Meyer must invest in Louw
18 Sep 2012
JON CARDINELLI writes the past two Tests have shown why South Africa needs a loose forward all-rounder like Francois Louw in the starting mix.
What do Louw, Richie McCaw and David Pocock all have in common? The answer is: Not one thing, but many.
They may differ in terms of the level of competency across the various facets of forward play, but the common denominator is that all three men are not out-and-out specialists. They’re not limited to a ball-stealing or ball-slowing role at the breakdown.
Forget the tag of fetcher, it’s a label that’s far too simplified. A modern-day openside must possess the necessary size and skill to be a good lineout option, ball-carrier, and momentum-stalling defender. Above and beyond that, he should have the ability to manipulate the flow of the game through his exploits at the breakdown.
Louw meets Heyneke Meyer’s loose forward criteria in that he is a ‘momentum gatherer as well as a momentum-stopper’. Meyer spoke of these criteria during the England series, but where the Bok coach got it wrong was in his back-row selections for those three Tests and much of the Rugby Championship.
Between Marcell Coetzee, Willem Alberts, Jacques Potgieter and Pierre Spies, there was not one player capable of playing that fetcher’s role, and thus there was no balance in the Boks’ approach. The absence of such a specialised skill was later exposed in games against Argentina and Australia.
Having a player like Louw in the starting line-up gives the Boks more options. He has the ability to play to the ball, and also meets Meyer’s criteria of what’s required of a Test loose forward. This was clear in last week’s Test in Dunedin, where Louw carried and defended powerfully, but also added that X-factor element at the breakdown.
Louw has long been considered an excellent fetcher, his performance in the 2010 Super 14 leading to his first Test cap. As the laws have changed and the responsibilities of an openside have changed, Louw has been forced to improve his game in other aspects of forward play. Louw can offer more than an out-and-out breakdown specialist like Heinrich Brüssow as a ball-carrier, physical defender, and lineout option.
In short, he’s the kind of player you need if you hope to enjoy sustained success against the All Blacks and Wallabies.
It took a string of loose-forward injuries for Louw to receive this opportunity, as Meyer has been reluctant to field players who are competing in overseas competitions. However, it has become increasingly evident over the past two years that there is no South African openside based locally or abroad that is in the same hybrid category.
The All Blacks have McCaw and the Wallabies have Pocock. Coaches build game plans around these players. It is something for Meyer to consider as he reassesses his playing strategy ahead of the home leg of the Rugby Championship, and the end-of-year tour.
It was unfair to expect great Test performances from Louw in Perth and Dunedin considering the last time he was involved was at the 2011 World Cup. And yet, the 27-year-old delivered when he started against the All Blacks. With more time to settle, with Meyer’s backing and assurance that he is more than just a stop-gap measure, Louw could become an important and game-shaping member of the Bok side.
I’m not suggesting that Meyer should completely dispense with promising youngsters like Coetzee. The 21-year-old flanker has impressed as an individual this season but that Bok back row has lacked balance whenever he has started.
There may come a time when Coetzee is ready to play a hybrid role and when he has fully developed the skill-set to do so, but at this point Louw is the complete package and must be backed.
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331 Comments
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18 Sep 2012, 12:04 pm
@fitz1ella-195: as usual you talk out your bum.
he went to greenside.
from wiki:
“Small attended Risidale Primary School and Greenside High School in Johannesburg, South Africa.”
wake up.
18 Sep 2012, 12:04 pm
@katman-199: this little weasel will kick that fuckup boerbefokte moronic snot nosed snout of yours straight through the back of your fuckup half boer half english dumbfck head. When do we set up that little tete tete big fat disgruntled boertjie befokte clown?
18 Sep 2012, 12:06 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-196: You make sense …
18 Sep 2012, 12:06 pm
@fitz1ella-202:
you have a problem with katman speaking engels?
you are such an angry man lol.
18 Sep 2012, 12:07 pm
@UptheGuts-178: Look we must be philosopical here and be aware that he knows a lot that we don’t…there must be a reason for him doing what he is doing. I personally don;t agree with some of his decisions but I do have confidence that he will grow into a really good coach. I think a lot of this has to do with the fact that he inherited a new team who had a very confused game plan under PDivvy, for my money we need to grant him some time to build a great team with the proper game plan. That said if he does not cut the mustard he must be replaced
18 Sep 2012, 12:08 pm
@katman-180: No not Casper, altough he has a great work rate his defence is suspect. Now if you managed to put Tjokkie into a 15 jersey, then we would be interested!
