Coetzee not about to hit panic button
The 20-26 loss to Ireland in Cape Town last Saturday caused a public outcry – with calls for a complete overhaul of the team.
However, Coetzee said changes to the team – for the second Test at Ellis Park this coming Saturday – are likely to be kept to the minimum.
He admitted to be caught 'between a rock and a hard place', as a result of the loss in the opening match of the three-Test series.
"As a collective we didn't play well," Coetzee told a media briefing at the team hotel in Johannesburg on Monday.
He said he would always look to give players a second opportunity to rectify the mistakes.
"[If you are] making changes, [then] it looks like your are panicking," the coach said.
He added that he has a "very good idea" of what the starting XV will look like for the Ellis Park encounter.
"I will not deviate from selecting the best possible side for this coming weekend and a team that will be able to execute the gameplan.
"It is important to ensure players get an opportunity to rectify this [loss]."
The one change will be at flyhalf, where Elton Jantjies will start in place of Patrick Lambie – who has been ruled out through concussion, suffered in a sickening collision with Irish flank Christiaan Stander.
Stander has since been slapped with a one-week ban for his late and dangerous charge.
Veteran Morné Steyn, with 60 Test caps to his credit, has been called into the squad in place of the injured Lambie. However, he is likely to play off the bench.
Two other players – No.8 Duane Vermeulen (who took a blow to the leg just above the knee) and lock Lodewyk de Jager (tight calf) – sat out training on Monday.
However, Coetzee said it would not keep either player out of the second Test.
It means the pack is likely to remain unchanged – although there has been a suggestion that Pieter-Steph du Toit deserves a start after he impressed off the bench.
Warren Whiteley is another player who made an impact as a second-half replacement.
However, Coetzee felt the real need is for the team to work on their execution.
"Our conversion rate [of opportunities] inside the Irish 22 was terrible," the coach said, adding: "It is not the standard you expect of the Springboks.
"We let ourselves down with our contact skills. When a ball get stripped from your grasp [it is not acceptable] and we let ourselves down.
"We weren't good with our body height in contact.
"There were also silly mistakes – like running laterally or making a forced off-load."
The coach said the contest in the second Test will be all about the "shoulder battle" – the body height of the players in contact.
By Jan de Koning, in Johannesburg
@King365ed
@rugby365com
