Meyer optimistic about Bok RWC hopes
8 Jun 2011
Heyneke Meyer tells RYAN VREDE a trend that has seen the breakdown become more of a contest again significantly improves the Springboks’ chances of defending their World Cup title.
The Springboks’ poor 2010 Test season saw them struggle to consistently exploit the breakdown law interpretations – which encouraged teams to play through phases and facilitated them being able to do so at high tempo – to their advantage in the manner the All Blacks and, to a lesser extent, the Wallabies did.
However, Meyer, currently director of rugby at the Bulls, said he has noticed a softening of what had become pedantic management of the breakdown, and explained that this would be significant for the Springboks’ bid to retain the World Cup.
‘Last year because the law interpretations at the breakdown were new, referees were policing that area far more vigilantly. The attacking team was heavily favoured and [Test] teams that could keep the ball through multiple phases thrived. Teams struggled to turn over possession, and only the smartest openside flankers were a factor as a result,’ Meyer told keo.co.za in an exclusive interview.
‘There was so much quick ball, but that isn’t the case any longer, it’s a contest again. It’s also a key reason the Stormers are doing as well as they are. They compete brilliantly at the breakdown and are able to set their defensive line, making it very, very difficult to breach them.
‘This has placed an added importance on tactical kicking once more, and when you look at the ingredients that will improve a team’s chances of being successful at the World Cup – tactical kicking, solid defence and a strong ruck contest – the Springboks tick all the boxes.
‘I had reservations about our ability to play the multi-phase, high-tempo game that the rules encouraged. But now I’m more optimistic.’
Meyer added that, while it had been a disadvantage for the Bulls in Super Rugby, the likelihood that Bakkies Botha, Fourie du Preez and Pierre Spies (all starters in New Zealand) would peak at the tournament would be beneficial to the Springboks.
‘The three of them started slowly because they all had operations in the off-season and were recovering,’ he said. ‘This limited their pre-season preparation and the consequences of that were seen in the early rounds of the competition. But they’ve all improved gradually and the Boks will get the best of them at the World Cup.’
The role of the Tri-Nations in a World Cup year has polarised opinion in the South African rugby fraternity. Reports suggest that the Springbok selectors are contemplating resting a number of their key players for Tests in the tournament, an approach that former Springbok coach Jake White followed and said contributed massively to their conditioning in France in 2007.
Meyer holds the view that there is value to be gained through an alternative route.
‘Resting the players in the 2007 Tri-Nations was hailed as a success, but I don’t think we should limit our thinking in this way. I’m sure there’s more than one route to success, although I fully understand the rationale behind wanting to rest players,’ he said.
‘I just see massive value in the group playing together, given how soon the pool matches start after that (22 days). I would place a huge premium on beating New Zealand in New Zealand just a couple of weeks before the tournament will be held there. The psychological lift that would give the players would be invaluable, particularly if they face the All Blacks in the play-off stages. Defeat wouldn’t be a tragedy because all the pressure will be on them in a play-off situation.
‘But it’s important for us to back whatever strategy the Springboks adopt in this regard. Peter and the team deserve all our support.’
The bulk of the 30-man squad is predictable, but there is room for a couple of bolters. Asked who, outside of the established group had impressed him, Meyer said: ‘I rate Johann Sadie (Stormers) unbelievably highly. He is a brilliant, brilliant young player. He is quick, strong relative to his size, runs beautiful lines and plays without any apparent fear of failure. He, for me, would add value to the World Cup squad. He could play centre or wing, and with a safety net in a squad of experienced guys, playing him isn’t a gamble. Frans Steyn thrived in that environment in 2007. Johann could do the same.
He continued: ‘I’d also find a place for Adriaan Strauss (whom he coached at the Bulls). He is playing the best rugby of his career. Every week I watch him I’m always impressed with his technical ability and work rate, which is second to none in the group of South African hookers.’
