Meyer’s the man
15 Mar 2011
MARK KEOHANE, writing in SA Rugby magazine, says the next Springbok coach should be named now.
Not only has Fourie du Preez given Heyneke Meyer the endorsement to be the Springbok coach post the 2011 World Cup, he is emphatic that if Meyer were to be appointed he would make himself available for the national team in 2012.
Give Meyer that job now and ensure Du Preez wears the No 9 jersey in 2012. It would make such a statement of the leadership in South African rugby – a leadership that too often fails itself – if there was such forward planning and certainty in making the appointment.
Instead we will get the usual cat and mouse games. Coaches, including the incumbent Peter de Villiers, will be asked to apply and in the time it takes to interview contenders players will have made decisions based on the uncertainty of who heads up Bok rugby.
South African rugby, like any other national union, can’t afford an overseas exodus of top players at the end of 2011 or premature international retirements.
Meyer would be my choice to succeed De Villiers, but there is strong support in South African rugby for Stormers duo Rassie Erasmus and Allister Coetzee and New Zealanders John Plumtree and John Mitchell.
Italy and former Bok coach Nick Mallett is expected to be off contract after the World Cup, but it is doubtful Mallett would ever want to coach the Boks again given the despicable manner in which Saru ended his tenure in 2000.
Of those coaches based in South Africa Meyer has the most appeal, but it would be expecting too much for any commitment to be made at this early juncture. Succession plans have never found favour in South African rugby boardrooms.
De Villiers, victorious or not at the World Cup, will not be reappointed. The four years he will have served as national coach unfortunately would have been four years too many.
There will be a new face, but whoever that face is will determine how many of the familiar faces remain in 2012. If they knew that identity in advance of the World Cup it would simplify the decision to stay in South Africa.
Du Preez’s public support of Meyer, in an interview with colleague Ryan Vrede in this issue, should be noted with more than just a passing interest because Du Preez in 2012 can be as instrumental to a new generation of Bok rugby as he has been to the Bok glory years of 2007 and 2009.
Victor Matfield is huge on the world stage and even bigger in South Africa, but his imposing presence is secondary to what Du Preez offers the Boks. And that should tell anyone about Du Preez’s value and pedigree.
Du Preez’s fitness will determine whether the Boks can be the first team to defend the World Cup and with Du Preez at scrumhalf the Boks can be successful with the kick-and-chase game that failed them so miserably in 2010.
There is always place in the game for that approach if the right player is there to implement the kick. When it comes to Du Preez, he has no equal in that aspect of the game and as a scrumhalf none have matched his control of field position.
South African rugby should be doing everything it possibly can to keep Du Preez in the country after the 2011 World Cup. New Zealand, if they are to win the World Cup, can’t afford to lose Richie McCaw and Dan Carter, and South Africa simply can’t do without Du Preez.
He is the most complete and influential professional rugby player this country has known. There has to be a plan to keep him in South Africa, and that plan must involve his mentor of the last decade, Heyneke Meyer.
– This column first appeared in the March issue of SA Rugby magazine.
234 Comments
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15 Mar 2011, 14:53 pm
SA needs a coach that can think outside of their prejudice.. White Saffa S15 coaches are unable to do this… Its a cultural thing.. useless fks
15 Mar 2011, 14:55 pm
@Couchcoach(GI POT)-48: if u read carefully i haven’t said anywhere that heineken shouldn’t take over the Boks next year.
as for now, PdV must finish what he started on his own!
15 Mar 2011, 14:55 pm
A simple reason, namely, totally unimportant.
Not surprising at all
15 Mar 2011, 14:57 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-47:
Nope, WO is going to apply for the SuperSport commentator job, they are looking for a female presenter.
15 Mar 2011, 14:59 pm
Hands, feet, minds still AWOL.
Also not surprising. Gross selfishness, even in this period of lent, and glaring deficiencies.
15 Mar 2011, 14:59 pm
Lots of grammatical errors.. My apologies.. but let me say it again
SOUTH AFRICA NEEDS A COACH THANK CAN THINK OUTSIDE OF HIS PREJUDICES… WHITE SAFFA COACHES CAN’T DO THIS.. IT’S A CULTURAL THING..USELESS FUKKS
Now let us all move on
15 Mar 2011, 15:00 pm
@PissAnt(PissAnt)-54: Ouch!
15 Mar 2011, 15:10 pm
Quite hilarious when Keo shows his face with a quick hit.
The usuals drop everything, even their pants, in their rush to pen something to him to gain his attention and he ignores them and addresses a voice from a very distant past.
