Goosen’s time comes
26 Sep 2012
Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer has selected Johan Goosen at flyhalf for the Rugby Championship Test against the Wallabies on Saturday.
Keo.co.za reported yesterday that Goosen would start but Meyer surprised by completely omitting Steyn from his 22, selecting the uncapped Elton Janjties as pivot cover.
Asked about his decision to leave Steyn out, Meyer said: ‘This was very difficult, but I looked at what the team needed first and then at the impact on the individual. At Loftus, where he has played well, it is a big call. But he accepted it graciously. I feel it is in his best interest that he doesn’t play. He’ll fight back.’
Meyer said he had contemplated including Steyn’s on the bench but was dissuaded from this course of action because of the potential to expose an already under pressure player. ‘It isn’t going to help him to bring him on with 20 minutes and he ends up having to kick the game-winning or game-losing goal. I either back him 100% or not. That’s the decision I had to take,’ Meyer said.
Meyer also dispelled the perception that Goosen’s natural attacking instinct would be reigned in to come in line with a game plan that is widely perceived as conservative. He explained that a sharp assessment of the state of the defensive line was key in determining what action to take.
‘There’s a misconception that Goosen must fit into a rigid structure. He has the freedom to play the situation as he sees it,’ he said. ‘But this is not Currie Cup rugby where you have space and time. I’ve said to him to go out and express himself, that’s why I picked him. He must determine when it is on to go wide or take the safer option.’
He added: ‘People have to be realistic though, you can’t expect a 20-year-old to win the game on his own.’
Elsewhere Frans Steyn (who’s struggling with an ankle injury) is bracketed with Jaco Taute in the midfield. The Lions youngster will make his debut in the No 13 jersey if Frans Steyn fails to recover, with skipper Jean de Villiers taking over at inside centre.
‘I want two experienced guys on either side of Johan. Jaco was very good at 13 in Super Rugby,’ Meyer said in explaining this move.
The medical staff were highly optimistic about Steyn’s availability on Tuesday evening but he rolled the same ankle in Wednesday’s training session. A call on his availability will be made after the captain’s practice on Friday afternoon.
In other changes Andries Bekker and Eben Etzebeth unseat Juandre Kruger and Flip van der Merwe in the second row. ‘There is great competition at lock now,’ Meyer said. ‘Flip played his best Test ever against the All Blacks and Juandre was very good as well.
‘It was a horses for courses change there. Australia are very good at lineout time and we want to exert pressure on them there. I feel that Eben, Andries and Duane is a good combination to achieve that, as well as a little more mobile which is crucial as Australia will play expansively. Also Andries is a little more experienced and in 50-50 calls like this I always go with the more experienced guy.
Probed on why Taute had leapfrogged Juan de Jongh in the pecking order, Meyer said: ‘Jaco would have been in the squad earlier had he not been injured. He is 106kg and runs the 100m in 10.7. So I looked at the way Australia defend and thought we could exploit that [better with Taute]. I can’t elaborate on that because we’re talking game plan then. It’s a tough call on Juan.’
Coenie Oosthuizen comes onto the bench after a neck injury in the only other change to the bench.
Springboks – 15 Zane Kirchner, 14 Bryan Habana, 13 Jean de Villiers, 12 Frans Steyn/Jaco Taute, 11 Francois Hougaard, 10 Johan Goosen, 9 Ruan Pienaar, 8 Duane Vermuelen, 7 Willem Alberts, 6 Francois Louw, 5 Andries Bekker, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 Adriaan Strauss, 1 Beast Mtawarira.
Subs: 16 Tiaan Liebenberg, 17 Coenie Oosthuizen, 18 Flip van der Merwe, 19 Marcel Coetzee, 20 Elton Jantjies, 21 Jaco Taute/Juan de Jongh, 22 Pat Lambie.
