Meyer’s picks sing from same sheet
16 Apr 2012
RYAN VREDE writes Heyneke Meyer’s picks for assistants will form a cohesive unit and aid in reducing the stress that will accompany preparing a team in a week for the England series.
On Sunday Meyer announced Rassie Erasmus as his man for the high-performance general manager role, and Johann van Graan (forwards), Ricardo Loubscher (backs) and John McFarland (defence) as his assistants. Basil Carzis takes over as conditioning coach.
Meyer’s predecessor Peter de Villiers compiled a coaching team with differing playing philosophies and that ultimately was a significant contributor to their demise. Backs coach Dick Muir was little more than a well paid spectator by the end of his tenure as senior Springboks player convinced De Villiers that Muir’s fanciful expansive approach was ineffective in Test rugby. Forwards coach Gary Gold was largely a pragmatic man but he commanded little respect from the senior forwards, particularly those from the Bulls.
And while this is not an endorsment of the new crew’s aptitude for Test rugby – that will be tested in the coming years – there will be none of the cohesion issues that plagued the previous trio given that they know and share Meyer’s playing philosophy.
Erasmus’s relationship with Meyer grew during the former’s time as director of rugby at the Stormers. He was in constant contact with Meyer, picking his brain about technical, psychological and recruiting aspects of coaching. It is no coincidence that many of the Stormers’ current structures closely resemble the Bulls’. Meyer has come to respect Erasmus’s rugby intelligence and his work ethic and while his role is broad, Erasmus will be consulted on tactics. But Erasmus is far from a yes-man and this will benefit the Springboks as he will challenge Meyer to explore different dimensions of his coaching should any become stale or ineffective.
Van Graan was developed under Meyer at the Bulls and is highly-rated by him. An astute analyst and progressive thinker who shares Meyer’s unrelenting work ethic, he is an exciting appointment.
McFarland is a trusted lieutenant who Meyer recruited to the Bulls in the early part of his tenure. He attempted, unsuccessfully, to take him with him to Leicester when he was appointed there in 2008 and has insisted on his appointment now. In their prime McFarland shaped the Bulls into a formidable defensive unit and his work was central to their Super Rugby success in 2007, 2009 and 2010.
Loubscher was not Meyer’s preferred appointment to oversee the back division. Allister Coetzee turned down his offer to continue in his role as head coach of the Stormers and Meyer’s other options were tied up in contracts. However, Meyer purposefully upskilled Loubscher at the Bulls and his education under Bulls attack coach Todd Louden in 2007 was an important part of his development. Loubscher’s ability to inject innovation, unpredictability and penetration to Springboks’ backs will be under intense scrutiny.
That the assistants have only been appointed just over a month and a half before their first Test undoubtedly undermines the team’s cause. However, their familiarity with and buy-in for Meyer’s method is a positive. How and whether they are able to mould the team into one with the level of synergy and tactical understanding to beat England will be of much interest.
80 Comments
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16 Apr 2012, 10:35 am
@Robzim(Robzim)-44:
…but bekker is still playing bloody ordinary and is nowhere near his 2009 form. Also…Matfield is a bloody polite guy.
16 Apr 2012, 10:37 am
@Brigadier Van Zyl(Brigadier Van Zyl)-51: I wonder what’s up with Bekker. Fatigue perhaps…
16 Apr 2012, 10:43 am
We have excellent locks available. Vic won’t be missed, indeed his return will be a step backwards.
16 Apr 2012, 10:46 am
@stormersboy(stormersboy)-22:
well it was a barrage of Stormer virulence.
Fuckadilly, Nama and Davey seemed to be particularly upset.
Thankfully they are all sleeping it off and will be back once their colostomy bags have been changed.
16 Apr 2012, 10:51 am
I must say that I was bitterly disappointed with the Stormers loosing … but reflecting over the weekend, hey, this was the one to lose and they sure went down fighting.
This said, taking a macro view of SA rugby, and then reading this thread, I do get the feeling that for the FIRST TIME EVER there is true professionalism rising to the top. What an awesome position for SA Rugby to be in to appoint a Professional coach who brings in a professional coaching team i.e. like what Meyer is now doing. Rassie appointment is awesome. EXACTLY what Meyer needs to give take his message to Unions (like Stormers and Cheethas) and ensure he gets left field astute technical and tactical input. BRILLIANT!
