Comments on: Hougaard to wing it for Boks

By: jacquesknotter

jacquesknotter — Fri, 07 Sep 2012 07:36:56 +0000

@fitz1ella-104: Wow now I see a man that has zilch for Rugby brains.and I am sure never really represented any decent level of Rugby in his life as your comments are as low down as probably your life is as well .Meyer is doing the best with what he has available.And make your comments after the game .And if you think that you are that good ,start coaching and refereeing and you may have a chance of improve South African Rugby .But take a lesson from the other commentators like Dusky,Shambok and shooter.They make plausible comments.

By: Slartibartfast

Slartibartfast — Wed, 05 Sep 2012 04:35:16 +0000

Not just the context of the gameplan BH, Hougaard lost all confidence at #9 and had to make room for the next person. You are right about Pienaar though, he has not shined that much in a Bok jumper with teh opportunities he had to date.

By: Big Hit

Big Hit — Wed, 05 Sep 2012 04:28:34 +0000

Within the context of Meyer’s gameplan this selection would make sense.

If it happens you’d have to think it’s the last opportunity for Pienaar to take the shirt on a more permanent basis.

By: Slartibartfast

Slartibartfast — Wed, 05 Sep 2012 03:12:59 +0000

@SjamBok-124: When in doubt go big? Don't agree but JW did it, PDivvie did it and now the Meyer is doing it. Difference is that the Meyer is new, had little time and may welll improve on this simple formula given time. It is not all doom and gloom...

By: SjamBok

SjamBok — Tue, 04 Sep 2012 23:52:37 +0000

I have to say that HM’s selection and game plan does not show an appreciation for the philosophy of rugby. It requires ALL types – not just big heavy ball carriers. Some players need to be big and difficult to stop (8th man, blindsiders, locks). Some need to have speed. Some need certain other skills like kicking. But some need speed AND size/strength – this speed and size combo is a critical feature of an opensider. He needs to attend rucks FIRST. Not a half second later. e also needs to be big enough to rip opposing players hands off the ball, or smash the oppsoiong player off.

It truly is a game for all size and speeds, and HM’s gameplan just doesn’t seem to get this…

By: hanneslom

hanneslom — Tue, 04 Sep 2012 23:35:39 +0000

I am guessing what has caused HM to delay this switch as well is that he does not have 100% confidence in Pienaar as a starter. Each time when given the 9 jersey he has an average game, as if the pressure to constantly deliver is too much. If Pienaar was consistent enough in HM’s mind this switch would have been made ages ago.

By: Dusky

Dusky — Tue, 04 Sep 2012 21:23:23 +0000

@Dusky-120: What we not allowed to say m o n k e y ? Serious ? How feeble.

By: Dusky

Dusky — Tue, 04 Sep 2012 21:22:31 +0000

@Greenies-119: The coach that r@ped Pienaar and destroyed his spirit was Pieter De Villiers. Ruan Pienaar wasn't even the Sharks 3rd choice goal kicker at the time yet De Villiers insisted on Pienaar performing those duties in a test vs. the British Lions at Loftus where the entire crowd were just looking for a reason to get him off and Morne'tjie on. And before anyone starts about how Pienaar wore about every number on his back for the Sharks - that is entirely inaccurate. It was Jake White who first played Pienaar at flyhalf, fullback and even wing. After that, yes - the Sharks used him when there were no other options to fill in at 10.

By: Dusky

Dusky — Tue, 04 Sep 2012 21:17:42 +0000

@shooter-116: Playing Hougaard at 11 brings another kicking dimension to our backline so that is all I can imagine Heyneke must be thinking.

Ruan Pienaar ? Confidence ******. When he loses it – he loses it big time. If he is on song – he is excellent. My feeling is that rugby as competitive as test matches vs. Australia and New Zealand are always going to freak Pienaar out.

I know there aren’t a lot of options and of all the options, probably Pienaar and Hougaard are the best.

By: Greenies

Greenies — Tue, 04 Sep 2012 21:15:35 +0000

Hougard is OK, Pinaar has never been given the oppotunity thanks to our last coach giving him God status one week, then chopping off his apendeges the next week and ******** his international career up. Typical Dumb Bok coaches.
Thats something a coach should never do or say about their players.
So now he has a chance, has he gotten over how the last coach treatment, and my Sharks team treated him poorly too?So one wonders why he doesnt pull the middle finger to SA rugby and say screw you wankers. If I was in his shoes I might just do that. Depends on what happens over the next yr. Pinaar’s downfall is mostly his passing. He has made some really poor passes missing players completely and finding the dirt, but then again, his rugby brain is brillant in comparision to Hougie and perhaps these poor passes is to let the backline know where they should be intercepting it…! lol
Hougie’s tactical kicking is surely the reason for the change and its time for experimentation in suck a weak Bok team, hell why not I say. This is much like a B- team anyway with regards to the amaising player retirement and all other injuries at the moment. Pinaar is game aware, tackles a bit high too often- a problem with nearly all our Boks at the moment so ,not out of key.
If he sharpens up his passing he could be world class. But then again, at this stage he should have done so already.
At the end of the day, not much of a loss when replacing Hougie, if non at all.
I’d rather have Hougie on the wing than Habanana, who should have been dropped 2yrs ago.
Jeez, give me the bok coaching job, I’d have Margret Thatches “Iron Balls”…
and do things how they should be done…lol
Pinaar hopefully you grab this oppo with two hands boy! Gd Luck

By: Dusky

Dusky — Tue, 04 Sep 2012 21:12:57 +0000

@fitz1ella-111: Apparently Andries Bekker is next up to get the boot. Although I dont say it as colorfully as you, I agree with your sentiment in general.

