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South Africa

PdV not happy with Grand Slam tour

Tuesday, February 02 Springbok coach Peter de Villiers has told the Cape Times newspaper that the timing of the Grand Slam tour to the UK at the end of the year "isn't right for me" with regards to the 2011 Rugby World Cup in New Zealand.

SA Rugby announced that the Springboks will embark on the tour in November which will include Test matches against all four Home Unions as well as a game against the Barbarians.

The Springbok coach, however, isn't impressed. 

"The timing of this Grand Slam tour isn't right for me.  The World Cup is the next thing, you know." he told the Cape Times on Monday.

"It would have been better if the Grand Slam tour was scheduled for just after the World Cup, because then we would have been in New Zealand for the World Cup, and played Tri-Nations before that against them and Australia.  So after the World Cup would have been perfect for a Grand Slam tour."

"So, at this point in time, I need to really sit down and work out when exactly we want to do the conditioning with the guys ahead of the 2011 season.  From there we will know what we want to do and how we are going to approach the next two international seasons."

The Springbok management team faces a difficult task to identify a rest period for the top Springboks to set them up for the run in to the World Cup in New Zealand in 2011.  Sitting out either the 2010 Currie Cup or the end of year tour were two of the possible rest periods that are being looked at by the Bok management.

"I haven't spoken to the bosses yet about the Grand Slam tour, so I don't know how they see it.  I haven't spoken to them or the players," De Villiers said.

"We have to determine how important the Grand Slam tour is to South African rugby.  There are many shareholders in our rugby including the players and supporters.  We need to consult with everybody to see how we view the Grand Slam tour as well as the World Cup.  The sponsors also need to be consulted.  There needs to be quite a few consultations before we can make any decisions on the way forward for South African rugby."

The Springboks last undertook a Grand Slam tour in 2004 when Jake White's Tri-Nations winners went down to Ireland and England in a disappointing attempt at the Slam.

Avril Malan's 1960-1961 Springboks are the last side to complete the task of beating England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales in one tour.

With thanks to the Cape Times.

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By smart - Castle Braai recommendations: 0
What a dumb @ss idea, how come PdV is not at lest consulted on these matters, I mean he is the coach, he is the one who will take the fall if we start losing surly he should have some say. this is just crazy everyone is talking about how these players need to be rested and South African rugby is giving them more games. Just goes to show al the care about is the money.
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By Alucard - Castle Braai recommendations: 0
Simple, stuff the Grand Scham, and stuff the greedy imbeciles who made this happen. Remove EVERY Bok from the tour and watch their wallets cry. I don't care if we lose every test, so long as the Boks are as best prepared as they can be for the RWC. Div, don't give in to these fools, should this tour stuff the Boks, they won't blame themselves for their short sightedness, they'll blame YOU! And don't think that stuffing the WC won't destroy your coaching career, you tred a thin line as it is. Do what's right for the Boks.
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By zulustormer - Castle Braai recommendations: 0
im not a fan of piet helium at ALL but if i didn't know any better i would think that SA rugby is trying to screw snore here. a grand slam tour is idiotic when the worldcup only 6months after that.

snore must pick a 2nd string side!!!! leave victor, du preez, bakkies, smit, bismarck, beast, smith, burger, brusouw, steyn, fourie and spies at a high performance centre.

if snore picks players that really deserve to be there and some oversees stalwards, then we won't do to bad at all.

my 2nd string team on current form.

