KeoTV: Missed opportunity

KeoTV: Missed opportunity

5 Sep 2012

MARK KEOHANE says Heyneke Meyer’s conservatism in sticking with Morné Steyn will be costly.


236 Comments

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  • 1.grant10: Reply to this comment
    5 Sep 2012, 13:52 pm

    M Steyn is the problem in backline…..we will never operate at optimum capacity with this guy at 10…

  • 2.TooMuchRugby: Reply to this comment
    5 Sep 2012, 13:53 pm

    Is it my PC? Can’t hear a word he saying. Sounds like talking from a dragon’s arse

  • 3.keo: Reply to this comment
    5 Sep 2012, 13:57 pm

    @TooMuchRugby-2: It’s your PC mate

  • 4.grant10: Reply to this comment
    5 Sep 2012, 13:58 pm

    I agree 100 % with Keo….the man is absolutely spot on….

    Lambie for 50 min….then over to the Special One….

    And F Louw to counter Hooper at openside…..

    Perfect sense….but somehow Meyer makes it hard on for us….

    enough to make a grown man cry….

  • 5.Open-Mind: Reply to this comment
    5 Sep 2012, 13:58 pm

    Couldn’t agree more.. 10 should be most versatile and clever player on the pitch, Morne isn’t

  • 6.grant10: Reply to this comment
    5 Sep 2012, 13:59 pm

    However I do believe the Boks will snatch this game ….desperate Boks are dangerous Boks…

  • 7.keo: Reply to this comment
    5 Sep 2012, 14:00 pm

    We know what we have in MS at 10. We are not expected to win away from home in Aus or NZ. What better time to try something different. Start with Lambie at 10 and introduce Goosen in last 30. Start with Louw as a specialist opensider. It gives HM a comparison to what he has produced in last 5 Tests. Now it is more of the same. We don’t have a counter at breakdown and we don’t have a 10 starting who can ask questions of any defence. Such a missed opportunity as there was everything to gain and nothing to lose.

  • 8.willievz: Reply to this comment
    5 Sep 2012, 14:01 pm

    LOL!!!!

    Just the other day he was saying that Morne is key to the gameplan!!

  • 9.keo: Reply to this comment
    5 Sep 2012, 14:02 pm

    @grant10-6: We are in our first year post a WC why should we be desperate? We should be trying to find the right formula. How have the Boks evolved in last 3 Tests? That’s the issue I have, there has been no improvement and nothing alternative has been offered. That is what I find disappointing; more so than the 2 draws.

    We can’t want to be Nr 1 in the world but we do the same thing week in and week out and ask why we have a 60 percent winning return?

  • 10.keo: Reply to this comment
    5 Sep 2012, 14:04 pm

    @willievz-8: No clever guy I said MS was the key to the percentages game HM was playing. I am saying he is not to an alternative approach and that there are options to explore with Lambie and Goosen at 10 and that we will learn nothing new from MS at 10 against Aus. Think before you embarrass yourself.

  • 11.HongKongSlong: Reply to this comment
    5 Sep 2012, 14:06 pm

    @keo-7: Agree with you 100%, it was a very similar situation against England as well, it was a development tour for England with a brand new team and players, a captain with only 5 caps to his name! HM is showing some signs of adapting, but far to slowly and conservatively. Changing a playing approach and style would be a bigger positive then personel I think, because only having one approach to everything makes it so easy for opposition to prepare for battle!

  • 12.John Galt: Reply to this comment
    5 Sep 2012, 14:06 pm

    Yeah have to agree here.

    Last chance saloon for Steyn.
    Problem is, what happens if Steyn has an ok game?
    Will HM keep him at 10 because he’s ‘improving’?

    Only way M Steyn will be dropped is if he has a shocker. By which time it will be too late to experiment with Goosen and Lambie.

  • 13.puff: Reply to this comment
    5 Sep 2012, 14:07 pm

    I am fine with Morne Steyn starting at 10 on Saturday.
    Let’s see how he goes with Pienaar on his inside.
    Goosen is not ready to start a match yet.
    But – for pity’s sake – why not start Lambie at 15?
    He could slot in to first receiver every now and again to vary Bok game a bit.

  • 14.puff: Reply to this comment
    5 Sep 2012, 14:08 pm

    KEO

    Do you think Willie Le Roux is Bok material?

  • 15.TooMuchRugby: Reply to this comment
    5 Sep 2012, 14:09 pm

    @keo-10: Fair enough Keo, but is HM gonna change the gameplan?

