Meyer welcomes expansive assault
26 Sep 2012
Heyneke Meyer predicts Australia will try to run the Springboks off their feet but was bullish about their ability to exploit such a tactic.
During Meyer’s tenure with the Bulls teams often looked to employ this approach against them. Their opponents gained some purchase from it initially, but Meyer would later condition his team so well and ensure they were so familiar with the defensive structure that they were able to negotiate it competently and consistently.
Indeed the Bulls’ Super Rugby championship winning sides of 2007, 2009 and 2010 mastered the art of pressure defence which generated turnovers, and scored many of their tries in this fashion. Meyer wants this to be the blueprint for the Test at Loftus on Saturday.
‘If you look at previous games on the Highveld, Australia have opened the game up from the start and I can’t see them changing,’ Meyer said. ‘They’ll look to keep the ball in hand and we’re expecting them to start with Kurtley Beale at flyhalf to helped move us around in the hope we’ll tire. I like that because it gives us a chance to isolate them and get turnovers, which is a great platform to score tries from.’
With defences of the elite Test teams so well organised and so accurate in their execution, turnovers are like gold. It allows the team that effects the steal to attack an unset defensive line.
The Springboks’ success in this regard will hinge largely on their ability to dominate the gainline. They must build on their defensive performance from Dunedin against the All Blacks in this regard. There they forced the world champions to take risks they usually wouldn’t as a result of the pressure created by their impressive tackle fight.
However, while any victory will be built on their defensive potency, their attack needs to exhibit a greater level of precision, innovation and punch. Meyer explained there would not be wholesale changes to their approach but was confident that they would improve their attack.
‘There have been slight changes week to week. I’ve coached a lot of teams that have struggled overseas and then suddenly scored lots of tries once home, particularly on the Highveld,’ he said. ‘I can’t explain that fully beyond saying that they feel more comfortable and want to win badly for their home crowd.
‘We want the guys to score tries and express themselves, so hopefully the subtle changes we’ve implemented click into place. We had enough opportunities to score tries overseas but didn’t finish well. We must do that because the more we score the more the pressure build on the opponents and the more chances we get as a result. I’ve got a good feeling about this team and believe we will play some good rugby on Saturday.’
Meyer concluded by reiterating his stance on the Springboks not dropping points at home. ‘Every team struggles away from home and we’ve played three away against tough opponents. I’m not making any promises but winning at home for me is a non-negotiable, even though we have a relatively inexperienced team.’
By Ryan Vrede, in Johannesburg
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16 Comments
26 Sep 2012, 14:58 pm
And ausies expect a kicking onslaught from us… So guess we will wait and see which game plan will reign supreme
26 Sep 2012, 14:59 pm
Dragons harking back to the old days…
26 Sep 2012, 15:03 pm
The rules have changed since HM’s Bulls kick and chase game worked so well. The tackler has to let the ball player (ie, catcher) go now – let them play the ball. All those penalties gained by wrapping up the catcher are not there now.
This Boere needs to make a different plan.
26 Sep 2012, 16:02 pm
@BillTong-3: Louw is a master of arriving second to poach the ball as it is being released.
26 Sep 2012, 16:05 pm
Let us be clear here – this Aussie team is without most of their star players (Moore, Horwell, Pocock, Genia, Cooper, O’ Connor, Mitchell). We should murder them any where, any time no matter what game plan they deploy – ESPECIALLY when facing them in SA on the highveld. Even with Morne playing and slotting 20% we should still take it. There canm be no excuses come Sunday if we don’t have the win under the belt.
26 Sep 2012, 16:26 pm
It makes sense trying to isolate the attacking team’s runners and getting the turnovers. Flo and Duane can be effective there. It also explains the conservative attacking approach Meyer has – limiting turnovers for the Boks. I hope however to see a more attacking game when opportunities present themselves. Watching some CC games recently there is much more space than internationals and I really hope the likes of Jantjies and Taute and even Goosen can step up to the plate. Taute looks OK in CC but the lad is big and lumbering and does not have the skills of a SBW also not that quick but he has potential.
26 Sep 2012, 17:39 pm
The Springboks should be heavy favourites for this one. I expect nothing less than a win on Saturday and to deny the Aussies a bonus point.
26 Sep 2012, 17:47 pm
The Boks have 6 players 21 or younger… Not bad I’d say
26 Sep 2012, 19:48 pm
‘ I like that because it gives us a chance to isolate them and get turnovers, which is a great platform to score tries from.’
Ehm obviously Heineke didn’t watch the tape back from the game against the All Blacks.. We’ll isolate them, our forwards will destroy them and when we get the turnover we’ll kick the ball back to them..
26 Sep 2012, 21:38 pm
@tuffa-9: WOW you have hit the nail right on the head – outstanding analysis my man – take a bow, HM’s tactics wont change even with a new No.10, it will be same old same old – kick the ball and keep on kicking the ball, I still back the Aussies to win this, they have far too much nous for SA who are just about as pedantic in their approach to rugby as were dinosaurs were in the Jurassic age, why would it change, the Boks only know one model of play, anyway it will be good to watch, just watch out for the Aussies though, they are like scorpions, smaller than the Boks overall but man do they have a sting in their tail…..go Aussie!!!
26 Sep 2012, 21:43 pm
@BillTong-3: Cant believe it, 2 saffas who have a good grasp of the intracacies of the game of rugby, you have hit this one right on as well my man – I cant see the Boks trying to get turnover ball after the tackle because the tackler (as I have seen in their games) wont let the player go, guess what PENALTY….and I agree with other comments about how HM and his Bulls side worked their wins in the S12/14 but that game plan wont work anymore and if he thinks it will – well bye bye SA…time to head North to play in the 6 Nations…you would have a better chance of winning there than in the Rugby Championship….go Aussie
26 Sep 2012, 22:10 pm
@JohnPierre-11: Lets say if the Boks win by more than 30 you may never comment on this site again. Deal?
27 Sep 2012, 01:30 am
@JohnPierre-11:
Who said I’m a Saffa JP???
27 Sep 2012, 05:53 am
Young Goosen has a sh it pile of presure on his shoulders, hope he can handle it………
I think the Boks will take this!
JohnPierre, stick you warped opinion and your anti saffa sarcasm up your ar se, for all the so called jurasic approach of the Boks they still could have beaten the AB’s if they had kicked their penalties, so all things being equal the outdated gameplan was on a par with the so called all embracing wonderful AB’s gameplan. Boks just missed their kicks!!
I don’t agree with the kick and jag gameplan, but just saying…………..
27 Sep 2012, 09:55 am
JohnPierre – Listen frogoz, most teams use the up and under at some stage and HM likes to use it.
Problem is M Steyn, in the last game, got himself into an attaking position in the oppo’s 22 and didn’t know what to do with the ball, he then decided to hoof it up, when even the Kiwi comentators said something was on for the Bok backline!!
I believe it was that bad decision that forced HM to drop him!!! Even HM would have expected M Steyn to have ran the ball then.
27 Sep 2012, 17:24 pm
“Indeed the Bulls’ Super Rugby championship winning sides of 2007, 2009 and 2010 mastered the art of pressure defence which generated turnovers”…
Chrissakes 2010 is now nearly 3 rugby seasons ago… Fark this for a ballofshit…
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