Only the best for Heyneke
4 Sep 2008
Heyneke Meyer wants to make the Leicester Tigers the best club team in the world.
Meyer and Leicester’s competitive season begins on Sunday against Gloucester. After his predecessor, Marcelo Loffreda, lasted less than a year, there is pressure on Meyer to deliver in his first season at the helm. Moreover, Meyer wants the Tigers to set the standard in the Premiership and across Europe throughout his next three years in charge.
“My long-term goal is to make Leicester the best club side in the world,” Meyer told The Guardian.
“We should be able to achieve that in my time here. When I left the Bulls after winning the Super 14 last year and failed to get the job of South Africa coach, I thought my time in rugby was over. I turned down a number of offers from international and club sides. Then Leicester came in, a club which shares my vision and values, and here I am.”
Meyer’s vision and values include success via hard work. This is epitomised by the coach’s current injury, where he ruptured his Achilles tendon during training last week. “It was a sort of race. Put it down to team-building. I will be in plaster for six weeks and then see how it goes,” he said.
With these core values in mind, Meyer will only sign players who are willing to put the collective before the individual. “We need a wing because of all the injuries we have: we will take our time because as well as being a world-class player, the guy must fit into the values of the club. Individualism must not come before the team. Every aspect of Leicester and everything we do must be totally professional,” said Meyer.
“It [the English season] will be a new experience for me, but I have watched a lot of Premiership rugby in recent years. It is different to the Currie Cup because it has 12 good teams in it. The English season is tough because three competitions overlap and you have international calls, but we have drawn up plans and we have a very strong squad,” he said.
Much has been talked about the new attacking inclinations of teams under the ELVs, but a pragmatic Meyer noted how sides have to play to their traditional strengths. “We will change tactically, improving when it comes to intensity, skill levels and try scoring, but you always have to play to your strengths.”
Meyer left South Africa having nurtured the best provincial side in the world. You wouldn’t bet against him revitalising a tiring Leicester outfit into the flagship team of Europe.
356 Comments
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4 Sep 2008, 12:48 pm
jeezuz, you okes can go on and on and on and on.
4 Sep 2008, 12:48 pm
Tot Leicester teen die Magtige Maties gespeel het, kan hulle nie hulself die wereld se beste klubspan noem nie
4 Sep 2008, 12:49 pm
#152 wernergreeff fanclub membership 3:
4 Sep 2008, 12:50 pm
#149 vindicated:
Your anxiety levels are definitely going up.
With that sort of turnaround time, the quality should be better. What are you having for lunch? Custard?
4 Sep 2008, 12:51 pm
#138 Sheriff: 600 seconds to reply, but I never thought of it as a race until you raised it
4 Sep 2008, 12:54 pm
#150 Richie_7:
Why would you want to twist things to make a point?
What purpose would it serve?
4 Sep 2008, 12:55 pm
#153 Richie_7: And for that matter the AB’s & Aussie club champs
4 Sep 2008, 12:57 pm
#148 vindicated: No sarcasim is to know it all.
Obviously the team you support gives you no backing to use the WC in any of your arguments.
They also fail you in the current IRB rankings.
Now with not foot to stand on and no base for solid arguments you use the tactic of reactive response to always win the small verbal battle. Yet if someone visit this site over a period of a few days they will notice that you say whatever suites your argument at that spesific point in time to win the verbal battle even if it means contradicting yourself.
So now its too late to apologise
4 Sep 2008, 12:58 pm
#156 Sheriff:
No, I was referring to the fact that you point out a 0 makes a big difference in the scoreline versus the Aussies, but the 0 in the 19-0 loss to the AB’s doesn’t seem to
4 Sep 2008, 12:59 pm
#155 vindicated:
Yeah, building a bit of pressure … see how you cope.
Hope we’re not gonna end up with a 53-8 scoreline. Cause right now I’m scroing tries left, right and centre!
4 Sep 2008, 12:59 pm
I wish you good luck Mnr Meyer ….. just hope you will not build this team for 10yrs, win a cup (that matters) only in your tenth year, and consider that a huge success.
4 Sep 2008, 13:00 pm
#161 Somdaka: interesting point you make. Is that how long he was with the Bulls?
