Meyer defiant on Morné
12 Sep 2012
Morne Steyn will start at flyhalf against the All Blacks in Dunedin.
Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer has selected Steyn and made just two changes to the side beaten by Australia in Perth.
Francois Louw starts in the specialist openside role, with Marcell Coetzee among the substitutes.
‘The New Zealanders are good on the ground which is why we decided to go for a specialist openside flank in Francois,’ said Meyer. ‘Marcell has been very good this season and has played a lot of rugby, but in this match we feel he will be more useful as an impact option.’
Meanwhile, Flip van der Merwe starts at lock, Andries Bekker is recalled to the match 22 and tighthead prop Jannie du Plessis has been declared fit. Toulon-based lock Bakkies Botha won’t be involved and the issue with Botha is believed to be medical insurance – a similar situation which hampered Fourie du Preez’s return to Test rugby this season.
Johan Goosen is again among the substitutes and there’s a match squad call-up for Juan de Jongh and Dean Greyling.
Steyn kicked all 18 points in the Boks’ 18-5 win against the All Blacks in Port Elizabeth a year ago and holds the record of most points against the All Blacks when he scored all 31 points in the Boks’ win in Bloemfontein in 2009.
However, the Boks, with Steyn at flyhalf, have not enjoyed the kind of success that warrants continued selection. Steyn has played flyhalf in the Boks’ last 30 Tests and have won just 16.
South Africa’s rivalry with New Zealand is considered the fiercest in the game, but the All Blacks have been dominant in the professional era. Pre-isolation the Boks held a 21-16 winning advantage, but since international readmission in 1992 the All Blacks have won 30 and the Boks just 13. One Test has been drawn, 18-18 in Auckland in 1994.
Springboks – 15 Zane Kirchner, 14 Bryan Habana, 13 Jean de Villiers (c), 12 Frans Steyn, 11 Francois Hougaard, 10 Morné Steyn, 9 Ruan Pienaar, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Willem Alberts, 6 Francois Louw, 5 Juandre Kruger, 4 Flip van der Merwe, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 Adriaan Strauss, 1 Beast Mtawarira.
Subs: 16 Tiaan Liebenberg, 17 Dean Greyling, 18 Andries Bekker, 19 Marcell Coetzee, 20 Johan Goosen, 21 Juan de Jongh, 22 Pat Lambie.
784 Comments
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12 Sep 2012, 11:30 am
@Puma-247: SARU didn’t want to pay the HUGE SOME of money that the Japanese demanded for insurance! SBW’s team sent THEIR medical team to NZ, evaluated him and told the NZRU “you can have him, anything broken on his body you’re footing the bill” and the NZRU agreed.
now SARU has never agreed to pay for exorbitant insurance for overseas players whose contracts preclude them from International rugby…
SBW is going to Japan to play for Mossie’s team, why do you think Jaque Fourie is not playing for the Boks? his contract clearly says “No Boks” if Meyer begged the Japanese, SARU would have to “insure” him too like the NZRU did SBW.
12 Sep 2012, 11:30 am
@Nils-224: then he contradicts himself when he picks jantjies, keeps him on the bench for FIVE games then drops him for Goosen who hasn’t played competitive rugby since MAY!
picks Keegan, who has a stellar super rugby, plays him for less than 80 minutes over TWO games and the drops him for Duane who hasn’t played rugby since MARCH/APRIL…
Juan de Jongh comes in doesn’t play then he’s out and JJ Engelbrecht is in and then he’s out.
Morne has had a NIGHTMARE of a season but is not dropped at ALL, other players get dropped for not taking high balls…this is the hypocrisy of Meyer!
12 Sep 2012, 11:30 am
Kiwis are missing 2 superstars in Dan Carter and SBW….
They have 2 newish locks…..
We know what is coming [ in my opinion Aussies are far more difficult as we always seem to succumb to there ‘ cleverness ‘……
Key is going to be self belief….if the Boks are demoralised and dont believe we are in for a lot of strife….
If HM s legendary physcho koppestamp gymnatics has been succesful the Boks will come out snorting…..