And thanks to the Bulls for making sure that this was implemented .. .what 10 years ago? And aren’t SARU lucky that they can now just cooky cut this to Boks. That is right – they got lucky!
NZ have been doing this since 1996. FINALLY Boks catch up.
Which brings me back to the Crusaders – Stormers game. The most satisfying feeling I get is that you can feel it from the NZ players and Fans that they KNOW that the South Africans are catching and have potentially caught up. They KNOW that they ultimately cannot compete – financially as well as player depth – but SA is a power house in these departments.
There is REAL fear with our Kiwi brethren … they have had it too good for too long, and they know it. They now need to manipulate the refs, the crowds, synically take players out ala ’56.
I believe Heyneke and Rassie will once and for all transform Springbok Rugby back to its rightful place. And I am a die hard Western Province supporter … and it is brilliant that a professional outfit like what Meyer built at the Bulls, blended with the likes of Rassie, will be in charge of the Boks and SA Rugby.
Watch this space.
16 Apr 2012, 10:52 am
@Brigadier Van Zyl(Brigadier Van Zyl)-51: Good manners are no doubt important but are irrelevant to this conversation. Schalla is also one of the politest people you could ever meet but that should not influence his selection either.
16 Apr 2012, 11:06 am
rugbystudent – Preferred backline:-
15.) Joe Pieterson/F Steyn
14.) Bryan Habana
13.) JPP / Who knows what J Fourie wants to do
12.) F Steyn /JDV
11.) Francois Hougaard
10.) Morne Steyn
9.) Fourie du Preez
16 Apr 2012, 11:52 am
@race of tan(race of tan)-57:
Why Morne Steyn and JP Pietersen? They are not on form.
16 Apr 2012, 13:15 pm
@stormersboy(stormersboy)-23:
“I’m also not convinced about the benefits of using the Bulls’ defensive coach. Their defence is actually quite porous in my opinion.”
The Bulls have conceded the third lowest number of tries so far. The Stormers and the Chiefs have each conceded 8, the Highlanders 10, and the Bulls 11. But, they have scored 26, compared to the Stormers’ 12. The Stormers give away 0.67 tries for every one they score, while the Bulls gives away 0,42 for every one they score. Porous defence………….?
16 Apr 2012, 13:22 pm
If Matfield returns it’ll be another poor decision from him. He should decline the invitation…..just like he should have declined the invite to commentate.
16 Apr 2012, 13:35 pm
@bangkok-bok(bangkok-bok)-52: Can be lack of match sharpness. He hasnt played in over 8 months before the start of the Season. I hope after he recovers from the injury his body will be used to the pace and physicality of top class rugby.
16 Apr 2012, 14:25 pm
@stormer in a teacup(stormer in a teacup)-53: Who are these excellent locks you rave about? Keep in mind that Vic is the benchmark, please elaborate on excellent…
16 Apr 2012, 14:30 pm
@Sasuke(Sasuke)-61: Bekker is made of glass… No rugby player in the history of the game gets injured as easily as he does…
16 Apr 2012, 14:42 pm
@race of tan(race of tan)-57:
I am 99% certain. You have the bulk of the backline that Meyer will select. I add Lambie and Aplon. Bolter maybe Willie Le Roux
16 Apr 2012, 16:41 pm
@Blue Label(Blue Label)-63: No one else gets played into the ground like Bekker for the third year running.
16 Apr 2012, 16:42 pm
@Blue Label(Blue Label)-62: Bekker, Etzebeth, Elstadt, Kruger have all been doing very well thank you. They have been dominating their overseas opponents, especially Bekker.
16 Apr 2012, 16:44 pm
@the artist formerly known as gunther(gunther)-54: Some of us sensible people – ie those from down south – claim Meyer as our own from his days at SWD and as the Stormers’ forward coach. If it weren’t for us then Mallett wouldn’t have picked him for the Boks and subsequently recommended he goes to the Bulls. Face it, a soutie rescued the Bulls
16 Apr 2012, 16:49 pm
@Michael(mikeybrass)-67: and a coloured coach from Galvendale in PE rescued the Stormers…..
Are you sure you want to have this p i s s i n g contest?
