Meyer must trust his gut
1 Jun 2012
MARK KEOHANE, in his Business Day column, says the Springbok side for the first Test against England pretty much picks itself.
Given the injury situation, Fourie du Preez is the obvious choice to captain the Springboks against England.
Heyneke Meyer has always been emphatic that his captain will be a player he trusts, a player who makes the starting XV, and a player who will give him comfort as he eases his way through his first international head coaching experience.
Meyer has trusted his gut and he should never waver from this. So many coaches have compromised, tried to please a certain province, a certain media or a certain sector of the public, failed and regretted not doing it their way. I hope Meyer stays true to his gut feeling on what represents a match 22 good enough to win without much coaching in the Test opener against England in Durban.
Meyer would have had three training sessions with the match 22 before that first Test. To pick a bunch of young guns would be a recipe for disaster. A coach builds over four years, not in his first week.
Some will argue that Meyer’s selection will be biased and favour the Bulls. Others will argue that it is a conservative selection and some will never be pleased because of his history with the Bulls. I see any selection Meyer makes, based on his comments to the media and several discussions with him in recent months, as the most logical to see off an England challenge that will be dangerous in the first Test but should get easier as the series progresses.
Injuries have ensured Meyer’s ideal XV won’t start and he may well find his ideal XV never starts in the next four years. He won’t be the first Bok coach to experience that kind of frustration. He won’t be the last.
Crucial to the first Test will be the performance of Bismarck du Plessis, Pierre Spies and Willem Alberts. If these experienced players show the necessary application, attitude, physicality and brutality, there will be enough of a platform to fashion a victory.
I am not expecting anything but a workmanlike display in the first Test, with an emphasis on protecting the ball, playing field percentages and attacking the defensive vulnerability of England’s halfback pairing, who ooze talent but aren’t blessed with natural physicality.
I don’t rate England a top-five side. I think their struggle against physical packs like those of Scotland and Italy is more indicative of their limitations than the smashing of an Irish team that lacked the oomph up front to threaten at Twickenham.
SA will produce a decent pack, which will get stronger once internationals like Schalk Burger and Juan Smith return.
Du Preez, given the lack of Test match experience among the forwards, was an obvious choice to calm the nerves and implement a percentages match against England.
The side, on form, pretty much selects itself. Morné Steyn has done more than enough to play the master tactician at flyhalf and while he will always have a defensive issue at Test level it has seldom been exposed because so few teams dominate the Boks physically.
Frans Steyn and Jean de Villiers are formidable in the midfield and Meyer won’t look beyond the experience of Bryan Habana and JP Pietersen on the wings. As the international season unfolds he will tweak in areas like the back three and there will be more of an integration of new faces than a discarding of the old.
Meyer has been consistent that 2012 is about winning Tests and building a winning culture. He will think about 2015 in 2015 and if his selections have been consistent between now and the next World Cup, it will be a squad that rewards form, youth and experience that arrives in England with conviction and not just the hope that came with the reputation of those who failed in New Zealand last year.
I’d start with Pat Lambie at fullback, but Meyer may feel pressured to pick Zane Kirchner because of a lack of black representation in his match 22. It’s an awful situation because Kirchner has played well enough to be picked on merit, as have Juan de Jongh and Chiliboy Ralepelle. But others, who just happen to be white, have also played at a standard that makes a healthy case for inclusion.
Meyer will be a bundle of nerves in his first Test and that is why Du Preez and De Villiers, more than any other players, will be more influential and instrumental in Durban than any of the coaching staff.
Meyer has been very clear that in the first Test he wants to be judged on the win and that the style of play will evolve over the season. Again, it is the most logical of statements that deserves the most logical of acknowledgment from the country’s fanatical support base.
249 Comments
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1 Jun 2012, 11:26 am
Heyneke Dragon must pick best players on current form, and select the more experienced players on the bench to cover should things not go as plan
1 Jun 2012, 11:27 am
faaarp
1 Jun 2012, 11:27 am
Not Kirchner. Aplon should start at 15, which also takes care of any colour issues there might be.
