Bok babes a boon
14 Nov 2012
RYAN VREDE, in Edinburgh, reports Heyneke Meyer says the injury turmoil the team has had to endure this year has had positive spin-offs for their rookies that are starting to show now.
The Springboks have struggled for consistency in Meyer’s first season in charge, however, one cannot ignore the affect of the mass exodus of players after the 2011 World Cup and the number of key players who have sustained injuries over the course of his tenure.
This has robbed the team of invaluable experience, and their absence has often been telling in crunch moments. However, Meyer believes that being forced to broaden his selection net has inadvertently been hugely beneficial.
‘I noticed yesterday on the team bus that Francois Hougaard and Morne Steyn were sitting at the back [traditionally the domain of senior players]. Last year they were right in front. Suddenly within a year they’ve made that shift, which shows how short of experience this side is,’ Meyer noted.
‘But the great thing for me is that there are a couple of the younger players who are in or almost in double figures as far as caps are concerned. My whole aim is to get our young players to 24 and 25 years old and have 30 or 40 caps under their belt. The injury situation has been bad, but the way the likes of Eben Etzebeth and Marcell Coetzee and others have grown in a year is incredible and next year they’ll be even better. In the next three years leading into the World Cup, they’ll become superb.’
Meyer also explained the benefits of this tour for the likes of Arno Botha and Raymond Rhule among other players, who have been brought into the squad with a view to easing their passage into Test rugby in the years ahead.
‘You can’t just put a guy into the side without getting him up to speed, which was the case with Schalk Brits, who has to learn so many calls. The great thing though is that at the beginning there were six really young players in what we called our “young guns” and four of them are playing regularly now,’ he said.
‘For guys like Raymond and Arno, they’re learning our structures and culture. I’ve always believed in not pushing youngsters too early. A guy like Eben Etzebeth is an exception. But the timing is so important with most young players. Arno and Raymond will learn a lot from this experience and definitely next year they’ll play some Test rugby.’
All this amounts to Meyer potentially having a very big pool of players to select from in 2013. He said the benefits of that were numerous but it was also a daunting prospect.
‘I don’t know how I’m going to pick a team, particularly in the loose forwards, when everyone is conditioned and available. I really believe that next year we’ll grow and build going into the World Cup. If we can keep the nucleus of this side together I’m very optimistic about the future.’
24 Comments
14 Nov 2012, 14:47 pm
Get your selections right HM. That wheel needs to turn a bit faster. We can all see the problem with Steyn and Kirchner so catch a wake up ekse
14 Nov 2012, 14:56 pm
Agree that it’s important to accumulate caps and experience, however building a winning culture is equally important. Plenty of NH players who had many caps, but could count the number of winning tests on their fingers.
Thrash the sides rated 6 and below in the rankings as a team rated nr. 2 should, beat the Aussies, Poms and French on a more consistent basis, run the Kiwi’s close away and beat them at home, then the players would have the necessary confidence and belief going into any tests, irrespective of the number of caps.
14 Nov 2012, 16:12 pm
‘I noticed yesterday on the team bus that Francois Hougaard and Morne Steyn were sitting at the back [traditionally the domain of senior players]. Last year they were right in front. ” In which Bok bus did HM travel last year ? Am I missing something ?
14 Nov 2012, 16:33 pm
“…the way the likes of Eben Etzebeth and Marcell Coetzee and others have grown in a year is incredible and next year they’ll be even better. In the next three years leading into the World Cup, they’ll become superb.’ ”
It all depends if you think players get better with age / experience.
I don’t, necessarily.
I think the modern player plays his best rugby before age 24.
14 Nov 2012, 17:51 pm
“Francois Hougaard and Morne Steyn were sitting at the back” – there are so many things wrong with that quote.
1. 2 of the worst under-achievers for the Boks this year
2. Both Bulls boys, so no wonder they windgat in the Bok camp
3. Morne has been a Bok since mid-2009. How long til he is not a rookie?
14 Nov 2012, 17:52 pm
@willievz-4: Goeie punt Willie. Ook dit lyk my soms is daai talent en vermoee “uitgecoach” uit die speler uit.
14 Nov 2012, 17:59 pm
@nortierd-2: Great post! A side like Ireland have 100s of caps, and still got moered by the Kiwis.
Caps (ie Test experience) means a lot, but not everything.
The team you described was basically the 2004-2007 team (altho they did struggle with France and lost to Ireland). But the principle I agree with 100%!