May be a lot closer than a lot of us believe, despite Meyers rather lame selections…
12 Sep 2012, 11:31 am
242 yip nobody controls a game of rugby like DC big loss, Cruden is getting there though, no panic in the ranks anymore when he goes down
12 Sep 2012, 11:36 am
@Transformation-251: Saru should have paid the insurance money.
Anyhow can’t harp on that any longer. He is not with the Boks. Have to focus on who we have now. Meyer still not selecting the best though. For his game plan probably but that is it.
12 Sep 2012, 11:37 am
@grant10-253: “newish” retallick and romano are rookies like etsebeth and kruger, only same whitelock is on probably 27 Tests.
12 Sep 2012, 11:38 am
All this ridiculing of Morne’ has really taken a lot of focus off possibly the weakest excuse for a captain in the competition. I know that its kind of a, if not him then who? But Jean further compounds the Boks woes.
12 Sep 2012, 11:39 am
HM picking the 4th best flyhalf in SA again… I am sorry but I have lost any respect and hope that I had for our coach. The man is an idiot, through and through. I reckon most people on the street could do a better job than HM with the talent available in RSA.
If Spies hadn’t got injured we would still have him there too!
12 Sep 2012, 11:41 am
@grant10-253: We are missing three superstars as well. Bissie, JPP and Eben. Bissie is the biggest loss.
And we have some stars on the bench that never get game time….
12 Sep 2012, 11:42 am
Can I say the following:
I had the opportunity to attend Jonathan Butler’s Evolution concert here in Jhb and boy was it electric!!!
I actually decided not to go – but when he released 40 tickets into the system on Friday pm I thought: here’s my chance
Then as it turned out,someone gave me complim tickets and I got to see the show a 2nd time. Now I have been tracking JB’s career for many many years, but after this I am even more of a fan!
He is in CT this week (today the 1st concert I think) – let me tell you something, let me quote my son: the show was crazy
12 Sep 2012, 11:44 am
@race of tan-249: The conditions there will suit the attacking team. Dry fast field with that roofed covered.
12 Sep 2012, 11:44 am
@Transformation-256: exactly my man….
why we kakking ourselves so badly….?
Fark that man….we must go moer them !
Stormers won at Dunedin …..
We must not buy into the Kiwi superiority….I certainly dont!
12 Sep 2012, 11:46 am
@Transformation-219: it was a planned outage – notice how the corporates and the plebs in the stands still had power. Why only the floodlights? I tell you those kiwis will do anything to put their opponents off.
12 Sep 2012, 11:47 am
@Sheriff-260: my sister went and she said it was fantastic and she’s a budding muso.
12 Sep 2012, 11:48 am
The plot , HM has lost it completely, he must be the worst bok selector of all time
12 Sep 2012, 11:48 am
@Puma-259:
Yes….
I still say Bissie and Brussow in tandem we win…..
Anyway…still believe we must not pedestal this Kiwi team….they can be beaten….or run close…despite HM strange selections….
We had 3 teams in top 6 of Superrugby….
Stormers outscored Saders in kiwiland and beat the Landers at Dunedin….
Why all of a sudden they so much better than us?
I dont buy it….
12 Sep 2012, 11:56 am
@Transformation-264:
I was a bit hesitant to go and see the show a 2nd time but it was like seeing a brilliant try again on the big screen
JB keeps it real and although its the same content he engages spontaneously and naturally with the audience. Ronnie Joyce was the surprise package for me; he was someone I heard about more than 30 years ago and what superb talent he is even at the age of 55!
12 Sep 2012, 11:56 am
grant10 #266 – Lets hope M Steyn has a good game with the boot, if he gets his kicks and maybe a few drop goals, we could run the ABs close, a win is out of the question. They are going to run away with this match in the last 20.
12 Sep 2012, 11:58 am
@grant10-266: Outscored the Saders …. you smokin the good stuff Grant ?
12 Sep 2012, 11:58 am
@Transformation-264:
I that so (about your sister) – did she enter SA Idols?
Not a big fan of the format but its good exposure for someone who is inclined that way.
Does she play an instrument or vocalist?
12 Sep 2012, 11:59 am
How on earth can millions of rugby fas see that Morne is kak and yet HM cannot , what the hell man , he MUST go , bring in Goosen or Lambie
12 Sep 2012, 11:59 am
Albert Einstein – “Insanity is doing the same thing, over and over again, but expecting different results.”
