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, 11:41 am
@nama1-99:
But if he had to win the four nations next year…………. Would he be a Hero?
11 Nov 2012, 11:43 am
Wonder what puma thinks about the game?
11 Nov 2012, 11:43 am
@Vetkoek-95:
you’re just making up stuff you have no real knowledge of other than your hunches you go by, having watched the game.
who says that any of this is happening to lambie’s game behind the scenes? how do you know this? do you have an inside channel to the boks we dont know of? are you in communication with patrick?
funny how pienaar was able to make decisions serving his and the teams own interests in spite of the coach.
11 Nov 2012, 11:44 am
@nama1-94:
Oh yes, Bissie.
@Tuna-97:
This should’ve been the 1st time. We had everything in our favour.
Two weeks of training together so no “we did not have enough time together” excuse. The Irish are only really starting their season now. The Irish were without some of their most influential players like BOD and O’Connell.
No boet, everything was in our favour to really hammer them.
11 Nov 2012, 11:45 am
@cane-98:
“More chance of falling pregnant via wind pollenation”.
What gets me is that when people talk about the Boks, they should be saying that the only time it’s acceptable to scrape through is against the shackle-draggers and your lot.
And even then, I have an empty feeling inside that we should need to include your convict-cousins to the north in the pecking order
11 Nov 2012, 11:45 am
@59 Transie
WTF is van Graan doing then?
We don’t build any phase play which exposes gaps and allows the team to score tries. Our tries are one off without any build up
11 Nov 2012, 11:48 am
@cane-98:
no caner, none will be forthcoming.
and you know the reason for that.
clean up your rugby and maybe the world will start to like you again, simples.
11 Nov 2012, 11:48 am
@LoanShark-101:
I don’t know.
Was PdV a hero when the Boks won the 20093N?
11 Nov 2012, 11:49 am
I am a true Bok Supporter! I support the players and the coach! Will criticize but am also intelligent enough to realize that at the moment we are building (with 60% of our top players not available). I also realize that New Zealand at the moment is much better than us.
But being a positive individual will give the coach and players a chance to build and prove themselves! I truly believe that next year this time it will be a completely different team and we will be very competitive against the AB’s
11 Nov 2012, 11:49 am
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-96: Morne Steyn has no business being on that list of yours.
In 2009 the only thing he could do was kick. Right now he can’t even do that.
Catrakilis is a better fly half than The Stain
11 Nov 2012, 11:50 am
1 heinke(beast on last 20m)
2 adriaan( chilli on last 15)
3 pat(jannie on last 25)
4 eben
5 juandre(flip on last 30)
6 francois
7 marcell( willem on last 25)
8 duanne
9 francois( pienaar on last 30)
10 pat (jantjies on last 35)
11 lwazi(rhule or mapoe on last 30)
12 jean( kirchner last 20)
13 juan
14 jp
15 taute (lambie last 35)
11 Nov 2012, 11:51 am
@Vetkoek-105:
You won Vet.
Things could have been worse.
Next you have Scotland, which you should win comfortably.
Then an arm wrestle with Old Blighty………………………………..which will not be pretty.
But you should still win.
That would make it 3 from 3.
And hey that ain’t bad……………………….is it.
11 Nov 2012, 11:51 am
@papaown-106:
Did you not see how we “attack” with our forwards?
What is up with Alberts? He really has mastered the art of going missing as the game progressed.
11 Nov 2012, 11:52 am
The rugby was pathetic ,but the party was fantabulous !!In other news,MU came from 2 zip down to win for a perfect Saturday,results wise.
11 Nov 2012, 11:53 am
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-103:
No- I just watched a game where Lambie kicked more out of character than any other time this year.
Not making stuff up at all. Just calling it like I saw it.
The ineffective play, poor execution and poor win further emphasised the fact that something is not right.
For more evidence, see the equally kak performances in Mendoza, P.E, Perth, Otago and Soweto this year.
6 lacklustre performances in 10 games and 3 wins against sides that aren’t in the top 3, with only ONE really good result this year is pretty damning in my opinion.
Of course it would appear that for the normally unforgiving Bulls supporters among us, abject mediocrity has become perfectly acceptable, as long as it’s dished out by one of their heroes.
11 Nov 2012, 11:53 am
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-107:
They already love us Bakkies.
