Ken Borland

Cape Cobras coach Ashwell Prince said on Monday that he would prefer to attack the reasons for players going overseas at the next Cricket South Africa Coaches’ Conference but he was happy to firmly back the expansion of premier domestic competitions to 12 teams, saying this would provide more playing opportunity.

The Cobras had already lost talented young batsman David Bedingham to a Kolpak deal mid-season, but the end of the summer has brought the confirmation that senior bowlers Dane Paterson and Dane Piedt are also no longer going to be based at Newlands but will be plying their trade overseas.

Paceman Paterson, who played in South Africa’s final Test of the season, against England at the Wanderers, is also heading to England on a Kolpak deal, while off-spinner Piedt is breaking new ground in playing in the United States.

“They were key bowlers in our attack and we will miss them as leaders. Each case needs to be treated individually and when you’re over 30, especially as a bowler, I’m sure you calculate whether you have a realistic chance of playing for the Proteas.

“But other factors also play a role in guys leaving, but we always talk around them and we don’t deal with them,” Prince said on Monday.

When asked what these ‘other factors’ are, Prince said he would prefer to raise them at the Coaches’ Conference rather than elaborate to the media.

“I have mentioned them before at the Coaches’ Conference and CSA are well aware of them. I believe that’s my platform. We’ve got to get the system operating the best we can, if we can improve it it’s important we identify those areas. I tend to make my feelings heard and I hope the committees considered what I said,” the outspoken former Proteas batsman said.

Prince was more forthcoming when it came to his views on the present franchise system, with six teams still playing in the premier competitions next season but with a reduced number of fixtures.

“The sooner we get to a system that we can have for 10-20 years the better. I’m not convinced by this makeshift plan, although I know it’s based on finances. But we need to get the system fine-tuned so it can last for the next 10 years.

“I’m a firm believer in going to 12 teams, having played in England, where it works, and in South Africa before the franchise system.

“All the smaller provincial teams [barring North-West and Border] have won trophies, they produce talent and they can be competitive. It will get people playing more regularly; at the moment far too many cricketers don’t play regularly at the top level.

“I’m a big fan of opening up the system and more people getting opportunity. For example, a young batsman like Isma-eel Gafieldien, who made lots of runs for Boland, could play a full season with them rather than just having one or two matches for the Cobras. The game is the best teacher rather than just going to training. You learn far more in the heat of the moment.

“Places like Easterns produced Andre Nel, Andrew Hall and Zander de Bruyn, who all played for the Proteas. Border had Pieter Strydom, Steve Palframan, Makhaya Ntini and Mark Boucher. Boland has produced plenty of Proteas – guys like Henry Williams, Roger Telemachus, Henry Davids, Justin Ontong and Charl Langeveldt. These so-called ‘smaller’ provinces have talent and they will produce players for the country. And there’s nothing better for them than playing at a higher level,” Prince said.

Given the emergence of such quality talent as Kyle Verreynne, Janneman and Pieter Malan, Bedingham, Nandre Burger, Zubayr Hamza and George Linde, the 2019/20 season promised much for the Cobras.

But it ended in anticlimax with Prince’s charges finishing last in both the 4-Day Franchise Series and the Momentum One-Day Cup.

To add to the coach’s problems, he has lost nine of the 18 players contracted for last season as well as both nationally-contracted stars in the retired duo of Hashim Amla and Vernon Philander.

In terms of acquisitions, former Titans batsman Tony de Zorzi, who averaged over 45 in both competitions last season, is probably the most exciting.

The likes of Corbin Bosch, Tshepo Moreki, Onke Nyaku and Calvin Savage all have talent, but they all struggled to pin down regular places at their former franchises.

“I’m extremely excited about the players we have. In the bowling department we have more experience now in white-ball cricket which is obviously the area that needed strengthening. We’ve been more competitive in four-day cricket lately.

“The guys who have stayed are our core, they were predominantly starters in most competitions. We just had to make sure we secured good depth because we expect national call-ups. It’s obviously exciting to have those, but they hurt us last season – missing four key one-day players had a major effect.

“But to be honest this transfer window has been a bit of a nightmare with 100% of players’ contracts ending. It became a free-for-all with players just going to the highest bidder. And CSA have said that from May 1 we can give eight players two-year contracts, which means next year it’s going to be another free-for-all for the other 10 players. It will be even more of a bunfight if we go to 12 provinces,” Prince said.

Cobras 2020/21 squad – Ziyaad Abrahams, Jonathan Bird, Corbin Bosch, Nandre Burger, Tony de Zorzi, Isma-eel Gafieldien, Zubayr Hamza, George Linde, Pieter Malan, Janneman Malan, Imraan Manack, Aviwe Mgijima, Akhona Mnyaka, Tshepo Moreki, Onke Nyaku, Calvin Savage, Jason Smith, Kyle Verreynne.

 

It was a great weekend in SuperRugby for the two expansion sides from Argentina and Japan, while the Sharks and Lions kept the South African flag flying.

It has certainly been a good two weeks for the Sunwolves, with successive wins. It takes time to settle in a competition as demanding as SuperRugby, and this was even true for the Jaguares, who are basically a full national team.