By Ryan Vrede, in Johannesburg
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582 Comments
Pages: « 1 … 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 [11] 12 » Show All
26 Sep 2012, 19:11 pm
@Jinx2-473:
Agree.
Meyer speaks with a forked tongue.
@shooter-487:
So, there was no SH to defend. Let’s blame Ruan then as the main culprit or did he form part of the ruck.
Where should the FH have taken up his defensive position in your opinion?
26 Sep 2012, 19:15 pm
@RL-500: I certainly hope that is not Meyer’s strategy. Jake White was in a completely different scenario and was fortunate to be Bok coach in an era that included Bakkies Botha, Victor Matfield, Jacques Fourie and Fourie du Preez.
Also the emergence of in form JP Pietersen, Francois Steyn, Jean De Villiers and Bryan Habana.
If Heyneke is closing his eyes hoping that a new Bakkies, Victor etc. are going to come around, hoping that another Os Du Randt and John Smit will peel from the woodwork as experienced players coming into the best form of their lives – he is in trouble already in my opinion.
26 Sep 2012, 19:15 pm
@Dusky-499: no it is for real- check Keohane on Twitter – check SW. The language excuse is flying around.
26 Sep 2012, 19:15 pm
Did gerber say “unbiased”??????
26 Sep 2012, 19:16 pm
@RL-500:
Who cares?
RWC come and RWC go.
The most important thing Meyer wants to instil in the players is a winning culture. If you ain’t going to win a test match for him then you’re in for the chopping block. No matter who you are. Morne lived a charmed life for too long.
26 Sep 2012, 19:17 pm
@sharks_lover-467: Still think Meyer needs some time but this decision baffles me. Believe Lambie can become one of the greats. Unlucky to get injured whenb due for Bok selection now he’s not being given opportunity. His kicking game is brilliant out of hand, distance might not be great but Frans is there. And he can didtribute. Jantjies is good but younger and inexperienced at this level. Had Lambie been given opp first Aus or Puma’s game where we had no pressure he’d probably have stayed there. One good thing for Goosen is that Cooper and Genia are injured massively reducing pressure
26 Sep 2012, 19:17 pm
I would have dropped Pienaar too.
26 Sep 2012, 19:18 pm
@I am a stormer-505: Also not the correct approach. You cant give some players more chances than others, and then chop and change,bringing in and creating 13 Springboks in 5 months based on the weekends Currie Cup results. That is mental as well, as is living in the past.
26 Sep 2012, 19:20 pm
@FrenklyMuDeah-506: Lambie must be released to the Sharks.
26 Sep 2012, 19:22 pm
Dusky why you chattering so tonight.
You making me dizzy
26 Sep 2012, 19:22 pm
@Dusky-495:
Playing to our “traditional strength.”
Moer hulle manne!!
Maak dood daar voor!!
Agro manne!! Agro!!
Hardloop hom in sy moer/vrek!!!
26 Sep 2012, 19:23 pm
@Dusky-502: I think that he has most of his team selected.
I can see it now with the forwards.
Beast/Coenie, Bissy/Chilli and Jannie/Cilliers
Estebeth/Flip, someone/Kruger
Flouw/Coetzee, Burger/Alberts, Vermeulen/Spies
The backs are not settled at all.
9. scrumhalf/scrumhalf
10. Goosen/Jantjies
12. F Steyn/someone
13. Taute/someone
11. Hougaard/Habana/someone
14. JPP/someone
15. someone/someone
26 Sep 2012, 19:24 pm
@stormersboy-507: Meyer is a stupid chop. Can I provide evidence ?
When the discussion about Steyn comes up, he says he cannot just throw Steyn away (despite throwing away a bunch of other players, including seasoned Springboks after one or maximum two average performances).
Now he puts Taute in as a possible replacement for Francois Steyn – in a position where Taute did not earn the respect that got him a possible Springbok jersey. Can you see the reversal ?
Is it only clear to me ?
