Meyer: We avoided massive setback
10 Nov 2012
Heyneke Meyer admitted the Springboks would have been ‘three steps backwards’ had they lost against Ireland but stressed the importance of victory in the education of his team.
The Springboks trailed 12-3 at half-time with very little evidence that they would turn it around in the manner they did. However, there was an inspired effort in the second half to seal a victory that Meyer said has significance beyond the obvious.
‘Our performance in the first half was unacceptable and I can’t tell you my words to the team. There were too many penalties, we couldn’t get going. But I’m proud of this team. At nine points down we showed a lot of character to come back. We’ve learnt a lot from tonight,’ Meyer said.
‘This means more than when we beat Australia at home scoring five tries. It was a tough week Beast was out, Gurthro failed another fitness test today, Heinke hasn’t trained with us and in the first three minutes Jannie was injured and wanted to come off. We were under the sword. It was the worst half I’ve ever seen this year.
‘I was desperate at one point. I want us to do well, especially for the supporters back home. There could have been a lot of excuses, with almost a whole team out and a lot of guys that moved on. But we don’t want to offer excuses. Losing would have been a huge setback for me and the team. It would have been three steps backwards for us.’
Meyer singled out his young players for praise, explaining that their composure and ability to execute instructions was central to the win. He added that there has been patent progress from June to this point.
‘We would have lost from this situation at the beginning of the year. What we did in the second half was special,’ he said.
Captain Jean de Villiers echoed Meyer’s sentiments. ‘It’s one thing to be selected for the Springboks but more difficult to put in a performance worthy of wearing a Springbok jersey. The first half wasn’t. The response was fantastic,’ he said.
‘In Mendoza [against Argentina] we were in the same situation but we failed to respond. I said at the beginning of the tour that we needed to take it to the next level and I think we did that tonight.’
Meyer, however, stressed that perspective is needed when assessing where they stand at present.
‘This is the type of game we needed to win. There were a lot of soft moments this year, but in the second half here there were none. But I what to make it clear that a more highly-rated Springbok team beat Ireland a couple of years back, and then lost to Scotland,’ he said.
‘We have to be humble, keep our feet on the ground and learn from here. Scotland are waiting and they’re a good team. I can tell, though, the team took a lot of confidence from this.’
By Ryan Vrede, in Dublin
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333 Comments
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10 Nov 2012, 23:58 pm
Meyer = dead man walking.
11 Nov 2012, 00:06 am
Bedank HM! It’s the right thing 2 do
11 Nov 2012, 00:09 am
@XV-1:
Cheer up.
It could’ve been worse.
11 Nov 2012, 00:12 am
@I am a stormer-3: if you are happy with that Bok performance then all good to you.
11 Nov 2012, 00:32 am
We took 3 steps back when he was appointed and then another 3 when he selected his coaching staff. To harp on about our win against a piss poor Aus team is pathetic.
11 Nov 2012, 00:41 am
a full stregth tri nations winning bok gteam lost to ireland when apparently only one of their players would have made our team.
aweful game, but we won. we dont always.
11 Nov 2012, 00:42 am
a full stregth tri nations winning bok team lost to ireland when apparently only one of their players would have made our team.
aweful game, but we won. we dont always.
11 Nov 2012, 01:19 am
Any win is a good win. The problem I have is standards and growth prospects. I saw little tonight bythe way of attacking potential. Beating an opponent in to submission will only work 70% of the time. We desperately need to introduce skill and dynamism to an accurate powerful forward display which we seem to be targeting at the expense of backline magic
11 Nov 2012, 01:23 am
@munkiboi-7: Sorry, but I am going to call you out.
Before readmission, the Boks had only lost once to Ireland. 1965. Lansdowne Road. 9-6.
Once.
We then stumbled to a loss in 2004. A huge, epic loss in the context of history and the fact that we had just come off winning the Tri Nations for only the 2nd time. This was when Jake White fired up the Irish by saying only 3 Irish players would make the Bok team. A very silly thing to do in hindsight.