The Stormers never settled in the heat of Hong Kong and it was really hot, especially at 1pm when the game kicked off in scorching temperatures. Even though the final result was close, the Stormers never really looked like winning the game. Their tries came from Sunwolves’ mistakes, two of them from an intercept try and a crosskick, and they weren’t really constructed by the visitors.

What was concerning was that there were three occasions when the Stormers tried to launch from lineouts, but there were knock-ons in the set-up play. When that happens you just cannot build any pressure on the opposition.

You have to credit the Sunwolves for being bold and working their way down the field for the matchwinning drop goal by Hayden Parker. But if the Stormers’ defensive line had come up harder they could have certainly charged down that kick because Parker went left first and then right, but they just did not put enough pressure on him.

The Bulls were really poor in Buenos Aires and all their good work against the Sharks has been undone. From the first minute, when Ivan van Zyl’s exit kick was charged down and then Warrick Gelant totally missed the ball when he tried to kick, they were under pressure.

They were pinned back in their 22 with sheer line-speed by the Jaguares and they were manhandled at forward. I just thought the Bulls were very sluggish, they didn’t get around the corner and they could not set properly in defence. Perhaps the hard physical battle with the Sharks took it out of them and then it’s a helluva flight to Buenos Aires with a long layover in Sao Paulo. The Bulls’ tight forwards were not at their best, they’re not normally so unaggressive.

But you have to give credit to the Jaguares, to put fifty on the Bulls is something nobody else has managed to do this year and they are clearly getting their development structure right. Coach Mario Ledesma was in Australian rugby for so long and he is employing some of the same systems. An example is Nicolas Sanchez standing at the hooker position in lineout defence, which is similar to what Bernard Foley does at the Waratahs and Wallabies, they hide away their flyhalf.

You also see the Australian influence in their will to move the ball and keep it alive, plus they are now more rugby fit. To win four games in a row away from home was phenomenal and the Jaguares will be a handful in any playoff game.

The Jaguares’ match against the Sharks this weekend is a key game and it will also be interesting to see how Argentina then do in their June Tests against Wales and Scotland, how their players cope back at international level.

It was good to see the Sharks beat a depleted Chiefs side and their only disappointment will be that they did not get the bonus point, which could be vital the way the South African Conference is going.

The Lions struggled a lot against the Brumbies but their forward pack and lineout maul took them through. It was also the sort of match where Rohan Janse van Rensburg is so valuable because in those one-on-one situations he can always break the tackle.

The Lions will certainly be pleased to get back to winning ways and the victory keeps them in control of the conference. Their rolling maul was devastating, back to its best, and it kept them in the game in the first half. They will also be pleased with how well their scrum went – they struggled a bit at the start but just improved more and more.

Elton Jantjies also grew in confidence, even after the red-card incident in which Rory Arnold definitely gave him a premeditated smack to the head, which is good for the Springboks because I see him being the starting flyhalf.

With Swys de Bruin as the attacking consultant for the Springboks, it looks like a smart move by Rassie Erasmus to let Elton play with his mentor there to get the best out of him. It will also be good for Swys, but he’s going to be very tired working through three Tests and then getting straight back to SuperRugby; but his first time in the national set-up will certainly have him enthused.

In terms of the Springbok squad announcement this weekend, there are certainly some new guys who deserve a chance. Warrick Gelant is certainly an example of that, he should definitely be in the mix and I would play him at fullback. He’s an exciting runner and he has good feet, plus he has done some phenomenal things with ball-in-hand, he makes magic happen.

Aphiwe Dyantyi of the Lions is brave and good in the air and he has been so good on the wing that it was a surprise to see him played in the centres last weekend, where he doesn’t have that same freedom.

Travis Ismaiel also played really well, with power and precision, when he was fit and one wonders whether Erasmus will be brave enough to have two uncapped wings feature in his plans.

I think Faf de Klerk will play scrumhalf with Jantjies, there seems a good chance of that halfback pairing, and in terms of the forwards, the Springboks should have a really strong pack, and Erasmus will be hoping for no more injuries in this last round of SuperRugby before the international break.

A guy like Marco van Staden may come into it – he does all the right things, he’s hard to shift off the ball and I can imagine him playing with Jean-Luc du Preez and Duane Vermeulen in the loose trio.

Rassie could go with Francois Louw, but there are only 17 Tests left before the World Cup. You do need massive experience to win a World Cup knockout game, but you don’t want to get to the final year and have to blood new players. You need to get those guys into the mix now for the World Cup.

Guys like Jesse Kriel and Damian de Allende have been part of the Springboks for the last three or four years, which is what you want going into World Cup year.

It’s also worth noting that Japan in September will be hot and you need young and vibrant players. It will be very different to playing in Europe, it will be hot and humid.

Test matches are like cup finals and Erasmus needs to win every one for the South African public. He needs to win series and to do that against England would be a great way to start his tenure, an excellent achievement.

 

 

John McFarland is the assistant coach of the Kubota Spears in Japan and was the Springbok defence coach from 2012 through to the 2015 World Cup, where they conceded the least line-breaks in the tournament and an average of just one try per game. Before that, McFarland won three SuperRugby titles (2007, 09, 10) with the Bulls and five Currie Cup crowns with the Blue Bulls. In all, he won 28 trophies during his 12 years at Loftus Versfeld.