1 Jun 2012, 11:32 am
I would not go with Kirchner either.
1 Jun 2012, 11:35 am
@Tacitus(Deucalion)-4: I see what you did there.
1 Jun 2012, 11:37 am
For one I agree with Keo. Meyer simply does not have the time to gel a team before the first test. He needs to rely on the old work horses. South Africans have short memories! Less than a year ago Fourie du Preez was rated the best scrumhalf in the world. What has changed besides him playing in Japan. He didn’t all of a sudden loose tallent. It makes sence to bring back the tried and trusted if they are still availeble. Meyer and his team will make us proud!
1 Jun 2012, 11:37 am
As for the squad announcement tomorrow. It is not going to be such a big revelation.
I can probably pick out the 10 guys that will drop out of the 42man squad right now:
Pat Cilliers
Ryan Kankowski
Josh Strauss
Jean Deysel
Piet van Zyl
Peter Grant
Elton Jantjies
Akona Ndungane
Lwazi Mvovo
Jaco Taute
1 Jun 2012, 11:39 am
@>^..^< katman(katman)-5:
Maybe I did it subconsciously then. I’m that subtle.
Please just let me know if I think I did what you think I did.
1 Jun 2012, 11:40 am
Sharks Front Row
Bulls Locks
Alberts, Brussow, Spies
Fdp, Steyn
Steyn, Jdv
Habana, JP, Lambie
1 Jun 2012, 11:42 am
@Beast(Beast)-6: I agree. The problem was that his shoulder was still injured when he played in the WC. I think the time in Japan helped his body to recover and get his mind sharp.
Now the only problem is, will he be match fit for international standards?
1 Jun 2012, 11:43 am
@Tacitus(Deucalion)-8: To create the illusion of being balanced, you “conceded” Zane simply to pave the way for another piece of Bulls propaganda. Oldest trick in the book. So what will it be? More smoke up the Spies bum? The merits of Olivier in the midfield? Gary Botha out of retirement?
1 Jun 2012, 11:43 am
KEO “I’d start with Pat Lambie at fullback, but Meyer may feel pressured to pick Zane Kirchner because of a lack of black representation in his match 22. It’s an awful situation because Kirchner has played well enough to be picked on merit, as have Juan de Jongh and Chiliboy Ralepelle. But others, who just happen to be white, have also played at a standard that makes a healthy case for inclusion.”
how many games has lambie played at fullback this year, 1? so when has he played fullback better than zane? if you said joe pietersen, yes, but lambie…
1 Jun 2012, 11:44 am
@Chris4Lions(Chris4Lions)-10:
Well, put it this way.
He last played an international when all of the other Boks played an international.
Or this way:
The last time the Boks played, he was the starting 9.
Really not the “massive time away from rugby” that everyone makes it out to be.
1 Jun 2012, 11:44 am
agree with keo. pick experience first and start to bring in the new generation as season unfolds should the experienced players not deliver.
1 Jun 2012, 11:46 am
@>^..^< katman(katman)-11:
You wrong me, sir.
I have consistently had a problem with Zane – even at the Bulls.
I am not happy at his selection at the Bulls, and I would not be happy with his selection at the Boks.
Dawn always takes me on about it.
I just don’t like his “crash ball in slow motion into the biggest defender he can see, and then holding onto the ball on the ground” repeat trick.
Truly, in this case I wasn’t laying the groundwork for future posts. I was just shooting from the hip.
1 Jun 2012, 11:49 am
@>^..^< katman(katman)-11:
In any case, doing so in relation to Sideshow Bob would be way to clumsy an effort from me.
That would be like saying: “I agree that Bakkies has a bad disciplinary record”, to try and pretend I’m with a Stormers fan on some topic.
Low grade effort, it would be.
