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Voice From the Stands

August 11 2008

Despite a lack of rugby this week there has been plenty happening off the field, and as always we bring you all the latest talking points.

The England backroom staff welcomed another Leicester old boy (anyone spot a trend developing?) this week as Martin Johnson unveiled Graham Rowntree as his Assistant Coach. Rowntree arrives from the national academy to complete a backroom team of former Leicester players as England look to move on from the Brian Ashton saga.

One can't help but wonder if Rowntree gave consideration to the ill-fortune of the last academy coach to take a role in the senior set-up - at least he knows the RFU are fans of giving you your old job back should you make a hash of a more senior position.

Having only spent a year with the RFU to date, questions over Rowntree's abilities will linger until answered with tangible results on the field. Those who claim he proved himself at the World Cup (where he was attached to the senior coaching team) needn't bother with that argument, he was only there to develop his coaching, not impart knowledge of his own.

But on the basis of England's showings what can he have learned? That England can play nine-man rugby better than anyone in the world? That several members of the side make up for the deficiencies of the rest? He will need to offer a little more than that if England are to re-emerge as a serious contender in world rugby.

Jonny Wilkinson obviously got wind of Johnson's 'old boys' club as he was quick to put his hat in the ring for the England captaincy. Sorry Jonny but in that you struggle to even make the team there is little chance you will be made captain, even if you did win Jonno the World Cup.

When he is fit again Wilkinson would be well advised to go and make some money at the expense of the Aussies - if they are going to open their doors, and coffers, we may as well take advantage of the kind offer, and it's not like Wilkinson will be missed back in Blighty - how long since he last spent more than half a season fit?

Over to South Africa and a gripe with national coach Peter de Villiers, or rather his puppet masters, and their inconsistencies in selection. I am not even South African and the constant chopping and changing of the side irritates me, so I can only guess at how frustrating it must be as a native, or even worse a player.

In certain areas it is clear what De Villiers is aiming to achieve, yet in others there seems to be no logic at all. What's more the reasons he often gives for dropping players make little sense, but it seems that is his own unique way.

Francois Steyn and Ruan Pienaar must be fed up of there constant inclusion and exclusion with the national side. De Villiers needs to stop experimenting with players we all know are not going to be regulars and focus on developing a balanced squad.

It is one thing to experiment when a first-choice player is out injured, as was the case this weekend when Jongi Nokwe replaced the crocked Bryan Habana, but not just for the fun of it. The big area at question is hooker, where in the space of two weeks Schalk Brits went from first-choice to out in the wilderness.

What kind of a message does it send to the players if you can start a Test match against New Zealand at hooker one week and suddenly be starting number eight in the Currie Cup the next?

On a brighter note in the Currie Cup it looks as if South Africa are to be blessed with another top back-row player. Western Province may be on a downward spiral at present but they boast one of the finest young number eights in the business - Nick Koster. He may only 19 but if his performance on Friday was anything to go by he will be a Springbok sooner rather than later.

Your views on the week in words?

By Marcus Leach