Lancaster not fazed by mysterious Boks
5 Jun 2012
Stuart Lancaster says in the absence of footage of a Heyneke Meyer-coached Springbok side they have been forced to review Bulls matches and garner information from within his own squad.
The Springboks have only four days to prepare for the first Test against England in Durban on Saturday, which is clearly a significant obstacle. However, their advantage stems from England’s limited analysis material, whilst Meyer and technical analyst Rassie Erasmus have a wealth of information from England’s Six Nations campaign on which to build their challenge.
Lancaster acknowledged that it was a disadvantage but explained that there are avenues they have explored in order to fill in the gaps in their knowledge.
‘You go back through previous teams that he coached, he has a long association with the Bulls, and he also spent seven months at Leicester. We have six or seven players who’ve worked under him and given us insight into him as a person as coach,’ Lancaster said. ‘The beauty of this tour is that we play each other three times in three weeks so we are going to know each other inside out at the end. It’s more about who learns quickly during the game and who adapts to the match situation.
‘South Africa would have had a good chance to have a look at us during the Six Nations, while their last game was the World Cup quarter-final in 2011. So that’s a clear advantage. But again it’s about adapting quickly, especially in the first Test because come Sunday both sides will have a clearer idea of the other’s strengths and limitations.’
Click here to read Stuart Barnes’ take on Stuart Lancaster
Lancaster also explained that the experience and familiarity of the Springboks’ senior players will soften the impact of an inadequate build up.
‘The Springboks have had limited preparation for this series, but they have a core of players who played not only in the World Cup but prior to that as well. There will be a common understanding and philosophy. South Africa are a difficult side at home, irrespective of their preparation time.’
England last won in South Africa 12 years ago. It signalled the start of a golden era which culminated in them winning the World Cup in 2003. Asked whether this was their best opportunity since that last victory to return with the Bok scalp, Lancaster offered: ‘I tend not to look back, but rather forward to where we want to go.
‘This is undoubtedly a huge opportunity to test ourselves against high quality opposition in their own back yard. A tour doesn’t get any tougher than facing South Africa in South Africa, as the British & Irish Lions found out in 2009.’
By Ryan Vrede, in Durban
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635 Comments
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5 Jun 2012, 11:58 am
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food(The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food)-292: And just to use an example Daniels vs Spies for the starting berth. Daniels has skills, but we will start with the Sugar Plum fairy, because she is a wonderful physical specimen. (And most will defend her by saying: she is wonderful in the lineout, and we need an additional jumper – and to that I say: being an additional lineout jumper means jack squat if she can’t even fulfill her primary functions as an 8th man)
5 Jun 2012, 11:59 am
THE CALL
I see all this hysterical bullshit by chaps who have never ever thrown an oval shaped ball in anger or actually bled with a team mate… and I get irritated… No, I get angry…
Actually I get hatefully angry especially when I see fools who will prefer to support England rather than the Boks because their Holy Cow quotas of player numbers are not met… Because of the chips on their Trophyless “Southern” shoulders due to a successful dynastic “Northern” coach not satisfying their collective sense of entitlement…
It makes me want to farken smash the short sighted provincial cant see any wood from the trees attitude straight out of them… It makes me want to shake the petty exclusionary sh.it straight out of them along with the utter no knowlege bullshit that they spew…
And THEN I think to the game on Sunday…
…to the echoes of Nkosi sikelel iafrika… imagining the panning camera, passing Bok players:
an emotional Beast… a proud South African shouting the words… next to a steely Bismarck holding tight, hand clasped over chest…
Kruger and Coetzee…both overcome with Pride singing before their first tests…
Steyn and Steyn… Brothers from other mothers in arms… Black White and Blue…
And then …
at the end of the line I imagine the camera stopping… holding on one individual…One arm around a team mate…one hand grasping tightly the emblem over his heart… Eyes closed, head raised to the blue sunny sky singing “Sounds the Call to come Together” like a Love Song to an imaginary lover…
Yes, I see Jean De Villiers… The most passionate singer of the National Anthem of any Sportsman for any South African Team… Captain of the Springboks… Crying… with tears of Pride.