We should not be celebrating 4 point scrapes against Ireland. We should not forgive shocking play like the Boks dished up int he first half.
We expect better because we believe they are better than that!
14 Nov 2012, 18:18 pm
@CharlesM-3:
> ‘I noticed yesterday on the team bus that Francois Hougaard and Morne Steyn were sitting at the back [traditionally the domain of senior players]. Last year they were right in front. ” In which Bok bus did HM travel last year ?
> Am I missing something ?
Yes Ryan, shelf your bias for a minute and do your work, you do call yourself a journalist after all?
The following senior players are missing from last year’s World Cup squad, they used to be at the back of the bus
John Smit,
Victor,
Bakkies,
Guthro,
Bismarck,
Jaque Fourie,
Danie Rossouw,
Juan Smith ,
Schalk Burger,
Butch James,
Odwa Ndugane,
Chilliboy,
Frans Steyn
and CJ
14 Nov 2012, 18:24 pm
@bokfan1-5:
> 1. 2 of the worst under-achievers for the Boks this year
And for the Bulls
> 2. Both Bulls boys, so no wonder they windgat in the Bok camp
Biased agian, Morne doesn’t know how to spell windgat, his jammer-dat-ek-lewe attitude is the reason that he’s got no BMT.
Hougaard was and has always been windgat, he came to the Bulls wintie already
> 3. Morne has been a Bok since mid-2009. How long til he is not a rookie?
He can probably sit at the back of the bus, he’s played more tests than Frans Steyn
14 Nov 2012, 19:39 pm
@willievz-4: post of the day
14 Nov 2012, 19:41 pm
@ryecatcher-10: However compare it to
all o the kak posts here
14 Nov 2012, 22:00 pm
Its not the forwards that are the problem.
15 Nov 2012, 05:43 am
Lekker week in De Doorns, almal. Boere moet betaal. Drop De Jongh en ons raak kwaad ekse.
15 Nov 2012, 07:13 am
Steyn shouldn’t even be on the bus let alone at the back of it…
Chicken or beef is a better analogy…
15 Nov 2012, 07:30 am
@KeurboomPark-13:
Why are they stoning people’s cars?
15 Nov 2012, 07:34 am
@victoriabok-9: Your last line is incorrect.
15 Nov 2012, 07:36 am
@Gumboots-14:
yes true. Business class or Economy? Window seat or Isle seat
15 Nov 2012, 07:41 am
I wonder if Meyer will pick Coetzee next year if he struggles to get game time at the Sharks. As I see it, he will be on the bench for the Sharks with the starting trio imo being 6. Daniel, 7. Alberts, 8. Kanko with Coetzee on the bench.
Whereas a guy like Kolisi will be a first choice player next season and probably play all of the Stormers games.
We might see Kolisi replace Coetzee in the Bok squad next year.
15 Nov 2012, 07:56 am
@willievz-4: Don’t think I agree. Is Carter not over 24? Is Nanu not over 24? What about Conrad Smith, Juan Smith, Matfield, Bakkies, Du Preez? What about Simon Shaw, at 37/36 he was the man of the match in the second lions test against the boks?
And Flouw, playing the best rugby of his career and he is 27?
Sorry but you need to seariously adjust your opinion, it is baseless.
I don’t mean this in a bad way, it just isn’t true what you are saying about players only producing their best before 24.
Average age of the AB’s in the 2011 WC was 27.56.
15 Nov 2012, 07:57 am
@Sasuke-18: Schalk/ Kollisi/ Vermeulen with Elstadt as the second half bruiser!
15 Nov 2012, 07:58 am
@Sasuke-18: Sad though, I feel Coetzee has so much to offer at 8. He needs to work on his offloads and passing and he would really become a great number 8, but with Vermeulen and Arno as the bok incumbunts that doesn’t look the case.
But going forward I think Coetzee and Alberts are our #7′s going forward.
15 Nov 2012, 08:34 am
@goodstuff-20: Scary combo with Deon Fourie being the fetcher from hooker.
@goodstuff-21: Yes he started out as a No 8 right? Yes he looked good coming on at 7. He should maybe focus on that position.
15 Nov 2012, 08:39 am
@Sasuke-22: Coetzee and Kolisi will always be shifted around the loose trio because they are very versatile.
15 Nov 2012, 09:35 am
When I saw the headline, I thought the Sharks cheerleaders might be turning out for the Boks now
A real boon for a cold Edinburgh night, eh Ryan??
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