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8 Jun 2011, 14:36 pm
National Planning Camp Group
John Smit (captain)
The Sharks
102
Victor Matfield (vice-captain)
Vodacom Blue Bulls
105
Willem Alberts
The Sharks
3
Gio Aplon
DHL Western Province
13
Andries Bekker
DHL Western Province
24
Bakkies Botha
Vodacom Blue Bulls
72
Heinrich Brüssow
Toyota Free State Cheetahs
13
Schalk Burger
DHL Western Province
63
Juan de Jongh
DHL Western Province
6
Jean de Villiers
DHL Western Province
67
Bismarck du Plessis
The Sharks
36
Jannie du Plessis
The Sharks
24
Fourie du Preez
Vodacom Blue Bulls
55
Jaque Fourie
DHL Western Province
62
Bryan Habana
DHL Western Province
68
Francois Hougaard
Vodacom Blue Bulls
8
Butch James
MTN Golden Lions
40
Ashley Johnson
Toyota Free State Cheetahs
-
Werner Kruger
Vodacom Blue Bulls
-
Pat Lambie
The Sharks
4
Tendai Mtawarira
The Sharks
26
Lwazi Mvovo
The Sharks
2
Odwa Ndungane
The Sharks
7
Wynand Olivier
Vodacom Blue Bulls
32
Coenie Oosthuizen
Toyota Free State Cheetahs
-
Ruan Pienaar
Ulster
47
JP Pietersen
The Sharks
36
Chiliboy Ralepelle
Vodacom Blue Bulls
18
Danie Rossouw
Vodacom Blue Bulls
54
Juan Smith
Toyota Free State Cheetahs
69
Pierre Spies
Vodacom Blue Bulls
40
Gurthrö Steenkamp
Vodacom Blue Bulls
31
Francois Steyn
Racing Metro
42
Morné Steyn
Vodacom Blue Bulls
25
Adriaan Strauss
Toyota Free State Cheetahs
9
Flip van der Merwe
Vodacom Blue Bulls
10
Duane Vermeulen
DHL Western Province
8 Jun 2011, 14:38 pm
@rangerman(rangerman)-92:
Not quite
Most of his recipients don’t deserve it
8 Jun 2011, 14:39 pm
@Dawn(Dawn)-102: well like i say, with an 18 mnth old little lady, i have no time to blog most days.
so it looks like kanko has to make way for vermeulen whilst spies stays in the squad?????
what a load of cod.
8 Jun 2011, 14:41 pm
@rangerman(rangerman)-92:
No that’s where you are wrong , he is not capable of it !!!
The way he attacks the Stormers match day thread is a freekin disgrace !!!
What he says and gets away with cannot been seen as tongue in cheek.
It is personal and vindictive and disruptive to proper rugby talk.
But I know you will defend him , somehow his allegiance to the Sharks makes his actions ok with you !!!
And I expect the usual Skop retort, but Skop will talk rugby all night , unless he is attacked and HG attacks him all the time !!
8 Jun 2011, 14:41 pm
Ok so Earl doesn’t make the bench? Dewald in at flyhalf cover?
Speaks volumes for the coach’s confidence in Earl, and in Dewald I guess….
8 Jun 2011, 14:44 pm
Also not so sure about Flip, flip he hardly ever play s!!!!
8 Jun 2011, 14:45 pm
Ashley Johnson
Toyota Free State Cheetahs
-
Werner Kruger
Vodacom Blue Bulls
-
Pat Lambie
The Sharks
Lwazi Mvovo
The Sharks
2
Odwa Ndungane
The Sharks
7
Wynand Olivier
Vodacom Blue Bulls
32
Coenie Oosthuizen
Toyota Free State Cheetahs
-
Adriaan Strauss
Toyota Free State Cheetahs
9
Flip van der Merwe
Vodacom Blue Bulls
10
Duane Vermeulen
DHL Western Province
THE ABOVE ARE THE PICKS MOST LIKELY TO BE LEAST FAVOURABLE
PS- NO BJORN BASSON
8 Jun 2011, 14:45 pm
The pillow fights are in full swing, but they are senseless, meaningless ones nonetheless and they mess up medical science (chromosomes ) in the process.
8 Jun 2011, 14:47 pm
@rangerman(rangerman)-103: wait till your young lass gets to about 2 & 1/2, where my son is now.
He has this thing where he wants the toy, he can’t have it so instead of letting someone else play with it he throws it against the wall and breaks it. We all know that it’s a bad way to deal with the situation but it;s part of him asserting his independance, so we sort him out and move on. If you don;t deal with those sorts of situations, then it can create a problem later on.
Now fast forward 30 odd years or so to a certain Rugby blog.
The Sharks have missed their opportunity to beat the Stormers this year, in the league phase anyway, so now a certain blogger will scream for anyone else playing against the Stormers in the hope that they will end the Stormers fun, and in some way make him feel better about himself. It has nothing to do with his support for the other team, it’s more a case of “well if i can;t beat them, someone else must”
See where I’m going here?
