Meyer: 2012 a qualified success
27 Nov 2012
Heyneke Meyer says that the season was a success given that the injury-hit Springboks conceded just three losses.
The Boks returned to South Africa on Monday having won all three of their Tests in Europe. This ensured that they finished the 2012 season on a high, and allowed them to obtain an overall record that reads seven wins, two draws, and three losses.
Meyer feels that it is a good return considering the challenges a new coaching staff and team faced at the beginning of the year.
‘Our coaching team was only able to start working with the players relatively late as most of them were still part of Super Rugby,’ the Bok coach said, referring to the fact that he and his lieutenants had less than a week to prepare the new squad for the first Test against England on 9 June.
‘We always knew it was going to be a tough year with all the players we’ve lost. The All Blacks are still ahead of us, but we started fourth on the IRB rankings list and finished second. Now we have to close that gap and grow as a team.’
Despite their problems with injuries ahead of those three June Tests against England, they won the series convincingly. Meyer also took a side missing several experienced players to Europe this November, and while the side did not excel in terms of performance, they were deserved winners in all three Tests.
Where the Boks were less than convincing was in the Rugby Championship, where they finished third behind New Zealand and Australia. They scrapped to a disappointing draw with Argentina in Mendoza, and may have won the Test against the All Blacks in Dunedin had they converted more goal-kicking chances. However, they were soundly beaten by the Wallabies in Perth, and hammered by the All Blacks in their final game of the tournament in Soweto.
Meyer feels that while the year has been a testing one, the injuries have allowed several players an opportunity to stake their claim. Duane Vermeulen, Francois Louw, Adriaan Strauss, and Pat Lambie have certainly shone in the absence of regular or favoured starters like Pierre Spies, Schalk Burger, Bismarck du Plessis, and Johan Goosen.
The Boks will also be stronger when the latter group, as well as the likes of Andries Bekker, Beast Mtawarira, Frans Steyn, Heinrich Brussow, and Bryan Habana return from injury in 2013.
‘It will be wonderful for South African rugby when all the injured players are back,’ said Meyer. ‘The competition [for places] will be immense.’
274 Comments
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27 Nov 2012, 20:02 pm
IMO Meyer had a dissapointing 1st season based on what was expected at the start of his tenure.
Yes lots of player were injured but some of their replacements more than made up for their unavailability. Players like Schalk would have played ahead of Flo and Spies ahead of Vermuelen.
But a fit Goosen, Frans Steyn and Bissy will signicantly improve the team next season.
If we can add some creative spark on attack, kick less in the opponents half and management to sort out 15 and 9 the Bokke will have a successfull 2013.
27 Nov 2012, 21:35 pm
Springboks are striving for mediocrity, the rugby they played was rubbish, beating Scotland Ireland and England with no attacking play is hardly something to shout about, Ricardo Loubscher and South Africa have no backs, forward dominated kick chase game, outdated, predictable and so mediocre
27 Nov 2012, 21:54 pm
@mxhosa-200:
So, 3 of the 12 debutants did not really deserve their Bok caps.
That’s 25% of the new players who were undeserving of Bok colours this year but they were made Boks by HM.
Handing out Bok caps as if it were free lollies.
27 Nov 2012, 22:31 pm
Meet “Takuma”, South African rugby’s new mascot. Along with every other South African sports.
http://www.sport24.co.za/Soccer/Takuma-to-become-SAs-mascot-20121127
Do other countries have a national sports mascot? I haven’t seen any. Seems like a pathetically silly idea. Not to mention that a fat hippo should not be a sports mascot. Oh the irony.
SA rugby does not need some official mascot foisted on it. We have a springbok. Besides, every SA team (with the exception of our useless football team) uses green as the dominant colour. “Takuma” has a yellow strip.
27 Nov 2012, 22:43 pm
Is there a viral online poll campaign happening in Port Elizabeth? Has every KrapKings supporter in the city found his way to Keo to vote? Or has Transformation created 151 other accounts on Keo and voted with each one?
I’m trying to work out how the KrapKings have managed to garner 152 votes in the “Which SA team will win the SA conference in 2013?” poll.
27 Nov 2012, 23:37 pm
0% win record against all blacks, the year was a miserable failure. No excuses
27 Nov 2012, 23:37 pm
Worry nie veel oor heyneke se rekord nie… net bly rugby is weer in afrikaner hande… waar dit hoort
27 Nov 2012, 23:45 pm
Licking my lips for when all teh players are back – inlcuding F du Preez, Jacques Fourie, Heinrich, Johan Goosen, Spies, Schalk and Juan Smith (if they come back – I hope they will!). We need to find one or two really destructive scrummager props- surely in our nation of large people we can find one ridiculously strong one, and coach them in teh dark arts? That kid Kitshoff looks very strong for a 20 year old- he will only get better, but must be coached, and coached well by the best, before he develops bad habits. He could be a keeper. Heyneke should get him and the WP forwards coach and the Boks scrum coach together now.
27 Nov 2012, 23:45 pm
@suffer_guy-207: PDV was Afrikaans????
ps vokkof thick plank.