The Boks lost the nest two in Dublin too.
So we lost 3 consecutive games in Ireland – 2004, 2006 and 2009.
Thank the gods but we have curtailed that shocking aberration of a record by winning the last 2 in Ireland. Normal order is restored.
We have only lost 4 times to Ireland. But that is already 4 times too many. Wanna know why?
The All Blacks have NEVER lost to Ireland in the long history.
So when I hear normally sensible Bok supporters like you saying we should be grateful for a win in Ireland, it really drives home how mediocre the Boks have become in comparison to the All Blacks. Also, it sickens me to hear the Irish commentators saying they have no fear of the Bok, they have vivid memories of defeating the Boks in Ireland.
Here’s to many, many more consecutive wins in Dublin. Here’s to stamping out the winning memories the Irish so smugly cling to when dismissing the Boks as the All Blacks poorer cousins.
11 Nov 2012, 02:17 am
Stuff this. We were **** again and the coach should be fired. He is clueless.
11 Nov 2012, 02:17 am
Lest we forget the controversial try that gave them the win in 2004.
Although we must concede that we should not be in a position that a try should give them a result.
If the current team winning by a small margin against a team rated 7 or 8 in the world pleases the coach, scribes and majority of supporters, then we have truly started scraping the bottom of the barrel.
To compare this Irish side to the one who lost narrowly to the AB’s is crazy.
They were without the only decent players they have, they are forced to pick hand-me-downs from SA to get a team on the park.
The NH teams are sub-standard and what today proved is how poor both the Boks and the Australians are at the moment.
11 Nov 2012, 05:21 am
Someone said it before – we are playing not too lose instead of playing to win…
We seldom thrash teams anymore – if we win – and I say if as we are losing far too many – we just win. Sad reality…
We need a coach with vision and that can instil a culture of trust and trust in your fellow player. Play the situation and not on instructions…
11 Nov 2012, 05:52 am
So we move to 2 in rankings, which is helluva important for seeding and the WC draw in Decemeber. One blessing.
On the flip side, regardless of what happened last night and the eventual win, something I have just read in the “Rapport” has made me want to bash our coaches all over again…
An interview with Raymond Rhule…
The kid says in it, that he is a player who wants the ball in hand, and who loves running with it….but that he has been told he needs to be able to kick as well, and he is working hard kicking while he is with the Boks…..
I don’t know about anyone else, but that sums it up for me.
Yes, nothing wrong in principle with working on a kicking game, but for the loveofbrannascokeandbiltong, when one of the most naturally gifted young finishers in SA is working on his kicking, WTF are our coaches doing?
Do our backline ever run any moves in training? Or do they all work on improving their kicking and bashing?
11 Nov 2012, 05:55 am
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-13:
Good morning! So you also didn’t sleep last night…
Just lost our 6th wicket…
Ja it is a lost cause. We will continue to move backwards with that mindset…
11 Nov 2012, 05:58 am
We are actually seven down…
I hope the tail can add another 100+. I think Jacques Rudolph needs to get on with things a bit and move the game forward… At least Rory can klap a ball and Morne thinks he is as good at Matty Hayden…
11 Nov 2012, 05:59 am
Well moving to number 2 in the rankings will assist the new coach for the world cup… I hope it is Mallet…
11 Nov 2012, 06:20 am
@Gumboots-14: Didn’t sleep much before the alarm went for the cricket……And that too (cricket) leaves a suur smakie at the moment. 7 Down technically yes….
Oh dear. Think it’s time for run actually, a long one.