Murrayfield sold out. 67,000 I think.
11 Nov 2012, 11:55 am
as @ POST 111 Jean need rest lambie to fullback taute to centre… My mistake no zane in the team whatsoever.
11 Nov 2012, 11:55 am
@nama1-104: Nah… 20 is pushing it. Ireland are always fired up against us and like you said they started their season. They were ready to roll and they did that first half. Boks did well to pull this one through. Look I’m not defending HM he is making some silly decisions imo BUT we as supporters are bitching even before the game starts and then is just negative **** all the way. HM will pick a lat for his own arse IF he is wrong. It’s his first year ffs if this time next year it’s the same… well then I’ll bring the rope.
11 Nov 2012, 11:55 am
@nama1-113: Always said that he was way overrated.Shocking conditioning for an international player.With Vermeulen there we don’t need him really.
11 Nov 2012, 11:55 am
@nama1-99:
as a matter of fact, yes… yes i do disagree.
considering the fact meyer had to REBUILD A TEAM FROM SCTRATCH as compared to divvy who was gifted one of the most compete and best boks sides ever and did not need to make a single change in his first year, as it stands after 9 games:
Divvy = 5 wins and 4 losses
Meyer = 5 wins, 3 losses and 2 draws
in my opinion, this curve will go up even further in meyer’s favour.
11 Nov 2012, 11:55 am
@LoanShark-109:
“60% of our top players not available”
Habana
Bissie
Bekker
Beast
Goosen
Fransie
We need three more. Please don’t mention FdP.
11 Nov 2012, 11:56 am
@wnbb-114:
Proteas looking good too.
11 Nov 2012, 11:57 am
@cane-112:
What would your response be if I said to you:
You won Cane.
Things could have been worse.
Next you have Scotland, which you should win comfortably.
Then an arm wrestle with Old Blighty………………………………..which will not be pretty. But you should still win.
That would make it 3 from 3. And hey that ain’t bad……………………….is it.
11 Nov 2012, 11:57 am
@nama1-121:
Guthro
J Fourie
Kankofski
Burger
Smit
Spies
11 Nov 2012, 11:59 am
I would probably give Skop a heart attack ,but I would prefer a fit Schalkie over Alberts any day of the week.
11 Nov 2012, 12:01 pm
@xtremebull-111:
If somebody can please explain to me WHY Taute is seen as the best 15 in the country when he is not even the best 15 at his franchise?
Please!!!!
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-120:
“…as it stands after 9 games:
Meyer = 5 wins, 3 losses and 2 draws”
Calculator says NO!!!
11 Nov 2012, 12:01 pm
@Blokkies-110:
alright then,
i disagree (and so does the coach).
11 Nov 2012, 12:02 pm
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-120:
Ag please man. We have more than enough talent and depth to put out a Bok side that shouldn’t struggle like against Ireland, Scotland and the Argies.
This give him time b.s would be RIDICULED in NZ, who should be our fiercest rivals, so why should it here?
NZ have had to rebuild many teams after retirement, injury, changes in coaches etc and they would never accept the **** we’ve dished up this year as being excused by “rebuilding”.
11 Nov 2012, 12:02 pm
@nama1-126:
ja, 10 games
11 Nov 2012, 12:05 pm
my girlfriend thinks i’m a stalker…
well, actually…………..
she’s not my girlfriend……
yet.
11 Nov 2012, 12:05 pm
@LoanShark-124: When you say Smit, do you mean John Smit or Juan Smith?
People gotta stop adding Juan onto their ‘ top players who are injured’ . Until he has a season of either Super Rugby or Heineken Cup under his belt he is definitely not in the running anymore. The dude hasn’t played for 2 years now. He might never come back, unfortunately
11 Nov 2012, 12:05 pm
JPP slowly but surely developing into a thug as seen by his play yesterday.On more than one occasion he was using his shoulder in the tackle.Very disappointed with this new development in his play.
11 Nov 2012, 12:07 pm
@Vetkoek-123:
Well we do have Scotland next………………………in a few hours.
And I’d take a win by 3 points now………………………..if were possible.
As for England…………………………………those baastaards are very difficult to beat at home. They always seem to be able to reduce a game to their level…..An Arm Wrestle.
Any win over England is a good win.
