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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11 Nov 2012, 10:44 am
‘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,’
Already making excuses even before the game. So much for going in with a winning mentality…
11 Nov 2012, 10:45 am
Lambie for me had an ok game. His 1st start for some time and was glad he was given a full 80 minutes.
I would still give him a few more games at 10 before making judgement but this game would’ve served him well especially playing overseas.
I would still like to see Jantjies get a full 80 minutes as well so we can see how they both go at this level. HM has unfortunately shown he has no faith in the youngster, where he should start Jantjies and also have MS as the “insurance” pick.
That would make more rugby sense but ofcourse we know HM doesn’t do things according to any rugby logic.
11 Nov 2012, 10:47 am
@Dawn-28: ndiyakuthanda nam dawny…
11 Nov 2012, 10:49 am
there;s absolutely nothing wrong with the player depth in SA at the moment, in fact i would hazard a guess that its just as good as a few years ago if not better, the difference is that at the moment it is coming from the stormers, not the bulls, and yet the stormers are not being picked.
what is even of greater concern is that world rugby is def not strong at the moment with all teams going through a rebuilding phase – its the weakest ireland side weve faced in the last 5 years with 5 or 6 of their key players out and not having the depth we do. richardt strauss was v good.
11 Nov 2012, 10:50 am
Just WHO exactly is incharge of how we attack as a unit?
This would Definitely be strentghened by having JdJ at 13 instead of Taute as there’s more of an understanding and JdJ runs better lines.
His side steps also create magic moments that turn a game on its head.
Having said that I am not convinced having JdV@12 allows a a backline to progress attack wise. All too often he looks for contact instead of attacking the space.
It’s very telling how much better WP looked on attack when JdV was not@12.
IMHO
11 Nov 2012, 10:50 am
@LoanShark-49:
I’m also a Bok supporter through thick and thin, but if you want to be honest in that statement then it would be:
played 7, won 3, drawn 1 and lost 3 against the best in the world to date.
Argentina and Ireland are not in the top 5 and therefore should not be counted amongst the best in the world.
And our 3 wins came against England twice at home and one win against the most horrendously poor Aussie team I have seen in recent memory… also at home.
11 Nov 2012, 10:51 am
freddie michalak had a storm of a game last night, carved up the aussies…no wonder plum shifted lambie to fullback.
11 Nov 2012, 10:52 am
heinke and cilliers looked pretty good together in their first match – they offset the backrow well. Beast and Gurthro’s loss is significant tho. JP running like a steam train – i;d play jdj at 12 and jp at 13.
11 Nov 2012, 10:53 am
@papaown-55: that is Jonan “Kitch Christie” van Graan.
11 Nov 2012, 10:53 am
@Transformation-57:
The sharks a different team when Freddie was playing!
11 Nov 2012, 10:54 am
@cab-58: jp is on fire
11 Nov 2012, 10:54 am
What is the view on Hougaar’s performance?
Thought he had an ok game. Solid on the D and had 1 enterprising run. He didn’t really offer much on attack though and also had a knock on. He’s a real talent but for me should not be starting now for the Boks@11.
IMHO
11 Nov 2012, 10:55 am
@Vetkoek-50: Exactly. We’ve been duped into accepting this whole “coach needing to settle in” **** and have thus accepted mediocre performances. Instead of focussing on the selections and strategy that a coach brings in, even with a “weaker pool” of players, we place too much focus on the comparison of current vs previous players.
The All Blacks don’t accept this whole “settling in” nonsense and this is one of the reasons why their performances are so consistent. On the other hand, we have a captain and coach who feel free to throw the “we’re learning” **** whenever it suits them, even if strategy and player selections are at fault.
We are accepting mediocrity.
11 Nov 2012, 10:55 am
@Transformation-57:
michelak a proper creative flyhalf that plays with ball in hand, not HOOOOFF
11 Nov 2012, 10:55 am
@LoanShark-49:
Do you also find the brand of rugby we play “acceptable?”
11 Nov 2012, 10:57 am
@Transformation-61:
he is.
9. hougard 10. pienaar 11. rhule 12. jdj 13. jp 14. jdv 15. taute/kirchener.
11 Nov 2012, 10:58 am
@papaown-62:
He was burnt on the outside by his opposite number, found wanting on at least 3 more occasions on his defensive positioning and gave away a quarter of the teams penalties by himself.
Other than that he was average
Agree he should not be starting at 11 for the boks. In fact, I think his best service to the Boks would be off the bench as an impact player as Pienaar is on form our best 9 and I think we have better wings?
11 Nov 2012, 11:01 am
funny thing is we heard phrases like “the mark of a good team is winning when you’re not playing well” when the all blacks scraped a 22-19 win vs the irish with a carter drop goal after 80min.
11 Nov 2012, 11:01 am
@LoanShark-35:
very good post, agreed almost wholeheartedly.
except in the case of vermeulen i would say he was actually quite good defensively in the way a brick wall is, however, his attacking link play is still poor and in need of a lot of work.