Remind you of anyone?
8 Jun 2011, 14:50 pm
@rangerman(rangerman)-103:
Bulldust?
8 Jun 2011, 14:51 pm
@justrugby(justrugby)-104: ag kuk man, skop is a foul mouthed tourettes sufferer.
if you want to point fingers then remember that you will be judged by the company you keep mate.
and though i have never really had a problem with you personally, i have found your support (tacit sometimes by refusing to speak out against racist rantings of certain bloggers) a little dissapointing.
then again, i am no saint so bygones, i am over it. scrolling on by is probably the best option if you dont like what a blogger posts but if you feel strongly about things and take them on then dont wail when they push back imo.
HG is cool with me as are most bloggers, even grant10 though i find him infuriating at times
please note: i am in a very chilled mood because i am off to mozam for a week tomorrow so maybe that could be lulling the savage beast that lurks within me
i will be back with a vengeance when superrugby reaches the business end.
8 Jun 2011, 14:52 pm
@stormersboy(stormersboy)-109:
LOL !
Hopefully your boy will grow out of it, unfortunately some never do !!
8 Jun 2011, 14:53 pm
@Great White Shark(Predawn)-71: talking kak, the Baby Boks played against the Kings Academy players, yep you got that right Predawn, we have our own academy now
no more poaching
8 Jun 2011, 14:54 pm
Some of these Sharks fans are a joke , we beat you home , we beat you away and still you have so much to say??
8 Jun 2011, 14:55 pm
@rangerman(rangerman)-111:
Enjoy Mozam, you should be back just in time to watch the Stomers lift the first S15 trophy !!
8 Jun 2011, 14:59 pm
How selective but limited the interpretations of some one-eyed pillow fighters.
Since exactly when does the name Tygerberg (a region) equate to a/the hospital. Why could it not be T. zoo or T.Valley, or T. Hills?
I looked all over for the word hospital in the original post but it is not there
If anything the ‘white’ man’s hospital has always been the Karl Bremer though for the rich and idle rugby player of today it is surely any number of private clinics/hospitals.
Do we have over eager miscreants nervously jumping the gun once more?
8 Jun 2011, 15:02 pm
@Dawn(Dawn)-110: zactly.
@stormersboy(stormersboy)-109: haha, i prefer to think that in this ridiculous conference comp that the enemy of your enemy is your friend.
its all tactical and may have far reaching effects such as making the kiwis and aussies a bit more like the saffas with our out of control provincialism.
i had an awful moment with my youngster last night which turned out funny in hindsight but showed me that i have to up my game in terms of responsibility a bit.
After feeding the peanut dinner i sat her down for five minutes of “the big brown bear” dvd as my wife was leaving for action netball and i had to make a business call.
i live in a penthouse with double sliding doors onto our outdoor area and i stepped out to make the call and have a quick smoke at the same time.
my daughter sauntered over whilst i wasnt paying full attention and managed to pull the sliding door handle down, locking me outside.
fark me i was in a state as the oven was on (open plan flat) and i coulnt get in!
so there is the ranger, on his knees tapping on the outside of the sliding door to keep the peanuts attention, begging her to open the door handle (she tried, really she did but she is too short) after making a frantic call to the missus who then executed the fastest u-turn known to man.
needless to say, the peanut thought it was all a new game and took to hiding behind the couches which NEARLY prompted a sliding door to get kicked in.
i managed to overcome the sliding door lock though (dont ask me how, i tried to repeat it later and couldnt) and get in just as the wife arrived, gave me a black look and turned back for the action netball as she was playing in a semi final (they won but when she arrived, late, her team were one player short and two points(goals?) down.
eish, talk about a wake up call.
8 Jun 2011, 15:06 pm
My understanding too is that it seems to be acceptable to “panelbeat” the human, average Joe Citizen, but when it is a highly physical rygby player seeking that physical attention then he must be wrapped in cotton wool and not get the required attention he seeks?
Morality right out the window, but what can we expect of nervous limited FANatics posing as aficionados of the game of rugby?
8 Jun 2011, 15:12 pm
@rangerman(rangerman)-117: haha welcome to the world of parenting mate!
I’ve had many of those types of incidents, usually on “dad’s watch” too. I have two very busy sons. They have gotten me into a world of kuk over the years. thankfully nothing too serious.
And I know that look well.
