Heyneke Meyer
The Springbok team to face Scotland in Port Elizabeth will be markedly different from the one that edged Wales in Nelspruit, by necessity rather than design.
With seven European-based players unavailable for selection and at least another two starters ruled through injury Heyneke Meyer’s hand will be forced when he names his team to face an under-strength Scotland.
However, the idea that Meyer should completely overhaul the team and give promising youngsters a shot because the match falls outside the June Test window and Scotland will not have their best team on the park is a little bit misguided.
rugby365
First of all anyone who has paid remote attention to Meyer’s selection policy will know that he does not believe that Test rugby is the place for experimentation or giving players chances. The relative strength of the Scottish team is not particularly relevant here as it remains a Test match and the Boks’ last match together ahead of the Rugby Championship.
The best chance new players have to shine is within a settled environment where they are surrounded by experience. The third British and Irish Lions Test in 2009 provides a good example of how badly things can go if continuity is tampered with too much and Meyer will certainly not be willing to surrender any momentum as he prepares for the challenge that New Zealand, Australia and Argentina will pose in August.
Yes there will be major changes to the team this week, but it would be very surprising if there were more than is absolutely necessary given the players available.
There will have to be two changes to the tight five with Tendai Mtawarira and Flip van der Merwe sidelined through injury, whilst in the loose trio there are doubts over the fitness of Willem Alberts and Francois Louw will be back with Bath.
Gurthro Steenkamp was Mtawarira’s back-up on Saturday but he will be back with Toulouse which means that either Coenie Oosthuizen or Trevor Nyakane could be given a shot at loosehead prop. The opening at lock could well see Lodewyk de Jager get his first Test start alongside Victor Matfield who is now the most experienced Bok ever after surpassing John Smit last week.
If Alberts is not fit then it could open the door for Teboho Mohoje to make his debut, although he is more likely to start on the bench with Schalk Burger perhaps given the No.7 jersey he last wore at the 2011 World Cup. The absence of Louw means that Sharks flank Marcell Coetzee should get a crack at openside flank after spending the last two years watching Louw from the sidelines.
In the backline the biggest question mark revolves around flyhalf and whether Meyer will throw IRB World Junior Player of the year Handre Pollard in the deep end with Morne Steyn back in Paris. Johan Goosen and Marnitz Boshoff are expected to be fit again, so it seems more likely that Pollard would join the fray in the second half if he indeed does get his chance.
Those wanting to see some different options in Springbok colours this weekend will certainly get their wish, but those expecting a completely new side are likely to be left a little disappointed when the team is announced on Wednesday
“First of all anyone who has paid remote attention to Meyer’s selection policy will know that he does not believe that Test rugby is the place for experimentation or giving players chances.”
A bold statement? 😆 😆 😆
A list of New caps by HM so far:
Etbeth
J. Kruger
M Coetzee
Coenie Oosthiuzen
J. Potgieter
E. Jantjies
J. Taute
Pat Cilliers
JJ Engelbrecht
J Sefontein
T. Liebenberg
J. Goosen
D, Vemeulen
Arno Botha
Willie Le Roux
‘The Trevor’ 🙂
Kolisi
Piet V Zyl
Jano Vermaak
Franco v. d. Merwe
F Malherbe
PSDT
L Adriaanse
C Hendricks
De Jager
27 (Twenty Seven) new caps and counting?!
as PdV said: “talks are cheap, money buys the whiskey”
😀
Ja,ja. Just remember he does not have a funny noise coming from his mouth.
And expect a few more too please the Powers above
what must he do? he is not allowdd to bring new players through or people kak and moan selects new players people kaks and moans. lol this grasping at straws is hilarious.
anyway… back to the Real World.
it appears that pollard may play, goosen is still injured and boshoffs status is unclear…
lambie though is fit and training with the sharks.
@3 meyer isnt allowed to select new or old players. lol this is hilarious
MacroBok wrote:
Boshoff will come good, I think.
And Lambie will definately be at WC2015, as a utility back, barring injuries.
1 @ Hondo:
2 @ superBul:
Renewal is the most natural order of things, as older players depart the scene, other players get injured and as new players stick up their hands for inclusion.
Now go do yourselves a favour and compare the amount of Springboks blooded by Snorrie and even Jake White to the amount of Springboks blooded by Heyneke Meyer.
… then take your cheap shots, if you can….
Telling half-truths and giving numbers and figures without comparison, is as empty as it gets…
@ Pietman:
Yep Steyn snd bambie will be the two first choice flyhalves by then 2015, barring injuries as you say.
@ grootblousmile:
I think that is what Hondo has said, that HM blooded more new caps….well, at least that’s how I read him.
