick chase tackle, kick chase tackle’.
“The DNA of the South Africans is to run into the opponent, to physically dominate them. It’s a very direct and very defensive approach, whereas New Zealand’s DNA is more about running with the ball, trying to beat your opponent with pace, skill or a pass.
“I’m not saying one approach is totally right and the other wrong, but the All Blacks know when the time is right to be forceful, when to kick and play the aerial game and exert pressure through territory, but they also know where there is a hint of opportunity, doesn’t matter where they are on field, they’ll back themselves to execute it and take it.
“The New Zealand teams play what they see in front of them and I’ve only seen the Lions of the South African teams do that. Of course, and crucially, the big thing is to back yourself and the players to pull it off. You need to be fully committed to it and have the courage and conviction to buy into it and change your ways.”
Does Allister have the courage and conviction to change? Look at his record, study the things he says, and you be the judge.
Of course this mindset change has been an long-standiing problem with many Springbok coaches. Now that New Zealand have already bagged the Rugby Championship, perhaps Allister’s Boks will win the next two Tests based on passion, goalkicking and defence. But long-term, those ingredients on their own will never be enough. The gates of Damascus will remain closed.
*Ian Smit is the Cape Sports Hub co-ordinator and a former rugby writer of the Cape Times.
Cape Argus