I am finding it hard to believe that this is the man that brought the Bulls back from their mid to late 90s obscurity. The Bulls rebuilt through perseverance and continuity and what is happening in the Boks at the moment is an antithesis of that.

To me it seems Meyer is simply playing ‘Hungry Hippos’ – replacing players after each game if they dont live up to his fantasy. Soon the entire country will have Springbok jerseys. Say what you will about Jake White – at least around his time, we actually brought some semblance of pride back to the Springbok brand and he stuck with players despite them having a few ups and downs. The jersey actually became worth something again.

Did you know, Meyer has already created 11 new Springboks since he started as coach ? ELEVEN ! I know some of these guys are yet to be capped, and some were good choices but wow…..talk about cheapening up the jersey.

Craig Burden (ludicrous), Pat Cilliers (ludicrous), Marcell Coetzee (little soon, but ok), Eben Etzebeth (good call), Johan Goosen (little soon in my opinion – hope he doesnt make another Gaffie Du Toir here), Dean Greyling (ok’ish), Juandre Kruger (good call), Tiaan Liebenberg (no other options), Jacques Potgieter (average player), Jano Vermaak (ludicrous), Duanne Vermeulen (ok, but Duanne looked very rusty in his first game back for WP)

ELEVEN new Springboks……

Nee wat ou Heyneke…..your days are numbered buddy. You drove a go-kart very well but when you were put behind the wheel of a F1 car….you have no clue….not the foggiest idea. Sorry because I actually really liked you and thought you would make a brilliant coach.

By: shooter

shooter — Tue, 04 Sep 2012 21:08:43 +0000

@gunther-106: why not.

By: shooter

shooter — Tue, 04 Sep 2012 21:07:28 +0000

@nama1-109: why finish and klaar. who is eng now?

By: shooter

shooter — Tue, 04 Sep 2012 21:05:49 +0000

@fitz1ella-110: Who picks the people that picks the coaches…. it seems not you.
Let the guy be. This is not such a wrong move. I mean playing RP at 9. The guy has serious class. Maybe Meyer sees this and thinks he can bring out the best in him – consistently.

Hougaard could be a devastating wing. Better than Mvovo or Habana currently yes. Maybe not fully proven… Picking a gameplan for players is risky, because when the player becomes injured or unavailable the thing doesn’t work out. if they’re so good enough, they’ll be able to do what he wants, with some flair added.

And one is not neccesarily a singsonger if you do not slag off the Bok coach, any Bok coach all the time, for that matter.

The going is tough. What can you do.

By: kaksioek

kaksioek — Tue, 04 Sep 2012 18:01:00 +0000

The other thing to bear in mind is that the Bok team hasn’t been announced yet. Remember that the genius bloggers on this website assured us that Butch James would be PDV’s flyhalf at the RWC – and that didn’t happen. For all we know, Hougaard may remain at 9.

By: kaksioek

kaksioek — Tue, 04 Sep 2012 17:58:33 +0000

Take it easy, Skop. Hougaard is potentially a great scrumhalf, but he’s also a great wing. Meyer thinks scrumhalves have to play like FdP, so for him Hougaard is better off on the wing – that’s not a train smash. The only other change mentioned is that Francois Louw might come into the side – that should please you. So what’s the problem?

By: cab

cab — Tue, 04 Sep 2012 17:54:09 +0000

Janee u could see this team unfolding from a million miles away – the worst thing is they should have been brave in Perth, which is their best chance of an away win and tgen could have built on that – u can see what team is – it’s going to be wrong by about 7 selections – beast strauss jannie etsbeth kruger Coetzee potgieter vermeulen piennar morne frans jdv hougaard kichner – dunno what Ozzie team is like but that bok team could get smacked – totally wrong we should beat this oz team they r not strong – even with the badly selected squad on tour he’s still get bok xv wrong

By: fitz1ella

fitz1ella — Tue, 04 Sep 2012 17:48:03 +0000

Hougaard must play at NINE up front .. nowhere else

Play Pienaar and you going DOWN Mnr.. this straw gonna break your already very fragile back.. klaar kaput VREK.!!!

By: fitz1ella

fitz1ella — Tue, 04 Sep 2012 17:46:37 +0000

where are all these Heyneke Meyer sing song singers disappeared to..

This schmuck is becoming an incredible embarrassment and they all thought PdV was bad.. this moron is downright bewildered beyond any semblance of rationality .. he going down I fear and all his singalong cheerleaders are absent without leave while the Bismark is busy sinking.

By: nama1

nama1 — Tue, 04 Sep 2012 17:37:38 +0000

Play Hougie off the bench if you don’t want him as your starter 9. He went into the squad as 1st choice SH.

That’s where he should play or from the bench. Finnish and klaar.