All eyes on Bok backs
5 Nov 2012
JON CARDINELLI writes there’s a strong possibility that Heyneke Meyer will return from Europe with significant answers to nagging backline questions.
The forwards will need to produce a consistent showing over the next three Tests if a largely experimental backline is to benefit from the three-week experience.
The relatively experienced forward unit has already turned in some match-winning performances in 2012, and so Meyer will arrive in Europe with big expectations. In terms of the backline, however, Meyer will be more hopeful than expectant.
The Bok coach will be looking for answers when the new-look combinations front Ireland, Scotland and England, and those answers will shape the way he prepares for the 2013 season and beyond.
It’s no secret that Meyer wants Fourie du Preez back in the Bok mix. Du Preez’s club commitments to Suntory Sungoliath have precluded him from the current tour, but the peerless scrumhalf is set to return to the Bok set-up in 2013.
In the interim, Ruan Pienaar will be tasked with playing a Du Preez-type role. Pienaar has done a terrific job this season, and a strong showing this November will ensure that Meyer goes into 2013 with two outstanding scrumhalf options.
Providing the Bok forwards deliver, the selected flyhalf will have a great opportunity to make a statement. Meyer has already stated that Johan Goosen is his preferred flyhalf, but a season-ending injury to the rising star will force the Bok coach to develop a strong alternative in the next three Tests.
Pat Lambie is expected to start at least one game on this tour, and his tactical game will be under scrutiny. Lambie has impressed with strong tactical contributions in the Currie Cup play-offs, and if he carries that form through to the coming Tests, he will return from this tour as a genuine alternative to Goosen.
Why then was Morné Steyn included in the touring party? It’s a fair question considering that the young Elton Jantjies is also part of the group.
The simple answer is insurance; if Lambie doesn’t live up to his promise, then Steyn will be thrust back into the hotseat. However, if Steyn continues to struggle when presented with an opportunity, this tour could mark his last appearance for the Boks.
Northern hemisphere conditions prescribe a more tactical approach, and Meyer is also mindful that the 2015 World Cup will be staged in this part of the world. This tour presents Meyer with the perfect opportunity to realise two goals: to determine who will be Goosen’s understudy in 2013, and which flyhalf has the skill-set to contribute at a World Cup played in these conditions.
Overseas club commitments and injuries have left the Boks light on backline experience. Du Preez and Jaque Fourie are currently playing in Japan, while Bryan Habana and Frans Steyn will not tour because of serious injuries. These are players who have featured in more than 50 Tests for the Boks, and have won Tri-Nations and World Cup trophies.
Much of the backline leadership responsibilities will fall to the team captain, Jean de Villiers. It will be interesting to see who Meyer favours to partner De Villliers in midfield. Juan de Jongh has played alongside De Villiers at Super Rugby level, and would prove a suitable stop-gap measure on this tour, although his lack of size and physicality at Test level has always been a concern.
Jaco Taute was selected at No 13 during the Rugby Championship, and made some costly defensive mistakes. Meyer has also made it clear that he views Taute as the future Bok No 15. If Taute is going to settle into that fullback position, he must be given the opportunity on this tour. As is the case with Lambie, Meyer will be watching Taute’s tactical kicking progress closely.
There’s nothing within the ranks of Ireland, Scotland or England that should scare the tourists, and yet stronger Bok teams have been felled on these tours to the north. If the Boks don’t go into these matches with the right mindset, that is that they need to subdue and conquer the opposition forwards before anything else, then this team could fall short of their primary goal: three Test scalps.
But if this competitive forward unit does front, then the backline will have the platform to impress Meyer. And to be clear, we are talking about impressing the Bok coach through accurate tactical kicking, ground-gaining ball-carrying, and good decision-making. This is the skill-set that will be required at the 2015 World Cup.
Meyer needs a three-from-three return on this tour to restore the status quo. With a view to the long-term, however, he needs several backline players to make a strong statement against Ireland, Scotland and England. Meyer needs these men to show that they can thrive in northern hemisphere conditions.