@ grootblousmile:
With the mass exodus that happened and if they could not select overseas players then the list would be much greater. I suppose P.divvy and White would have pulled players out of their arses.
@ Pietman:
Dont take what Hondo says seriously, white brought in 35+ new players
Divvy also brought in about 35 new players.
Straelli +-32 (2 years)
viljoen +-25 (2 years)
What Meyer initially said is he wont select weakened teams to tour Australasia like white and p.divvy did in world cup years.
@ MacroBok:
35 or 27 players….what’s the diff, over 2 years….almost nothing.
Players are capped according to many criteria and depending on the situation, e.g. is it for the WC squad of for an EOYT, or for a once-off test against Scotland, or even maybe political pressure?
I don’t see the point of argument here, sorry.
@ Pietman:
neither do I. there is no arguements. just pointless cherry picking by hondo
13 @ MacroBok:
I never take Hondo seriously, his views are generally so left field and conspiricy-based, that it’s often scary… and makes me worried about the man’s sanity.
As far as SuperBul goes, well we know he has a special admiration for old Snorrie still and we know that he has built up a general mis-trust or resentment towards Heyneke over the last few years for some or other strange reason… which I suspect co-incides with his reverence for old Snorrie.
The fact of the matter is that the Bokke are in a much better space now, compared to when Snorrie coached them.
Sure, last week was not exactly inspiring, but generally the Springboks are playing a much more balanced game between all facets of play, compared to the “Asterix” era of Snorrie.
Some people are just never pleased, it seems… they will ALWAYS find a reason to grumble, it is ingrained in their personalities and their DNA, much like your and my positive attitudes are ingrained in our fibre already.
Maybe the Shark supporters were onto something when they decided that the SR is more important than these tests?
Of course, there reasons are based on their side standing a chance to win the competition, but regarding this weekend, I’m looking more forward to watching the SR than a politically intervened with weaker Bok side play a terrible Scottish side.
I honestly believe the highlight of Saturdays test will be the Flower of Scotland.
C’mon SARU, we will give you whatever team you want, just pick a decent singer to do the Scottish anthem and don’t give us a kwaito star or Ras Dumisani.
@ nortierd:15
Trek ek nou n Puma op myself
There=their reasons
Intervened= Interfered with
nortierd wrote:
And get your filthy snouts out of the gravy dish while you’re about it.
15 @ nortierd:
The Sharks may fall to 3rd place on the Log this weekend, without even playing, if the Waratahs beat the Brumbies and the Crusaders beat the Hurricanes.
So, to the Sharks supporters, this weekend in Super Rugby is quite important.
Expect the Brumbies & Canes to get a lot of support!
@ grootblousmile:
Yep, they need to beat both the Cheetahs and Stormers, and at the same time, hope the Tah’s and Crusaders don’t win their last 3 games.
19 @ nortierd:
Gooooooooo Cheetahs & Stormers!
@ grootblousmile:
Some people are just never pleased, it seems… they will ALWAYS find a reason to grumble, it is ingrained in their personalities and their DNA
daai is bitter waar! soos my vorige vrou….
grootblousmile wrote:
I’m touched, I didn’t think you cared!
grootblousmile wrote:
Lol
Kannie sien dat die Cheetahs hulle sal klop nie, maar die Stormers op Nuweland kan dalk net hulle party spoil?
@ grootblousmile:
@14 As far as SuperBul goes, well we know he has a special admiration for old Snorrie….
Miskien omdat PdeV ook n kampioen tuinmaker is daar in die Paarl, ernstig, vra vir Ashley!
Laat ek gou my Superbru pikke gaan insit, voordat julle weer kop deurmekaar maak.
22 @ BrumbiesBoy:
Don’t take my careful analysis as caring for the Ponies!
You’d be hugely mistaken… hehehe
@ nortierd:
Ras Dumisani
Mens weet nooit, daar is volop en papegaaislaai innie Baai, hy en sy boereorkes slaan dalk daar uit…
South Africa
15 Willie le Roux, 14 Cornal Hendricks, 13 JP Pietersen, 12 Jan Serfontein, 11 Lwazi Mvovo, 10 Handre Pollard, 9 Fourie du Preez, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Schalk Burger, 6 Marcel Coetzee, 5 Victor Matfield (captain), 4 Lood de Jager, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 Bismarck du Plessis, 1 Coenie Oosthuizen
Substitutes: 16 Adriaan Strauss, 17 Trevor Nyakane, 18 Marcel van der Merwe, 19 Stephan Lewies, 20 Oupa Mohoje, 21 Francois Hougaard, 22 Marnitz Boshoff, 23 Zane Kirchner
Attie Bekker, welkom hier op RT!
Net gister van jou gepraat…
good thingg vermeulen will spend another 80 on the field in preparation for next weeke ds important game hehe
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