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Eddie Jones gets stuck into De Villiers

Tuesday 26th August 2008

From bad to worse: Jones can't see South Africa getting any better

Eddie Jones, who worked with the Springboks during the 2007 Rugby World Cup, has added to the pressure building on current coach Peter de Villiers by slamming his so-called new-look gameplan.

Jones was used by former coach Jake White during the World Cup in France, with many attributing the Springboks' success to Jones' tactical genius and awareness.

But now Jones, who has taken over from Alan Gaffney at Saracens, has hit out at De Villiers' gameplan, a gameplan that has seen the Springboks lose four out of their five Tri-Nations games to date.

De Villiers was booed by the Durban crowd after Saturday's 27-15 defeat against the Wallabies, and Jones believes they will only get worse.

"The Springboks will get worse if they continue in this way," Jones told The Independent.

"Mate, no one in world rugby is playing the way their coach is talking about, not successfully anyway.

"Everyone has discipline, policies and a procedure in their game. The way he is talking is nonsense. You can't just play an expansive, wide game.

"This is still a very good squad of players. Most are even at their peak or approaching it. So there is plenty of talent but what they need is the organisation and discipline.

"The hard thing for Peter is that he has never coached professionally and this is one of the most difficult teams to coach.

In a harsh, but fair, appraisal of the Springboks Jones went on to say there is no penetration in the South Africa attack and that there needs to be an urgent change in philosophy if the slump is to come to an end.

"They're attacking off everything. And they're going lateral, not through defences. You have to go through sides like Australia and New Zealand first," he continued.

"But he has to change his philosophy because it doesn't fit these players. It's not credible.

"Peter's big test now is to learn. If he learns, he can turn it around. But if he continues to be stubborn, he won't last long because his tactics won't work."

Whilst De Villiers will point to the other four victories (Wales twice, Italy and Argentina), as well as that famous win in Dunedin, the reality is South Africa have only won one meaningful game under him.

However, in true De Villiers fashion he believes his side are on the right track and doesn't look set to change anything too much.

"If a company is doing badly, then you blame the managing director, so it is right and fair that the coach be held responsible," De Villiers said.

"I know people are angry and rightfully so."

But he also claimed the Boks were the better side at the ABSA Stadium on Saturday.

"We should have won, the opportunities were there but we just let them slip," he said.

"I'm not going to panic because, having watched the video again, I saw how great we played.

"Decision-making in split seconds is new to the guys and it has been a bit worrying. The onus is now on the players, but they want to be in a confined group where they are comfortable."

Next up for De Villiers and South Africa is a return Test against Australia at Coca Cola Park in Johannesburg this Saturday, a venue the Wallabies have not won at in forty-five years.

With the way South Africa have been playing of late you would not bet against a third straight defeat for De Villiers' men.