It is the realisation of the latter goal that will see the team making greater strides next season and building towards a genuine title assault in 2015.
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90 Comments
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5 Nov 2012, 06:57 am
Lambie Dragons!!!
5 Nov 2012, 08:02 am
I am astounded your expectations of a back line are sooooo limited. No requirement for breaking the line, continuity, off loads, create space, run into space, scoring tries, running angles etc.
From your expectation, we could have the back line filled with loose forwards who can kick a bit!
As for the goal for this tour, give me evolution before victories, Meyer needs to take the side forward.
5 Nov 2012, 08:21 am
Screw you JC, how effing big is Jamie Roberts?, that’s the guy “tiny” Juan De Jongh made his international debut against and made him look like a mug, O’Driscoll has been an international center for ages with his “tiny” self
5 Nov 2012, 08:25 am
the only guy who made Juan de Jongh look like a Earl Rose was Wynand Olivier …. I remember when Bulls were on top, everytime Stormers of WP played the Bulls, JDJ would be sub’ed within 30 mins or be injured… WO owned him big time …
5 Nov 2012, 08:27 am
my backline
9 Pienaar
10 Lambie
11 Mvovo
12 De Villiers
13 De Jongh
14 JPP
15 Kirchner
bench Hougaard, Jantjies, Taute
5 Nov 2012, 08:32 am
@suffer_guy-4: this continuous examination of JdJ as an inadequate 13 option is getting old and needs to stop!
he’s a better option that Taute…FULLSTOP!
5 Nov 2012, 08:34 am
Its funny how after a mediocre season….scribes start looking at the long term prospects of the world cup…….”It is the realisation of the latter goal that will see the team making greater strides next season and building towards a genuine title assault in 2015.”
5 Nov 2012, 08:34 am
i agree.. Taute should play 15 and Zane should go play Vodacom Cup rugby
5 Nov 2012, 08:37 am
Juan is the best 13 we have at the moment. No question.
Don’t get the perception that he is too small. He isn’t.
5 Nov 2012, 08:39 am
@Te Rangatira-7:
T Ranged the people who write articles here arent even real journos.
5 Nov 2012, 08:50 am
Anyone else catch the Saracens Wasps game on the weekend? Schalk Brits had another big game, as did Ernst Joubert. And Alistair Hargreaves scored a great charge down try. For Wasps, Marco Wentzel was good but not spectacular. They speak very highly of him though.
5 Nov 2012, 08:54 am
@Te Rangatira-7: Agreed. It irritates me. We should not be looking to the World Cup yet. We should be focussing on the up coming tests and next season. Heyneke is getting nervous and is reverting to judge me at the World Cup mode.
5 Nov 2012, 08:56 am
@stormersboy-9:
exactly…
5 Nov 2012, 08:56 am
But if this competitive forward unit does front, then the backline will have the platform to impress Meyer. And to be clear, we are talking about impressing the Bok coach through accurate tactical kicking, ground-gaining ball-carrying, and good decision-making. This is the skill-set that will be required at the 2015 World Cup.
How do others teams manage to produce line-breaks and set backline in Northern Hemisphere conditions? We should not shackle ourselves like this.
5 Nov 2012, 09:01 am
Tour should be:
9. Pienaar, 10. Lambie, 11. Rhule, 12. JDV, 13. JDJ, 14. JPP, 15. Taute
Best possible:
9. Pienaar, 10. Lambie, 11. Rhule, 12. FSteyn, 13. Fourie, 14. Habana, 15. JPP
Impact players: Hougaard (9,11.14), JDJ (12,13), Ludick (11,14,15). Pienaar and FSteyn to cover 10.
5 Nov 2012, 09:05 am
@papaown-5: Spot on. Same backline i will go with.
5 Nov 2012, 09:06 am
@suffer_guy-8: taute cost us against Ab’s , he also cost the Lions the cc, he seem to battle in big matches
5 Nov 2012, 09:26 am
@Te Rangatira-7: it is delusional i tell you. i don’t know why these journalists sit there and listen to meyer prattle on about “world cup” in 2012, ffs tell meyer a RWC should be the cherry on TOP of a positive win-ratio cake and NOT the cake!
this is all excuse making of the highest order!
