Rugby World Cup 2019 – What Coetzee needs to do

After a frustrating four years of Springbok rugby under the tutelage of Heyneke Meyer, the national side begins a new chapter with Allister Coetzee at the helm. As far as experience and accolades go, Coetzee is the best man for the job but he will have to prove that the Springboks can play total rugby.

Meyer promised just that when he took the reins back in 2012 but we watched helplessly as the Boks failed to deliver on that promise.

Where was the running rugby Meyer touted? It was stifled, perhaps, by Meyer’s loyalty to an older generation of players who reverted to one-dimensional tactics when they were under the cosh.

That is not to say that the Springboks are incapable of playing exciting, attacking rugby. We saw glimpses of it throughout Meyer’s tenure and those moments bred hopes of lifting the Webb Ellis Cup once again in 2015.

But Meyer’s demise was sealed at the World Cup last year when the Springboks produced consecutive woeful performances in the group stages that all but sealed their fate. The Boks ended up bowing out with honour in a titanic semi-final clash with the All Blacks – but that very game showed the gap that needs to be bridged in order to win the World Cup in 2019.

Shaking off the 'defensive mind-set'

Coetzee’s biggest hurdle will be his ability to shake off the ‘defensive mind-set’ that he has been labelled with. His success with Western Province and the Stormers was built on strong defence – which put an immense amount of pressure on opposition teams which led to turnovers and penalties. His teams didn’t play the most attractive rugby, but they won rugby games.

Defence is the cornerstone of any successful rugby team but their ability to use it as a catalyst for attack is what separates the best from the rest. That is Coetzee’s challenge, to turn the Springboks into a team that is able to switch from defence to attack in an instant.

This year’s Super Rugby campaign has once again highlighted just how good New Zealanders are at that. Their teams have very good defensive structures but it is their interplay, creativity and accuracy on attack that makes them so dangerous.

The Springboks will be a process-driven team under Coetzee but they also need to be given the license and blueprint to play exciting rugby. Gone are the days of short carries directly from the base of a ruck – forwards and backs need to play dynamic rugby all around the park.

Too often the Springboks played static, narrow attacking rugby and it did little to test teams defence or create space for their outside backs. Coetzee will need to select players that are mobile and skillful, coupled with a physicality that the Springboks are renowned for.

Luckily Coetzee will be able to select overseas based players this season. That will give him a player group with experienced Springboks which is vitally important. The likes of Duane Vermeulen, Francois Louw and Bismarck du Plessis cannot be overlooked.

However Coetzee must ensure that his players buy into his game plan and that those egos are kept in check.

If the new coach can blend all these facets, perhaps he can overcome the curse of ‘poisoned chalice’ and guide the Springboks to World Cup glory in 2019.

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