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
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26 Sep 2012, 16:25 pm
Nama1 and UptheGuts: sorry guys, can’t agree with your Kirchner’s missed tackle comments, so let’s just move on…. good debate anyway!
26 Sep 2012, 16:26 pm
@stormer in a teacup-308:
right then, i’m done on the subject.
consider it closed
@UptheGuts-317:
genuine concerns here, guts.. genuine concerns.
if this goes pear shaped then what? effectively meyer is now gambling with the last two chances for pegging out ration back with oz and nz. that’s this year in its moer, is next year going to be any better?
to say i am unsettled is an understatement.
@Jeraldjay-318:
again, i hope for all our sakes this works out, i really do.
before you know it (considering the squad will be everyone but a bull) all the kenners will be saying lets judge him at the world cup, mostly because their favourite players are there.
26 Sep 2012, 16:27 pm
@nama1-347: Good that you mention the Rathbone issue, what many missed was that Dewey Swartbooi was the key man at center with Rathbone, in fact Jean De Villiers was behind these 2, yet Jean De Villiers made it to that year’s Springbok end of the year tour, not Dewey Swartbooi.
That’s how SA Rugby treats black players.
26 Sep 2012, 16:28 pm
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-103: Blokkies.Jy klink beswaard.Soos die ou oom in Ko-operasie Stories.
26 Sep 2012, 16:28 pm
@ryecatcher-346:
you’ve hit me on the head there
i am
my emotions are running on empty
and i dont have many of them to begin with
26 Sep 2012, 16:29 pm
@nama1-347: Exactly what I tried to tell you the other day wrt HM and hidden agendas as far as selection is concerned. If HM had a colour bias it would be blue not white. I also firmly believes he rates Kirchner but maybe its only because he is from the Bulls.
Apart from letting those 2 tries in (as discussed earlier not his fault entirely), Zane has done nothing wrong to be dropped. He is safe otherwise, which is good. A tweak in the defensive lines when he is out of position should help with that
26 Sep 2012, 16:31 pm
@Pot Blou Gevaar-349:
What don’t you get about Mujati not being available to play for the Boks anymore?
I don’t think we are really covered at lock. Only Etzebeth who are looking like the real deal.
Bekker…injury prone and tend to play in the back line.
Kruger…good in the line out but after that he is nowhere.
Flip…one good game but not really a solution. Average at best.
Agree with the other positions where we lacking. Big problem at TH and SH especially since the should form part of your spine.
26 Sep 2012, 16:34 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-331: can you tell me why is it that:
The Lions are playing the rugga that you all are asking for; yet they failed in S15 , Stromers failed with their defence approch, Bulls had sucsess with different team , Sharkies failed with their approach so how should we play ?
26 Sep 2012, 16:37 pm
@nama1-357: Flip is better than what you give credit , he must sort out his dicipline. Eben must work harder at ruck time and Bekker is nowere, yes we are thin, not as bad as nr 3 though.
26 Sep 2012, 16:37 pm
@gunther-333:
Yes Barrett looks awesome.
But he doesn’t have a mentor like Goosen has……. Johan Van Graan.
26 Sep 2012, 16:38 pm
@Sharksgirl-169: Conspiracy???
Fiendishly Machievellian.
26 Sep 2012, 16:39 pm
@Maljan-351:
No probs.
26 Sep 2012, 16:42 pm
@nama1-357:
Flip had one good game.
Maybe he’ll have another.
26 Sep 2012, 16:43 pm
Juandre Kruger. Good at line out time – invisible everywhere else. We need locks who can put in the hard yards. Not tackle like sissies. I have never seen Kruger take the ball up once for the Bulls or Boks. Hy boer heel blerrie dag in die backline. Sorry but Bok material he aint. I’d have Flip over him any day. The way Kruger steers clear of the rough stuff is cringeworthy!
26 Sep 2012, 16:43 pm
You only make changes if they will strengthen the team.
And right now Heyneke Meyer has done just that. He has said that he will make the hard calls and he has dropped one of his favourite sons. He has finally realised that Morne is down on confidence and out of form.
Got to give him credit for that. And for people to get behind him.
26 Sep 2012, 16:43 pm
@nama1-347:
I believe Aplon is the latest WP player to hurt his finger?
26 Sep 2012, 16:44 pm
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-352:
BS! It’s already gone pearshaped with Morne. This is a chance to try something different. Someone different. If we still lose, it won’t be because Goosen missed all his kicks at goal AND stymied our attacking play. We’ll have something to work from then. With Morne it will always have to be the same ***** gameplan because he can’t play any differentlyor maybe just horribly out of form. Do you agree that once his reliable boot had deserted him, he no longer warranted a place in the side and became like someone said before, ‘a liability’?
@Maljan-351: What debate? We only just fired off the opening salvo.
26 Sep 2012, 16:44 pm
@ryecatcher-354:
ek is emosioneel verpletter op die oomblik, rye
ek is op my laaste jong
my hart kan dit nie meer uit hou nie, ek vat liewers n stappie
26 Sep 2012, 16:45 pm
@Jeraldjay-360:
You sound jaloers?
26 Sep 2012, 16:45 pm
@capebull-359:
No man.
Flip is average. Looked good when playing in a very good team (Bulls 2010) or when his forwards dominate (Boks vs AB). When playing at the Cheetahs, he was just average. Granted, he improved over the years but he is still not real international quality.