1 Jun 2012, 11:50 am
@Tacitus(Deucalion)-16:
to = too
1 Jun 2012, 11:50 am
@Tacitus(Deucalion)-13: @Chris4Lions(Chris4Lions)-10: Completely agree. Fourie might just be in a better shape than most of the guys that are in the S15. He has not been exposed to the brutality, so should be pretty fresh and hungry. The England will battle if he is fresh. He has always been sharp around the scrum, and if he is hungry we might just see him break away for a couple of tries. Remember RWC 2007. He almost humiliated them singlehandedly.
1 Jun 2012, 11:50 am
The reason why a large percentage of the non white population in the Cape support the All Blacks, Crusaders and Chiefs is because of the brand of rugby these teams play.
Peter De Villier thought he could replicate that brand of rugby which was his downfall then had to go back to the players to dictate matters.
If Meyer is successful and manages to reach the “pie in the sky” 80% win ratio, I predict the template to a ball in hand physical approach, played at a high tempo. Tactical, highly accurate positional kicking will also be part of that strategy. So if that brand of rugby is called “skop en jag” then so be it.
I think it’s time we as Bok supporters begin to realise that the AB’s and Wallabies play their way and we should embrace our own style whether it is flamboyant to not.
1 Jun 2012, 11:56 am
@Tacitus(Deucalion)-16: Perhaps, but not likely. You’d never really admit to something like Bakkies being a thug. In fact, there are very few Bulls weaknesses yo’d ever mention, even as part of a calculated PR campaign. Zane is one of about three arrows in that little quiver. Your other options were “Johan Sadie is taking longer to discard the shackles of stormers rugby than we had expected” and “Chilliboy’s years of quota selection has profoundly affected his confidence”.
1 Jun 2012, 12:01 pm
@>^..^< katman(katman)-20:
Hehe.
You’d be surprised. I have a lot more issues with the current Bulls team than I did with the legendary one.
Anyway, moving along.
1 Jun 2012, 12:04 pm
this whole thing smacks of arrogance… “hmm we don’t have a captain, so let’s go with FdP. oh don’t worry that he’s been playing in Japan, it’s only England we should be fine.” etc… we could be in for a very nasty surprise next weekend
1 Jun 2012, 12:09 pm
@fantasticbarnsmell(fantasticbarnsmell)-22:
You got it totally backwards.
If we were playing the All Blacks, Heyneke would go for Du Preez even more certainly.
It’s not about who the opposition is. It’s about Heyneke having 1 week to prepare the team.
1 Jun 2012, 12:11 pm
@fantasticbarnsmell(fantasticbarnsmell)-22: I disagree it is a compliment to the English, HM is taking no chances and he is trying to be conservative because he thinks very highly of the English team. If he did not he would have chosen all the unexperienced players to blood them.
1 Jun 2012, 12:17 pm
@Tacitus(Deucalion)-23: i understand your perspective, but i still think it’s more of a risk to play du Preez than Hougaard, considering Hougaard has been playing top flight rugby for the past season and given du Preez’s known issues with captaincy.
1 Jun 2012, 12:17 pm
@Airwell(Airwell)-24: yes i also understand where you are coming from, but maybe it’s a sign of panic more than respect. but fair enough, i get your point.
1 Jun 2012, 12:18 pm
I dont know about you okes but I cant wait for these tests,3 tests 2 mid week games old school touring at its best.
Good idea to start FDP he will be fresh and has a great record against the poms,I think our bench is going to be super potent.The team will not be as jaded as many think as the likes of beast,Alberts had time off for injury and bad form FDP has had time off Frans Steyn wrapped up his commitments in France 3 weeks ago.
Can anyone tell me why the SA barbarians teams that are going to take on the poms in the midweek games are made up of from what I can gather are vodacom cup players if that as I have never heard of any of them.Why are they not made up of players on the fringe of bok selection eg the Eberson twins,Ashleigh Johnson Whitehead etc.Is there some edict that states they have to be unheard ofs?
The poms thrashing the midweek team could give them go forward that could come back to bite.
