Heyneke Meyer
Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer has warned his team they will need to be at their best if they are to keep their unbeaten record under his management in the Northern Hemisphere intact.
Meyer singled out the team’s first fixture against Ireland as a crucial one to kick off the team’s four week tour, and one which is the most tricky of all their fixtures.
While England has been singled out before as the fixture the Boks are likely to hold in the highest esteem, especially with next year’s Rugby World Cup being played there, the Boks know they cannot focus on the Twickenham showdown before getting past the tricky Irish, who have been a team that has plagued them at this time of year under previous coaches.
The Boks didn’t play Ireland when they went north last year, but the Irish will still be smarting from coming amazingly close to beating the All Blacks in Dublin last year, as the New Zealanders snatched the game away from them in the dying seconds to end their season unbeaten.
SuperSport
The Boks will know all too well how a poor opening performance can set the trend for the tour, and with chances to experiment getting less and less ahead of the World Cup, it is imperative that the team kick off the tour on a high note.
That’s why Meyer has underlined the difficult nature of the Irish clash, and the tour in general. In contrast to the running rugby seen in the Castle Lager Rugby Championship, the tour north is more likely to be a grind in conditions that the Boks will need to master ahead of their massive task next year.
“I don’t like losing at all,” Meyer said when asked if he sees the unbeaten record as one to protect at all costs.
“We have a proud record and we haven’t lost a game there. But we have a proud record and this is probably the toughest tour we have faced to the Northern Hemisphere. I truly believe Ireland is an unbelievable team, they were unlucky not to beat the All Blacks last year.
“They’ve got a great coaching staff, a lot of in-form players and their defence is great. They’ve got a good kicking game in those conditions. England are a tough team to play. In the last four games, we’ve won three by a few points and drawn one. They will always be tough.
“We’ve lost to lesser teams in the past, so Italy will be tough and Wales will be a tough challenge with a new look side. I’m confident but realistic as well. It will be tough to win all four, we’ve already had an unbelievable season. It is our goal. We’re going to have to be better than in the Castle Lager Rugby Championship if we are going to win all four.”
With a bigger squad of 36 making the tour, some players may not make it onto the field, but the opportunity for Meyer to work with them ahead of the World Cup will go a long way in determining how much value he places in them going forward.
Add to this the fact the Boks will be losing their European-based players for the last fixture of the tour against Wales, and it makes sense for Meyer to use the opportunity to work with the entire group of players in the month they are away from home.
“Before next year’s World Cup there are only four test matches, as there are no incoming tours. This is the last opportunity we have to look at every single player. There are a lot of guys who are really unlucky not to be here and at least 10 more could have been chosen,” Meyer explained.
“There are four games, and in the last game we will not have our overseas-based players available, so we will have to fly in one or two more positions. What is difficult is that you can’t fly in a guy on a Monday who you’ve never worked with, and he must play in a test match. A lot of the positions we’ve covered is in positions we may need guys to play. The main thing is that there isn’t a big difference between the players and this is the last chance to work with them.”
With all this in mind, the Boks aren’t likely to stray too far from the team that beat the All Blacks, although they may tweak one or two positions. Coenie Oosthuizen and Johan Goosen’s return to the squad may see them get a spot on the bench while Ruan Pienaar – if declared fit – will be likely to return to his starting role at No 9.
“We want to go on from where we left off. We had a great finish to the Rugby Championship, but a week is a long time for an international coach. We will probably go with more or less the same team, perhaps one or two small changes, but we will have to have some sort of continuity going into the first test match.”
The Boks will leave South Africa for Dublin in two groups, with some of the management flying Friday night and the bulk of the group on Saturday. They face Ireland in their first clash next Saturday in Dublin.
Good morning all. I have listened to HM on the radio this morning. It seems that we’ll definitely see Coenie on the bench as tighthead cover. He said that Coenie has worked really hard when the Boks got together in Stellenbosch.
They have done some research and while it is important for a tighthead to scrum well, research has shown that during the last 20 to 25 minutes of a test match there are only one or two scrums. He also mentioned that Coenie’s neck is 100%.
IMHO Coenie will never be an international (quality) tighthead. My biggest concern is that Jannie might get injured in the first 10 minutes and Coenie has to play 70 minutes. Surely you have to think about (and make provision for) the unfortunate situation of injuries. Even if a player is picked as an impact player primarily, you have to be certain that he can play a full game
Yes, that’s misguided thinking – & sooner or later it’ll come back to haunt the Bokke …
@ charlesm:
isnt coenie already the back up plan of the back up plan(marcel) of the backup plan (malherbe)?
