Bok spin can't cover the cracks

rugby365.com columnist Grant Ball believes the spin put on in media release this week doesn’t cover up the shortcomings in the flawed manner in which key Springboks are being managed.

SARU’s media spin that the Springboks will have access to their players during the Super Rugby competition won’t improve their World Cup chances.

In a press release on Tuesday Peter de Villiers and Andy Marinos gleefully stated that after a meeting with the country’s five Super 15 coaches, the Bok management will meet with their players at certain stages of the tournament.

The press release contained little valuable information, but crucially Marinos said: “We will work in conjunction with the franchises on the medical and conditioning aspects and we will have access to the players depending on the teams’ playing schedules.”

That basically means the Bok management will see certain players when they have byes, but as those byes don’t coincide with other South African teams, the players will never actually be together in a group, which is the only way anything beneficial will result from these gatherings.

All we will hear will be the spin from the conditioning and medical staff that individuals are in peak physical condition.

While there may be some truth to that during the Super Rugby season, where the players are forced to work harder than they are in the Bok camp because in the latter situation the players are in control, the issue of player management and individuals being over-played still persists.

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