4 Sep 2008, 13:04 pm
#159 Richie_7:
5 x 10 = 50 ; the nil in fifty there denotes ten times. Remember that.
Meanwhile your team has scored an emphatic victory against Somoa C.
Celebrate that.
4 Sep 2008, 13:06 pm
#159 Richie_7: If you take away the 0 in 19 – 0 you’re sitting with 19 which means nothing in rugby terms. If you take out the zero in 49 – 0 you have 49 which also means nothing? Sheriff’s has significant meaning when you remove the zero. Yours hasn’t so rather respond with a similar mathematical equation or give credit where it’s due.
4 Sep 2008, 13:06 pm
#158 adj nm: listen – this is not about my team
The point I was making is that to win a single tournament doesnt equate to being the best in the world – especially when there is one other team that has beaten that team twice in the same period
if you got yourself in trouble and got all sort of twisted up trying to justify your claim then please – dont try and blame me or my team as a way out
If you say something be prepared to be able to justify it with a proper thought process and a cohessive arguement structure
Otherwise you will end up chatting to me all day
and by the way I am still waiting for you to show me where i “keep on contradicting yourself”
4 Sep 2008, 13:06 pm
#165 vindicated: you’ve been owed
4 Sep 2008, 13:08 pm
#161 Somdaka:
You idiot. We have so few coaches actually winning something and then you keep criticing them. He was there 6 years i think and he won 4 ccups and a s14.
4 Sep 2008, 13:10 pm
#165 vindicated: “listen – this is not about my team”
LOL! you’ve got that right how can it be about your team. No WC 3rd in IRB rankings.
But hey compared to Namibia you’ve got some ammo. Take on someone from Nam. Sould make for a good argument.
4 Sep 2008, 13:11 pm
#167 Supa Die Bloubul:
gewag vir ‘n bloubul om te reageer. Was hy net 6jaar by die bulle? Maak nie rerig saak nie. Sy rekord is goed al was hy 20jaar by die bulle.
4 Sep 2008, 13:12 pm
#160 Sheriff: the point I made earlier about your own self importance – go have a think about it later
4 Sep 2008, 13:14 pm
#166 adj nm: are you a Tik user or a substance abuser ??
4 Sep 2008, 13:16 pm
#171 vindicated:
and there you go and proof my point. Give up like your team did.
4 Sep 2008, 13:17 pm
#169 adj nm:
Hyt in 2000 begin dink ek, toe fire hulle hom mos! Toe het Rudi Joubert oor geneem vir twee jaar as ek reg onthou. Hy was amper n tweede keer gefire – toe het hulle nie die geld om hom uit te betaal nie. en toe begin hy trofees wen.
4 Sep 2008, 13:18 pm
#172 adj nm:
Hier as jy tyd het lees dit:
1. so – some nostalgia from the man who is not good enough to coach the boks….
Blouforiese Bul-ondersteuners en verdwaasde Haai-aanhangers het die laaste kners-oomblikke van die Super-14-eindstryd soos die raampies van ’n fliek op stadige spoed voor hulle sien afspeel.
’n Spanningsriller van die regisseur Heyneke Meyer.
“Toe die Sharks score, toe dog ek dis verby,” vertel Heyneke vier dae later.
“Maar dit was, ek lieg nie vir jou nie, net twéé sekondes, toe gryp ek daai mike met die boodskap: die Sharks gaan mis skop, hou die bal, hou moed, ons gaan score. Dis karakter wat nou tel.
“Toe gaan die Sharks-lyn amper soos die Rooi See oop en Bryan skiet binnetoe. Toe hy hom druk, het ek begin huil.
“Ons was nie beter as hulle nie, ek weet. Maar ek’t al baie gesê: julle ken nie die Bulletjies nie. Moet hulle nóóit afskryf nie.”
Eintlik is die Bulls-wen al gemaak lánk voor laas-Saterdag. Verlede Desember al, op Kersdag, het hulle ’n dubbele oefensessie ingesit, want hulle’t geweet die ander spanne sou nie …
“Ek het toe al vir hulle gesê: nóóit weer gaan ons in die laaste minute verloor nie.”