11 Nov 2012, 06:25 am
@Gumboots-16: At least with the cricket there should be no talk of a loss at this stage
All the way back to the change room…
Rudolph listened to you…he got on with things all right
11 Nov 2012, 06:31 am
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-18:
LOL – We need to pile them on now… Declaration soon… 500 would be good but we need to up the tempo…
Enjoy the run. My run this morning was down the stairs to watch the cricket…
11 Nov 2012, 07:39 am
Get some help Heyneke. Fire your sycophants and give us all a genuine reason to cheer.
11 Nov 2012, 07:49 am
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-13: That’s jut f’n sad man!
11 Nov 2012, 08:10 am
on yer bike Punter!
11 Nov 2012, 08:12 am
Heinke van der Merwe – Thank You . He won us the game IMO
11 Nov 2012, 08:12 am
Loosing would have meant HM is one step closer to f..ing off which would have been a step forward. Winning is a step back.
11 Nov 2012, 08:21 am
Who are these Aussie cricketers
I only know Ponting
11 Nov 2012, 08:44 am
@Dawn-25: hayi bo! warner, clarke, hussey, sid-vicious, mitch johnson etc
11 Nov 2012, 08:56 am
Hulle bliksem quota kleinveldt die hele veld vol
11 Nov 2012, 08:57 am
@ Trans yadika!
I see now. Two openers I don’t know.
11 Nov 2012, 09:27 am
I’m seriously starting to think that HM suffers worse delusions of grandeur than hi predecessor?
At the very least he has a far worse record than P.Divvy at the same stage of their careers.
Now I’m not a fan of the Snor at all, but if people believe that HM with his one dimensional gameplan (he obviously kept it on ice from when he thought he’d get the post 6 years ago, because the rugby I watched last night was about that far our of date), his penchant for picking out of for or never had form Bulls players and his complete failure to pick and develop talented players in favour of clowns like Zane Kirchner is the new messiah of SA rugby then we are in for a surprise.
To reiterate, his record thus far is 2 wins and a draw against an understrength England. A win and a draw against the mighty Argies. A win and a loss against possibly the worst Aussie side in recent memory and a couple of rogerings from the Kiwis…… and then a near death experience with the Irish?
And people find this acceptable on the basis that he is apparently building the side?????
Dubble K met ‘n middel A.
His only significance in the game today is as a reminder of what prehistoric rugby looked like.
Why pick an excellent fullback at centre, put an excellent centre on the bench and place the WORST fullback in SA at 15?
Why pick backline reserves and then not use one of them?
Why pick a massive impact player (in his words) like Brits and then leave him on the bench? As if his selection wasn’t enough of a snub to the many talented young hookers in SA?
How about giving some of our excellent players of colour a shot? Why pick an out of form Steyn on the bench in favour of an in-form Jantjes?
The Kiwis would have put up a record score if we played against them like that. It was only because the Irish attack was as impotent as a 200 year old castrato that we survived.
And then theirs his coaching team. Ricardo Laubscher? REally? I think that is about all I need to say there.
And finally. This habit Meyer has of trying to claim the excellent form and talent of guys like Etzebeth, Lambie etc as his doing, when if anything he’s had a negative impact in them?
HM. Shape up pronto ou pel, because if a performance like last night happens next week, we may scrape through holding the dam wall together, before it explodes and you drown in a humiliating defeat by the poms.
Something even the ex-prince of clowns P.Divvy never had to answer for.
RANT OVER.
11 Nov 2012, 09:32 am
I’m as angry as a grizzly bear on a vodka babbelas with a mouth full of wasps who just discovered his she-bear in bed with the one-legged koala next door.
11 Nov 2012, 09:39 am
Anyone who watched the Argies pummel the Welsh yesterday, would likely agree that they would have given the Irish a similar hiding.
And our boys scraped a 4 point win…. SCRAPED IT.
And guys here are saying we should be happy with the win?
Is this what Bok rugby has regressed to? Pride at scraping through against sides outside the top 5? Joy at a 4 point escape against the Irish and a draw to the Argies in the space of 3 months?