12 Sep 2012, 12:01 pm
@stew-269: 2 trys to 1 Stew….
12 Sep 2012, 12:04 pm
@Sheriff-270: no, she’s an accountant at Absa, she’s in a band sings background vocals and plays keyboard…their 1st gig was a Katzy’s a month or two ago.
12 Sep 2012, 12:05 pm
@AndreVR-271: heyneke can see it but he can’t get himself to admit he was wrong and he needs to drop him, remember meyer said “i can coach morne back to form’!
12 Sep 2012, 12:06 pm
HM could pick his best starting 15 and I could pick a 15 from the rest of SA’s players that would thump his team. That worries me a bit. I am just an enthusiastic supporter, not a so called pro making millions out of the game.
12 Sep 2012, 12:09 pm
@Sheriff-250: Mate – the only “conclusion” I’ve reached is that I think you’ve wandered onto the wrong website? Or perhaps you’re just hell bent on teaching the word of the Lord/Torah/Koran/Apartheid/Notsurewhatelse to people who like rugby?
Who can tell?
However…..I am most pleased that there is a clear connection for you in your mind between this and the rugby we’re playing, the selections of Heyneke Meyer and the game plan that’s been instituted at the Boks……….for me……..not so much.
Lastly……not sure my wife would be at all crazy about me going out and getting a girl friend…..but it sounds good all the same….
12 Sep 2012, 12:10 pm
(1) Everyone is complaining but 50% of you are contradicting the other 50%. I am as upset as the next guy but 99% of the opinions expressed on here as just ridiculous rants.
(2) The Boks are not kicking more than any of the other teams. When we have the ball on the half way line we do keep the ball in hand. All the other teams kick the ball 80% of the time when they are behind the 10 meter line. So stop frothing about the game plan… the problem is not there.
(3) With ball in hand we look good in patches but generally the lack of cohesion amongst the forwards is giving us slow ball. Partly this has to be the fault of the coaching staff BUT…
(4) Have a look at our injury list. It is not an excuse and I am not saying that the Boks can claim that they would’ve won if not for injuries but the fact remains we are in disarray due to vast majority of our senior personnel being missing. If anything it casts a shadow on our much vaunted “player depth”. Something that has not been developed at the international level over the preceding 4 years. We are feeling the effects of that now.
(5) I cannot understand either why on Earth Lambie is not at 10 or 15. I can kinda see Meyer’s concern with not starting Goosen. But either Kirchner or Steyn should drop out. That said even if he played both Lambie and Goosen it won’t make any difference to the result on Saturday due to (3) and (4).
Everyone raves about the ABs attacking ability but that has always been predicated them on begin very competitive if not outright dominant at the breakdown. For all stereotypical BS by other nations that if you “front the Boks physical you will win” that is exactly the way you beat the ABs. If you don’t do that you lose.
Unfortunately our breakdown impotence is exacerbated by a plodding 10.
(6) So while it is perfectly acceptable that we are all upset that the Boks are not doing well there needs to some acknowledgement of the circumstances. Based on (1) it is obvious there is no clear answer. A number of things need to change a little and then there will be daylight again.
Meyer knows what he is doing but unfortunately right now his best efforts can merely damage control. Given the injury list, retirements and overseas movement our team is in a shambles. Only time will fix it because there is only so much a coach can do.
12 Sep 2012, 12:14 pm
I may be clutching at straws here, but for the sake of lookig for a silver lining, Meyer might actually have a plan here.
Use the battering rams (Flip, Duane, Alberts) and the skop en jaag merchants (Morne and Zayne) for 50 mins before bringing on the sppedsters when the game gets loose – there is some serious gas on the replacements bench in Bekker, Coetzee, Goosen, de Jongh, and Pat Lambie.
Could it be possible HM plans to play bulls rugby for the first 50 and open it up in the last quarter????
Hey, I can dream, can’t I?
I’m with Houston for this one – Boks by 5
12 Sep 2012, 12:14 pm
@BokkeYouBeauties-257: Agree with you totally mate……I’ve always wondered what all the hype around JdV was? I think he was overrated to start with and is now over the hill…..and as for his “captaincy”……well I’m not seeing a Bok side that’s motivated by it’s captain…..or by it’s bone-headed coach?