  • 16.grant10: Reply to this comment
    5 Sep 2012, 14:09 pm

    @keo-9:
    Agree….the desperation will be permeated through the team via Meyer because imagine we take a loss in Perth and a caning in Dunedin…….already Meyer has ostracised most of the supporters outside of Pretoria and the supporters will want blood if we lose next 2 on the trot…that is the reality….

    Boks lose 3 of next 4 and then where does that leave Meyer…..?

    M Steyn and the lack of a fetcher has been at the root of Bok peoblems for a long time already….

    Meyer is making no friends …..I suggest he find a mentor who points out some home truths….because so far he has tramped in about every landmine he possibly can…..

  • 17.Transformation: Reply to this comment
    5 Sep 2012, 14:12 pm

    Morne is a warrior! you don’t drop warriors

  • 18.willievz: Reply to this comment
    5 Sep 2012, 14:16 pm

    @Transformation-17:

    The same guy who said “if you want it (10 jersey), come and get it”, is now in the team primarily because the coach likes him.

  • 19.HongKongSlong: Reply to this comment
    5 Sep 2012, 14:16 pm

    @Transformation-17: Morne was a warrior with a boot that worked. Now he’s a warrior with a wonky boot and nothing else! Let someone else have a chance, he’s had plenty. Nothing wrong with being dropped, a real “warrior” will fight and come back better.

  • 20.TheTackler: Reply to this comment
    5 Sep 2012, 14:19 pm

    @Transformation-17: You mean “worrier”, surely?

  • 21.grant10: Reply to this comment
    5 Sep 2012, 14:20 pm

    M Steyn has and always will be a weakness in the Bok team….with him you are basically committing to a 1 track game plan and heaven forbid you dont dominate up front….because then you will lose….[ or draw to Poms and Argies ]….

    No man…we want to challenge we need to change…..same old has not cut it since 2010….

  • 22.i_love_u_bakkiesbotha: Reply to this comment
    5 Sep 2012, 14:24 pm

    @Transformation-17:
    its mental strength, transie… mental strength…

  • 23.katman: Reply to this comment
    5 Sep 2012, 14:26 pm

    At least we’re playing in a DA stronghold.

  • 24.John Galt: Reply to this comment
    5 Sep 2012, 14:26 pm

    @HongKongSlong-19:
    Yeah I think you’ve hit the nail on the head.
    His boot was always his saving grace and even that has deserted him now.

    His consistency in 2012 has been absolutelty abysmal.

    Beware the one trick pony who loses its trick.

  • 25.Open-Mind: Reply to this comment
    5 Sep 2012, 14:27 pm

    @Transformation-17: average warriors stay average, Morne will never be better than the guy with the good boot. He preforms at the top of his ability and working hard at it. New 10 new inspiration.

  • 26.willievz: Reply to this comment
    5 Sep 2012, 14:27 pm

    @grant10-21: Morne’s biggest issue on early / immature phases is that his first option is always to kick. This has not always been the case, but ingrained into his DNA.

    His passing accuracy is excellent, but his overall distribution at the highest level has been very ineffective in recent times. He struggles to draw defenders and is very lateral with ball in hand.

    He gets away with this at S15 level behind a strong pack of forwards which offers him (and Olivier on his outside) a little more space in which to make decisions, but at international level he does not have that luxury and defenses are generally more tight even if the Bok pack dominate the collisions (we saw this against Aus in Durban and Wellington in 2011).

  • 27.Open-Mind: Reply to this comment
    5 Sep 2012, 14:32 pm

    HM states that the fundamental part of his game-plan is players reading game situations and acting accordingly, only way this is going to suffice is by picking players that has the ability to read. Reading the game is a talent JdV has it Frans Steyn has it Lambie has it

  • 28.Brigadier Van Zyl: Reply to this comment
    5 Sep 2012, 14:38 pm

    @keo-7:

    pretty sure victor matfield dupreez smit,etc also played in all 7 loses if not more.
    a flyhalf can only play as well as the ball he gets. And the bok ruck work has been shite for near on 2 years now.
    except, now we have a shite lineout and scrum as well.