Dis in hul koppe ingeprent, die week voor die eindstryd, met sy rekenaar-gemanipuleerde Rapport-voorblad van kaptein Victor Matfield wat die Super-14-beker omhoog hou.
Alles is saamgesmee voor die wedstryd, met Heyneke se laaste spanpraatjie. Een wat almal steeds aan die praat het.
“Elkeen het sy opdrag gekry. Jaco: jy’s die inspirerende een, bring dit veld toe. Bryan: jy’s die orkes se vioolspeler, gee ons iets spesiaals. Victor: jy’s die beste ter wêreld, wys jou leierskap. Gary, Wicus, Bakkies – my toe tappers – hou die ritme.”
So het Coach met sy manne gepraat.
Soos almal hom ken, het hy ook sy prekie gehad:
“Ek’t hulle vertel van die jong man wat in sy dorpie afgeshow het met sy mooi hart. Maar daar was ’n ou oom, jy kon sien hy’s hárd deur die lewe, en hy wys vir die jong man sy hart: vol gate, kneusplekke en littekens.
“ ’Sien jy die gate? As iemand in nood is, skeur ek ’n stuk van my hart vir hom uit. Die littekens is waar ander mense my gehelp het met ’n stuk van hul hart. Nee, seun, ’n ongeskonde hart is nie ’n mooi hart nie, en ons word net heel as ons deel.’
“Toe sê ek vir my span: ‘Boys, ons gaan sukkel, maar in die laaste minuut wen as ons harte reg is.’ Hulle staan toe in groepe van vier, haal simbolies ’n stuk uit hul hart en druk dit teen hul maat s’n. Vir mekaar.
“Die ouens het trane in hul oë gehad.”
En so het dit ook gebeur. In die kringetjie toe hulle wag vir die Sharks se doelskop, het hulle op hul harte geslaan, en Gary het gesê: dis nou tyd vir bul-harte.
Toe speel die Bulle hul harte uit . . .
Dis Heyneke Meyer wat gesorg het dat die Blou Bul nie meer van die vloer af eet nie.
Twee keer is hy al afgedank. Twee keer het hy terugbaklei. En nou stem Pretoria vir hom met hul voete. Op Loftus brul dit Saterdae met ’n gemiddeld van 42 000 toeskouers. Hy’t 18 eindstryde agter sy naam, sy span het vanjaar die meeste drieë tot nog toe gedruk in die Super-14 – dis ’n blou empire, dié van Heyneke Meyer.
“Daar’s niks meer wat ek kan bereik nie,” sê hy amper-verleë.
Behalwe Bok-afrigter . . . maar wie wil dit nou wees?
Hy lag maar net en kyk by sy kantoorvenster uit oor Loftus wat vandag groen en stil onder hom lê. Oral is foto’s en dankiebriefies van skoolkinders. Waaroor dit vir dié beskeie man gaan, **** jy by almal, is immers die ménse.
“Dit was my droom om Loftus so volgepak te sien. Rugby in Pretoria het weer begin lewe. Dit laat my voel ons het iets bereik. Dit voel so half . . . volbring.
“Saterdagaand was vir my ’n ongelooflike anti-klimaks. Almal vra of ons hard partytjie gehou het, maar die ouens is half vroeg weg vir Maandag se Bok-oefening.
“Nou sit ek alleen hier en dit voel: my kinders is wég. Ons SMS maar vir mekaar.”
Hy druk sy groot hand op die ronde, silwer-Super-14-beker, vaalgevat van al die hande.
Eintlik, sê hy met ’n growwigheid in sy stem, is dié ding net ’n stuk blik.
“Eintlik gaan dit oor die journey. Die swaarkry. Die lekkerkry. Hoe ons mekaar se lewe verryk het. Dis wat sukses is.
“My bekers kry ek oor tien, twintig jaar as ek hierdie ouens weer in die oë kyk en hulle’t self al kinders en die lewenslesse wat ek hulle geleer het, wys.”
Dis juis Bakkies Botha wat Heyneke laas naweek daaraan herinner het dat hy, ’n wilde voël uit spanner valley, nooit so sou uitgedraai het as dit nie vir sy coach was nie.