26 Sep 2012, 19:24 pm
@nama1-501:
One thing Meyer said when I heard him speak. You remember when I mentioned to you that Brussow didn’t make the squad.
He also said “Taute will be a Bok”. Because it was in Gauteng the roof nearly took off. Unfortunately, Taute was injured at the time and took longer than expected, even for Meyer, to make it back onto the field. So he settled for Juan as a replacement who still happens to be in the mix.
26 Sep 2012, 19:25 pm
Fie on all the Kirtchner apologists claiming that he has the goods at this level. There isn’t a test playing fullback anywhere that offers less than Kirtchner. Not Halfpenny, not Beale, not Dagg, not Foden, not Kearney, not Hogg, not Masi, not Potrenaud. All of these players have a balance to their game and are are stars in their respective teams (great era of fullbacks) They arent selected to make as few mistakes as possible and hoof the ball a mile.
Kirchner got nothing- no skill, no vision, no pass even. Had to laugh when he panicked and threw that premature tracer bullet to Habana vs the AB’s. He truly is a bottom of the barrel product that occasionally manages to kick the ball like the donkey he is.
26 Sep 2012, 19:26 pm
@Dawn-510: That’s the booze. Not me.
If you could see my package from where you are, I would have said that could possibly have made you dizzy but as you cant it has to be the booze.
26 Sep 2012, 19:27 pm
@Spiesisworthless1-515: Potential Bok fullbacks that should be selected before Kirtchner: Le Roux, ACoetzee, Taute, Aplon, JPPietersen.
26 Sep 2012, 19:29 pm
@Spiesisworthless1-517: Lambie
26 Sep 2012, 19:30 pm
@Dusky-508:
The players that Meyer is selecting right now are the ones that were injured when he made his first squad announcement. And some that he placed his faith in – read Bulls players – just happen to be underperforming right now.
The jigsaw is taking longer than expected to fall into place.
Yes, Meyer’s game plan is kak. Yes, Meyer’s selections are up the pole at times.
But he is moving in the right direction.
26 Sep 2012, 19:30 pm
@Dusky-509: agree, time for the SA public to realise how talented he is
26 Sep 2012, 19:31 pm
@FrenklyMuDeah-506:
“Jantjies is good but younger and inexperienced at this level.”
Younger than who?
Goosen is 20… Lambie is 21…how old is Jantjies?
His inexperienced “at this level” is due to what/who?
Lambie has 14 tests behind his name. Goosen going to play his 3rd on Saturday. Starting for the 1st time.
You call that experience?
Jeez, people need to think before they post.
26 Sep 2012, 19:31 pm
You drinking already Duskeee?
26 Sep 2012, 19:32 pm
@Spiesisworthless1-517:
There’s another Pietersen you can add. Initial J as well.
26 Sep 2012, 19:34 pm
@I am a stormer-523: Noted
26 Sep 2012, 19:38 pm
@I am a stormer-514:
But did he actually mean “this year already” when he said that?
It’s about crying about inexperience on the one hand but then he goes ahead and select new players, while there are players with test experience at his disposal. That’s what my forked tongue comment was about.
26 Sep 2012, 19:40 pm
@I am a stormer-519: Don’t worry. Spies will soon be fit and ready to take up her rightful position on the EOYT, not only as 8th man, but as Bok captain. Right direction or an extreme u turn?
26 Sep 2012, 19:43 pm
@nama1-525:
Yes he did mean this year. At the time Taute was injured during Super 15 and no-one realised how long he would be out for. And remember, at the time JDV was only selected as captain for the 3 England tests. Only after winning that series and with Taute still out was JDV’s tenure as captain extended for the Rugby Championship.
26 Sep 2012, 19:44 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-526: You’re taking the p!ss right ?
26 Sep 2012, 19:45 pm
@Dawn-522: Not me Dawneeee…..I am still working. But I bet you are well on your way through bottle number 3 already for tonight.