I imagine all this… and I calm down…slowly… I feel better.
And it dawns on me once more that TRUE Bok supporters will forget petty jealousies and short sighted envy…
They will be on the field in Spirit with every Green and Gold player… They will be in the midst of every bone jarring hit, every smashing scrum, every soaring lineout… They will be there with every tense laden kick lined up to the poles, and every breakthrough over the tryline…
Why? Because they are the farken most ridiculously passionate fans on the planet…
They ARE BOK Supporters…AND They Support ONE TEAM…
THE SPRINGBOKS…
Our Blood is Green After All.
BOOM!!!
5 Jun 2012, 11:59 am
@Sheriff(Sheriff)-299: Jumping the gun a little, who said anything about crash ball
5 Jun 2012, 11:59 am
@Stormers supporters: Cry me a river!(Horings)-293:
He said that when he was trying to talk himself into a consulting role
You must not believe everything you read in the newspapers
5 Jun 2012, 12:01 pm
not sure also why leave brussouw out – he is the most rested forward we have
5 Jun 2012, 12:01 pm
@pompies2(pompies2)-285: What are you on about? I did not even respond to you
5 Jun 2012, 12:01 pm
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-302: All the way with you on this one
I am a Stormers…..but Saffas act like the West Indies and all want one of their players from their little island in the team
Christie beat the world with a Transvaal loaded team
5 Jun 2012, 12:01 pm
@Brigadier Van Zyl(Brigadier Van Zyl)-283:
Basson is a bit small, Keegan a bit small, Bissie a bit small, Vermaak a bit small… but a few
5 Jun 2012, 12:03 pm
@JL1(JL1)-295:
Oh so now its up to Laubscher to develop a running philosophy
You cannot blend the two; its like north and south, east and west
Your mentality has to be play into space. Why? Because there’s no defence there!!!!
No defence means opportunity
5 Jun 2012, 12:03 pm
@Sheriff(Sheriff)-299: Poms are expecting a lot of physical brutality,and will bring it,Boks are going to have to be prepared and be 1st out of the blocks or this english team will beat them at their own game.
5 Jun 2012, 12:04 pm
@Sheriff(Sheriff)-304: Haha jy is f o k n snaaks! Toe koop hy sommer ook een van hulle, want hy kry hom jammer.
5 Jun 2012, 12:06 pm
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-302:
Oh shut up
5 Jun 2012, 12:06 pm
@JL1(JL1)-298:
those blokes in all likelyhood might just make the bench….just. Kirschener could start but only because lambie covers so many option from the bench.
I’ve already stated that aplon is a strange ommission but I wouldn’t have him as a starter either but as a bench option.
Kanko is just back but covers 7 and 8(a very specific position) and has plenty of experience. Who else covers flank and 8 who has missed out? Jonhson…you must be having a laugh?
?Olivier is playing well and although he hasn’t done much internationally what has jdj done outside of sidestepping a welsh prop 2 years ago? Has he offered anything as a center in superrugby apart from being part of a strong defensive system? Rob Eberson can be more upset but then he only covers 1 position from the bench.
Basson has been okay but again will not make a match day squad.
5 Jun 2012, 12:06 pm
@Sheriff(Sheriff)-309: Laubscher will not be there for too long. If it was not for Saru being the idiots they are Heyneke would have picked a much better coaching team.
5 Jun 2012, 12:10 pm
@Superbru(Superbru)-310:
Physical intensity is now dead std part of the game.
Its the prof era after all
That will not give you the competitive adv; you need other smart stuff to breach defence and decision making ability
Direct rugby is neanderthalsih
5 Jun 2012, 12:11 pm
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-302: Wind your neck in dude,it’s getting tiring.
5 Jun 2012, 12:11 pm
@Bill Reyts(Gumboots)-308:
funny how none had an issue with not selecting the late ettienne botha because jean was a good big one who could dominate the tackle.
and lets be clear about this jdj is nowhere in the same league as botha was when he passed.
5 Jun 2012, 12:12 pm
@Stormers supporters: Cry me a river!(Horings)-314:
You mean he would have picked a white backline coach?