1 Jun 2012, 12:19 pm
Tac… How bout sharing you’re 22 for the first test with us
1 Jun 2012, 12:20 pm
Hmmm… Fourie Du Preez couldn’t have lost form in only a few months? Weird… since he was in terrible form last year! I hope he improved, if he is to be included!
1 Jun 2012, 12:21 pm
I think Hougaard has been ordinary at getting the basics right as a scrummy but his rugby brain is first class,he would be starting on the wing for mine.
1 Jun 2012, 12:24 pm
@4moreyears(4moreyears)-30: in place of who? Mvovo? JP?
1 Jun 2012, 12:26 pm
Both Fourie and Bakkies carried injuries into RWC2011 and put there own self interest ahead of the team.
So FDP is now fully fit and should be at his best against the Poms.
1 Jun 2012, 12:28 pm
@kingrichard(kingrichard)-28:
Lambie/Aplon
Hougaard
Pietersen
De Villiers
Frans Steyn
Morne Steyn
Du Preez (c)
Spies
Alberts
Brussouw
Juandre Kruger
Etsebeth – but I reckon his already injured shoulder will be stuffed after tomorrow
Jannie
Bismark
Beast
Reserves:
Some prop
Adriaan Strauss
Flip van der Merwe
Keegan Daniel/CJ Stander
Ruan Pienaar
Wynand Olivier
Aplon/Lambie
1 Jun 2012, 12:28 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-12: Beast, JP and Habana = 3 black players. Meyer has 5 days to get the team ready, can’t they just let it go for this 1st crucial game?
1 Jun 2012, 12:29 pm
In place of either,both those players are good,mvovo good at scoring tries can be sus on defence,JP great on defence but has forgotten how to score tries.Hougaard complete package.
1 Jun 2012, 12:33 pm
Anybody know if the End of Year Tours will also be similiar, 3 games vs 1 country?
Would be awesome to go up against the French 3 weeks in a row.
1 Jun 2012, 12:34 pm
if we can’t find a single full-time wing who is not better than our 2nd choice scrum half, we have problems
1 Jun 2012, 12:35 pm
@wpstormerbok(wpstormerbok)-36:
And would lessen the familiarity factor we’ve come accustomed to by playing Scots England etc.
Good to see we’re only playing the AB’s twice this year, can’t wait to see the Argies with G.Henry’s input as well.
1 Jun 2012, 12:36 pm
@Tacitus(Deucalion)-33: Good team but I would not have Ruan as it is overkill 3 scrummies I would rather have another lock or loose forward on the bench. I would also replace De Villiers with JDJ or Ebersohn
1 Jun 2012, 12:38 pm
@Bok Shark(Bok Shark)-34: WHO?
1 Jun 2012, 12:38 pm
@fantasticbarnsmell(fantasticbarnsmell)-37: Basson, Habana, Mvovo? Who is better than him?
1 Jun 2012, 12:39 pm
“SA will produce a decent pack, which will get stronger once internationals like Schalk Burger and Juan Smith return”
Does this mean that Juan is on the ment and will return shortly.
Hopefully Keo knows something we dont.
1 Jun 2012, 12:41 pm
@Airwell(Airwell)-41: i’m agreeing with you though, it’s a sorry situation
1 Jun 2012, 12:46 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-40: Whoever makes Meyer feel pressured to pick Zane. Lambie playing again at 15 this weekend, he had a good game there last week against stomers.
1 Jun 2012, 12:56 pm
Basson good winger and will make the possi his own soon.
1 Jun 2012, 12:56 pm
@Bok Shark(Bok Shark)-44: Rather Kokerot please if we have to worry again about race
1 Jun 2012, 12:57 pm
@4moreyears(4moreyears)-45: I agree
1 Jun 2012, 12:57 pm
Actually my Bok wingers going forward would be Hougaard and Basson.
1 Jun 2012, 12:59 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-40:
You and your brethren.
1 Jun 2012, 13:02 pm
i dont think lambie’s out of hand kicking is all that good to warrant selction as the bok fb.
kirchener or joe p.
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