26 Sep 2012, 19:47 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-526:
Chill. Britney is slipping out of favour as we speak.
If CJ Stander was staying in SA, Britney might be the 4th ranked Bulls no.8 after Arno Botha, Stander and Dewalt Potgieter.
True story.
26 Sep 2012, 19:48 pm
Not so Duskeeee!
26 Sep 2012, 19:48 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-526:
“…to take up her rightful position on the EOYT,…”
26 Sep 2012, 19:53 pm
Fine Goosen is in. Great! A step in the right direction. But what the hell is Krusty the clown still doing at 15 when you have Lambie warming the freakin’ bench?!? It’s astounding, baffling and downright infuriating that Lambie is has played 10 minutes in 4 matches!! I mean what the hell is HM and co getting paid for??? Every respected rugby journo, ex player, you name it can see that Kirshner is not international material – I’d struggle to put him in my Dirt Tracker team!! Can’t HM see that?? I mean lets get real here gents (and ladies if there are any) – why?? Can anyone give me a real answer? Is it a quota thing? I feel for Lambie, I really do – and now to leap frog Taute into the team?!? It’s disgusting the way he is being treated. Lambie can play 10, 12 or 15, and even his mediocre game would be better than Zane. I predict we will lose him to an overseas club after next years Super 15 rugby…
26 Sep 2012, 19:56 pm
@TheDeleted-533:
You’re not a Sharks supporter are you? Ahfuck. Not another one.
26 Sep 2012, 19:59 pm
@TheDeleted-533:
Taute is going to play 13.
How did he leap frog Lambie, who YOU say can play 10, 12 or 15?
26 Sep 2012, 20:00 pm
@I am a stormer-534:
26 Sep 2012, 20:03 pm
@Dusky-528: It’s a prophecy
(orafuckingtimburtonnightmare, depending on where you come from and what you team you support)
26 Sep 2012, 20:05 pm
@TheDeleted-533: blub-blub blub-blub blub blub blub
blub-blub
26 Sep 2012, 20:12 pm
@I am a stormer: Sorry boet, I’m afraid I am! But be honest – this goes beyond provincialism… Lambie is a talented player and for Krusty to be ahead of him is just ridiculous!
@nama1: Yes I appreciate Taute coming in at 13, but it’s still ridiculous when you have Juan de Jong in the squad. AND Zane starting! It’s borders on the insane actually…
Taute should go to the bench and De Jongh start with Lambie a 15. That is the only decent and logical thing to do in my humble opinion.
Nobody has answered my real question though – is it quota that Krusty is in or is HM just a well paid fool?
26 Sep 2012, 20:16 pm
Very eloquent RL… I’m afraid I don’t understand ******
26 Sep 2012, 20:17 pm
r e t a r d is a banned word?! Interesting…
26 Sep 2012, 20:17 pm
@nama1-458: Hey Nama.I always try to be provocative.(Not in the sexual sense)I am 73 after all
26 Sep 2012, 20:21 pm
@TheDeleted-539: Once a Bull always a Bull maybe?
26 Sep 2012, 20:23 pm
Sharks blub re Lambie
Dunno why
He has dandruff infested hair
26 Sep 2012, 20:24 pm
@TheDeleted-540: it is not **** it is fish! ask Lambie or any guppy to translate they know what I said, they know.
26 Sep 2012, 20:35 pm
@TheDeleted-541: Only a re-tard would make it one.
26 Sep 2012, 20:35 pm
@Dusky-513: I hear you slugger.
26 Sep 2012, 20:40 pm
Hope Sundays headline would be something like: ” The mother of Goose(n) steps!”
26 Sep 2012, 20:44 pm
Yaaaaaaawn….**** ****…… buuuuuuuuuurp. Long day.
26 Sep 2012, 20:46 pm
Bwaaaaahahahahaha so is ****.
Yaaaaaaawn….poep poep…… buuuuuuuuuurp. Long day.
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