Heyneke Meyer
The question to be asked is: How does Heyneke Meyer compare with South Africa’s most successful coaches?
For this exercise, I decided to take two former coaches – the World Cup-winner, Jake White and Nick Mallett, who is currently the co-holder of the record for most consecutive Test victories – to draw a comparison with Meyer’s first two years in the hotseat.
The cold statistics will tell us only part of the story, but it is certainly important that we take them into account – or at least use it as a starting point.
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Meyer has so far been in charge in 27 Tests, as the Bok team’s head coach. He has won 20 of those, giving him a winning percentage of 74%. At home he has a winning record of 80%, while away from home his record is almost 67%. That, in a nutshell, is the first two years.
Now we compare it with Messieurs White and Mallett.
White, in his four years in charge, coached in 54 Tests – for 36 wins (nearly 67%), with 19 victories in his 23 Tests on home soil (about 83%). Mallett, in just over three years, before he was unjustly fired, coached the Boks in 38 Tests – for 27 wins (71%) and 12 wins in his 15 Test on home soil (also 80%).
Is there a pattern emerging, or can we draw a firm conclusion from this? Maybe, but I feel we need to dig deeper.
We know that Meyer, in four attempts, has failed to beat New Zealand. White, in his nine Tests against the All Blacks, won only three times, all three on home soil. Mallett’s winning percentage is the only of the three that tops 50% – four wins in seven matches, but only one in New Zealand, one on a neutral field (Cardiff in 1999) and two on home soil.
And still there is so much more hidden below the crust of these cold statistics.
Meyer went head-to-head in 13 Tests against the Southern Hemisphere’s greats – which he won seven times (54%) and on home base won five of seven (71%). Against the Northern Hemisphere Meyer is still unbeaten. Yes, in 14 Tests he has 13 wins and one draw.
White scored 19 victories in 30 Tests against the Southern Hemisphere (63%) and on home soil he has 11 wins in 13 outings against them (nearly 85%). Against the Northern Hemisphere White’s record is 17 victories in 24 Tests (71%) and eight wins of 10 Tests on home soil (80%).
Mallett’s record against the Southern Hemisphere’s greats, despite his four wins over New Zealand, is a dismal 50% – eight out of 16 games. At home he has only four wins out of six matches (67%). It probably has to do with his dismal performances against Australia. Against the Northern Hemisphere Mallett was on the winning side 19 times in 22 attempts (86%), and eight out of nine times on home soil (89%).
I would like to dig deeper, because Meyer is often blasted for his so-called ‘kick-and-chase’ style and his team’s inability to score tries.
Well, in 27 Tests, Meyer’s teams scored 773 points against the 448 they conceded (this is an average score of 29-17 per game). In addition, they scored 87 tries and conceded 39 (three tries to one).
White’s teams in his 54 Tests scored 1740 points and conceded 1097 (32-20), scored 194 tries and conceded 110 (four tries to two). Mallett’s 38 Tests yielded 1251 points, conceding 678 (33-18), 152 tries for and 49 tries against them (four tries to one).
Meyer’s biggest victory was the 73-13 demolition of Argentina last year and there was the 55-6 hammering of Scotland in June. His best win against one of the top five on the world rankings was the 38-12 victory over Australia last year. His greatest loss was the 16-32 defeat in the first Test against New Zealand in Soweto in 2012.
White beat England 58-10 in Bloemfontein in 2007 for his biggest win over a Tier One nation, although a 64-15 victory over America and a 105-13 win over Namibia also appear on his record. We all know about the 0-49 loss to Australia in Brisbane, which will always the biggest blot on his name.
Mallett can boast the biggest away win – 52-10 over France in Paris in 1997, his best performance of all time. There is, of course, the infamous 0-28 defeat against New Zealand in Dunedin in 1999, where he publicly lambasted some of the players in such an ugly manner that it ruined their careers.
So what to make of all this information?
For me one thing stands out like daylight.
Every coach has his strengths and weaknesses. Meyer is not as bad as some “experts” would suggest. He compares very well with both White and Mallett.
In fact, there has been a noticeable upward curve in the team’s performances over the past 18 months. In their first year, Meyer’s teams won with an average score of 23-16 and managed just two tries per game. The past 18 months those statistics improved to 35-16 and four tries to two – which certainly puts him on a par with Mallett.