18 Sep 2012, 12:10 pm
@fitz1ella-202: I tried to set up a rugby date, remember, but you got all coy and chickened out. Looks like you start the week off brave and get more and more wimpish as the weekend draws near.
18 Sep 2012, 12:11 pm
@fitz1ella-197: Sorry my man but Katman owned you there.
18 Sep 2012, 12:14 pm
@Skeppie-206: Casper wasn’t actual a real selection. I just used a silly name to prove a point.
The guy we have planned for fullback is Nathaniel. Hands off.
18 Sep 2012, 12:14 pm
Australia flyhalf Quade Cooper needs more surgery on the same knee he injured at last year’s World Cup and has been ruled out of the rest of the Castle Rugby Championship.
The Australian Rugby Union says scans in Brisbane on Tuesday showed a small chip of cartilage in Cooper’s right knee and the playmaker would need an operation “to clean up” the problem.
Having only recently returned for the Wallabies, Cooper will miss Australia’s final two games of the southern hemisphere competition, at South Africa on September 29 and Argentina the following weekend.
The ARU says Cooper’s injury is not long term and he may be available for the end-of-year tour to Europe. Australia will name a 28-man squad for the matches against the
18 Sep 2012, 12:15 pm
‘casper de vries’
konnichiwa almal dis ek, casper de vries… :lol;
18 Sep 2012, 12:17 pm
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-211: Jy behoort te weet. Wanneer kom die Steve Hofmeyr roasting op Comedy central op DSTV?
18 Sep 2012, 12:17 pm
francois louw highlights
http://vimeo.com/38907656
18 Sep 2012, 12:18 pm
See 5 players have been released for CC duty this weekend. And Pat Lambie is still kept by Meyer???? He needs game time I think. OR does Meyer value players rather training with the squad or what? Or are these players actually released for the rest of the RC. So it looks to me as if Lambie will still be selected and still on the bench.
Here is part of the article from SuperSport.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
Five Boks released for Currie Cup duty
——————————————————————————–
18 September 2012, 11:50
Five members of the Springbok squad that returned from New Zealand on Monday have been released to their provinces to play in the Absa Currie Cup this weekend.
The released players were all part of the 28-man squad that played Australia and New Zealand on consecutive weekends in The Castle Rugby Championship, but were not part of the match 22 that faced the All Blacks in Dunedin on Saturday.
They are Craig Burden (The Sharks), Frans Malherbe (DHL Western Province), Jacques Potgieter (Vodacom Blue Bulls), Jano Vermaak (Vodacom Blue Bulls) and Lwazi Mvovo (The Sharks).
The sixth player that was not part of the match 22 in Dunedin, Pat Cilliers (MTN Golden Lions), is currently injured and not available for selection this weekend.
A Springbok squad of 30 players for the final two tests in The Castle Rugby Championship – on September 29 against Australia at Loftus Versfeld and on October 6 against New Zealand at Soccer City – will be announced at the conclusion of round seven of the Absa Currie Cup Premier Division on Saturday evening.
18 Sep 2012, 12:19 pm
@katman-207:
No I said come try your luck and stick your overrated snout here and you won’t get through the front door.. you welcome fuckface anytime it so enthuses you to come try your luck.. where were you on D day when you so enthusiastically consented to come teach me what’s what around this boerbefokte game you think you such a fundi of ? Little fuckwit runtcunt.. come try your luck .. we see who the clever little dickiebird piece of boer befokte garbage is then.
@Skeppie-208: believe whatever you will about who owns who.. this little piece of self aggrandized little scumbag needs his arse whipped straight through his snotty nosed snout.. and I be quite happy to do him that favor and fix his little runtcunt over aggrandized brain up for him good.
18 Sep 2012, 12:20 pm
@katman-209: Oh I see….I thought you were using actual names. Ok with you now. And I/we agree, we will not poach Nathaniel (I don;t think he will do well in the Durban humidity anyway) but should you ever consider Roepman for the jersey we will make a bid.
