Cape Town – The Springboks spectacular fall from grace is gaining momentum with every game.
SA Rugby president Mark Alexander saw it fit to send out an unprecedented post-match statement last week when the Springboks produced another downright shocking performance to record yet another ‘first’, this time, against lowly Italy.
As it turned out, Alexander’s spin doctors produced a message that was both inconsequential and insignificant. It did not speak to disenchanted supporters that are deserting national rugby’s fan base with a speed that matches the Boks’ headlong plunge into the depths of mediocrity.
What was clear though is that after all this time, Alexander has no idea what is at the heart of the Boks’ meltdown and he wasn’t going to be guilty of perpetuating scapegoating either.
His statement started out: “The whole of South African rugby is extremely disappointed with this year’s Springbok results and deeply worrying aspects of the performances. It has not been good enough and no one is pretending otherwise.”
This opening remark was way off the mark. Rather than “extremely disappointed” the South African rugby’s fraternity was utterly disgusted and exceedingly appalled with this year’s Springbok results.
Alexander did offer a glimmer of hope in the fourth paragraph: “All of us within South African rugby need to look at ourselves and ask what we could have done differently in aid of the Springbok cause.”
Alexander and his fellow executive committee members don’t have to wait for the final whistle against Wales at Cardiff on Saturday to kickstart that process.
This process [the need to look at ourselves] of self-evaluation and performance appraisal review shouldn’t take too long. Alexander rightly points out later in his statement: “After that, it is our job to take steps to do as much as we possibly can to make sure we are not in a similar position in 12 months’ time.”
Fortunately, the first steps won’t be difficult to decide and the obvious first step would be for Alexander and his executive committee members to disengage from all matters pertaining to Springbok rugby. By now they would have realised that you can’t have amateurs doing the work of professionals, and expect to avert the crisis that now besets South African rugby.
Under the present set-up, Alexander and his executive committee are national rugby’s entrenched elite who ensure that the professional game remains rooted in a bygone era. Despite the chorus of criticism directed at them, there is no accountability and as things stand, they continue to have the biggest say.
Apart from endorsing the hiring and firing of national coaches, the executive committee which is made up mostly of presidents (elected) of the 14 provinces, has marked time on many other critical issues. There is the all-important matter of the CEO Jurie Roux who for months now has had to deal with serious allegations of mismanagement relating to his tenure as an administrator at the Maties.
Surely, Alexander and his executive committee members would have known that the situation would have hamstrung his day-to-day duties as the CEO, a post which can be accurately described as the heart and soul of the organisation.
He should have been temporarily relieved of his duties so that these allegations could be put to bed for once and for all. Instead, all they ever said every now and again is, he retains our unanimous support.
And while the task of resurrecting Springbok rugby from the depths of despair is left to the professionals who will implement world-class innovation and solutions, Alexander and his executive committee members can spend the upcoming holidays acquainting themselves with the basic tenets of sound governance.
Maybe, just maybe, the Springboks will cease to be laughing stock of world rugby.