Hondo wrote:
But wait a minute, P divvy’s team lost to Ireland and Scotland… no big deal?
29 @ Hondo:
You can’t dismiss tests against Ireland and Wales as meaningless, but in the same breathe praise the B & I lions.
What are they, other than a combined bunch of NH teams?
So if you rate them as a remarkable victory, then all the victories against the NH sides should also be rated
It is difficult to compare coaches.
What I like to do is to see if there is a logical progression in the Springboks during a coach’s tenure.
In this regard I think the Springboks have progressed tremendously under Heyneke Meyer!
Would anybody argue if I said that Heyneke’s Springboks are playing a more well rounded game than under all other Springbok coaches since Nick Mallett? Would anybody disagree that the Springboks now have X-Factor players to compliment hard-working forwards and that the backline suddenly seem potent on attack? Would anybody disagree when I say that the Springbok breakdown play has improved 10-fold under Heyneke Meyer and with the added help of Richie Gray?
Let’s see what happens in The Rugby Championship, despite a baaaad year by 4 of the 5 SA Super Rugby sides.
The Wallabies could be quite a bit better in The Rugby Championship this year, if their Super Rugby is an indication of how Tests would go. The Argies look way worse off compared to last year and the year before. The jury is out on the All Blacks and Springboks both, as far as I’m concerned.
What I do know is that Heyneke Meyer’s players believe in him, and that senior players are certainly not coaching the side as was the case in Snorchop’s time… and at least we have a totally dedicated oke in charge who lives and breathes for his side. Add to that Heyneke’s ability to communicate with the Media (unlike Snorchop) and is not a flabbermouth like Jake White. That leaves me positive, more positive than in many years… even if Heyneke Meyer still makes some questionable selection choices from time to time that I do not agree with!
@ nortierd:
32
Small difference 😉
The B&I Lions won 2 series in SA from 1974 and nearly won a 3rd one in 2009 (the Pretoria Test)
How many times did the Home Union win series here?
Se what I mean? 😀
@ Hondo:
yet p divvy’s team still lost to ireland in that same year?
Year-end tour:
Lost to Leicester Tigers 22-17
Lost to France 20-13 in Toulouse
Beat Italy 32-10 in Udine
Lost to Saracens 24-23 at Wembley
Lost to Ireland 15-10 in Dublin
cherry picking for the win
@ grootblousmile:
Agree with you there.
On another site, I was regarded as an HM apologist – just let the oke get on with the job. He knows exactly how difficult it is to beat the AB’s – he wants it more than anything. Execution from the Boks, particularly the tactical kicking will have to be spot on for that to happen. I have a feeling this is the year he gets the monkey off his back. In the AB’s own backyard, nogal.
@ IAAS:
HM must have had a halo above his head in that breakfast you went to.
37 @ IAAS:
I hope you are right!
I am now gatvol that we suck the hind tit as far as the Bokke vs All Blacks are concerned!
@ MacroBok:
18
wonder why they did not even mention Peters percentage vs the AB,s?
Played 11 100.0% H 5 45.5% A 6 54.5% 0 –
Wins 5 45.5% H 3 60.0% A 2 33.3% 0 –
Losses 6 54.5% H 2 40.0% A 4 66.7% 0 –
@ Hondo:
25
agree
grootblousmile wrote:
Nog nooit n ou gesien wat so aan n coach se lippe hang nie. Maar ek hoop saam jou dat ons die All Black bogey afskud.
HM Praat net soveel stront as wat PdeV praat maar die reels change.
Hoekom kap niemand hom oor HY Jake se (ou) Bokke gebruik nie, hy ploeg nou wild met die ou manne van Jake.
Elke coach kies nuwes , en ja n paar skitterendes is ontdek deur HM.
Wie is die Fondasie waarop HM egter sy span bou?
JdeV, VM, FduP, Bakkies, Habana, JPP, Morne, Schalk?, Juan? bykans almal manne wat deur Jake Bokke gemaak is.
En moet nie vir my se dat die ouer spelers soos VM, FduP nie help aan sy game plans nie(aka coaching by players) Het enige oud Bok al in die openbaar gese HULLE het die span gecoach onder PdeV? Of is dit net n gedagte wat hier op die “onvriendelike site teenoor PdeV” voorgehou word. Hierdie is n eerlike vraag want geen ander rugby web blad wat ek van weet het al so beweer nie.
