It was a poor end to a prosperous year for the Springboks, but the year-end tour of Europe was not a total bust. The Boks discovered a couple of players worthy of future Test careers, while others proved they are not ready for the step up. But, most importantly, the tour highlighted that the senior players need a rest, and the Boks need a Plan B.

Juan de Jongh, Jean Deysel, Dewald Potgieter and Earl Rose. They were the players who took their chances and left Europe with their reputations enhanced. Based on this tour?s performances, they impressed enough to show they are capable of playing at the highest level.

Rose is not my favourite player, and I am well aware that is the belief of most Bok fans, but the Lions utility back impressed in both Dirt Trackers games and, if we are honest with ourselves, he more than justified his selection. I am still worried that he blows hot and cold, but if he keeps it up next season and consistently performs during the Super 14 there is no reason why he cannot graduate to Test level in the future.

Deysel is another player who I have never been overly impressed with, but the big Sharks loose forward was quite superb in the midweek games and was rewarded with a Test call-up. He did not look out of place when he took to the field against Italy.

Juan de Jongh and Dewald Potgieter both had superb Currie Cup seasons and a Bok call-up would not have been out of place for De Jongh, while it was just reward for Potgieter. Both players have big futures in the game and it is a good sign for South African rugby.

In hindsight it may have been better for the long-term future of Springbok rugby to take a B squad on this tour. The losses would not have been so hard to deal with and we would have had a far better idea on where we stand with an eye to the future.

Boks need a Plan B

But while the arrival of the players mentioned above was a good thing, what this tour really highlighted was that the senior players need a rest, and the Boks need a Plan B. I only hope these lessons have been learnt. If they are ignored we could be in trouble come 2011.

There is no denying that this Bok team was just not up for the big clashes. Victor Matfield and Bakkies Botha looked dead on their feet ? Matfield was a shadow of himself against Ireland ? while the glut of injuries was testimony to a gruelling year and tour too far for a number of Boks.

If Peter de Villiers wants to call on Matfield, Botha, John Smit, Schalk Burger, Fourie du Preez and others for the 2011 World Cup in New Zealand, plans need to be put in place now to ensure they are capable of making the trip. If he is looking to a new crop of players for the New Zealand festival , well then he has missed a golden opportunity to find them on this tour?

Either way I only hope we are not going to see these players from Round One of the Super 14 next year. If we do, it will be clear that the first lesson learnt in Europe this month has been ignored.

Come June we will discover whether or not the second lesson has been learnt ? the Boks need to have a Plan B to fall back on when their initial one is not working. The kick and chase approach worked during the Tri-Nations, particularly against the All Blacks, because the back three of Australia and New Zealand struggled to cope with the tactic.

But it never worked against France, and it was obviously not working against Ireland over the weekend with fullback Rob Kearney quite superb under the high ball. Not only was he untroubled by the high ball, he managed to make ground every time he touch it. The Boks, however, continued to bombard him with a glut of possession.

Their first option was always to kick, which is troubling. You simply cannot win without the ball and I can?t help but shake the feeling that the Boks struggle to think on their feet. When it works, there are few teams that can beat them, but when the opposition has the personnel to handle the aerial assault, the Boks just don?t seem to have another plan of attack.

Again, I hope the Bok management have taken notes, because if we try the same approach next season, it could get messy .

Remember the positives

That being said, it would be churlish to end on a negative note. The Boks have enjoyed an incredible season, and while the European tour did not provide the flourish many felt the Boks deserved, the IRB Team of the Year award did, at least, provide some form of consolation.

Ireland would have run the Boks close for the title, but in the end the series win over the British and Irish Lions probably tipped it in favour of John Smit and his team-mates.

Overall it has been an exceptional year for the Springboks, and if the lessons of Europe are learned, we could very well see a repeat in 2010.