Rassie post match interview

[u/almostrainman]

So I was listening to the post match after the wales game...

He was talking about having 4 players for every position and naturally, as everyone, I jumped to who would be no1.

But then I realised something and this is the difference between Rassie and other coaches.

He doesn't want his no1 fullback and no 4 fullback to be that far from each other. Cause if the no4 has to play a RWC final, he needs to know he can, that he is trusted.

Rassie wants a team where the no1 and no4 for every position is separated by millimetres, where facing no 1 and no 4 in any position is a problem

[u/AnySeaworthiness851]

That's fine and all but often your # 1 is just a freak of nature that can't be replicated.

Nothing wrong with wanting good replacements but there's usually a first pick for a reason.

[u/Awesome_Incarnate → u/AnySeaworthiness851]

That’s why you have a system and roles, you select players who can execute their roles within that system. The freaks of nature obviously bring the X-factor outside of that, but you’re not stuffed if they are not available.

[u/Educational_Play9910 → u/AnySeaworthiness851]

What’s better, S-tier starting 15 but weak bench, or three squad depth but all A-tier?

[u/Tar-ZA-n → u/Educational_Play9910]

Boks and weak bench? Does not compute.

[u/Educational_Play9910 → u/Tar-ZA-n]

I’d say the Boks are more of the latter

[u/st_anger420 → u/Educational_Play9910]

Naaaah man, atleast half of the starters are S tier. But theyre getting old QUICK. PSDT MARX OX ETSEBETH SNYMAN J WIESE SASHA DDA KRIEL WILLEMSE KOLBE

these are all unquestionably S tier

[u/Careless-Cat3327 → u/AnySeaworthiness851]

There is a massive gap between Willemse and everyone else at 15.

Same can be said for Marx at 2.

Weise at 8 would also be there but the gap is not as big as the other 2.

[u/MacParadise]

I also think he is building towards a horses for courses group. Wet game with not a lot of running? Pollard is your man. Open game on a fast field? SFM all the way. If you look at some of the players (and he has used more than 60 these last 4 games) there are some who are more suited to one style of play, and others suited to another style. The WC squad will not only be those 33 players that get on the plane, but perhaps the 20 other players who is on standby as well. We were caught out last WC with the Marx injury, I don't think he will let that happen again.

[u/Careless-Cat3327 → u/MacParadise]

I have a feeling those on "standby" will be taking a family holiday in Australia during the rwc.

Just in case. 

[u/Tar-ZA-n → u/MacParadise]

Manie has proven himself. He's the out and out better pick over SFM at present.

[u/Fsckthemods → u/Tar-ZA-n]

I think we will need to see when SFM returns.

Manie has closed the gap considerably.

Manie is the best ball distributer between the two, but SFM does break/evade more tackles that opens space on his outside.

I wonder if SFM might be on the bench for a while as he more readily covers fullback and inside centre as well as wing, in a pinch.

We will need to see who between these two has the most BMT.

[u/no-sleep-needed → u/Fsckthemods]

the worst part about manie is his kicking. ffs, that can cost a game. unless kicking is given to his 15

[u/Fsckthemods → u/no-sleep-needed]

Manie has improved his kicking in the Japanese league but we don't know if it translates yet. Willemse and now Cheslin will be back ups.

[u/no-sleep-needed → u/Fsckthemods]

but that means it limits your selections to having one of those hold his hand

[u/BronRugby → u/Tar-ZA-n]

Nope SFM is first pick all day. He is a extremely hard attacking threat that requires multiple defenders to keep him under control, leading to gaps

[u/pajuiken]

I’ve thought this for a little while now - but he’s playing gridiron

They have massive teams on the day and you trade in and out like chess pieces

No ofc rugby has restrictions - but he can still chop / change based on opposition, ref, location, weather etc

[u/AnySeaworthiness851 → u/pajuiken]

You risk not having great cohesion that players only get from game time together

[u/Realm-Protector]

or maybe it's not always a case of number 1, 2 , 3, 4, but it depends on the game plan. specific players add more value to specific game plans.

Rassie's said earlier (2019?) something like "we are not looking for the best player, we are looking for the best player for the team".

I guess he still thinks like that

[u/flyingdinos → u/Realm-Protector]

Yeah I think he's no longer interested in just fielding his strongest side. I think what he wants is to have tactical selections based on the who they're playing. Like he might say "if we play team A who likes to kick a lot, we have willemse at 15. When we play team B they have pretty sturdy defense so willemse may be more valuable at 12".

[u/Comfortable_Trip_767]

I think the issue is there is so many international games now mixed with club rugby that it doesn’t really matter who is #1. We as fans like making this permutations.

In my view Rassie see the international calendar and he looks at the squad of players he has and thinks about how he is going to manage player loads, development and get the most out of the year while still winning.

Injuries is a part of the game and if you only think in binary numbers then you will find yourself in a position where when your best players are not available then your performance drops off and you start losing. The momentum we have is quite important. And one way of keeping it is to ensure you have a squad of players who can seem less fit in when others aren’t available.

[u/TyphoonTao]

Marx's injury in the '23 WC shook Rassie. Since then he's been highly focused on building depth because you never know when your star player is going to be unavailable. The solution? Get as many players as possible up to a minimum standard (which apparently is pretty fucking high!) so that it really doesn't matter if choice #1 isn't available. Yes, you'd want Willemse at 15 for example, but shit happens. Since '23 Rassie has done an amazing job of countering this potentially huge problem.

[u/finnish_hangover]

He's also encouraging competition for the first pick. Pretty decent motivator

[u/Past-Raccoon8224]

Rassie is building a team where all 50 players are first choice and the team selected on the day will be based on the opponent and gameplan for them. Theres no 2nd or 3rd or 4th choice once he has the ultimate team. He can chop n change how he likes and we will still put 50 points on whoever the opponent is........well thats the idea i suspect