5 Nov 2012, 09:29 am
As long as Meyer continues to make emotional decisions instead of business decisions he will struggle. We all know he has injury problems and players are in Japan but he has still made the wrong calls. It took him an age to drop Morne by which time the Championship was gone. He knows Taute is a fullback yet he played him at 12 when the obvious thing to do was play JDV at 12 and De Jong at 13. Again he was found out. Again he persists with Morne on this tour – why? Another emotional call was playing Hougaardt on the wing for the so called “x factor” when clearly Hougaard was low on confidence. Lambie is one to the best players in SA if not the best yet HM was not prepared to give him a shot. How can he possibly make a decision now that Goosen is his 1st choice flyhalf. One can be forgiven for thinking he has a North versus South bias.
5 Nov 2012, 09:34 am
@capebull-17: Against AB it was ridiculous to play him at 13 vs Smith … i didnt see cc though ..
I rate him but he needs a full S15 at FB as does EJ at 10 ..
5 Nov 2012, 09:36 am
@papaown-5: How is Mvovo there ? He genuinely struggles due to his size in SH .. let alone NH EOYT .. Mind you who else is there ?
5 Nov 2012, 09:41 am
@Doughnut-20: Yes I agree , give him time at 15.
Chikko for now is OK nothing special , but OK , a bit like Vermeulen the Rock
5 Nov 2012, 09:42 am
@Sasuke-12: HM is getting nervous because he has performance clauses in his contract and if he loses 1, or heaven forbid 2 games there will be sufficient grounds for his dismissal.
5 Nov 2012, 09:43 am
@Stormtrooper-19: Who says he persist with Morne on this tour , has he picked the team ? He persists with average “The Rock”
5 Nov 2012, 09:43 am
@Doughnut-21: he is a better option than Hougaad
i will always find another play to start over a player who is low on confidence and it shows. Hougaad and Steyn should stay as far away form starting line up currently as their attitude will affect those around them.
5 Nov 2012, 09:48 am
@Stormtrooper-19: How can we take you serias … Taute played 13 not 12 for Boks , JdV was 12
5 Nov 2012, 09:49 am
@coma-15: dont start newbies at international level. its such a naive thing to do as they wont shine and then they are thrown away.
rhule and taute should be on bench and be allowed at least 20 minutes for 2 games, before you even think of starting them.
blood players in properly man and they will perform, dont throw them to the wolves.
5 Nov 2012, 09:50 am
@capebull-26: seriaas??
5 Nov 2012, 10:13 am
@capebull-26: JdV is not our best 12,both Stormers and Bok backline struggle with him there,Taute should only be considered at 15.
5 Nov 2012, 10:26 am
JC, please explain to me how you can be big enough for Super Rugby, but too small for Test Rugby?
5 Nov 2012, 10:26 am
Boks are going to get a very nasty wake up call against England. Tables have turned and its now England who are fresh and Boks now plagued with injuries and very little fuel left in the tank. Manu Tuilagi will make mince meat of De Jong if he plays outside centre! HM needs to be bold and experiment with personel and style, but he wont. He’ll have his favourites selected where possible, it will be all about kicking and forward play, wingers to chase kicks rather then run in trys etc. Very easy to prepare against. Ireland will cause huge problems for the Boks as well and if the weather conditions are dodgy, so will the Scots.
5 Nov 2012, 10:29 am
@scrumfan-30: I’m also curious. It’s one of those things that get repeated so often that it becomes a kind of nonsensical “fact” when writing about team selections.
5 Nov 2012, 10:50 am
@papaown-27: That is the biggest load of ***** I have ever read.
Wolves have teeth, these Irish is baby born puppy dogs.
