Straeuli succeeds where others failed

Rudolf Straeuli on Monday achieved something none of his more erudite predecessors were able to do - persuade his provincial counterparts to release their leading players to gather at one venue for the first national training squad session.

All this in the midst of the run-in to the Currie Cup play-offs, when coaches are notoriously intolerant of outside forces encroaching on their territory. The times are certainly a-changing in South African rugby - for the better, too.

Monday's rain-drenched session took place against the Sharks on their regular practise field at King's Park. The Springbok coach will oversee similar workouts during the next three Mondays in Cape Town, Johannesburg and Pretoria before embarking on the end of season tour to France, Scotland and England.

It is one of the means which Straeuli hopes to use to restore South African rugby as a potent force, at Super 12 and international level.

The most notable absentee was Bobby Skinstad, who has undergone surgery for a shoulder injury which will rule him out until next season.

Straeuli had already been on the phone to his erstwhile captain. In any case, he did have Corne Krige, who has himself just returned from a rib injury.

Straeuli attributed his success to good old-fashioned talking, stressing: "It's taken a lot of communication, a lot of travelling and a lot of persuasion to get the provinces to buy into the concept. But it must be South Africa first."

He realises that greater communication between the four Super 12 franchises and him and the wiser use of their resources should enhance the teams' competitiveness. It should also provide him with a bigger pool of better-equipped players to face the challenges at Test level.

"I think it's also vitally important that the four Super 12 coaches are contracted to South African rugby," he said.

"But if we want to do better, we have to work together and share ideas. We cannot afford individual egos in our rugby - players, coaches or administrators. We must have a national strategy in place that involves provincial coaches working together. By putting national pride first we are opening up channels and improving the structure of South African rugby for the better. How can our rugby not improve?

"Ideally, we want to try to get a national playing style, although it is important for provinces to keep some individuality," Straeuli said.