Bloues

http://www.sport24.co.za/Rugby/Bulls-make-offer-to-Nienaber-2012080

Apparently the Bulls have made WP defence coach, Jaques Nienaber, an offer to join their ranks in time for next year’s Super Rugby Championship.

It was reported earlier this year that WP’s assistant coaches were unhappy with the offer made to them by the WPRU. However, the WPRU said that they are looking into this issue and will do their best to sort it out. Afterwards I read about Coetzee’s extension of his contract, but even after doing some searching, I found nothing on the assistant coaches’ positions.

In the final chapter of a post I made on April 16 (http://blogs.sport24.co.za/gertbloues/2012/04/16/dont-be-so-blue/) I stated that WP must make sure that they at least sign Nienaber and Proudfoot before the Bulls snap them up. As far as I know, none of WP’s assistant coaches have extended their contracts already.

This news, for obvious reasons, have been met with criticism. Mostly about the Bulls poaching other teams’ talent, again. This is Bullshit! (Pun intended) Rassie and Nienaber are both seen as the architects of WP and the Stormers’ resurrection four years ago. Where did they come from? Before joining WP, Rassie oversaw the Cheetahs’ most successful period ever. So it wasn’t a case of WP unearthing an unknown talent. They just bought the guy who beat them in the CC semi two years in a row. And, just like Meyer and McFarland, Rassie and Nienaber was a package deal.

Of course Nienaber is hot property at the moment. That’s what happens when your system leaks the least tries for three seasons in a row. The question is why cant the team that finished top after the league stage of this year’s S15 get their assistant coaches to extend their contracts? Why cant they hold on to their star under 20 fly half? Why couldn’t they hold on to their two star youngsters last season? Why couldn’t they hold on to the best director of rugby in the country?

I’m sure Allistair Coetzee is a decent guy and I’m sure that the players have enjoyed playing under him, but what is going on higher up in the union? Why cant one of the most popular teams in the country and the one with by far the best attendance at home matches be in a strong enough financial position to keep their personnel from leaving for more lucrative offers? Is the money that the union makes not made available or isn’t it managed properly? It it due to political backroom fighting?

This is a lot of questions and I do not have a single answer.

But, what I can say, is that WP have found it hard to hold on to the talent that they have unearthed in the past two years and if they keen on loosing these people they will fail again and again. It is due to mismanagement, lack of results and players leaving that the once proud Golden Lions now only looks like a shadow of what they once were.

The same can happen to Province. Maybe not next year, maybe not in five years, but consistent failure will inevitably sink them.

SA rugby cant afford this to happen.