18 Sep 2012, 12:21 pm
@Puma-214: So looking at those players released to their franchise, it seems as if they will not be needed for the RC. Well it seems that way to me.
So with Mvovo back will JPP be ready? Hoping JPP will be ready. Think they said it will be 8 weeks until he plays after his thumb op. He has been out 7 weeks so far.
18 Sep 2012, 12:21 pm
@fitz1ella-215: no, thats not true.
you initially said katman must come join yoou.
then you said you would never meet him as he didnt deserve a place at your table.
you seem a bit confused.
have a lie down, the zimbos can do the plastering.
18 Sep 2012, 12:22 pm
@fitz1ella-215: But that is why he owns you…..the red mist descends pretty quickly with you.
18 Sep 2012, 12:23 pm
Would have been great to have Pat play fh for the Sharks this weekend against the Lions. What a match up it would have been with Elton on for Lions and Pat for Sharks.
18 Sep 2012, 12:24 pm
@Skeppie-219:
i blame it on the broccoli.
18 Sep 2012, 12:25 pm
@rangerman-218: go read what I said.. you little bumchun made the overtures.. I said he’s welcome to come try his luck but he won’t get through the front door..
I then told somebody else I have no inclination affording him an audience in order for him to try and work out his own inadequacies at my expense.. but if he reckons I chickened out let him come show his little runtcunt boertjie face and we see who’s the big bok halfwit half engels non enlightened little boertjie then.
18 Sep 2012, 12:25 pm
@Puma-220: that would have been great indeed puma.
18 Sep 2012, 12:26 pm
@fitz1ella-215: You don’t like boere? Is that not xenophobic? What if people started treating your people like lepers? Oh that’s right, they do. My bad.
18 Sep 2012, 12:27 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-212:
jammer, ek weet nie.
18 Sep 2012, 12:28 pm
@Skeppie-216: Good call. Roepman has a massive boot. He can fit a small bar fridge in there plus the weekend’s grass cuttings.
18 Sep 2012, 12:29 pm
@UptheGuts-200: Well I agree, SARU ‘dropped the ball’ in that respect. In fairness to Morne Steyn it was not him who mentioned the ball.
18 Sep 2012, 12:29 pm
@rangerman-223: Would have. Meyer has kept him with the Bok squad though, he is not released for CC. Strange as he has not had any game time with Boks. Only 15min. Thought a CC game would do him more good than not.
Now if he is selected again for Boks hope he gets more than bloody 5min. Just can’t understand only giving him so little time. Give the youngster 25min at least.
18 Sep 2012, 12:31 pm
@Puma-217: I think I heard this morning that JP will be back in about 2 weeks’ time. I also feel that Lambie should have been released to play for the Sharks this weekend: he only had about 15 minutes out of a potential 320 – ridiculous !! Like I said on another thread it seems that Zane will start again next week: HM defended him and said he was steady and played well !! (LMAO)
18 Sep 2012, 12:31 pm
lmao
you’re a chop katters
18 Sep 2012, 12:36 pm
@CharlesM-229: Well if we had Pat back he would play fh for the full 80min this week. Pity. I hope he now can get more game time with the Boks. It is absolutely rediculous leaving him on the bench like that for almost the full 3 games. Only getting 15min. He would make a difference with Goosen as well. Not sure why he keeps selecting Zane. Zane was okay last week, there was nothing special at all. Pat would have added more. Anyhow we see after this weekend. Now if he does not make the Bok squad or the bench I will be angry, as we at the Sharks need him for this Lions game.
18 Sep 2012, 12:36 pm
@CharlesM-229:
If Zane backed himself just a tiny bit he would have score in the 5th minute. The pass to Habana wasn’t necessary.
18 Sep 2012, 12:38 pm
@CharlesM-229: So that means JPP could be back for the Oz test. Well if he is he will probably come from the bench. Seeing he has not played for 8 weeks. Such a pity he broke his thumb, was in brilliant form. Was our best wing this year. Awesome player.
18 Sep 2012, 12:42 pm
@fitz1ella-222:
my little bumchum.
you sound like a 12 year old, just talk rugby like a normal person and you will be fine.
surely the watchatutus told you that what you put out into the universe is what you get back?