11 Nov 2012, 11:03 am
@nama1-65:
At stages yes and at stages no…. What is happening at the moment is we are playing 2 conflicting game plans. We have the Stormers mentality of picking a very strong defensive unit so in essence playing not to loose. We want to play what I think is HM’s idea of complete rugby, which is dominating up front play territory and kick when you have to, and then attack out wide when the opportunity arise. But doing that with the mentality of not to loose is problematic. Not enough attacking skill in the team at the moment…. We are very one-dimensional?
If that makes any sense?
11 Nov 2012, 11:05 am
Flo was once again one of our best players last night, but he wouldn’t even have been there if not for injuries to others.
Spies would probably be starting ahead of Vermeulen if he were fit.
If there is a single person in SA who can look me in the eye and tell me with a DEAD STRAIGHT FACE the Zane Kirchner is the best fullback in this country, without any provincial bias, but looking just at him as a player, then I will have no choice but to recommend a dose of white padded cell.
Taute our best 13? No. He isn’t. Good Fullback though.
11 Nov 2012, 11:09 am
this has got nothing to do with a stormers gameplan, meyer is a bulls coach, there were 3 stormers forwards picked and 2 backs. the stormers defense is solid and their attack is v good too – there is noone to touch de-jong in terms of creating play. we are creating nothing and hoofing everything, grant does not play that way and neither does jdv or jdj, the wingers are not encouraged to have a strong kicking game and gio aplon and joe pietersen are v skillful players.
11 Nov 2012, 11:10 am
@Transformation-68:
I agree with this, but I would actually add something to that statement.
“the mark of a good team is winning when you’re not playing well, but the mark of a GREAT team is winning 42-10 in the first test, sneaking home by a drop in the second test in a clear abberation and then winning 60-0 in the third test, just to ensure everyone understand how seriously pis sed off they were with the mediocrity dished up in the second test.”
11 Nov 2012, 11:12 am
the other thing is no one appreciates the fact that as bad as the boks were last night we still kept the irish scoreless.
11 Nov 2012, 11:13 am
a win is a win, but there are better players not being selected and that is the problem, why does he not at least try them as he did with flo and vermeulen who revolutionised the pack.
11 Nov 2012, 11:14 am
@Tacitus-37: Ag for crying out loud stop talking k@k man.
The man has not improved the style of play or shown any sign that he will develop this team into All Black slayers.
He is a dinosaur and has no appreciation for skill, offloading in the tackle or positive backline play. Maybe in Pretoria this prehistoric domkrag rugby is acceptable but I for one expect more from our national team.
Should we give him another 6 years to get it right like he had at the Bulls?
11 Nov 2012, 11:14 am
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-74:
Yes. Apart from the 12 points they scored, we kept them scoreless.
11 Nov 2012, 11:16 am
actually there was one stormers back picked and its in the wrong position – jdv done nothing at 12 for several years now, regardless of who we;ve had at flyhald.
11 Nov 2012, 11:17 am
@cab-75:
I don’t know the man, but I would suggest he suffers from the age old Bok coach ailment known as “bull-headed stubborness” – excuse the pun.
Meyer clearly won’t accept he has it wrong and will only make changes when he is forced to through injury or something else beyond his control.
Read Flo, Vermeulen, Goosen, Lambie etc as evidence of this.
11 Nov 2012, 11:20 am
@Transformation-68:
Come now Transie. You can’t compare the two.
How many 1st choice players were missing from the Irish team yesterday?
We should’ve beaten them by at least 20.
@LoanShark-70:
Makes sense.
We are indeed very one dimensional.
Easy to read for the opposition and that allows them to put plans in place to counter us on every front.
As I’ve said some time ago, changing the FH will only be a change of personnel. It won’t make much of a difference because the new player will have to abide by the game plan of Meyer. Lambie’s performance yesterday proved that. Not that he was bad but he was not great either. I think the game plan does not suit his style.
11 Nov 2012, 11:21 am
@Transformation-57:
@LoanShark-60:
problem is more and more we are finding the lambie cupboard to in fact be a little bare. that laaitie was in so far over his head last night, it was a god thing the decision making was taken away from him in the 2nd.
and in those instances when he did get the ball in the 2nd he made some awful decisions, like the switch back pass to taute off his inside against the run of play, which went nowhere.
his decesion making under pressure was really poor and he reminded me of the 40-7 loss he was involved in against nz, again last night. when he’s flustered his tactical and territorial game goes out the window.
i hope these are baptisms of fire only from which he will grow, but they have to be noted.
next up, elton.
11 Nov 2012, 11:22 am
@Blokkies-76:
Amen brother!
One thing people forget about his highness, the almighty Meyer is that he was also the coach of perhaps the WORST Bulls teams ever seen, and it was only when the backers at Loftus opened their cheque books and he was able to buy certain key players for his gameplan that he had success.
A luxury one doesn’t get with the Bok team. A good coach recognises the form and talent of the best 30 in the country and then devises a gameplan for them.
Meyer blows the dust off his 2005 play books and then picks players who haven’t exactly set the world alight, but who fit in with his 7 year old plan.
