Meyer eyes historic cup double
7 Oct 2008
Leicester Tigers coach Heyneke Meyer has his sights set on creating history by winning the European Cup this season.
After capturing the Super 14 crown with the Blue Bulls in 2007, Meyer is now bidding to become the first coach to win the premier competitions of both the northern and southern hemispheres.
The Tigers have been drawn in a tough group including Italians Treviso, Dan Carter’s new club Perpignan and Welsh side Ospreys. Meyer’s side’s first encounter is against Ospreys at Welford Road this Sunday and he is under no illusions as to the task they face.
“The Heineken Cup was one of the attractions for me coming to work in Europe,” Meyer told Sky Sports. “It’s a huge challenge for any team. It’s a round-robin competition and a knock-out all in one.
“That makes it a really tough competition to win and you need to be 100 percent in every game.”
Meyer is one of the most successful coaches in South African rugby having lead the Bulls to five consecutive Currie Cup finals, besides capturing the Super 14 title last year. Whether he can replicate this success on the European stage remains to be seen, but the 40-year-old is excited to see how his side fares against the top clubs on the continent.
“I’ve been involved in the top competition in the southern hemisphere and I am looking forward to being involved in the top competition in the northern hemisphere,” he said.
“There are more teams involved from more countries in the Heineken Cup and I am looking forward to seeing different players and teams from different cultures.
“It’s going to be an interesting challenge. There is no doubt the Heineken Cup is a top competition and it’s going to grow in stature and get better and better because so many of the world’s top players are involved.
“Even in places like South Africa the profile of the Heineken Cup is growing. I remember watching the Munster-Toulouse final at home. With all those supporters there it was a great spectacle – there is a great vibe about the Heineken Cup.”
Despite all his success with the Bulls, Meyer admits he thought about quiting the game altogether after missing out on the position of Springbok coach, but is now focused on turning the Tigers into world-beaters.
“When I left the Bulls after winning the Super 14 last year and failed to get the job of South African coach, I thought my time in rugby was over,” he added.
“I had been a coach since I was 20 and I got out of the game by taking charge of a sports nutrition company and 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. My long-term goal is to make Leicester the best club side in the world. We should be able to achieve that in my time here.”
21 Comments
7 Oct 2008, 08:21 am
Heyneken Cup dragons!
7 Oct 2008, 08:26 am
Ai……..
7 Oct 2008, 08:43 am
Unsurprisingly, Heyneke’s nickname ay the club is apparently… Heineken. Genius.
7 Oct 2008, 08:53 am
#2 Staal:
Kan hy nie maar se dat hy Leicester die tweede beste klub in die wereld wil maak nie?
Is lojaliteit dan so gou iets van die verlede?
7 Oct 2008, 09:01 am
#4 Tacitus: Relax ou maat … smaak my jy’s nou nog kwaad!
7 Oct 2008, 09:09 am
#5 Staal:
Haha. Ek het toe nie kans gehad om die Huisgenoot op te spoor nie. So ek kon toe nie die saak ter ruste le nie. Maar, Heyneke het ons genoeg goeie tye oor die jare gegee, so hy het seker maar die reg om aan te beweeg soos hy goeddink.
Aan die einde van die dag sal coaches kom en gaan, maar die Bulle sal altyd daar wees – solank hierdie land nog hier is, natuurlik.
7 Oct 2008, 09:10 am
tac ek is seker hy sien die bulle as ‘n unie, nie ‘n klub nie.
7 Oct 2008, 09:13 am
#7 JUSM:
Ja, ek het ook aan daardie tegniese puntjie vasgeklou. Kom ek stem maar saam met jou, dan voel ons altwee beter.
7 Oct 2008, 09:22 am
#8 Tacitus:
7 Oct 2008, 09:23 am
#8 Tacitus: wel dis beter as niks!
7 Oct 2008, 10:39 am
ag, without steve walsh he wouldnt have won the s14 so all the hot air is bs imo.
but good luck to him.
7 Oct 2008, 11:07 am
#11 rangerman: boohoo
7 Oct 2008, 11:09 am
#11 rangerman: is dit nie net suurdruiwe wat nou praat nie?
7 Oct 2008, 12:35 pm
#12 JUSM: #13 Charlie Naude: the truth will set you free.
7 Oct 2008, 14:34 pm
What’s stopping him from achieving this….
7 Oct 2008, 15:23 pm
#15 BishopsOD: hmm, lets see:
Munster, the current European champions
Toulouse, the Real Madrid of rugby
Wasps, have already beaten Leicester this season
Clermont Auvergne, star players from everywhere
Stade Francais, unbeaten this season
Perpignan, with Dan Carter at 10
Bath, the most attacking side in Europe
Leicester can do it, but will have to pull out some extraordinary performances on the way. Next season or the season after might be a better bet.
7 Oct 2008, 17:16 pm
My money is on munster
7 Oct 2008, 23:11 pm
The H cup is, understandably, not really followed with the same enthusiasm in the southern hemisphere as it is in the super 14. HM has a huge task on his hands to rotate a squad between domestic and “international” fixtures.
Me thinks he will do well to succeed Lofreda in that dept. Not much time in that place (east midlands), which thus far, has been his saving grace…
7 Oct 2008, 23:40 pm
What happened to his job at USN that he took after he lost out on the bok job?
8 Oct 2008, 18:06 pm
Does anyone know what is going on with Brent Russell and why he is not in the Saracens first team. I know he was injured in pre-season, but I see he has being playing for the Sarries A team for a while now. Why isn’t he getting picked?
8 Oct 2008, 18:49 pm
#20 Pete77: he’s been injured I believe. I’ve heard him commentate on Saracens games at the local radio station. Not sure when he’ll be back.
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