Happiness at a win and a loss against an Aussie side that is so k a k that they got almightily stuffed by Les Bleus last night?
Well forgive me, but as arrogant as it sounds, I’d prefer to have the mindset of the Kiwi players, coaches and public alike when I say that losses or near misses against the Irish, Welsh and Scots should be reason for anti-depressant prescriptions to be renewed.
11 Nov 2012, 09:43 am
I’ll take the win. Heyneke knows what he is doing. Team is still gelling and first overseas tour for a few of the players. I see many bloggers seem to think we play running rugby, sorry hasn’t happened in a long time. Even WP doesn’t play running rugby so you mountain goats shouldn’t complain. Paddies were spoiling big time yesterday
11 Nov 2012, 09:44 am
Vettie
The same Argies who cam last in the Tri Nations.
While the same Aussies who beat the mighty All Blacks a couple of weeks ago were whipped 33-6 by the French.
These end of year tours are tough for the tired Southern Hemisphere teams. I’m just happy with the win.
3 out of 3 will satisfy me. However we achieve it.
11 Nov 2012, 09:46 am
“We have to be humble, keep our feet on the ground…”
A freakin phrase that makes me mal.
We need to get Clarke out early tomorrow. Top run scorer in the world this year.
11 Nov 2012, 09:46 am
Lets look at a few problem areas?
Front row not balanced – 3 big slow men – Always believed in a nr 2 with more to offer, (fetcher, ball skills etc) Not saying Strauss was the problem, just not balanced! Brits or even Chilly boy could balance it out better!
Our locks – Do not believe Kruger is the answer (avoids contact and cant dominate a tackle). Etsebeth a very good player but he wants to play the enforcer role, but not really seeing it? He is a very good line-out player with good defensive qualities… He fits the role of a number 5 lock perfectly? Bakkies and flip or even Alberts better suited as a no 4 lock.
Our loose trio… Now here is where I think we really struggled! 3 Good players, but not balanced….. no pace here. We need a number 8 with serious speed. Also think Vermeulen really struggled!
Back line will get sorted with the likes Francois Steyn, Goosen and Habana returning. Hougaard could become one of the great scrumhalves if given the opportunity to play his game!
And lambie was like he was in the currie cup final choke, standing still selling the back line. Useless!
Please Jaque Fourie… Come back to SA??????????? Our only option at 13
The likes of Burger, Smit, Beast, Guthro, Bismark, Spies, Kankofski ect returning to the forwards will also make a big impact!
11 Nov 2012, 09:56 am
@Tacitus-33:
Yes, the same Argies who came last in the RC, whipped the welsh and I have no doubt would have done the same to the Irish.
The Aussies got lucky to DRAW with the AB’s in a nothing fixture. Other than that, they have been put to the sword in every test against decent opposition just about this year and we celebrate a win and a loss against a side in clear turmoil?
And this nonsense of being tired is B.S as well… As will no doubt be proved today and next week by the Kiwis. If it’s dry and the Kiwis don’t win by at least 15 to 20 today (AT LEAST) then I will eat my hat.
Stop making excuses for HM. Man up and admit that the saviour of SA rugby in all eye’s tainted with the Blue of a Bull has been nothing but a severe and trying disappointment to almost everyone else who is growing tired of his k a k excuses. He has been found out and shown up.
Even P.Divvy was doing better than him at similar stages of their career and if that isn’t alarming then I don’t know what is.
11 Nov 2012, 09:58 am
Divvy had the best team Sa a have ever had.
Meyer is starting from scratch.
Give it some time.
11 Nov 2012, 10:19 am
We seriously lack any cohesion on attack and we struggle to put phases together which lead to tries.
I won’t make excuses for HM based on putting a team together, just look at what Argentina did to Wales. Excuses are for losers
11 Nov 2012, 10:21 am
@Tacitus-37:
Meyer has PLENTY to work with.