Daar’s Derick Hougaard. Afgeskryf as ’n eendagwonder, het Heyneke hom van die ashoop opgetel. “Hy en Pierre Spies is seker die talentvolste spelers wat ek ooit afgerig het.”
Daar’s Danie Rossouw, wat vir R500 000 meer by die Sharks nee gesê het om by Heyneke te bly. Wicus van Heerden het sy kapteinskap van die Leeus vir Heyneke verruil.
Vir hom sal hulle deur vuur loop.
Die blink skiet in Heyneke se oë.
“Maar hulle weet ek sal vir hulle ook . . .
“Ons is ’n span, hier’s nie ego’s nie.”
Dis hoekom dit hom so seermaak as mense sê die Bulls is arrogant, soos nou met die herrie oor Jaco (van der Westhuyzen) se manewales op die dwarslat en sy “***** is King”-T-hemp.
“Ons is nie eintlik ouens wat oor ons godsdiens praat nie. Dis binnekamer-dinge. Maar ons kom al sewe jaar saam, en ons wou net verskriklik dankie sê. Wen of verloor.
“Ek’t vooraf vir hulle gesê om te glo jy gaan wen, is soos om te bid vir reën sonder om ’n sambreel te bring. Jy moet wéét jy gaan wen.
“Toe kom Jaco daar aangehardloop met sy *****-hemp en sê: Kyk, coach, ek’t my sambreel saamgebring!
“Daai paalklimmery was ’n spontane, emosionele ding. Dit was sy laaste game in Suid-Afrika, hy’t gegroet.”
Sonder die sinergie wat die Bulls dié seisoen gehad het, sal die Bokke nooit kan wen nie, sê hy.
“Ek kritiseer niemand, maar ek wéét wat’s die geheim van mislukking: om almal te probeer tevrede stel. Jy’t verlede Saterdag gesien wat gebeur as ’n span een doelwit het, as ego’s nie saam op die veld draf nie.”
Só het Heyneke ook nog altyd ’n doelwit gehad. As plattelandse seun al het hy sy handtekening geoefen vir eendag as hy by die Springbokke is.
Hy’t ook gou geweet hy sal nie daar wees as speler nie, maar as afrigter. Hy’t op Tuks LO en sportsielkunde geswot omdat dit hom nader aan afrigting sou bring.
Aanvanklik is hy deur almal afgeskiet. Hy was nie ’n oud-Bok soos Rassie Erasmus of **** Muir nie, nie establishment nie, nie ’n Noord-Transvaalse professor of polisiebrigadier nie.
Net Heyneke Nobody van Nelspruit.
Sy eerste seisoene by die Bulle was maar bitter. Daar’s op hom gespoeg, hy’s met blikke gegooi, hy moes lyfwagte kry.
Die donkerste dag was 21 Mei 2002. “Terwyl die oudspelersvereniging teen my staak, het ek by die hospitaal ingestap met my pa eenkant met ’n sesdubbel-hartomleiding, en my vrou anderkant ná hulle die kanker moes uitsny.”
Benoud het Heyneke gewonder hoe hy die hospitaal gaan betaal as hulle hom afdank. “Ek kon net op my knieë gaan, daardie aand.”
Hy is nie afgedank nie, want hulle kon hom nie uitbetaal nie. Linda én sy pa het gesond geword. En Heyneke kon sy Bul-droom bewaarheid . . .
Van onder ruie wenkbroue kyk hy lank buitentoe, boontoe, na die yl waterdamp-spoor wat ’n vliegtuig teen Loftus se blou herfslug getrek het.
Laas naweek, sê hy stil, het sy lewe volsirkel geloop.
By die huis wag Linda en sy drie bulletjies. Hy skúld hulle, sê hy.
Die coach gaan nou huis toe.
4 Sep 2008, 13:21 pm
#170 vindicated:
Stay calm son.
Problem with you is this: you’re too easily intimidated. Believe in yourself.
Listen, carry on so long, back later. Will you do that for me?
4 Sep 2008, 13:22 pm
#172 adj nm: “proof my point” – what point have I proofed ??