  • 29.Transformation: Reply to this comment
    5 Sep 2012, 14:39 pm

    @willievz-18: @HongKongSlong-19: @Open-Mind-25: the SCARY part id that meyer thinks the parts of Morne’s game that you all are whingeing about are FINE, it’s only his kicking – tactical and goal – that need “coaching” :shock:

    But Meyer is still backing his man. “Listen, Morné is a warrior. He knows he is not playing … Although I thought during the previous two games, he played really well,” the Bok mentor said after the match. “It’s just his kicking that is not there, and he has high standards. I know Morné, and worked with him for quite some time, and he has standards and will be back stronger.

    “I have full confidence in him, and it’s not a question about him not working hard. He really works hard. He is just not striking the ball the way he is used to.”

    “I wanted to keep Morné on the field, because I didn’t think that he played badly. It was just his tactical kicking that wasn’t good enough.”

  • 30.Tacitus: Reply to this comment
    5 Sep 2012, 14:40 pm

    There’s a fundamental disconnect here, on the side of these armchair critics.

    Get this clear: Meyer isn’t changing his gameplan to the one you guys are asking for. His personnel changes for this game don’t signify that he is now acknowledging that you guys have been right all along and that his ideas were wrong.

    Nope. His gameplan is still exactly the same. He is just trying to find personnel who can implement it better.

    Hougaard was given an extended chance at 9 and found wanting.
    Bekker was given a chance at lock and found wanting.
    Potgieter was played out of desperation, and found wanting.

    The moment Vermullet and Goosen became available they were pulled into the squad. And the serious lack of loose forward depth has now also forced Meyer to bring in Louw.

    But all of the above does not mean that he is going to deviate from his gamelan one iota. His game is still based around a solid tactical kicker. And Lambie can never fill this role. Hence Goosen leapfrogging him into the matchday 22.

    In fact, Pienaars inclusion highlights this even more. He is just strengthening our kicking game even further.

    So you guys can pipe down now. Meyer is sticking to his guns. He is just struggling to find the players that can implement it properly at the moment.

    That’s the experimentation that will take place this year. Not experimentation with the gameplan, but experimentation with the right players to execute it effectively.

  • 31.willievz: Reply to this comment
    5 Sep 2012, 14:41 pm

    @Tacitus-30: We know.

    Execution over innovation.

  • 32.Transformation: Reply to this comment
    5 Sep 2012, 14:41 pm

    @HongKongSlong-19: Meyer also dismissed suggestions that Steyn’s poor goal-kicking form meant his overall game had suffered.

    “Morné played good rugby at times, even though he didn’t kick so well,” the coach said, “Morné is a player that is mentally very tough and it is just a matter of time before he is back to his best.

    “It is my job to get him back to his bestand I am confident I will get him back there [to his best].

  • 33.Transformation: Reply to this comment
    5 Sep 2012, 14:45 pm

    @Tacitus-30: you’ve said this before Meyer’s gameplan is infallible it is just that “the current Boks are kak, to use a technical term”

  • 34.mikeybrass: Reply to this comment
    5 Sep 2012, 14:49 pm

    @Tacitus-30: Don’t believe it. What Meyer is doing is trying to find what tweaks he can make to the basic fundamentals patterns which fit the Boks, like the evolution he wanted to make to the Bulls by bringing in Pine Pienaar. Meyer has stated he thinks Lambie is a quality flyhalf; he just happens to rate Goosen more.

  • 35.Jeez: Reply to this comment
    5 Sep 2012, 14:50 pm

    Ridiculous Keo. I dont agree at all.

    HM rightly wont start with Goosen and it would be unfair to through him in the deep end. Lambie is the backup fullback, so he wont start. He mentioned that Lambies tactical kicking is not up to scratch and will only be picked at 15.

    It all seems pretty logical to me. Imo, this is just the start of MS being nudged out of the starting team and one day the squad. His successor has been drafted into the match 22 and will be given more game time and probably start a game at the EOTYT. Bok supporters should just be patient ffs.

    If HM gets too adventurous and fails everyone will say he should have stuck with experience and introduced the youngsters in gradually.

    Let him gradually take the team where he wants them to go. In the long run it will benefit the players and the team.

    HM said he will be ruthless in his selections after the away games. We should hold him to that and not expect to chop and change on tour.

    HM: “I’m a guy who backs the players, will give them continuity and once we’ve played away from home then I’ll look at the combinations and be ruthless.”

    Besides the best senario is if MS has a shocker and gets subbed. Goosen will feel more relaxed coming on for a player who hasn’t played particularly well.

  • 36.John Galt: Reply to this comment
    5 Sep 2012, 14:52 pm

    @Tacitus-30:
    I’d be intrigued to hear why HM believes M Steyns tactical kicking has been any better than Lambies this season. Or any other quality flyhalf in SA.