16 Apr 2012, 16:51 pm
1.Coenie,Beast,Greyling
2.Strauss,Bismark,Chilliboy
3.Du Plessis,Cilliers,Nel
4.Etzebeth,Kruger,Mostert
5.Bekker,Elstadt,
6.Brussow,Kolisi,Stander
7.Burger,Alberts,J.Potgieter
8.Spies,Vermuelen,Johnson
9.Hougaard,Du Preez
10.Goosen,Jantjies,Steyn
11.Habana,Mvovo,Basson
12.F.Steyn,JdV
13.De Jongh,JPP,Fourie
14.Aplon,Le Roux
15.Lambie,Pietersen
16 Apr 2012, 16:55 pm
@logie_Jumpbuck(logie_Jumpbuck)-68: I have no problem with AC. He is after all still a Caapie and has to seek an improvement on the PE
16 Apr 2012, 16:57 pm
@logie_Jumpbuck(logie_Jumpbuck)-68: PS. don’t be so sensitive china. After all, the Bulls supporters claim him as 100% theirs and forget his origins.
Sadly, certain other people are doing it in reverse by claiming “Bull Cabal” rubbish.
16 Apr 2012, 16:59 pm
@Michael(mikeybrass)-71: not sensitive at all…..just adding some banter on a monday afternoon.
Alister played for EP as well…..I know, I’m from there.
16 Apr 2012, 17:08 pm
@logie_Jumpbuck(logie_Jumpbuck)-72: AC was a pretty decent player in his day. I enjoyed watching him play.
16 Apr 2012, 17:59 pm
@Michael(mikeybrass)-67:
A soutie?
I presume you have heard him speak.
#jeanpantandshoe
16 Apr 2012, 19:57 pm
@the artist formerly known as gunther(gunther)-74:
hehe, technically, in terms of the definition he is certainly not a soutie.
But then again, some of the hardcore old folk in Pretoria probably still sees the Cape (colony) as part of the British Empire. So, the fact that he spent a year or so in the Cape makes him a soutie for them in that sense
It’s also true that (in a Pretoria sense) the name “Heyneke” is quite suspiciously outlandish sounding- i mean they would have preferred it to be something more hardcore like Frik, Bakkie or Bees. And he is also quite a snappy dresser for a Bull- I reckon his dress sense is somewhere in between those of oom Wynie and Frans Ludeke on the one side and Josep Guirdiola on the other side. That could also make him a slightly dodgy figure for those in certain parts of Blue bull country.
So, all in all, Michael might have some sort of a point in calling him a soutie if you use your imagination
16 Apr 2012, 20:42 pm
Okay,
I have been waiting for someone to say something meaningful about Basil Carzis, the new conditioner of the Boks. To my mind he is one of, if not THE best in the business. Under his conditioning oversight, and possibly his philosophy, the Bulls have become physically more formidable. In fact, there is only one other conditioner who would have done that post justice, and he is a now an ex-Blue Bulls junior rugby conditioner who has joined the Sharks.
Watch for the Boks taking their physicality to a whole new level under Basil.
16 Apr 2012, 23:16 pm
@Robzim(Robzim)-75:
indeed robbo.
your nic might well give them food for thought.
although we know you are a full on matie crunch.
17 Apr 2012, 03:15 am
@mshiniwami(mshiniwami)-69: Good squad, but I’d leave Steyn out. Much like Grant, he has no place in test rugby due to his limited abilities and tactical ignorance. I also don’t think Kolisi and Stander have earned Bok spots yet.
The squad should be trimmed to 30 as follows:
1.Coenie,Beast
2.Strauss,Bismark,Chilliboy
3.Du Plessis,Nel
4.Etzebeth,Elstadt
5.Bekker,Kruger
6.Brussow
7.Burger,Alberts
8.Spies,Vermuelen
9.Hougaard, Sarel
10.Goosen,Jantjies
11.Habana, Le Roux
12.F.Steyn,JdV
13.De Jongh,Fourie
14.Aplon, JPP
15.Lambie,Pietersen
17 Apr 2012, 15:30 pm
@mshiniwami(mshiniwami)-69: @garth(garth)-78: i am so glad that you are no selector
17 Apr 2012, 15:32 pm
@mshiniwami(mshiniwami)-69: JPP and Fourie and JdV , surely they are past their dates, Eberson , JJ even Olivier are better now
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