PDiv speaks out

Springbok coach Peter de Villiers is undergoing his most difficult year in charge, with the world champions having lost all three of their Tri-Nations games. He spoke to SIMNIKIWE XABANISA this week about his plan to turn things around.

What have you learnt from the unexpected reversal of form for the Springboks?

If you go back to 2008 I was new and the players were working hard to be in my good books. Then came 2009 and the inspiration was to win the (British & Irish) Lions series. Then we’d almost wrapped up the Tri-Nations by winning our three matches in South Africa, so there was more motivation for us. Then we had two teams in a Super 14 final in 2010 for the second time, and suddenly there was nothing to play for except another Tri-Nations. What was there to motivate them internally to go that extra mile? The second thing I’ve learnt is that as a group we need to be on the same page all the time. After winning the Tri-Nations last year I think the management team and the players slacked off a bit because we felt all we had to do was rock up and things would be easy.

It has been said the Boks have missed Fourie du Preez from a kicking perspective and Heinrich Brussow at the breakdown. Is it really as simple as that?

It is. Fourie is someone you can’t replace. You can find someone with other attributes, but you can’t find someone to replace him. The kicking part of his game is only one part of his brilliance. There’s still his decision-making, his reading of the game and the fact that he can inspire others around him. He is the most rounded rugby player in the country. We didn’t make the necessary adjustments when he wasn’t there, we thought we’d do the same things but our execution wasn’t as good. Heinrich brings something extra, but Fourie is a guy you really miss.

Given your feelings about the pace of northern hemisphere rugby and that he still has another two years at Racing Metro, what’s the plan with Frans Steyn with the World Cup in mind?

I think we’ve learnt from the last few Tests that the pace of the northern hemisphere game can’t compare with what we have down here. It’s taken us three months to bring all the guys who play in the northern hemisphere up to speed. Regarding Frans, I haven’t thought that far yet, but we can’t have him come here from France and straight to the World Cup because it won’t allow us the luxury of having him as just another player on the same level as others. I think the best thing to do now is talk personally to his club and see if we can work out something.

Have the Springboks’ latest performances alerted you to any changes you might need to make to some of your World Cup plans?

Studying our videos, it’s mind-boggling to me why we didn’t win. (For senior players) to get three yellow cards in the first 20 minutes of all three Tests is unheard of. Then you look at how we progressed from the 10m line to two metres from the tryline five times without scoring. In Auckland, we tackled a lot but still conceded only five penalties, which means the discipline in that Test was actually good. As a coach you struggle to understand why you lost. Then you realise that 95% isn’t good enough at Test rugby, you need to be 100% on top of your game if you want to make life difficult for the opponents. So what we’ve learnt is that with the game officiated differently in the two hemispheres and the IRB going for neutral referees – New Zealand and Australia don’t have such good ones – we’re going to have to contend with northern hemisphere referees. We have to make a shift in mind-set and not allow circumstances to bully us. We must adapt and play the game without looking for excuses.

Are you still going to take all your senior players on the Grand Slam tour?

I’ve had a big change of mind on that. The Super 15 next year will be longer than we’re used to and it will be tough on the players. So we just have to give them that much-needed recovery period, and I think the end-of-the-year-tour will be the best time to do that.

You have said it is a bit late to incorporate new players into the squad because you know your World Cup team. Is the door really closed to those outside the team?

If you look at the players we took overseas to Wales and the guys we played against Italy, there’s a clear indication of who will be there. If you rest a few players, the guys who will replace them are already known and know the culture of the team. There might be two or three new faces, but if there are more than three then I haven’t done my job well over the last few years.

Two of the players you contracted with a view to playing in the World Cup, John Smit and Victor Matfield, have come in for particular criticism after the tour of Australasia. What would it take for you to consider not taking them to New Zealand?

You must understand one thing about New Zealand and Australia. They will do everything in their power to disjoint this team, to make us doubt ourselves and each other. It isn’t what they think that’s important, it’s what we know. If you look at their playing hours you can see players like that have been a bit overplayed. They’re not young any more, but they are brilliant leaders, make a difference in the team, and they instil fear in the opposition. Listening to the crap that people are saying about them will only mean we are lost in the end. It’s up to me and my medical team to sit down and work out a plan for guys such as Victor, John, Bryan, Schalk, Danie … there’s quite a lot of them.

Smit started the season as a tighthead prop, played a fair amount of it at loosehead, but has been asked to be the best hooker in the country at international level. What’s your plan for him now that Bismarck du Plessis is fit again?

He is the best hooker in the country. His scrumming ability is beyond anything another hooker can give us. His basic job, throwing in, is good. When he runs with the ball he generates forward momentum. What people can criticise at the moment is his defence. But our defence in general wasn’t good so that’s unfair on John. We’ve got two brilliant hookers in the team with Chiliboy Ralepelle having come on in leaps and bounds. Players in this team know that when you’re no longer in the fold, you have to work your way back in again. We’ve sent Bismarck back to the Sharks. If he shows signs of being better than anybody here, he will be back.

Does that mean you would consider playing John at tighthead again?

No. John did great service at tighthead when we didn’t have the luxury of the three tightheads we’re sitting with at the moment. I won’t be unfair on him again.

Why has the defence struggled so much in the Tri-Nations?

The other stuff is technical, we just had to fix it. The players have to understand their roles. I just don’t think they took responsibility for their roles. It goes back to what I said at the beginning – was the inner motivation there to put their bodies on the line? The disastrous results for the team came at the right time, just to get our feet back on the ground.

The so-called player-driven system has also come in for criticism after the three losses away. Will you review it or continue as you were?

I empower the people I work with to be their best for their country. We played our first Test a week after the Super 14 final, so what chance did we have to work on anything new with the players? I believe my input and that of my staff on a Sunday or a Monday is much more valuable than to be seen out there telling the players to clean and run. I try to simulate a game situation in training where the captain runs the show and then I make my input. I’m still the boss around here, and if I don’t agree with something, I’ll step in and say I don’t.

From The Sunday Times