The coach to my recollection is white and right now he could well be our problem
Plus Victor Matfield the Bulls commentator
5 Jun 2012, 12:13 pm
@Brigadier Van Zyl(Brigadier Van Zyl)-317:
Brigadier! I rest my case.
Ettiene Botha should have been a Bok as should most (all) Bulls be…
5 Jun 2012, 12:13 pm
It’s clear, not just from the reactions to the Springbok selections but also from the general comments on this site everyday that we are a nation divided. Something like this just brings the issue to the surface.
For the record I think it is disgraceful that HM has only chosen 3 players from the Stormers in the squad. I will always support the Boks, regardless but it does leave a bit of a funny taste in my mouth.
The selections beg the question though:
Why is it that the team supplying 13 boks and the team supplying 10 boks being hopelessly outperformed (yes hopelessly when you look at the wins column) by the team supplying 3 boks??
Is it:
(a) That the players aren’t as good as they appear to be?
(b) They are badly coached at Super Rugby level and are unable to perform?
(c) Good individual talents but bad team men?
(d) ???
Lets get back to the team selection. The Bulls guys on here (and HG who just jumps onto anything anti WP without thought) will say that it’s about a winning plan under Meyer and that it shouldn’t matter if 15 Bulls players trot onto the park as long as we win. I say that isn’t so. It is about selecting the best and most deserving players to represent your country. Not just to represent 2 provinces.
This is where the problem comes in. Heinecke hasn’t realised that being the head of a National team is unfortunately not just about picking the team that he is most familiar with, i.e. the Bulls. It’s smacks not of a biased selection but a very lazy one.
5 Jun 2012, 12:14 pm
@Stormers supporters: Cry me a river!(Horings)-314: Are you on cheap crack? Heyneke hand picked every single member of his team – All Bulls, all in. SARU bent over backwards to give Heyneke who he wanted, going so far as to pay major dosh to the Bulls union (money which in fact allowed them to keep Hougaard and start buying more junior players from the Cape). Don’t talk bat sh y te here – this was all a very boetie boetie thing from the getgo, everyone win. (Everyone affiliated to the Bulls that is). Sure he called Allistair Coetzee as an eye-blind, knowing full well Alistair wouldn’t be interested, allowing him the opportunity to say: But I did look beyond the Bulls. At least De Villiers the scrum coach, is an outsider.
5 Jun 2012, 12:14 pm
@Sheriff(Sheriff)-315: Agreed,players like Alberts,F Steyn and meisiekind seem to have been chosen specifically to break that line.Hopefully they do the job.
5 Jun 2012, 12:15 pm
@Bill Reyts(Gumboots)-319:
he would have eventually forced his way into the bok side he carved up backlines for fun. Something jdj has yet to do at any level.
5 Jun 2012, 12:15 pm
@stormersboy(stormersboy)-320:
You are wrong.
It is about winning. Nothing else.
Even if its 15 Sharks in the team.
Transvaal basically won the 95 World Cup for us on their own, with a smattering of players from other teams.
But the win is all that mattered.
5 Jun 2012, 12:16 pm
@stormersboy(stormersboy)-320:
Nice read!
5 Jun 2012, 12:18 pm
@Superbru(Superbru)-322:
It is easier to break a line mate! Ask Keo!!!
5 Jun 2012, 12:18 pm
@stormersboy(stormersboy)-320:
Dis nie skool prysuitdeling tyd vir goeie prestasies nie, Stormersboy.
It’s not about who deserves to be there or not. It’s about who are the tools that the coach can best use to achieve one thing.
A test win.
5 Jun 2012, 12:18 pm
@Superbru(Superbru)-322:
No they wont because their running lines are too predictable
Thats 3 out of 15 players that you dont have to worry about, thats 20%
The gameplan is Morne Steyn kicking up and unders and the rest chase, how revolutionary
5 Jun 2012, 12:20 pm
@Brigadier Van Zyl(Brigadier Van Zyl)-323:
Yeah add WO to that list. He can’t even carve up the small 2nd stingers team..
