South Africa’s huge wealth of players has not translated into a winning Springboks team in recent years because of poor selection, says coach Jake White.
Just a few months into his job, White had no qualms about criticising his predecessors when asked to pinpoint why South Africa had failed to beat New Zealand for four years.
He hoped the selection mistakes would disappear under his regime and that his more consistent methods would give the Springboks a better chance of downing the All Blacks in their Tri-Nations clash in Christchurch on Saturday night.
”We’ve had so many good players in the country but we haven’t really got the combinations right in the past,” White said.
”A lot of players who come through the ranks never get a shot at senior rugby or they have [had] to wait for a long time before they got their bash.
”It’s not only the selection of the first 15 but also the amount of changes we’ve made.”
Incredibly, not a single South African involved in the Tri-Nations clash at Dunedin less than a year ago is in this weekend’s starting line-up. Second five-eighth De Wet Barry was a reserve last year but wasn’t used and Saturday’s reserve loose forward, Joe van Niekerk, played at Carisbrook.
Nine starting All Blacks from that Test will start again in Christchurch. It will be an identical starting backline with the exception of second five-eighth Daniel Carter, who has taken over from Aaron Mauger.
White said another problem in South Africa is the dearth of world-class attacking backs.
”We’re struggling to create out-and-out athletes out wide,” he said.
”You guys have got [wingers] Doug Howlett and Joe Rokocoko and half of Fiji and we just don’t have that formula. We try very hard to make sure we’re producing not only big backs but quick backs.
”That is one area that we’ve let go down the tubes a bit.”
The direct style of Springboks backplay of recent times is being phased out by White, who has recalled former Test regulars Percy Montgomery and Breyton Paulse at fullback and winger to add some experience and variety.
The direct approach works well in South African domestic rugby, White said, but is too easy to counter at Test level.
”That’s why you see the make-up of the team we put on the field now are a lot different to what we’ve played in the past.”
The All Blacks will provide the truest measuring stick of how far the Springboks have come under White.
The former South African under-21 coach is credited for the improved showing of the team since their disappointing exit at last year’s World Cup. They had solid home wins over Ireland (31-17 and 26-17) before thrashing Wales 53-18 and were never threatened in downing the Pacific Islanders 38-24 last weekend.
Meanwhile, every All Black but winger Joe Rokocoko trained in perfect conditions at Jade Stadium on Wednesday.
Rokocoko was the latest victim of the mystery stomach bug that has affected up to eight of his teammates. He spent most of Wednesday in bed, confined from any team interaction.
Team doctor Graham Paterson was confident Rokocokco would recover within 48 hours, as the others affected had done, but was concerned that anybody else who contracted the gastric condition from today would struggle to be 100% fit for the Test.
The players are taking precautions when washing their hands and eating, Paterson said. — Sapa-NZPA