18 Sep 2012, 12:43 pm
@Skeppie-205: No arguments here he knows a lot than we do. All the more perplexing his squad, persistent ly daft selections and continuedly horrid gameplan. To me this looks awfully like the same confused gameplan as PdV’s, as you say. Or the one Matfield and co demanded we play. I looked forward to this year with alot of enthusiam. Finaly a coach everyone said was up to scratch and more. Doubt settled in with his very first act as coach when he announced his squad. From there it just went from bad to worse. A couple of things has happened since then that has cause for some relief, but his comments in the media have me worried. A boon for him is wanting Goosen and Vermeulen from the get go and bringing in Flo. Picking the right players is the lesser of my worries tho. Having our players run smackbang into the defensive line before kicking yet another high one, the biggest. But I live in hope. About the only thing to keep a Bok supporter sane.
18 Sep 2012, 12:45 pm
Lol I see Katman handing Skop his lunch as usual
Nothing quite as intimidating as an enfuriated geriatric vegan
18 Sep 2012, 12:45 pm
@Puma-231: I agree. Zane will always be okay but seldom excellent !! No X-factor / game-breaking skills@Jeraldjay-232: Yes I think so too !@Puma-233: I don’t know if he’ll be picked. We missed him a lot as well – he was in great form before the injury
18 Sep 2012, 12:46 pm
@Atreides-236:
18 Sep 2012, 12:46 pm
@rangerman-234: Take it easy on the old fella. One day we too will be put out to pasture by society. We’ll be left barking at strangers in the supermarket, dazed and confused at pedestrian crossings and hiding our own Easter eggs year in and year out.
18 Sep 2012, 12:47 pm
@katman-239:
man if i ever end up like that i hope i am euthanased.
18 Sep 2012, 12:48 pm
@Puma-228: I think Meyers worried Lambie might do something that will show everyone what an idiot hes being. Same goes for Jantjies
18 Sep 2012, 12:49 pm
@UptheGuts-235: I agree with you 100%. I also think circumstances have played a part. He lost a lot of players and had a young team, maybe he has felt they need a lot of structure to help them into test rugby. I think he want’s Goosen at 10 but does not want to rush him (which I agree with) with a quality 10 maybe then he beleives he can play a more posession based game.
18 Sep 2012, 12:49 pm
@katman-239: Leave me on the ice for the polar bears, thanks.
Who the hell wants to hang about for years in nappies, talking weird and annoying your relatives? (or in Skop’s case, everybody…)
18 Sep 2012, 12:50 pm
@rangerman-240: Once you end up like that it’s too late. You’ll genuinely believe you’re still the bee’s knees. Cranky old folk are as oblivious as one can be.
18 Sep 2012, 12:52 pm
@Atreides-243: If we held everyone to their midlife promises and requests, we’d have about twenty old people left.
18 Sep 2012, 12:54 pm
@katman-244: haha, thats scary.
i seriously think snoeky likes to wind people up and he can be lucid when he wants to be.
but he craves attention like a crack addict and so he makes the most outrageous statements and changes like the wind.
its all quite amusing really.
18 Sep 2012, 12:56 pm
@Bok fan-241: For sure. Just can’t understand playing Zane for almost 80min when you have a talent like that on the bench. Mind boggles. Now the youngster can’t be game fit at all.
Meyer could be waiting for a player of his choice and if he plays Lambie and he has a blinder he probably might not be able to drop him. That is the only thing I can think of. He might be waiting for Taute to give him game time in the Oz test who knows. BUT when you don’t have your preferred choice there and the player you have starting is not as good as the one you DO have on the bench, why not play that player on the bench then? Lambie was superb in the England test where we played our best rugby to date.
18 Sep 2012, 13:00 pm
@Atreides-243:
“Who the hell wants to hang about for years in nappies, talking weird”………………………………………………………………………..
.
.
.
What………………………… you would rather be shagged silly by a polar bear?.
.
.
Then watch as it slashed you guts open and ate your inner intestine while you observed the natural wonders of the natural world.
Yeah right..
18 Sep 2012, 13:01 pm
for some reason i cannot scroll past the poll section of the page without a pause.
must be something subliminal going on there.
18 Sep 2012, 13:02 pm
@cane-248: So now you’re a polar bear expert too. Is there anything you don’t know?
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