With the Springbok squad Rugby World Cup announcement just a day away, and with media all over South Africa speculating about which one out of the current 32-man squad will miss out, I thought I should add my voice into the conversation. With just 31 places available in the Rugby World Cup 2019 squad, competition for all places is fierce, and provides a positive selection headache for the Bok coach for the first time since the last World Cup.
After their famous victory over the All Blacks on Saturday 17 November, Ireland have undoubtedly closed the gap on the best team in the world. In fact, some argue that they have overtaken New Zealand as the front-runners in world rugby, for a number of reasons. The men from the emerald isle have garnered a … Continue reading All Blacks no longer “all that”
The Springboks slumped to a negative win-loss record under head coach Rassie Erasmus on Saturday 3 November, after a controversial call from referee Angus Gardner at the end of the match allowed England to take home a 12-11 victory in Twickenham. South Africa had dominated all aspects of the match against their hosts in the … Continue reading Springboks wrap
It was confirmed on Thursday 1 March that Rassie Erasmus, former Springbok flanker and current Director of Rugby of the Springboks, will take over as the coach of the Springboks from Allister Coetzee.
After Allister Coetzee’s axing two weeks ago, Rassie Erasmus has taken on the imposition of interim Springbok coach up until the World Cup in 2019. After the World Cup, a new head coach is expected to be appointed, with Erasmus reverting back to the Director of Rugby role.
With the announcement on Friday that Allister Coetzee and the South African Rugby Union (SARU) have parted ways, many will look at the two years that Coetzee was at the helm of the Springboks as a failure. While SARU has many deep rooted issues that need to be addressed before South African rugby can regain its former glory, it cannot be ignored that Coetzee coached the Springboks to a number of record defeats and should be held accountable as head coach.
The opening round of the 2017 Castle Lager Rugby Championship got underway on Saturday 19 August, as South Africa took on Argentina in Nelson Mandela Bay stadium. The match kicked off in good mid-August late afternoon conditions, with the windy city living up to its name.
Coetzee has announced his squad to take on the French as part of the incoming tour in June, and most notably announced the new captain, Warren Whiteley, as the leader to take this young side back to the top. He has also announced a very strong SA A side to take on the on the French Barbarians around the same time. I am going to give my opinions on the squads as a whole, eventually coming to a personal starting 23 for each team based on their current form.
With the opening matches of the 2016 edition of the Rugby Championship only one day away, I feel that there is no better time for me to write my first entry. The Springboks, under newly appointed head coach Allister Coetzee, have been disappointing in 2016 thus far. South Africa's recent series against an Irish side … Continue reading The Rugby Championship Opening Weekend: The Springboks
Stephen Kisbey-Green Photography 