“and at least we have a totally dedicated oke in charge who lives and breathes for his side”
PdeV stood up for his players just as well and he was most passionate about the Springboks.
Always derogatory names for him, accept it his name is in the Springbok annals forever and there is some records that i would love to see going HM,s way. We are crying for it. Get that 3 in a row win streak up, PLEASE.
Since rugby became professional we simply could not make the AB,s panic. Losing 3 in a row was the closest.
@ superBul:
good point… I hqve no idea why they left out pdivvy. They took the three most successful springbok coaches though. (apart from kitch).
I think the point of the article is that, yes while we lost to the all blacks (where we could easily have one or two) and played some fierce games against them… we cant say HM’s tenure has been a failure because overall it has been quite impressive.
P.divvy: played 48, won 30 (62.5%), lost 18, drew 0.
15/21 wins at home (71.4%), 11/22 wins away (50%)
compared to meyer, 80% at home and 67% away.
While divvy was succesful against the all blacks with 5/11 wins the springboks fluctuated from 2nd to 4th in the world due to some humiliating defeats. Meyer has so far never dropped below second and has always breathed down the all blacks necks overall and that deserves credit even from the biggest meyer haters out there, even if we do not always agree with him.
Hondo wrote:
fact is, that B&I Lions series was the perfect pre-cursor for the Bok for TRC, much like I suspect that the English series this year will help NZ.
mind you, if the Bokke cant beat an AB team missing Carter for two tests and with Isaac Ross as our lock, then they never will…
its been 3 years since the bok have tasted victory, but I recall many SA fans after that 2009 series, and if that is how they will act when triumphant, then I sincerely hope the Bokke never beat the ABs again.
I’m still waiting for this “New World Order” many prophesised after the 3NS 2009, then you guys fell apart up north at the end of the year if memory serves.
Bokkes have 3rd place sewn up imho… Aus and NZ have shown that their players can play at that intensity for 80 minutes, not 60.
therein lies the difference.
cheers.
IAAS wrote:
seriaas? lol ok then
you last won in NZ in 2009, before that was 1999, youre not due until 2019
finish and klaar
40 @ superBul:
Jy sê ek hang aan Heyneke se lippe… wat ‘n grap!
Jy is behoorlik in Snorchop se hol opgekruip! Daai ou het nuwe betekenis aan die woord Sirkusnar gegee!
@ nga puhi:
I only dealt with the numbers, and you are right: many here had strong reservations about the 2009 crushing all Test Season!
Started with Bryce Lawrence who handed the Lions on a plate, then match winning J. Fourie’s try that won the 2nd test when his feet were dragged on the touchline, followed by
@ Hondo:
45
that site is over sensitive 😆
Anyway the 2009 3 tests – series against the ABs was marked by a too strong referees’ bias (Nigel Owen and Rolland) against the ABs?
It was noticeable so it made made few guessing what caused that sudden ‘change’ of ‘mood’ ?
As for the results it stand, but so is the ABs’ 2011 ‘victory’!
@ Hondo:
did your entire arguement seriously change from P.divvies all conquering 2009 team to… it was just the ref? hahaha
@ MacroBok:
It’s easy. Jan de Kriek was comparing the coaches’ stats after their 2nd year in charge as Bok coach. After two years PdV’s record was great.
vs AB:
Played: 6
Won: 4
Lost: 2
Win %: 66.6%
vs Aus:
Played: 6
Won: 3
Lost 3
Win %: 50%
Combined
Played: 12
Won: 7
Win %: 58.3%
So, after two years in charge PdV had the best record of them all. No doubt his record will be included next year because in his 3rd year in charge PdV and his team started to nosedive.
It’s a useless article this. Just written as a PR exercise for HM.
@ Nama:
look I agree HM’s team has not been getting good results with the all blacks, but our defeats have been anything but embarrassing, except maybe the second test. and overall we HAVE been good, it is ridiculous to ignore tests because it is assumed to be weaker teams, when you can also say the all blacks could be stronger than before.
Not only are people trying to compare springbok teams 14 years apart, but now people are throwing in another variable (the opposition).
I agree 100% this is a PR exercise, but I don’t think it should be necessary because all that matters is win %, that is proof about our competitiveness in EVERY game and with Meyer we are competitive 74% of the time compared to White (67%) and Mallet (71%).
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