Don’t kill a potentially golden Goose
17 Sep 2012
RYAN VREDE writes Johan Goosen is the brightest Test flyhalf prospect to emerge since Henry Honiball but he is still raw and must be judged accordingly.
I don’t share the same certainty about Johan Goosen that many others seem to. I simply haven’t seen enough of him at Test level to make such an absolute judgement. I have, however, been impressed with his cameos against Australia and New Zealand in the last fortnight and sense that he is a special player.
I wrote last week that I didn’t agree with Meyer’s faith in Morne Steyn, faith later proven to be misplaced as Steyn capitulated under the pressure to save his Test career in Dunedin. Yet I understood Meyer’s reservations about starting Goosen off the back of a lengthy injury and against the world champions in their back yard.
Now there can be no reason offered for Steyn’s retention that will satisfy sufficiently. Goosen must start in the remaining fixtures.
As South Africans our desperation to see a flyhalf that inspires has peaked. Honiball set an imposing standard, particularly during the Springboks’ period of dominance in the late 1990s. A punishing defender and an attacker with a broad repertoire, Honiball has for years been the benchmark for South African 10s. But we’ve expected a ready-made Honiball, this when the man was himself refined in the Test cauldron. Time was that refiner and time will be so for Goosen.
We must resist the poisonous habit of dismissing the aptitude of our best young talent if they struggle in their formative period. Test rugby is result-driven, of course, but the potential of some players demands our patience, with a view to a long term gain from them. Goosen is undoubtedly one such player.
He may well make the transition from Super Rugby to Tests with the ease that, say, Frans Steyn did. His temperament appears to be excellent, which is vital to success, while he has good all-round technique and an X-factor.
But he may not enjoy as comfortable a start as Steyn did. Furthermore, his success is not entirely in his control (much depends on the platform he is serviced with). He may struggle to meet the unique demands of the game and may yet be adversely affected by the pressure and expectation associated with steering the Springboks’ ship.
If we agree with the premise that Goosen shows immense promise, then it is important that we temper our expectations of him. I’m not suggesting that we tolerate mediocrity, only that we show an appreciation for the growing pains that accompany his elevation into the most high pressure position in the game.
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160 Comments
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17 Sep 2012, 08:24 am
@Te Rangatira-38: @NZINCHINA-39: Fair points guys, just shows how we have declined as Boks.
There is hope but faith in our head coach is diminishing and as for his backline coach .. jeez !
17 Sep 2012, 08:31 am
Doughnut your forwards (except the thug) put in a great performance and you’d probably expect to win 90% of the time after a performance like that, this AB side won’t
roll over and the talk of them being average is rubbush 14 straight and soon they’ll have every trophy there is to win.
17 Sep 2012, 08:32 am
@Doughnut-51:
Look mate, there is so much rugby potential in SA, we’re not blind its right in front of our eyes,just not being harnessed properly because of your set-up/political interference and the unwillingness from coaches to break the shackles and throw the ball around, not willy nilly but with purpose.
17 Sep 2012, 08:33 am
@Te Rangatira-29: All Blacks should note that the last time the Bok forward were dominant was during the Mallet era, at that time it was Heineken who was the forward coach – when he gets key personnel back and a bit of continuity going then watch out – ABs may just have to accept being bullied regularly.
17 Sep 2012, 08:33 am
What people seem to be missing in this whole mess of a game last weekend is this:
The game plan was the correct one, it was the execution that was missing, just as Heynecke has been saying all along.
The thing where Meyer has been wrong all along, in particular with players like Morne Steyn and Ruan Pienaar is that you cannot “coach” them into form at test level. You need to pick the right players for the job and get them to implement the game plan accordingly.
Ruan has been stuffing around behind the scrum and killing any quick ruck ball for years now, and he cannot box kick with the necessary accuracy.
Morne is an attacking liability and has a very mediocre test kicking record away from home. Always has.
This info was all plain and obvious for all to see and yet Heynecke didn’t seem to spot it.
And that worries me.
17 Sep 2012, 08:35 am
@NZINCHINA-52: What is 14 straight?
17 Sep 2012, 08:38 am
RL we’ll never accept that like you’re not accepting losing regularly.
17 Sep 2012, 08:39 am
Test wins.
17 Sep 2012, 08:39 am
Morning Kiwi-friends.
Well done on closing out the game on Saturday. As well as the Boks played, I never had the sense that they believed they should win, especially when the shoulders kept dropping with every missed kick.
If we took the kicks and went 12-3 ahead, maybe then we would have believed something else, but I also think we would have gone into our shells trying to protect the lead.
For the Kiwi’s – Smith is a good number 9, and ignited the backs when he came on. Dagg was also awesome. I think your best contributor was Greyling followed by Morne Steyn.
As for McCaw – the man is awesome. If we had a player who could get away with what he does, I assure you, we would be full of praise, and not call him McCheat, but alas, we will continue to bait Richie “Maradonna” McCaw out of pure jealousy.
Now for the Boks – well done to the tight 5, best game so far, and from Jannie DuP as well. Flip had his best game in a bok jersey, and I must give G10 and some of the Stormers fans my apologies, I never really believed in F Louw & D Vermulen till Saturday. They added a balance that has been missing from the Bok loosies. For once in a long time, I saw the Bok loosies put pressure on the opposition.
