Heyneke Meyer is taking the approach to take Wales quite seriously, so seriously that he has changed his game plan away from the expansive style the Springboks played during The Rugby Championship.
Meyer is approaching this game more conservatively with the mindset of building phases and keeping the ball in hand.
Meyer had the following to say regarding the expansive style of play:
“This is a totally different game than The Rugby Championship, it’s more of an arm-wrestle,”
“We have to change the way we play, we have to be more clinical and execute better.”
Meyer also explained that he will be using this tour as an audition for the World Cup, and will be using the Northern hemisphere conditions to see which players will cut it, come World Cup time.
Meyer had the following to say regarding the tour:
“In our last end of season tour we learnt a lot about our players.
“A lot of players from that tour aren’t here any more,”
“It’s very important to have the World Cup in the back of your mind, to see which players can play at this level against three tough teams and in these difficult conditions.
“By the end of this tour we should be close to knowing 25 of the 30 players who will go to the World Cup.”
“In these conditions you are not going to have as many opportunities so you have to convert those into points.”
“Against New Zealand (at Ellis Park on 5 October) we had 17 line-breaks and scored just four tries, they had 7 line-breaks and scored five tries.”
“That’s not good enough, we get a lot of opportunities and don’t use them.”
“Our scrumming was awesome in The Rugby Championship, we gave the least amount of restarts and the least amount of collapsed scrums.”
“I think we have really improved at the breakdown, but here in the northern hemisphere it is more 50-50 on the ground.”
“Our lineouts have been close to 100%, though I’m not happy with our kick-offs.”
“We give away too many turn overs, we need to look after the ball better.”
“Here (in the northern hemisphere) you need to be patient and wait for your opportunities to convert pressure into points.”
Facing the Six Nations champions at home will not be easy. The Springboks are however a well-balanced side at the moment and a victory over Wales is still the likely result.
It seems a bit early in the week but read an article earlier today that mentioned the Wales team would be announced today. There are a few Williams guys who having doing well in the backs for their regions in the PRO12, get confused with which one is which but two are centres and the other a wing. Centre Scott has played before for Wales b(20 caps) but obviously has been in the shadow of Roberts etc, other centre Owen has done well in the past in sevens and is highly rated, the wing is really quick and has scored some very good tries this season.
Actually can’t wait for the weekend’s Test, to see how far the Springboks have progressed in overall international terms… and whether they have improved.
I do not expect a flawless game, I expect the weather to be a leveller… but I want the Springboks at least to show us who is boss in the game.
Wales defence coach Shaun Edwards really talking the Boks up, saying this will be the best Boks squad since 2009 when we beat the British and Irish Lions and the All Blacks. from the bcc “If you like your rugby in a gladiatorial way, go and buy a ticket for Saturday because it will be no place for the faint-hearted,” said Edwards. “We have to muscle up against these guys and they will be thinking exactly the same about us. “South Africa are a skilful team as well and not just one based on physical power , which is proven with the four tries they scored against the All Blacks in their last game. “They played with a lot of width as well, so they pose a lot of threats, and one of them we have to measure up to is the physicality.” – the bit in bold is good to read from someone in his position as Mr Meyer’s detractors have often thought he wouldn’t be able to get the Boks to do more than just kick and chase (supposedly boring Bulls rugby)
Looking at all international and most often successfull Provincial and Club sides, the best sides of their generation have all had one thing in common…
They were / are like “Slow poison”….. with the ability to absorb early pressure from highly motivated weaker sides, then gradually build an innings and of course finishing strongly and ultimately winning on the score board.
It pre-supposes great defence, great set pieces, great ground ball work, dicipline… and effective attack and finishing nous!
One can take it through the ages, but the modern and today’s best example of this surely must be the All Blacks.
They tend to come from a slight lead or even a slight deficit, to prevail at the end.
I’m hoping that this is where the Springboks are also building towards and most indications this year are that it is indeed the case (only superceded by the All Blacks in 2013).
Call it patience, call it belief, call it killer instinct, call it what you will…. call it BIG MATCH TEMPERAMENT!
This is what is ultimately needed at international level and for a deliberate challenge on the Rugby World Cup… and No 1 World Ranking.
I believe that is also exactly why McKenzie’s Wallabies will never be great, why the Golden Lions & MTN Lions, the Cheetahs and Free State Cheetahs also fail at the bigger hurdles…. because there is a vital element of balance lacking.
One needs to improve, not for the sake of just improving, but with end goals and a defined plan in mind.
All smoke and mirrors – reckon HM is cleverly putting out a Willie Gunn (salmon fly) for the Welsh, playing them like an old wily salmon on the end of a bamboo fly rod on the Tay. As they bite, HM will reel them in to his canny web of deceit.
But, alas, salmon fishing season has finished, so will they still be nibbling????
GBS as jy aankope gaan doen moet jy my kontak, die goed le by my suster
@ grootblousmile:
You forgot to add WP/Stormers to the mix. They tend to be too conservative, don’t know how to score tries. They got that right last year, but fell short this year. On the other hand, my beloved Lions need to be a bit cleverer, and they will a great side.
But HM seems to be able to adjust his game plan to 1) suit the opposition, and 2) to suit the conditions.
7 @ superBul:
Sal so maak… beplan om Donderdag of laatste Vrydag weer deur te gaan Midrand toe…. dan kan ek by Rooihuiskraal draai. BonzaiGBS is baie excited.
There is uncertainty today, prior to the Springbok team announcement, about who will play where.
One scribe now speculate Pat Lambie will be at fullback, another says Zane Kirchner and another it will be Willie le Roux at fullback.
At Outside centre most scribes touted a return by Jaque Fourie straight into the run-on side, earlier in the week… but this is now unclear as well and we might only see Jaque playing off the bench, with JJ Engelbrecht retaining his starting berth.
What appears clearer is that JP Pietersen will start at No 14 right wing, in place of Willie le Roux, whilst the 2 changes in the forwards pack should be Frans Malherbe at tighthead prop and Flip van der Merwe at No 5 lock…. with Pieter-Steph du Toit playing off the bench as replacement lock.
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