How more insulting can that be to the Manyis, Strawberrys and Pissies.
One word for them, that aptly descriptive one in Cape Dutch, ‘gatkruipers’.
They could name a soapie just with that as title, so good will it be.
Relax the tease is over in about 40 mins. but you are still decadent.
15 Mar 2011, 15:10 pm
For those who have a problem with Affirmative Action look at JP Morgan Investment Bank.. It strives for optimal diversity so that they can be assured of the best talent available.. They accept that many managers cannot think outside their prejudice resulting inferior appointments procured at excessive costs.. They see prejudice as organisational weakness and challenge their manages to think outside of it or to fkoff..
I hate investment banks but lets not throw out the baby with the bath water
15 Mar 2011, 15:12 pm
this article was bound to upset the keo yuf league.
I say let divot sail his ship himself.
If he sails it onto the rocks so be it.
we will redeploy him elsewhere.
15 Mar 2011, 15:14 pm
@ET.(ET.)-58: Keo is piss scared of me.. I am gonna catch him on his radio programme and embarrass him in front of 500,000 listeners… because I want to and because I can
..
Watch out Keo.. I am coming to get you …boo wooo
15 Mar 2011, 15:15 pm
Deon Helberg still a student?
15 Mar 2011, 15:15 pm
45
Nor can a Manyi, hence he states it in the hope that it distracts.
15 Mar 2011, 15:17 pm
So what Keo is saying is that Fourie Du Preez ought to sellect the national coach. He is holding SA rugby ransom saying that if he doesn’t get the coach he wants, then he is taking his ball and leaving for Japan.
15 Mar 2011, 15:17 pm
@The X-factor is staying at home.(gunther)-60: On that.
Are there any hot girls in the ANC Youth League?
I’ve always wondered.
15 Mar 2011, 15:18 pm
@youknowwho(youknowwho)-61:
Keo is marginally tolerable relative to the hordes of ‘gatkruipers’ selfishly(in their lent) looking at the faces on their paper money.
15 Mar 2011, 15:22 pm
What do the plebs., at best, know about sailing? Totally out of touch with reality.
Have to yet to decide to leave your ivory tower 16 years after ‘uhuru’ for the plebs.?
15 Mar 2011, 15:23 pm
@Taahirah(Taahirah)-65:
I doubt it.
all the ******* get co-opted to work for kenny at ZAR.
@rossoneri(rossoneri)-64:
he’s not holding anybody to ransom.
he can do what he wants and so can SA rugby.
grow up ffs.
15 Mar 2011, 15:23 pm
@rossoneri(rossoneri)-64: He tried that before but then he decided to give PDV a ******** and a box of chocolates as an apology… PDV liked the BJ and chocolates and forgave him because of his christian principles.. I reckon FDP was just checking if PDV still likes BJ’s and chocolates this time around..
I think he still does…
15 Mar 2011, 15:24 pm
@Taahirah(Taahirah)-65:
Look in the mirror.
That’s girl really and you can have the hot, free of charge.
15 Mar 2011, 15:27 pm
@youknowwho(youknowwho)-56:
Damn, Still got it wrong
SOUTH AFRICA NEEDS A COACH THAT CAN THINK OUTSIDE OF HIS PREJUDICES… WHITE SAFFA COACHES CAN’T DO THIS.. IT’S A CULTURAL THING..USELESS FUKKS
15 Mar 2011, 15:27 pm
@rossoneri(rossoneri)-64:
Anything vaguely negative about powder blue predictably irritates the X(not Malcolm,the only meaningful X).
15 Mar 2011, 15:34 pm
@rossoneri(rossoneri)-64:
What Keo is saying ” Boks cant play without Fourie and the only guy that will keep him in SA is Heyneke Meyer”
15 Mar 2011, 15:35 pm
@ET.(ET.)-72: I see so.
15 Mar 2011, 15:37 pm
Fourie just have to take Morne Stain with him!
15 Mar 2011, 15:37 pm
@The X-factor is staying at home.(gunther)-68: Would it be fair then for Pdv not to sellect Fdp for the WC2011 based on these comments. It clearly states that he has no confidence in the coach and his methods, and this would harm the team Pdv is coaching. It’s the equivalent of calling the coach a dumb wanker, and then wanting to be sellected to play for his team. Can’t possibly work, me thinks.
15 Mar 2011, 15:38 pm
@Mighty Horua(Mighty Horua)-73: Still holding SA rugby to ransom. Do as I say, or you lose me stuff.
15 Mar 2011, 15:39 pm
@ET.(ET.)-70: I have no doubt that you are educated, that your (often irrelevant) ramblings attest to.