27 Nov 2012, 23:47 pm
Luiperd jou ma buk vir zet ou plank
28 Nov 2012, 00:04 am
Meyer has built hardly any depth in certain positions…he is a lost cause…oh well his three wins on eoyt has ensured continued mediocrity and Ab dominance going forward,something I should be happy with but frankly I am not. Meyer will not take the Bok to great heights.
28 Nov 2012, 03:13 am
@Delki-8: The ABs haven’t lost a single test on any EOYT for a whole decade. They regard a clean sheet as a gimme.
28 Nov 2012, 03:45 am
@Te Rangatira-211:
I’m sure you holding thumbs there Te Rangi, but I think the Boks will get better next year despite Meyer. Alot of injuried players should be back to bolster depth, and one thing I have to give credit to Meyer is that he is willing to change…………he did with Steyn after a nudge or to and that gives me hope.
Expect the Boks to be more competitive next year
Also remember your stars are not getting any younger!
28 Nov 2012, 04:08 am
@Te Rangatira-211:
It is because he had to start from scratch after what PDivvie left him with. Besides, with the long list of injured players to come back I think he did ok in building this year. Let us see what he does with the backline next year before we write him off.
28 Nov 2012, 04:20 am
Guys, don’t be bothered by the bang peosies Hondo and Suffer_guy. They are trolls and want to incite violence. Nothing better than Julius Malema. In fact, at least Julius has the guts to show his face. I’ve asked these guys to tell me where they live so me and the boys can discuss their view
Got nothing, bang peosies!
Anyway, on to rugby matters. The problem with Heyneke is that he was moaning and sulking, fled the country etc after Pdivvie left the country. Everybody said this guy is streaks ahead of Pdivvie. Well, I’m yet to see it. I find his obsession with size funny as the Stormers who contain some fairie hairdressers have the best defensive record and the All Blacks with Corey Jane, etc are scoring all the tries. Maybe he just like big boys around him.
I guess anything can be a success if you don’t measure yourself highly.
28 Nov 2012, 04:42 am
@whatever-213:
Whatever, is this you?
http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/our-experts/8005843/Hansens-silence-says-a-lot-about-NZ-rugby
28 Nov 2012, 04:49 am
@whatever-213:
hehe….if the Abs start losing to your guys, yeah I’ll be changing my tune for sure…but I think the Boks could be so much better with a coach who has a different approach to the game.
@Slartibartfast-214:
HM reminds me of my Father, regimented in his ways…his way or the highway…still luv the old geezer. Sorry Slarti, I’ve written HM off…he is not good…hes waiting for the old guard to come back and they will fail to live up to expectations because of the coaches persistence with tactics that don’t exploit the players instincts and initiative.
28 Nov 2012, 04:52 am
Takuma?
http://www.sport24.co.za/Soccer/Takuma-to-become-SAs-mascot-20121127
28 Nov 2012, 04:54 am
Bakkies will be devestated…his hero won’t be back in G&G it seems.
Toulon – Springbok lock Bakkies Botha has extended his contract at Toulon until June 2015, the French Top 14 side announced on their website on Tuesday.
The 33-year-old, capped 76 times for South Africa, has impressed since he arrived at the Stade Mayol in December, 2011 with the side rising to the top of the elite top division.
Botha played for the Springboks at last year’s World Cup in New Zealand, but he was not included in new coach Heyneke Meyer’s touring squad for November’s Test matches in Europe.
28 Nov 2012, 04:59 am
@Te Rangatira-217:
TR I hear you but you need to understand, and keep in mind, the Saffa rugby mentality. It is not something that can be changed overnight and in the cut-throat business of professional sport even harder.
If you want to change it will take years and should start at a much lower level but alas, we don’t have the patience or visionary coaches like that in SA.
28 Nov 2012, 05:00 am
@whatever-213:
“Also remember your stars are not getting any younger! ”
You know the talent that is in Nz…..theres a heap of it….but players like McCaw and Carter come around not very often…I think there will be half a dozen new names pop up in Super Rugby from Nz franchises that are future stars of the game….heres hoping they come from the Blues…nah there are some fine young players scattered throughout the system..
28 Nov 2012, 05:03 am
@Slartibartfast-220:
Someone has to take the bull by the horns then…a visionary leader…Players are groomed from a young age, why not coaches.
28 Nov 2012, 05:06 am
DAN CARTER TO BECOME FATHER
Dan Carter’s All Blacks teammates have been quick to offer advice after his announcement that he and wife Honor Carter are about to be parents for the first time. Carter said at a press conference in London last night that most of the tips were around preparing for a lack of sleep once the baby arrives in April. The Carters announced on Twitter yesterday that Honor was 21 weeks pregnant. “I’m making the most of the next few months – getting as much sleep as I can, that’s the advice from all the guys who have had children in this team,” Carter said.
The All Blacks and Crusaders playmaker, 30, looked slightly uncomfortable discussing his news to a large media contingent eager for details. “I’m very excited. It’s great news, something we’ve been keeping pretty private. We’re pretty private people but she’s well over halfway way now so we thought it was about time to share the news.” Carter said the couple didn’t know if they were having a boy or girl. Asked if he had a sporting career in mind for his child – Honor is a former Black Sticks hockey international – he replied: “There are reasonable genes there so who knows?”.