12 Sep 2012, 12:14 pm
@STBUR-278:
hear, hear…,
12 Sep 2012, 12:16 pm
Your flyhalf is the most NB position on the rugby field unless you have a freak like Fourie du Preez at 9.
16/30 with Morne says it all
12 Sep 2012, 12:24 pm
I see Coenie Oosthuisen may be starting at 3 next weekend….
Hope he converts successfully…that 3 spot depth is a huge issue…
12 Sep 2012, 12:34 pm
9. Pienaar/Hougaard (the gameplan just doesnt suit him)/FDP/Claasen
10. Goosen/Lambie/Jantjies
Wing. Mvovo/Aplon/Hougaard/JJP/Rhule/ Le Roux/Ludik/JJ
12. Steyn (bit light at 12)…/ JDV/Lambie/ Whitehead …..???
13. JDJ/ Jordaan/ Fourie/ JJ
15. Lambie/Steyn/Taute/Le Roux/ Ludik
There is no reason not to omit MSteyn, Kirchner and Habana for that matter.
12 Sep 2012, 12:35 pm
@Sheriff-245: Jys reg – wat gebeur op d veld is beinvloed deur ‘n verskydenheid dinge agter die skerms
12 Sep 2012, 12:36 pm
@CT Shark-277:
No if you have a wife, then don’t get a girlfriend.
Tomorrow I must read in the newspaper that you did so on advice of a blogger called ‘Sheriff’ ; so no I will not give permission for you to do so
Mate my experience is that people blog here because they can handle – or would like to be seen as – the uncomfortable truth. For e.g. you may not say Meyer is a racist at the office, but you can say so on keo.co.za; people like that…
Teaching as we know it today also miss the mark very often. In the Hebrew model you teach and back it up with practical examples. In this manner Yeshua ben Yosef did not only teach but backed it up with miracles.
This proved highly threatening for the religious auth of the day: the part they wanted to prevent at all cost was that Yeshua would be seen as Mashiach (Messiah); Kayafa (Caiaphas) the cohen gadol (high priest) was quite clear that Yeshua needed to be eliminated ( a word used by apartheid leaders to remove threats)
Remember I always welcome anyone to challenge what I say; I dont know everything but happy to share nevertheless
12 Sep 2012, 12:37 pm
@Jeez-284: no reason to omit M Steyn or Kirchner – jeez man are you crazy.
12 Sep 2012, 12:37 pm
King Heyneke seems to have done every goddamn thing wrong that he could possibly do for this match.
Other than persisting with Morne, he:
- Selects a big, but very farken unbalanced loose trio. If anyone should have been moved to the bench for Flo it should have been Alberts.
- He selects Flip at lock.
- He persists with Strauss at 2, and I never thought I would say this, but maybe even Liebenburg would be a better bet.
- Backline is as good as its going to get on tour, except for the one-two-moer the clouds-mortar specialist when there’s a pretty decent 10/15 sitting on the bench.
YET… Despite all this… Despite HM’s obvious Bok coach madness… Despite his Light Blue loyalty blindness…
The Kiwis go and select Fatfuck Piri at 9… A goddamn bonus if ever there was one…
and
Coetzee coming on later could be a master stroke at say 50mins for Alberts… With only 30mins to play he will be like Superman… Just the player to hold the line for the inevitable AB last quarter charge.
and
the 2 young tyros, Lambie and Goosen, coming on at say 55 – 60 mins….
I may be succumbing to the same madness as Heyneke…
But fark me gently… I GOTTA FEELING….
AB’s overconfident in the extreme… Boks underdogs in the supreme…
DANGEROUS
I reckon the bleeding Bokke might just bounce back…
BOOM!
12 Sep 2012, 12:38 pm
@Sheriff-286: I just asked my wife. She said no.
12 Sep 2012, 12:38 pm
@STBUR-278: Excellent post! SO very true!
You can have Michalak, Naas Botha, Carlos or Neil Jenkins as your flyhalf – if your forwards are not allowing fast ball (and your scrummie is not getting the ball out quickly) then it wont make a difference.
And Morne needs all the help he can get!