So …………………………………yeah, I’d be happy enough.
11 Nov 2012, 12:07 pm
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-127: Cool, but seeing as it is quite obvious that the coach knows boggeroll about back line play and I have played fly half all my life, I think it’s safe to conclude that I am right
11 Nov 2012, 12:08 pm
@charo-130:
Good luck charo,
She could do worse.
(maybe).
11 Nov 2012, 12:09 pm
@Vetkoek-115:
@Vetkoek-128:
look, this is going nowhere.
you clearly have deep seated, negatively biased views of the current national coach and the part of the country he’s from.
i do not agree with most of your views but you are free to them.
personally, while i am unhappy with much of our progress so far i will accept that he is in the midst of a rebuilding phase which came about two or three years too late and should have been overseen by his predecessors.
it will take a little longer perhaps, and it will not be without pain but i believe in the coach and i believe in the team. for me we can only go up from here on.
11 Nov 2012, 12:09 pm
@Blokkies-134:
And I’d pick you ahead of Steyn
11 Nov 2012, 12:09 pm
@Tuna-118:
Fair enough.
@LoanShark-124:
Between Gurtho and Beast only ONE can be 1st choice.
J Fourie: Jip, I’ll grant you him
Kankofski: Never was the 1st choice option
Burger: You’ll have to choose between him and Flo.
Smit: John? surely not.
Spies: Really?
What I’m trying to say is that even if those guys were available, you could not select the all. Look at the 8th man position for example. You have Kanko and Spies on your list while Vermeulen is currently playing. You can only select one of them to start and maybe another one for the bench. So whether the 3rd one is available or not, is irrelevant.
11 Nov 2012, 12:10 pm
@cane-116:
not sold out, yet.
besides, everybody sells out.
does not mean they love you. rather, they want to see the cheats come undone.
11 Nov 2012, 12:11 pm
Coming to Hougaard.He is becoming the new Spies.Fark,how kuk must he still play to be shafted from the team???
11 Nov 2012, 12:12 pm
@nama1-87:
Nama, go and watch the game again and see how many times JDV got us over the gain line. That is where I disagree with you.
Where I agree with you is that JDV and Taute do not gel as a centre combination. HM has failed to see this after 3 tests together.
There have got be changes in the backline for Scotland. JDJ needs a start. Lambie needs another start in order to get his confidence levels up. And I’d like to see Elton get 20 minutes.
11 Nov 2012, 12:13 pm
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-136:
I have no problem on the part of the country he is from.
I take a dismal view on supporters who excuse his obvious faults based on what part of the country he is from though.
And I take a dismal view on an international coach who has thus far shown an intense resistance to change something if it’s not working, a stubborn reluctance to pick players unless through injury (especially when said players have gone on to shine) and a clear bias towards out of form players and average coaching staff, because of the part of the country they happen to coach in…. rather unsuccesfully just recently.
11 Nov 2012, 12:13 pm
@Blokkies-134:
but seeing as the coach is the one who gets to pencil in the ‘preferred’ flyhalf list… we dont care…
11 Nov 2012, 12:14 pm
@Vetkoek-137:
please refer post #143
11 Nov 2012, 12:14 pm
@charo-130:
Funny
@wnbb-132:
I don’t know if it was just me but I thought that yellow card was a bit harsh. That tackle looked quite alright for me.
My mates disagreed but then again, they are not Bok supporters so they are never objective when it comes to the Boks.
11 Nov 2012, 12:17 pm
@nama1-145:
It was early. Deserving of a penalty but the YC was harsh.
11 Nov 2012, 12:17 pm
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-139:
It is very difficult to part a Scotsman with his Bank of Clydesdale pound notes.
To part 67,000 Jocks with their precious, is a minor miracle.
11 Nov 2012, 12:17 pm
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-136: The rebuilding phase will take longer ,meaning that we need to to tolerate the BS dished up yesterday?Ok.At least I support a team that will win multiple titles in the next decade.
11 Nov 2012, 12:19 pm
@nama1-145:
yes, it was overblown.
no malice in the hit and was just fractions of a second off in the timing.
11 Nov 2012, 12:19 pm
@wnbb-140:
His best position is the bench, I believe.
Wonder what happened to all that “X-factor” he supposedly has… whatever that is. The boy offers nothing on the wing at the moment.
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