    Truth be told, that was MS strenth and its not like he’s just lost it the last few tests. Its been subpar the whole season. Badly subpar.

    So why, in a position as critical as flyhalf, has he stuck with such a woefully out of form player for so long? When others like Bekker and Potgieter and Daniel and JJ etc are so quickly discarded?

  • 37.Transformation: Reply to this comment
    5 Sep 2012, 14:53 pm

    @mikeybrass-34: he said lambie’s position is fullback but can be played at flyhalf provided his tactical kicking is fixed…

  • 38.grant10: Reply to this comment
    5 Sep 2012, 14:53 pm

    @Tacitus-30: well then Meyer must not cry if sticking to this antiquated game plan finds him coaching Tukkies next year…..

  • 39.Jeez: Reply to this comment
    5 Sep 2012, 14:54 pm

    @Tacitus-30: So true

  • 40.Gumboots: Reply to this comment
    5 Sep 2012, 14:57 pm

    @Tacitus-30:

    I can swear Lambie is in the match 22!!!

  • 41.Winesy83: Reply to this comment
    5 Sep 2012, 14:57 pm

    Just looking through Keo’s older “future star” posts. Some are good but does anyone know where the following are?

    Ruan Smith

    Tythan Adams

    Adriaan Theisinger

    Tom Seabela

    Juan-Claude Roos

    Garth April

    Craig Barry

  • 42.trupisero: Reply to this comment
    5 Sep 2012, 14:59 pm

    @Tacitus-30: Gotta find kak players for a kak gameplan.

    @John Galt-36: Exactly….some favourites get an extended stay to “improve” others find themselves from starting to not in the squad within 1 game – how is that not “picking” by Huilerige Meyer?

    Feeding bullshit all the time. At least Divvy had enetertainment value. This oke has fokkoli.

  • 43.Transformation: Reply to this comment
    5 Sep 2012, 14:59 pm

    @John Galt-36: because Meyer believe HE can coach morne back to form!

  • 44.grant10: Reply to this comment
    5 Sep 2012, 15:00 pm

    The M Steyn tactical kicking excellence has been nothing but a myth as well ….

    Butch James is far better…..

    So is Goosen and Lambie is probably on a par with M Steyn…..

    Jantjes is downright unlucky as well…..

    So many better options than M Steyn

    It would be funny if it were not so tragic

  • 45.Transformation: Reply to this comment
    5 Sep 2012, 15:01 pm

    @trupisero-42: meyer is either a hypocrite or he thinks Saffas are dom not to see that what he said a month ago doesn’t correspond with what he said last week versus what he said on arrival in Perth!

  • 46.katman: Reply to this comment
    5 Sep 2012, 15:02 pm

    Jeez, but we are a bunch of miserable little thunderclouds today. Mark the words of the katman, here on this 5th day of September 2012: We will beat this Aussie outfit in Perth, and by a decent margin too. As poor as we were in Mendosa, they were twice as bad against the ABs. We’re not the only team with depth issues – the Aussies have Faiinga and Horn in the midfield, ferfucksake. And our guys will have a heap to prove after their last attempt. So I see a 10 point victory here. And at least half you naysayers will be kissing the Heyneke derriere again this time next week.

  • 47.londonshark: Reply to this comment
    5 Sep 2012, 15:04 pm

    @grant10-44:

    Spot on. Morne was always a 90% kicker (in his day), but was always a good (not great) tactical kicker.

    As for Lambie, his tactical kicking (for me) is on par if not better than Mornes. Lambie is better than Morne on ALL fronts at the moment (place kicking included).

  • 48.Tacitus: Reply to this comment
    5 Sep 2012, 15:06 pm

    @londonshark-47:

    I actually agree that Morne’s tactical kicking has never been as good as his in form goalkicking. Too many kicks tended to go straight down the throat of a waiting player – and here I’m not talking about up and unders, but kicks meant to find open spaces at the back.

    Anyway, Goosen is hopefully the answer there.

  • 49.mikeybrass: Reply to this comment
    5 Sep 2012, 15:08 pm

    @londonshark-47: Too right and Lambie has enough international experience by now. Lambie could have been starting at 10 with Goosen introduced later.

  • 50.race of tan: Reply to this comment
    5 Sep 2012, 15:09 pm

    Keo i scorrect. Lievremont juggled his team loads post RWC 2007 and it worked wonders in the end.

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