5 Jun 2012, 12:20 pm
@Sheriff(Sheriff)-318:
You haven’t been here since whenever
This debate you are trying to start is 2500 posts old already
5 Jun 2012, 12:20 pm
Heineke has not picked “just Bulls”…
He has picked Bulls + Sharks + Stormers + Lions + Cheetahs…
He has picked a Captain from the Stormers…
He has picked South Africans… whether they come from Zille’s Western Cape or Not is IRRELEVANT now…
If the Boks should LOSE on SAT then you HYPOCRITES MIGHT have a POINT…
UNTIL then…
Regarding your TITFORTAT petty “Northern” JEALOUSIES
SHUT THE FUCKUP…
5 Jun 2012, 12:21 pm
@Tacitus(Deucalion)-327: And you are 100% correct there. There are many tools in that squad.
5 Jun 2012, 12:22 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food(The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food)-321:
3 days and 200 posts later and you are still hysterical.
blues under the bed.
blou gevaar.
blou tokoloshe.
5 Jun 2012, 12:22 pm
@Bill Reyts(Gumboots)-326:
5 Jun 2012, 12:22 pm
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-331:
For someone whose team was beat by the kittens – you are sure very vocal…
5 Jun 2012, 12:22 pm
This could be the year that I start to support the All Blacks
I’m warning you
It will be reluctant, unlike so many cape kullids, but it will be out of principle
Im not going to throw my weight behind an afrikaner nest
5 Jun 2012, 12:22 pm
@Tacitus(Deucalion)-324: Meyer would have won the tests just as easily with players like Aplon, Kolisi and JDJ in the team (The Super Rugby log would emphatically suggest more easily)
That is what the argument is about. He hasn’t applied himself. Lazy as I said.
5 Jun 2012, 12:23 pm
@Bill Reyts(Gumboots)-329: But rumour has it, he does wonders with a leg of lamb.
5 Jun 2012, 12:24 pm
@Dawn(Dawn)-330:
Its the heart of the debate
You will see on Saturday
5 Jun 2012, 12:24 pm
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-331:
Who the hell are you screaming at now.
5 Jun 2012, 12:25 pm
@stormersboy(stormersboy)-337:
That’s your opinion.
5 Jun 2012, 12:26 pm
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-302: ALSO… in the REAL WORLD… That is, OUTSIDE the petty KEO Cape Cabal
DIVISION in SA regarding the Bok selection is pretty MINIMAL…
Other than a few disagreements about a couple of players… especially a relatively experienced Brussouw… there is pretty much uniform agreement that Meyer’s squad is pretty much the best that can be selected…
You pitiful petty little envious TWATS
POP!
5 Jun 2012, 12:26 pm
@Sheriff(Sheriff)-328: Yeah,the kick and chase is very worrying to me,let’s hope there’s a back-up plan if it does not work,unlike the previous coaches who seemed to have no back-up plan and just kept banging away.That kind of thinking/playing just plays into the opposition’s hands.
5 Jun 2012, 12:26 pm
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-331: You are the most divisive person on this site with your “Zille Western Cape” and “cunties”.
Stop being hypocritical.
I’d say don’t be such a ****** but that’s probably genetic.
5 Jun 2012, 12:26 pm
@Sheriff(Sheriff)-339:
Maybe so but it’s been rehashed here since Saturday
5 Jun 2012, 12:27 pm
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-342: The rest of SA will just get along and support the GREEN and GOLD without you DELUDED and DENUDED IDIOTS!
5 Jun 2012, 12:27 pm
@Tacitus(Deucalion)-341: Obviously not just mine it would seem.
5 Jun 2012, 12:27 pm
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-342:
I see you are now screaming at yourself.
5 Jun 2012, 12:27 pm
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-342:
Exactly.
This “public” outcry as it is referred to on Rob Houwing’s Sport24 site, is really just the Stormers supporting public.
The rest of the country is ready to get on with the job of clobbering the Poms.
5 Jun 2012, 12:28 pm
@stormersboy(stormersboy)-337:
Ek is moeg baklei! It is hard to argue with Pink supporters and wannabe pink supporter from the Sharks…
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