Especially against an Aussie team that will get beaten by most opposition this year and an Argentinian team that has been beaten by most opposition this year. Apart from us drawing to them that is.
So that’s also a k a k excuse.
Meyer needs to take off his blinkers and accept his gameplan, selections on and off the field and philosophy is not working.
11 Nov 2012, 10:25 am
Im less and less convinced after each game.
But damn Etzebeth is awesome!!!! Vermeulen had a good game. Strauss had his best game for the boks I’ve seen.
11 Nov 2012, 10:26 am
It’s just as well we didn’t play the Frenchies, they would have sorted us out good and proper,
We have a lot of work to do, and trying to excuse the performance yesterday is exactly the type of attitude that will make us mediocre.
11 Nov 2012, 10:27 am
@suffer_guy-27:
Rory will be back tomorrow.
You obviously haven’t played sport at any decent level to know what it feels like to make your debut.
11 Nov 2012, 10:27 am
I thought Vermeulen had a massive game in the tight effecting turnovers and halting Irish runners from gaining momentum@the tackle point.
I prefer these types of performances from my number 8 than one’s where presence is lacked , ala Spies, or the skillful running 8 , Kankowski.
In an ideal world I’d prefer Kanko on bench in case there’s a need to change the game plan.
11 Nov 2012, 10:28 am
Haha Tacitus, who built the team Divvie had. Time for credit where credit is due.
I said ages ago HM would struggle as he has to rebuild. Everyone said no way, not with the players we have.
Experience in test rugby is vital – bottom line!! But experience isnt everything obviously
11 Nov 2012, 10:30 am
@Tacitus-33:
“These end of year tours are tough for the tired Southern Hemisphere teams.”
Really?
You include the All Blacks here as well as one of “the tired Southern Hemisphere teams?”
When last did they STRUGGLE to win over there, much less lose a match?
11 Nov 2012, 10:31 am
I remember people saying we must be patient when P.Divvy scraped home against the welsh and Scottish in his first season.
I also recall various Bulls supporters seething and gnashing their teeth on this website when P.Divvy scraped home against the welsh and Scottish in his first season, suggesting it was NEVER acceptable to endorse such mediocrity from a Bok side against the same opposition.
So why has it now become acceptable, because thus far he has a worse than mediocre record.
11 Nov 2012, 10:38 am
Watching the French game yesterday reminded me how we should NEVER have lost to an Oz side this year!
Not THIS year people! They had soo many injuries and key players off form. They didn’t even have a team that finished in the top 6 in S15, points wise.
HM should’ve used his personnel better and been far less conservative in his approach to the game. And should’ve dropped MS much earlier and put faith in Jantjies @ that point in his tenure.
11 Nov 2012, 10:41 am
I felt Strauss also had a strong game, gained meters in attack,strong on defence and was constantly communicating with the forward pack.
Anyone also notice he didn’t miss one line out throw? A very good decision not to substitute him. I can appreciate not using your subs when there’s no need as the player on the field is neither tired and is also having a strong game
11 Nov 2012, 10:43 am
Still a Bok supporter through thick and thin. I am hoping for 2 more victories that would leave us with a record of.
12 games for the season, 7 wins, 3 losses.
7 wins and 3 losses against the best in the world….. more than acceptable in my books. Go bokke!!!!!
11 Nov 2012, 10:44 am
@nama1-45:
Please – allow me. You have to go back to 2002 to find the All Blacks last defeat to England in the NH (a 3 point loss) and 2003 till they last lost lost to England in the SH (a 2 point loss). They have not lost home or way in the other 9 matches since then.
The Scots, Welsh and Irish are easier. They last lost to Wales in 1953 and they have NEVER lost to Ireland and Scotland.
Even in “rebuilding” phases, between coaches and when they have had to endure tiring end of year tours.
But apparently we no longer measure ourselves against the All Blacks. Instead we ask for some calm and time for coaches who offer up mediocre and bland rugby.
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