5 Nov 2012, 10:57 am
15 Jaco Taute
14 JP Pietersen
13 Juan De Jongh
12 Jean De Villiers
11 Francois Hougaard
10 Patrick Lambie
9 Ruan Pienaar
20 Jano Vermaak
21 Elton Jantjes
22 Lwazi Mvovo/Raymond Rhule
Meyer was naive in not taking Gio Aplon. The guy covers wing and fullback. Should have been there ahead of Mvovo or Rhule
5 Nov 2012, 10:59 am
De Jongh lacks of size and physicality? Hes not been given a chance against the best. What a load of rubbish. Thats pathetic he is one of the best all round centres SA have got. Hes better than Jordaan and v close to J Fourie. JJ Engelbrecht is nowhere near.
5 Nov 2012, 11:02 am
@Doughnut-21:
Mvovo is 6ft1, 94kgs, How does he struggle for size?
5 Nov 2012, 11:21 am
@HongKongSlong-31: @HongKongSlong-31: “Manu Tuilagi will make mince meat of De Jong if he plays outside centre!”
what rubbish, de jongh has played centre vs jamie roberts, ma’a nonu, robbie fruean, pat mccabe and never been “made mince meat”
5 Nov 2012, 11:32 am
@Transformation-37: Fucknows what de Jongh still has to do to silence the doubters.
Turn water into wine?
5 Nov 2012, 11:33 am
JC,I know that you are not a real journalist,but your take on JdJ is way off the mark.If your aim is to be controversial ,you just about succeeded ,bud.
5 Nov 2012, 11:34 am
mxhosa – Decent size. Didn’t Mvovo score against England a few years back? I think Mvovo & JPP should def be the wings for this tour.
I like Comas backline at #5, settled combos!! And he is right you can’t throw Taute in , Kirchner should start a 15
5 Nov 2012, 11:35 am
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-38:
i would salute that.
5 Nov 2012, 11:37 am
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-41: Would it be enough for the doubters though? Or should he throw in a 50m walk on water followed by a feast during which he manages to feed 500 people with 2 vissies en 1 broodjie?
5 Nov 2012, 11:56 am
@race of tan-40: That’s not Coma’s backline, that’s mine!
Coma’s the one talking shi.t about throwing newbies to the wolves
5 Nov 2012, 11:57 am
@race of tan-40: Yes he scored a very good try against England.
5 Nov 2012, 11:59 am
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-42:
ja, that would be pretty neat and a show rivalling the best that david blaine or copperfield could put together.
but if he really wanted to get me whislting and hollering like a ‘redneck on hooch’ then seeing him walk amongst the animals at the lion park in honeydew, randburg and taming all those wild phuckers would, in a word, be farking AWESOME
5 Nov 2012, 12:01 pm
I dont know what the big fuss is about Juan de Jongs size . The guy is a true professional . he never complains even though he is being messed around like most of our truly gifted players . In SA if a guy is extremely gifted then it is a curse because he inevitably can play 2 or 3 or more positions . And because of the moron coaches we have , those players are assigned to the bench eg , Francois Steyn , Patrick Lambie ,Juan De Jongh etc . If Daniel Carter was South African then he would also have spent time on the bench . All this talk of size and nothing is said of Schalk Brits being called up !
5 Nov 2012, 12:13 pm
I dont like the look of Hougaard at wing. He was quiet there during the RC. I prefer him coming on in the 2nd half and causing havoc with tired defences.
5 Nov 2012, 12:14 pm
@spooky-46: I agree. And all this talk of Tuilagi targeting De Jongh conveniently overlooks the fact that the opposite is also true. They’re going to have to defend at some stage too, and De Jongh will run circles around the big midfielder.
I say stick him in the 13 jumper for all three games, and put Taute at 15.
5 Nov 2012, 12:15 pm
the boks have a backline?
oh thats right, theyre the blokes who cost you games in this years rugby championship and last years WC 1/4 final with their wonderful basic skills levels..
bring back Garry Owen, he’ll get the backline going..
5 Nov 2012, 12:17 pm
@katman-48: i recall tuilagi putting jean on his arse once or twice in the June series but i don’t remember calls of jdv being made mince meat.
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