The point that I have proofed is that you proofed yourself
4 Sep 2008, 13:24 pm
#175 Sheriff: have a think about – you’re a better man then the one you are trying to be
4 Sep 2008, 13:30 pm
#176 vindicated: The point you think you proofed just strengthens the point I’ve already made
4 Sep 2008, 13:35 pm
vindicated
has proved
no point
but maybe
he has poofed
his brooks
4 Sep 2008, 13:36 pm
#178 adj nm: you didnt proofed nothing
4 Sep 2008, 13:37 pm
Even with the ELVs conditions up north will play into HMs gameplan. Afterall HM will do what he knows best forward domination and Liefling to kick evrything away. I am glad that he is not Springbok coach but at the same time believe that he would be the ideal as forwards coach in the national team. A pity politics and egos did not let this happen.
4 Sep 2008, 13:37 pm
#177 vindicated: The more you trivialize the achievements of the 2007 Boks, the more we will rub your nose in it. There should never have been a 2007 tri-nations and even then we nearly beat your bunch with a B team (AWAY). If your team can’t qualify for the final then don’t blame us for winning the Cup. We are the World Champions – deal with it.
4 Sep 2008, 13:38 pm
#179 Porra: can you prove that you have the proof
otherwise we might all be proofed
4 Sep 2008, 13:40 pm
#180 vindicated: best comeback in ages! allow me time to regroup?
4 Sep 2008, 13:41 pm
#182 BokEd: I dont trivialize it – its you lot that are actuially doing that by claiming that winning the World Cup made you the best side in the world
Its a flawed arguement – and you all look rather silly still banging on about it less than 12 month later from 3rd place in the Tri-Nations
4 Sep 2008, 13:42 pm
i can smell it
all the way from
the land of
the free convict
australia
4 Sep 2008, 13:43 pm
#163 Sheriff:
I am. It was afterall teams like Samoa you were celebrating for beating in WC 2007
#164 adj nm:
19-0, I gave credit
4 Sep 2008, 13:44 pm
#180 vindicated: Are you a product of the Australian schooling system?
4 Sep 2008, 13:45 pm
#182 BokEd: and in your next breath you will likely say – there shouldnt have been a Tri-Nations in 2008 because ….. well I’ll leave the exuses to you lot cause your better at it then anyone else
4 Sep 2008, 13:46 pm
#187 Richie_7: bridge to far hey?
4 Sep 2008, 13:46 pm
#190 adj nm:
Not at all
4 Sep 2008, 13:46 pm
6 years and 1 s14 ……. wow!!!!!! that is fantastic Super Die Bloubul
4 Sep 2008, 13:47 pm
#187 Richie_7:
if the kiwis
made it to the final
we would have celebrated
beating them
as well
4 Sep 2008, 13:48 pm
#184 adj nm: take your time – when you are ready to proof to me that you proofed me wrong then I am ready
I will try anything once
4 Sep 2008, 13:49 pm
#191 Richie_7: most people struggle with maths – don’t beat yourself up about it.
4 Sep 2008, 13:52 pm
#195 adj nm:
I’m not, was just a stupid argument. Seems scorelines only matter to Saffas when they’re on the winning end. If they’re not, its brushed aside with the usual “but we’re world champs” lol
And this will be the answer to every debate for the next 4 years
4 Sep 2008, 13:54 pm
#194 vindicated: Einstein proofed his teory of relativity but you will never understand it even though its proofed.
But knowing you as someone who will rant on and on and on about something start from 124 and work your way down – it will come to you just be patient.
4 Sep 2008, 13:54 pm
#189 vindicated: We underachieved in 2008. The Wallabies have played very well with limited depth and the All Blacks have been absolutely fantastic in rebuilding and winning at the same time. Still not much separates the top 3 – but we are still World Champions. Can you feel it?
4 Sep 2008, 13:55 pm
#193 Porra:
Yeah sorry Porra, seems all the real games took place in the other road to the final. Besides, never been a shame losing to France.
Congratualtions again for the 10000th time on this blog for winning the world cup, but if the Boks were worth thier title you wouldn’t be here discussing the CC, now would you?
4 Sep 2008, 13:56 pm
#198 BokEd: you’re in danger of sounding like an Englishman post WC2003
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