But smart?
No.
That your lack of wit shows.
Many years ago “Noot-vir-Noot” had a contestant named Daantjie. He could recite volumes of legal acts as he worked in a law library and had a great memory. He was unfortunately slightly retarted and couldnt apply the memorized information.
A tragic figure he cut, with all of his studied knowledge, contrasted with childish utterings.
See where Im going with this?
15 Mar 2011, 15:39 pm
Happy Birthday to KAKast coach ever (Maybe not ever, since Jorrie Muller has joined the Lions coaching setup)
15 March Naka Drotske
15 Mar 2011, 15:40 pm
I think he may have problems taking over, not because he is a great coach, and not because players respect him, but because of the negativity that will come from the politicians and their agenda. Suffice it to say, I doubt it will happen.
15 Mar 2011, 15:40 pm
Fdp is mistaken though. Boks played fine with young Hougard at 9. Fourie is not the first, last and only scrum half SA has ever had. He is not bigger than the team.
15 Mar 2011, 15:41 pm
@rossoneri(rossoneri)-76: PDV himself has stated that he will only see out his current contract, not interested in coaching beyond WC2011.
15 Mar 2011, 15:41 pm
Ides of March……ominous…..
15 Mar 2011, 15:41 pm
@Mighty Horua(Mighty Horua)-73: He may be right about that, but there is an easy fix: get a decent coach and any number of scrum halves are good enough.
15 Mar 2011, 15:41 pm
@goyougoodthing2(goyougoodthing2)-80: Lining up your excuse already for the crash ball methods of HM for a job that is not even his yet?
15 Mar 2011, 15:42 pm
@Taahirah(Taahirah)-82: Good for him.
15 Mar 2011, 15:43 pm
@rossoneri(rossoneri)-76:
it doesn’t state that at all.
you are dreaming.
he was asked a question.
would he consider staying?
and he said yes.
and now the “journalists” are using this as a stick to beat divot with.
which is what this is all about.
in reality there is no way he could play anyway because he has signed a contract and he would never be picked for the boks whilst playing in japan.
the conspiracy that you see has everything to do with the journos and nothing to do with the player.
15 Mar 2011, 15:43 pm
@Mighty Horua(Mighty Horua)-79: Happy Birthday Naka. May you stop wearing those stripped shirts for all your losing coach interviews.
15 Mar 2011, 15:44 pm
@rossoneri(rossoneri)-85: I don’t think he would be the best coach to be honest, just stating why he won’t be called.
I’d prefer him to have the job than have them call up my Plumtree!
15 Mar 2011, 15:44 pm
@Taahirah(Taahirah)-82:
do not waste your time.
15 Mar 2011, 15:44 pm
@goyougoodthing2(goyougoodthing2)-80: You think that he is a fragile **** too..
.. very thin skin???
I wasn’t going to bring it up but I think that it is also a Cultural thing.. look at you
15 Mar 2011, 15:44 pm
@Taahirah(Taahirah)-78:
Daantjie was a star!
He won the Dertig Duisend-Vuf in n Ry
15 Mar 2011, 15:46 pm
@Mighty Horua(Mighty Horua)-92: He was! Petulant though.
Remember him pushing that female contestant 9cant recall her name) after losing against her in the “Kampioene” final?
15 Mar 2011, 15:47 pm
@youknowwho(youknowwho)-91: You won’t get a reaction out of me kid, I don’t have the need to prove anything, nor am I unbalanced by chips of inferiority.
You would not understand how it feels to be culturally superior in all areas and yet watch people try and convince themselves otherwise.
Kinda sad.
15 Mar 2011, 15:47 pm
@The X-factor is staying at home.(gunther)-87: Why are you so dik bek today and in a snotty mood. You’re usually more jovial.
15 Mar 2011, 15:48 pm
Dantjie was autistic if I’m not mistaken. Our own local “rain man”.
Well played fella.
15 Mar 2011, 15:48 pm
k@kkest Bok Backline ever would be :
january
elton
m bosman
waylon
habana
m killian
jantjies
15 Mar 2011, 15:48 pm
@rossoneri(rossoneri)-95: Apparently he had car troubles earlier.
Ask Dawn about it.
15 Mar 2011, 15:49 pm
@stormersboy(stormersboy)-96: I knew it!
You watch Noot-vir-noot!
15 Mar 2011, 15:50 pm
Oh and i’m not convinced that HM is the only option to lead the boks, we have a few quality coaches available. Will we be brave enough to pick and then actually back them?
Doubtful
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