Former captain Jean de Villiers says some Boks are so obsessed with a set game plan that they shy away from making different decisions on the field.

De Villiers questioned players’ willingness to think for themselves on the field and urged players to speak up if they aren’t comfortable with the game plan.

‘If a player doesn’t agree with something, he must be able to say why and everyone should then work together to formulate a plan. The players aren’t lazy when it comes to practice, but I sometimes get the feeling they are too lazy to think,’ said De Villiers.

He added that while there were several reasons behind the Boks’ steady decline in 2016, he believes a lack of experience in the playing squad and among the coaching staff have contributed greatly.

‘You have an inexperienced team and a new coach. And the new coach got a coaching staff he didn’t pick and then he gets instructions about how the team should be picked.

‘We shouldn’t forget that we lost many experienced players after last year’s World Cup.

‘There are no quick solutions. The players and the coaching staff have to get more experience and get comfortable with each other and the game plan.’

Photo: Lionel Bonaventure/Getty Images