8 Jun 2011, 15:14 pm
@rangerman(rangerman)-117:
Teach you to smoke.
8 Jun 2011, 15:15 pm
@stormersboy(stormersboy)-119:
the only thing that makes me smile about the whole thing is thinking of my daughters giggles at her dad as he pleaded with her lmao!
alls well that ends well.
anyways, i must shove off.
chat to you all in ten days or so and enjoy the rugga!
tjorts.
8 Jun 2011, 15:15 pm
@stormersboy(stormersboy)-119: On a positive note at least you go outside to have a smoke. Smoking and kids is a no-no.
8 Jun 2011, 15:16 pm
@Dawn(Dawn)-120:
terrible habit, had me on my knees, must go. cheers dawnie!
8 Jun 2011, 15:18 pm
@rangerman(rangerman)-117: Hi Ranger, have a wonderful trip to Mozam, scuba’rd their years ago was lovely, WATCH OUT FOR THE SHARKS !!!!
Lol thought you had given up on the puffing.
8 Jun 2011, 15:21 pm
National Planning Camp Group;
FORWARDS
1. Beast; Gurthro; Coenie
2. John Smit; Bissie; Chilliboy; Adriaan Strauss
3. Jannie Dup; Werner Kruger
4. Bakkies; Flip;
5; Matfield; Bekker
6. Brussow; Schalk
7. Alberts; Juan Smith; Johnson
8. Spies; Vermeulen
Total: 21
Versatile player
Danie;
BACK LINE
9. FdP;
10. Steyn; Butch; Lambie
11. Habana; Mvovo
12. JdV; JdJ
13. J. Fourie; WO
14. JPP; Ndungane
15. F. Steyn
Versatile players:
Pienaar (9, 10, 15)
Hougaard (9, 11)
Aplon (11, 14, 15)
Total: 16
So, 7 players need to be cut from this group.
Interesting omissions:
Ricky
Bjorn Basson
Flo
Stegman
Kankowski
Only Basson can feel aggrieved.
8 Jun 2011, 15:36 pm
The following is an extract from an article on Rugby Heaven AU . NZ already getting ready to lose. I would think that staging a successful World Cup and winning it are 2 separate issues. Winning at all costs is a given as well as having a well organised WC
” The architect of this year’s Rugby World Cup says he would rather see the All Blacks lose the tournament than New Zealand botch its hosting role.
In comments likely to puzzle a small country painfully aware of its under performance in World Cups past, Martin Snedden said most of the 85,000 people expected to visit New Zealand in September and October “don’t give a toss” if the Kiwis win.
“I talk to New Zealand audiences all the time about this and half the audience shakes their heads and think I’m an idiot,” Snedden, a former international cricketer and past New Zealand Cricket chief executive, said.
Advertisement: Story continues below
“But we haven’t won the thing for 24 years, we know that, we’ve got a great chance again this year, we’re in great form once again, expectations are high, [we are the] ranked number one team in the world.
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/union-news/winning-is-secondary-nz-world-cup-chief-20110608-1fseo.html#ixzz1Ogvez1Jd
8 Jun 2011, 15:38 pm
Must say Bjorn should be there.
8 Jun 2011, 15:44 pm
Total:21
Danie included of course.
Interesting omissions:
Also CJ.
Seems Werner Kruger is on his way to the RWC. Interesting.
With the amount of versatile players in the back line (add F. Steyn also), it looks as if we are going for a 18/12 split. If so, it means that another 3 forwards and 4 back line players need to be cut from the squad.
I think it will be:
2. Strauss (only need 3 hookers)
4. Flip (Danie can also play that role)
7. Johnson/Juan (depending on Juan’s fitness)
10. Lambie (experience of the other two)
11. Mvovo (Hougaard and Aplon can both play 11)
13. WO (the others are just that much better; Butch and Frans can both play inside centre with JDJ moving to outside centre)
14. Ndungane. (Solid player but Aplon can do a job there)
8 Jun 2011, 17:02 pm
I see this (what Meyer is saying) in Super Rugby, but not so much from European referees which makes this interesting.
8 Jun 2011, 17:03 pm
Where I agree is that it benefits the Boks, from what I noticed, European refs are taking no **** from clearing around the rucks or beyond the ball, something NZ specifically are very good at.
8 Jun 2011, 21:47 pm
I’ve been a wp supporter all my life. Eventhough the bulls and sharks have been the better team the past 10 years I still believe the stormers are in the process of creating their own dynasty.
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