I just feel that our backs are stuck in a rut with zero confidence. It starts at 9 & 10.
9 – forced to kick which is not natural
10 – who knows whats wrong with him
Everything outside these 2 makes little difference when the rest of the team are getting such kak ball.
HM – At least you are learning & apologising. More than any bok coach before you. Maybe, just maybe we have some gold lining on the dark cloud above us at the moment.
17 Sep 2012, 08:40 am
@RL-54:
If thats the case and our forwards get bullied regularly then we will have to improve and rectify the problem. The one thing Nz teams including the Abs have prided themselves on is their ability to win under immense pressure (territorially…possession wise) usually through their skill level.
17 Sep 2012, 08:43 am
@Sasuke-56: wins
@NZINCHINA-57: not accepting it is one thing – doing something about it is different. If Meyer selects right he will bully you – I do not see new Thorne and McCaw type players coming through that will stop him.
17 Sep 2012, 08:45 am
Well finally now we can see some change although I argee , with the way HM played Goosen.
We had an old rule that if a player missed 3 kicks someone else should take over , …
I would like to see Hougie at 9 with Goosen at 10
Ckikko will stay cause of quota system…
Unless you pick Jantjies at 10 with Lambie at 15.
Forwards was OK , I still don’t understand Liebenberg there, Dean Disgrace, Vermeulen was better but no X factor.
17 Sep 2012, 08:46 am
@stormersboy-55:
Look it’s probably natural to start you tenure off with what is familiar to you.
The acid test now is to show some flexibility and do what needs to be done.
Out
Pienaar
Steyn
Kirchner
In
Hougaard
Goosen
Taute
17 Sep 2012, 08:47 am
RL talks cheap buddy you’re light years away from emulating our performance, a 10 point loss and the Bokke are going to be worldbeaters like the AB’s please.
17 Sep 2012, 08:49 am
@BULLET-59:
Kind words friend…..I think you covered most bases. The sleeping giant that is Bok rugby starting to awaken….interesting times ahead….If Meyer makes the right decisions then I maybe worried.
17 Sep 2012, 08:50 am
@gunther-63: Ja i get that and as you know Ive been a fan of Morne for a long time but even I could see the wood for the trees there.
But ja, hopefully we’ll get a better balance now.
I think he’ll play Lambie at 15.
I’d also play Vermaak at 9, I rate the guy.
17 Sep 2012, 08:51 am
Everybody love the hit Read put on Vermulen – welcome to test rugby mutha sucker
17 Sep 2012, 08:53 am
@nzincina. ABs are up there mate, no denying that but when you’ve won a World cup on foreign soil, then you can say you’ve been the best in the world ever! You just carry on thinking it if it makes you feel better. What goes around comes around, enjoy being at the top while it lasts, and don’t forget to come back for more discussion when things are not going that well anymore!!
17 Sep 2012, 08:53 am
Still we have ABSOLUTELY no threat from the Bok backline .. Habana s try was pure individualism ….. do the Bok backs even practise backline moves ?
17 Sep 2012, 08:54 am
@stormersboy-66: I don’t understand the point of taking Vermaak, as well as the hooker from Sharkies on tour if they never play?
I think the Bulls need Vermaak desperatly.
17 Sep 2012, 08:55 am
@stew-69: Only team in SA at moment is Lions that plays with backline and looks as if they actually practise it.
17 Sep 2012, 08:55 am
@NZINCHINA-64: I’m willing to bet that the Boks will stop the Blacks streak on 15.
17 Sep 2012, 08:57 am
@RL-54: heyneke was only the Bok forward coach at the ’99 world cup and not before that…he wasn’t part of the set up that equalled the record number of wins…
17 Sep 2012, 08:58 am
@capebull-70: the smurfs will be relegated.
17 Sep 2012, 08:58 am
@ruggajunkie-68:
So with your line of logic…the Aussies must be the best/greatest ever cause they’ve won two WC’s abroad?
17 Sep 2012, 09:02 am
@capebull-70: Ja, it’s become standard practice to tour with 3 hookers and Scrummies.
For my money Vermaak should have been given more playing time. He is a very exciting player. Always was.
17 Sep 2012, 09:02 am
@Te Rangatira-75: Those aussie teams were not bad though !
17 Sep 2012, 09:02 am
@NZINCHINA-58: oh thanks. will be broken at soccer city
17 Sep 2012, 09:03 am
Hope HM will have the guts to drop the players who didi not perform. To many players in the backline seem to be going through the motions, banking their match fee’s, and not playing with passion. I wonder when the team is going to get a new captain, how many more bad games from him will HM accept? plays better when not captain… He should of been able to influence the backline during the match.
17 Sep 2012, 09:05 am
@capebull-70: 5th aug 2012
Asked about the reason for selecting three scrumhalves in his 30-man squad, Meyer said it was such a specialist position that he needed the extra back-up.
“It is always a tough one,” he said, adding: “If you select 30 players you want to go with two full squads, especially for training purposes, but hooker and scrumhalf are such specialist positions.