1.cj vd linde
2.gary botha
3.bj
4.nico breedt
5.bekker
6.francois louw
7.deysel
8.vermeulen
9.vermaak
10.butch james
11.habana
12.jean d villiers
13.de jongh
14.joe peterson
15. frans steyn

16.wp nel
17.liebenberg
18.danie russouw
19.wikus v heerden
20.frans hougaard
21.mopoe
22.pienaar
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By bootman - Castle Braai recommendations: 0
I think that PDV should send a second string team on the tour. We have the depth in SA to send a second string team and be competitive as long as the right players are selected. I think this is an attempt to sabotage the defence of our title and the bok management should take heed of this.
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By hakwa - Castle Braai recommendations: 0
send a development team and keep the real boks at home (like you did to NZ before the RWC and look what happened - you won the RWC again for the 2nd time Smile Smile
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By bootman - Castle Braai recommendations: 0
zulu stormer how do you gauge current form when most of the players arent playing real competitive games? The other thing is, would you really have habana in a second string team?
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By impi - Castle Braai recommendations: 0
we will take it with a second string side. maybe thats a bold statement but come on...we were just in bad shape this last tour. this timare around we will kill them. even if we rest key players
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By cramer - Castle Braai recommendations: 1
What P'Divvy meant to say. Because with out John and the boys I can't put a decent team together. Where I'm going to find players I can unearth as the next stars. I have no clue
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By zambezikid - Castle Braai recommendations: 0
First senseible thing I've ever heard him say.

This will be a Grand Flop Tour - will serve them right, the money grabbing crooks.
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By scrumfan - Castle Braai recommendations: 0
who organises this (edited)!
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By Gron - Castle Braai recommendations: 0
I agree this was bad planning. Obviously it's about money for the top administrators.

Like I said elsewhere, PDV should choose a 2nd string team, but:
1) Select a somewhat equal representative team from all 5 the unions playing S14 next season... in order to give all 5 teams experienced players for next season, thus improving the chance of having all 5 teams in the top half of the log.

2) Have the team selected just after the S14 of this year, and let them have contact sessions and practice games every now and then until the EOYT. It's time for SARU to open up their stuffed wallets and sign the second stringers with a 6month contract (July-December)

If they have sufficient preparation, the second stringers could possibly even win the Grand Slam.
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By kiwijimmy89 - Castle Braai recommendations: 0
I don't think the first string side would win the grand slam anyway since when do SA travel well at the end of the year
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By Kojak - Castle Braai recommendations: 0
Stick to your plan PDV! This can workm in your favour if you look at it properly! Our second string need to play these big teams to build some character! We already know what our first team is all about and so does the world! If our second team put in 100% they could build a strong platform for the WC either as subs or to rest Big players for small games! They have to stand up and be counted if they want to be the future of South African Rugby! We are in a great place to make good decisions and not give the Europeans the upper hand! Lets play them down with a second team, and play our second team up as they dont deserve to face our first team now! Lets bring back a bad memory in the WC!
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By Kojak - Castle Braai recommendations: 0
Use it to our Advantage!
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By RagingBull - Castle Braai recommendations: 0
Grand Slam schman schlam !

Rest the players that needs to be rested. That is the TOP priority!

Use to Grand Slam to unearth some more depth!
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By green - Castle Braai recommendations: 0
Obvious plot by Northern Hemisphere to try to overplay the Boks at a crucial world cup preparation period.
Good on you PDV for seeing through this smokescreen. I have faith that you and the Bok brainstrust will come up with a winning solution.
RWC 2011 is much more important than any old grand slam.
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By zulustormer - Castle Braai recommendations: 0
@bootman...most of these players do play competitive rugby.. As far bryan being in the 2nd string team, im sure that he would be rested during the currie cup and the tri-nations of 2011
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By bull - Castle Braai recommendations: 0
this will be a good tour to recall all the springboks playing in the EU so we can have more options for the WC. one or two key injuries in the currant springboks squad and we are in trouble...
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By jauk - Castle Braai recommendations: 0
The Springboks must use this to their advantage. No need to risk key players in a grand slam tour before a world cup. But money and greed is killing the game's true nature. Crying or Very sad
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By Sharkbok - Castle Braai recommendations: 0
If he is not happy, then it is a RE-ACTIVE responce.
Should he/Could he be pro-active in commercials and ask what he wants/needs, especially as World Cup year so close???????????
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