@ Angostura:
I was hoping to see Julian Redelinghuys in action during the tour: Perhaps against Italy then ?
I know there were comments made that the there are too many players on tour. I do however agree with HM’s comments that he’ll rather work with a player on tour in stead of “only” flying him over on a Monday before a test. If he does the latter then the player needs to learn all the new calls etc.
While an experienced player may get a little “gatvol” of not playing I would guess that guys like Robbie, Julian, Jaco, Nizaam and Seabelo will be grateful for being on tour. In the process they will learn a lot – not only about the Bok culture but about rugby in general. IMO you should pick up valuable info / tips etc wherever you are playing or practising (or even coaching for that matter – although this is not appicable in this case)
MacroBok wrote:
Haha I guess so !! 😆
lourens adriaanse was also there at a stage… I mean how far does your planning need to stretch to predict loss of form or injury?
there is only one thing consistant in South africa. Jannie almost never gets injured and you always know what you are going to get.
touching wood as I say that
pat cilliers was also in the mix at a stage.
many players could have overtaken jannie but none of them can stay fit long enough.
Got to admit it but he must he fit or in ecxellent condition? maybe its that vrystaat bloed?
@ MacroBok:
Are you surprised that Jannie doesn’t get injured?
He leads the missed tackle stats, so it’s not as if he is in danger of picking up an injury on defense.
He usually only stays on the field for 50 odd minutes a game (and in between he has been known to take an extra 10 minute break for a yellow as well)
Nice job if you can get it 😆
@ nortie:
and michael hooper was second in the missed tackle stats. whats your point? 😀
Jannie also needs to be managed because while everyone else gets the frequent injury he has to be available for about every game for every team.
@ nortie:
And you would know.
As a leading authority on cushy numbers.
😆
Is it true that after the Supercross at Loftus on Saturday, they’re just going to bulldoze all of the trucked in earth flat, thereby raising the pitch by nearly 1350mm, hence giving the bulls a bit of a lift up, and at the same time levelling the playing field?
@ Scrumdown:
bwahaaa
& rename the stadium Pamplona Hoërveld?
@ Scrumdown:
Unfortunately yes.
They’re getting the soil from Ellis Park.
They’ve decided to Tarmac the place and turn it into a drive-in.
That way all your tow truck buddies will have somewhere to take their stukkies on a Saturday night.
😆
@ gunther:
Australia again being put to the sword by Pakistan
Not that I’m complaining
I think Meyer is making an error not selecting a specialist TH. Coenie was a poor scrummager even at LH, so his TH prospects are even weaker.
All of the names mentioned above (with the obvious exclusion of Jannie) would be a better bet. The NH teams scrum really well, so we could get ourselves into a spot of trouble there.
Also, can someone enlighten me as to the status of Andries Bekker? I know that when he first signed in Japan there was a no Boks clause but I do recall that he re-signed, is that clause still there? Is he not interested in playing in the WC because he really is the best answer at 5, Victor notwithstanding. We really are vulnerable in that position.
Charles?? I know you and Hennie are close, I’d love to hear your opinion
16 @ gunther:
But….but…..but we all go to the drive in at Menlyn.
You know, in P Town.
@ Angostura:
Nor should you be.
It’s glorious.
Somehow the idea of Pakistan putting anyone to the sword conjures up unfortunate images of jihadists running around in their pyjamas.
But there you go.
@ Stormersboy:
I’m glad your phone is fixed.
😆
@ Scrumdown: They closed it down. 🙁
22 @ Stormersboy:
No wonder it took so long for the movie to start last time I was there.
I got despondent and left.
Scrumdown wrote:
LOL glad to see you didn’t jump off the roof like the last guy….
@ Scrumdown:
Yes and now the good people of the nations capital will be spared the influx of rabid vultures with their nine carat jewelry, knockoff designer fragrances and stonewashed denim.
😆
gunther wrote:
Thanks. I borrowed skops old Nokia. Types like a dream, but cannot seem to get the “F” key to work, it’s broken for some or other reason….
@ Stormersboy:
Hahahaha I’m suprised the u c k a d i l y keys work.
😆
gunther wrote:
I had the interesting experience of attending a wedding in Benoni a couple of weekends ago, one of my wife’s extended family was marrying into an Afrikaans Portuguese family (who knew)??
On the plus side, the Katembas were refreshing,..
@ Stormersboy:
They’ve turned it into a bungee centre?
@ Stormersboy:
Look on the bright side.
You’ll never pay for a watermelon again.
😆
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