“We have only been together for three weeks.
“No.9 and hooker are the players that touches the ball the most and they are still finding their feet in terms of the game plan.
“You don’t want to get into a situation where your No.9 and hooker are on the bench, then he goes from Currie Cup rugby straight into starting a Test. We want to keep those guys in the mix [at the Bok team].
“We want to keep them up to date with the gameplan
“It is tough for two other players, who can’t make the squad. However, it is important to have continuity with your No.9 and hooker.”
17 Sep 2012, 09:08 am
@stew-77:
No…not bad at all when you look at their 9/10 axis….Nick Farr Jones/ Micheal Lynagh…..George Gregan/ Stephen Larkham you can see why they were so good.
17 Sep 2012, 09:10 am
Ruggajunkie the AB’s are right up there, how kind of you.
17 Sep 2012, 09:11 am
The hookers in the squad should spend more time getting their timing right in the line outs, or just learn the calls! Only got better when Bekker came on, is that because he is so good he can cover up their bad throw in’s?
17 Sep 2012, 09:12 am
Greyling needs body guards when he lands at OR Tambo.
That hit on McCaw was similar to Piet Van Zyl’s hit on Dave McHugh.
In the words of Whitney Houston “Its not right, but its okay”
17 Sep 2012, 09:14 am
@RL-72:
History suggests that would be a good bet.
Every long the AB’s have ever strung together has been stopped by the Bokke.
17 Sep 2012, 09:16 am
@Jeraldjay-84:
Well all we can hope for SA rugby is there isn’t a large group of “supporters” that pitch up to lionise the tool.
17 Sep 2012, 09:16 am
RL good for you buddy put the house on it if you’re so confident, you’ll be playing the RC champions.
17 Sep 2012, 09:17 am
@Transformation-73: who was the forward coach then if not Heineken?
17 Sep 2012, 09:21 am
@NZINCHINA-87:
Looking for a brawl again?
17 Sep 2012, 09:21 am
@ruggajunkie-68:
I have never rated the RWC as the yardstick of what makes a team the best on the planet.
NZ were lucky in 2011, SA were lucky in 2007.
17 Sep 2012, 09:24 am
@stew-67: good hit but after his relatively anonymous showing against the Wallabies I think Vermuelen was the best No.8 of the two at the weekend
17 Sep 2012, 09:25 am
i don’t get this trepidation to play johan, how many caps did morne steyn have when pdv chucked him in at Loftus vs the B&I Lions with the team losing and ruan (whose play was fine) kicking rubbish?
pdv again, chucked morne in at half-time in bloem against the all blacks when ruan had kicked 1 out of 4 in the 1st half and he’s been there eversince.
heyneke dropped the ball on saturday!
17 Sep 2012, 09:28 am
@Brads-86:
I can forgive Greyling for the hit on McCaw even the 10min in the bin but not for dropping the ball 3 metre’s from the tryline.
At that stage (18-11) a converted try would have drawn the game.
17 Sep 2012, 09:29 am
Dawn to a man they’re all certain they are going to win at Soccer city now after a 10 point loss, its very amusing.
17 Sep 2012, 09:29 am
@Transformation-92: I think its more than just that, if HM picks Goosen and tells him to play like Morne , we have gained nothing.
If HM is ready to change his game , then pick Hougie and Goose
17 Sep 2012, 09:31 am
Jerald thats great when one of your players is attacked with a flying elbow to the face we can all have a good laugh about it together.
17 Sep 2012, 09:31 am
I haven’t posted these past couple of days as some of the abuse from so called supporters resembels hate speech and is totally over the top.
nonetheless, personally that 16 all draw in Mendoza is not looking like a bad result. I definately fancy the argies comfortably against the ozzies and the kiwis will need to play out of their skin. Does anyone know where the games are also being played, in mendoza? the antipodeans will be in trouble as they will not be able to get any width on the ball and the argy midfield defence looks tiptop.
which basically leaves the boks needing bonus point wins at altitude I think.
For me, that lost bonus point on the weekend might really be what has cost us.
but if anyone really believes that the kiwis and ozzies are going to win in SA, I’m sorry but you are watching a different game to me. The Ozzies will get in big troubleand if things go our way in the Argy vs Kiwi game will leave the Kiwis travelling to Joburg.
The situation will arise which leaves the Boks a bonus point win against the kiwis without conceding a bonus point…..or points difference to make up.
And if there was ever a coach that sent a team out onto the paddock to drill a new arsehole on home soil, it is heyneke meyer.
17 Sep 2012, 09:32 am
@Brads-90: it’s the only time where games are played with teams at full-strength and on neutral territory (host aside) that all teams build towards for 4 years
17 Sep 2012, 09:34 am
@Transformation-92:
What was the reason for taking Beast off?
Our scrums surprisingly was on par at that stage (58mins) and Beast didn’t look tired and he wasn’t injured.
Quite bizarre.
17 Sep 2012, 09:34 am
@Jeraldjay-93:
Sorry, but that is the kakest notion imaginable.
You can forgive thuggery but not piss poor handling skills.
You must hate most of the team.
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