11 Nov 2012, 11:24 am
@Vetkoek-79:
yip it seems he simply is hellbent on not picking the obvious – i think he’s got a lot of passion for the boks and humility if u read his comments on the other thread – so he’s actually half decent individual but why doesnt he pick de jong? what about deon fourie? why not brussow? these are small changes that change everything.
what is worrying for me is when i read about him trying to improve rhules kicking game, why is hougaard being picked at 9, why is lambie and kirchener kicking everything HOOF everytime like clockwork, and why does he perssists with defensive centres that are not terribly good at defense.
11 Nov 2012, 11:24 am
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-81:
Or he’s been given strict instructions to play a style of rugby that he is not accustomed to, but that suits M Steyn?
And of course he’s willing to do as he’s been told by a coach who has stuffed him around all year.
11 Nov 2012, 11:26 am
nama: how many 1st choice players turned out for the boks?
11 Nov 2012, 11:27 am
@Vetkoek-77:
dont be a pedantic doos,
i meant tryless
as in; ‘they did not score a single try’
11 Nov 2012, 11:29 am
@cab-78:
JdV must do the right thing after this tour. Retire from international rugby.
He is not good enough anymore.
@Vetkoek-79:
Remember how JW said that the more he (HM) becomes under pressure, the more he’ll dig in his heels.
Can’t for the life of me understand why he did not sent De Jongh on to at least TRY something different. That back line was a sterile as they come with only JPP the exception.
11 Nov 2012, 11:30 am
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-81:
Your Messiah, seems to be having a little trouble with his loaves and fishes.
11 Nov 2012, 11:31 am
@Vetkoek-84:
now you just sound like a coach who is ‘reaching’ for cheap excuses.
11 Nov 2012, 11:31 am
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-86:
ahhh- I apologise. Yes, we kept them tryless.
But then lets face it, in their last test against the all blacks, they were also kept tryless. And penalty-less. And Drop-less. In fact in that game they didn’t actually score a single point so they were in fact kept point-less.
The Kiwis scored 60 points though.
Against an Irish team that had O’Driscoll and other first choice players playing.
Not a pointless comparison
11 Nov 2012, 11:31 am
@vetkoek: the boks will unleash their fury on the scots next week after yesterday’s abberation!
the one thing i can say is our attack play has gone back to the predictable kak of Mendoza, one-off runners being picked off man-handled & turned over.
11 Nov 2012, 11:34 am
“I was desperate at one point…………………………………”
Meyer.
I’ll bet.
11 Nov 2012, 11:34 am
@nama1-80: That’s another beef I have with Meyer.
He has not embraced the talents of so many brilliant players, but has tried to bend their skillset to suit his plankass gameplan.
Example: forcing Hougaard to play like FdP. Forcing Lambie and Goosen to play like Steyn. Taking Taute (a fullback) and trying to make him play like Jacques Fourie.
I mean seriously, what is wrong with this oke? Is he so uncreative that he only knows 1 way to play and therefore forces players into his perceived way of playing whether they suit the style or not?
.
Why not tweak his gameplan to compliment the skillsets of the players at his disposal.
Square pegs, round holes and all that…..
11 Nov 2012, 11:34 am
@Vetkoek-84:
Bekker and Beast in the pack.
Habana in the back line.
Who else?
We don’t know where guys like Schalk rate in his pecking order so no use speculating about them.
11 Nov 2012, 11:36 am
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-89:
No- “we kept them tryless in the process of only scoring one try ourselves and scraping through by 4 points” is the sort of **** excuse one hears on behalf of a coach who is clearly out of his depth.
When a person accuses that coach of treating a talented player like **** and asking him to play a gameplan that is about a BILLION light years from the one he’s played at his HIGHLY successful franchise all year, that’s not making excuses. That’s an out and out accusation that Meyer’s skop-en-jag “plan” is as old as methuselah and slightly less potent.
And definitely less likely to score.
11 Nov 2012, 11:36 am
@cane-88:
yes, you could say that i suppose.
i would like him to test the other little fish, slick rick, for the scotish game.
we might as well get a good accounting of these boys while we’re at it.
best way to decide the fh pecking order.
as it stands:
goosen
morne
jantjes
lambie
(with jantjes still to be tested and morne to get a cameo against eng)
11 Nov 2012, 11:36 am
@nama1-80: How many times over the years have the Boks beaten Ireland by 20 in their own backyard…?
11 Nov 2012, 11:36 am
@Vetkoek-90:
I await Bakkies applause for the All Blacks.
11 Nov 2012, 11:38 am
@Blokkies-93:
Exactly.
He turns out to be a proper doos of a coach.
Bakkies will not agree of course.
11 Nov 2012, 11:40 am
Boks beat gritty Ireland
November 10 2012 at 09:33pm
By AFP
The Springboks came from12-3 down at half-time
Ireland let slip a 12-3 half-time lead to lose their one-off test with South Africa, who turned things round to win 16-12 at Lansdowne Road on Saturday. – AFP. Iol’s take on the game.Rather explains it all.
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