12 Sep 2012, 12:38 pm
Rugby | SA Rugby
Elton Jantjies © Gallo Images
Sharks, WP in race for Jantjies signature
——————————————————————————–
by Brenden Nel 12 September 2012, 10:56
The Sharks and Western Province lead the race for the signature of Elton Jantjies to join them for next year’s Vodacom Super Rugby series.
Jantjies has been spotted in Durban and Cape Town in the last few weeks and will make a decision as to his future in the next few weeks after the Lions were ejected from next year’s tournament.
The talented flyhalf has a clause in his contract that allows him to play his rugby elsewhere in Super Rugby while keeping his contract with the Lions, returning for the playoff matches and Currie Cup tournament in 2013.
But for now, the hunt for his services is possibly the most eagerly anticipated player chase in the country at the moment and Jantjies is dead set on playing Super Rugby — the question remaining being where?
While WP have made a lucrative offer for him to move to Cape Town, the Sharks officials meet with their Lions counterparts today (Wednesday) to ensure that if Jantjies does make the move, the Lions can bring him back for their anticipated playoff game against the lowest ranked South African franchise at the end of the tournament next year.
Jantjies was called up to the Springboks this year, but despite being on the bench in the third test in Port Elizabeth, never got onto the field, and was subsequently dropped afterwards when the team was selected for the Castle Rugby Championship, with fellow young gun Johan Goosen being preferred by coach Heyneke Meyer.
Since then he has shone in the Currie Cup, and was instrumental in his side’s victories over Western Province and the Blue Bulls, reminding all and sundry of his exceptional attacking abilities.
Jantjies’s agent, Jason Adams, confirmed to supersport.com that no decision on his future had been made yet.
“We have a number of options on the table and we will sit down in the next week or so and take a decision as to his future,” Adams told supersport.
12 Sep 2012, 12:41 pm
@Heavens Game-288: Yip….
Got the same feeling
fark the pedestals for thses kiwis….
Weepu….no SBW…no Carter….
They also got some youngsters…..
Farkit….I say we go out there and moer them
12 Sep 2012, 12:42 pm
Best entertainment on Saturday will come from coaches box.Win or lose.
12 Sep 2012, 12:45 pm
As much as Morné is a problem, one also have to admit that De Villiers has become another John Smit – squarely there for captaincy and experience purposes.
Getting the backline moving starts obviously with quick, clean front-foot ball and crisp distribution from your 9 & 10, but let’s face it – De Villiers could not do this behind a very dominant pack of Stormers for the last two seasons. He also has to go.
Another trick Meyer seemingly missed was to opt for a 6. Louw, and 7. Coetzee combo. They’ll provide a higher work rate, and can play to the ball in tandem.
The only right call thus far in the Rugby Championship by Heyneke was to drop a hopelessly out-of-sorts Andries.
12 Sep 2012, 12:45 pm
Meyer did Well at the bulls taking them, to 3 super rugby titles. They had a certain style, and it worked for them back then. Meyer is trying to employ those same tactics. It seems that Meyer cant grasp the fact that the game of rugby is evolving at a rapid pace and every season teams adapt to different styles of attack and defence. What may have worked back then is obviously not going to work now. The strange thing, is that even after Meyer left the Bulls, the other coaches seemed to carry on with the same style. The clear evidence that it is not working is to look at their performances in the last few seasons, not making the currie cup semis last year, and dead last so far this year. So why on earth would Meyer think that the same style will work for the boks 5 years later after winning his first super rugby title with the Bulls. It just will not work…and its clear at the moment that its not.
12 Sep 2012, 12:46 pm
@ryecatcher-293:
Agreed,
12 Sep 2012, 12:46 pm
Somebody get Heyneke Meyer some Steyn remover for God’s sake!
12 Sep 2012, 12:47 pm
@ryecatcher-293: yep, that’s unbriddled comic relief right there!
12 Sep 2012, 12:49 pm
@stormersboy-289:
Mate the reason she says no is to protect YOU.
Not only will you not able to afford it, but the pressure will double.
One thing is for sure: your wife has your best interests at heart
12 Sep 2012, 12:50 pm
@ryecatcher-293:
They better put shatterprufe in the South African coaches box
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