His boet was much better than him back then.
@Jeraldjay-360:
Joke of the day!!!
26 Sep 2012, 16:46 pm
@UptheGuts-367:
i cant think straight, guts
i will respond later
cheers for now
26 Sep 2012, 16:47 pm
@stormer in a teacup-308: lEAVE ME OUT OF IT…..
I am as happy as can be…
26 Sep 2012, 16:47 pm
I’m off the gym ladies – smell you later.
Heineken thanks for making my day – dropping Morne starting with the Goose and with the Elton bonus!
Just two or three more changes then bang, selection sorted. Then we can talk game plan, tactics and execution.
26 Sep 2012, 16:48 pm
@nama1-357:
Must have been on Mars re Mujati’s, I do apologise sir.
Re our lock stocks, I’d say that the selected quartet is currently our best. Not much else going around at the moment.
26 Sep 2012, 16:48 pm
359 @ Capebull
When Bekker came on Kruger against the AB he did more in 10min than what Kruger did all game.
26 Sep 2012, 16:49 pm
@gunther-363:
26 Sep 2012, 16:50 pm
@gunther-363:
What about a string of good games without getting a yellow somewhere along the line.
@Hondo-366:
Well, at least we know that it is not because he was trying to pull it out of his arse,……. like Spies did when he injured his finger.
26 Sep 2012, 16:50 pm
@nama1-292: You know your rugby.
26 Sep 2012, 16:50 pm
it is time to look to the lord people
when you have nowhere left to go
what is there to lose
my prayers are with all of you
but mostly with the boks
26 Sep 2012, 16:51 pm
god help them now
.
cheers
26 Sep 2012, 16:51 pm
Well done Heyneke….
You crossed the Rubicon today in my estimation….
Just a tweak or 2 and those Kiwis will be looking anxiously over their shoulders…..for damn sure….
26 Sep 2012, 16:52 pm
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-368:
Be strong, pel.
Just remember it is the Boks playing at Loftus this weekend. Not the Bulls.
Heyneke needs your support more than ever.
26 Sep 2012, 16:52 pm
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-371: Now you know how I been feeling since 2010 !!!!!
26 Sep 2012, 16:53 pm
@UptheGuts – 367: you came in late, Nama1 and I have had a good go at each other today!
26 Sep 2012, 16:53 pm
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-379: Now you’re taking the piss, surely!
26 Sep 2012, 16:54 pm
HM – Taken the wind out of the sails of most critics in one day.
And i’m not talking about Bakkies here.
Lol. HM will never pick Jantjes………………………..
I bet my house Morne will start at Loftus……………….
HM only picks Blue Bulls………………………………
and misconcetions like …………………………………….‘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.’
26 Sep 2012, 16:54 pm
@nama1-377:
Well he’d have to be selected to have a string of good games no?
The only Bulls player you haven’t bashed today is Zane.
I’ll leave you to it.
26 Sep 2012, 16:55 pm
359….
lol
flip only looks good when his forwards dominate.
hahaha
flip playing flyhalf now is he.
or was flip one of those dominant forwards.
26 Sep 2012, 16:57 pm
@ryecatcher-378:
Thanks.
26 Sep 2012, 16:57 pm
Im happy with the team, I think Coenie will come on at TH and really push the hell out of the Wallaby scrum. He’s also a strong carrier and adept at stealing.
This is a powerful pack. If we can give Goosen fast flat ball to work with, I am smelling a pasting for the aussies. Hulle gaan klippies kak.
26 Sep 2012, 16:57 pm
@I am a stormer-365: he should’ve dropped him after mendoza! no credit from me!
why do we have to lose in perth and dunedin for the penny to drop for him?
26 Sep 2012, 16:59 pm
@nama1-377:
26 Sep 2012, 16:59 pm
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-368: En nadat
jy die stappie gevat het vat ,n dop of tw ee.Dit verrig wonders vir
beswaardheid
26 Sep 2012, 17:00 pm
@shooter-386: He said the same thing when he picked Gio v ENG. That was actualy one of Gio’s worst games in a Bok jersey.
26 Sep 2012, 17:00 pm
@XhosaKid-353: Fakme, are you still pining for Dewey? Your “poor blek me” chip grows by the day. Next we’re going to hear about how white singers get multiple shots at the anthem while Ras Dumisani got booted out by the racists after one try.
26 Sep 2012, 17:01 pm
@grant10-383:
26 Sep 2012, 17:02 pm
Gone are the days of Martin Johnson, Victor Marfield, John Eales, Abdelatif Benazzi, David Giffin, Krynauw Otto, Ian Jones etc.
The Bok locks nowadays faces the likes of James Horwill, Brody Retallick, etc.
26 Sep 2012, 17:05 pm
@gunther-387:
You call that “bashing”?
Jeepers, I think you are a bit over sensitive here Gunther. What’s wrong? Not enough Bulls players in the team to your liking?
@Brigadier Van Zyl-388:
OK, Brig.
Compare his performance against the Argies (in Arg) vs his performance against the AB.
Keep in mind that his lock partner against the Argies was the best forward in that game. What happened there with Flip?
26 Sep 2012, 17:06 pm
@Pot Blou Gevaar-397: Mark Andrews?
26 Sep 2012, 17:06 pm
@Pot Blou Gevaar-397: everyone has to start somewhere…eales and jonno didn’t just become household names on debut!
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