He breathed a sigh of relief and said “thank you” when questions turned to Sunday morning’s test against England at Twickenham.
28 Nov 2012, 05:13 am
@Te Rangatira-222:
Indeed but I won’t hold my breath, Africa is different.
28 Nov 2012, 05:18 am
@stormersboy-20:
So true!!!
28 Nov 2012, 05:27 am
@nama1-52:
Good take on the rankings and totally agree.
28 Nov 2012, 05:30 am
@Slartibartfast-224:
Hmm…interesting….place…
28 Nov 2012, 05:33 am
@Peter Mkata-226:
Peter I’ve read some of your posts…do you think Meyer will get the Boks on an upward curve next year?
28 Nov 2012, 05:37 am
@Gumboots-92:
The Aussies are missing Shane Warne’s killer/finishing instinct. No team has ever done that to Warne. Could, would I know. Gee I miss Warne’s brilliance.
Protease were great though.
28 Nov 2012, 05:42 am
@Te Rangatira-228:
Big NO, he is not a smart coach in my opinion. He is set in his way and pretty not flexible. He still think in this day and age he will blungeon opponents into submission like the Bulls did in the past. When the opponents resist there is no alternative. Insane stuff if you ask me.
28 Nov 2012, 06:01 am
@Slartibartfast-216:
Excellent piece………….but just read the plonkers replies as they try to justify things………..p iss poor!
28 Nov 2012, 06:01 am
@Peter Mkata-230:
Yes you are right there and hit the nail on the head “When the opponents resist there is no alternative”
28 Nov 2012, 06:06 am
@whatever-231:
No comment…
28 Nov 2012, 06:22 am
@Te Rangatira-228:
TR you will not get a straight answer out of 98% of the posters on keo. There are two very distinct camps on this, BB supporters who think he is great and can’t do anything wrong and non-BB supporters who will never admit he does anyhting remotely right. Each side so fiercely believe in their own cause they can’t see the wood for the trees.
That leaves you with a small % that can actually discuss it with some sense…
28 Nov 2012, 06:23 am
@whatever-231:
I read 5 replies and gave up…
28 Nov 2012, 07:13 am
@Te Rangatira-232: when the opponents resist you force your gameplan HARDER on them until they buckle.
Werner Dove asked:
Hi Heyneke!
First off, much respect, I know you”re a
great Coach and you will take the Boks far!
My question are: Having played against all 3
opponents in the RC, how do you devise
team selection and -strategy for the
opponents regarding the opponent
strengths and weaknesses?
Like what type of player would you want to
field against certain opponents?
Thank you very much!
Heyneke Meyer answered:
Thanks for the compliment Werner, your
words mean a lot to me.
To answer your question – we will never
select a team based on our opposition but
rather focus on what we want to achieve.
You do take their strong and weak points
into consideration, but if you pick only
based on that, you are already in a
defensive mindset. I believe in an attacking
mindset and that means you force your
strong points onto your opponents and that
is what makes a champion team, otherwise
you will always be a follower and we need
to be leaders.
28 Nov 2012, 07:16 am
we are leaders in vokmaarvoort rugby for shizzle dizzle!
28 Nov 2012, 07:17 am
In my opinion Meyer will change his forward kicking approach to include backline flair instead of crash ball.
I am saying it because Meyer was prepared to change and experiment with players this year.
Building a core from an environment that he very well knows and has been successful with in the past. He had to bear in mind that, while working on a new era, he had to keep winning too. SAFFAS like thick butter on both sides of the toast.
Question: what do you guys think would have happened at Twick if Pienaar had a brilliant game, clearing quickly, quick passing to Lambie and less silly kicking? Would that have changed the outcome? If you say yes, then you cant blame Meyer. Blame the SH’s k@k test match.
PS: Its my observation, I’m not a Meyer groupie
28 Nov 2012, 07:33 am
@cuntlyn-238:
And this is the issue…
He had to bear in mind that, while working on a new era, he had to keep winning too. SAFFAS like thick butter on both sides of the toast.
Well said…
28 Nov 2012, 08:27 am
@Slartibartfast-219:
i really think bakkies could have added so much value to the bok team.
a real pity.
28 Nov 2012, 08:32 am
@Transformation-236:
Trans….I predict after 2013, Meyer will be pushing the mantra, we are building for the World Cup……
28 Nov 2012, 08:43 am
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-240:
Maybe but the youngsters stepped up and bringing him back now will be like taking a step back.
28 Nov 2012, 09:10 am
Morning all. Id like to start a discussion.
Its common knowledge that the boks attacking ability and skills arent up to international standards (even if you only compare it to previous bok performances before HM and not with the ABs standards) and that a solution could be to appoint a consultant, like JW did when bringing in Eddie Jones…. So my question is..
IF HM ever decides to make such a bold decision to get some help-
Who could/should HM appoint to help coach the backs? Part two of the question is, who is SAs accredited best attacking coaches with decent credentials ? As I cant think of many names except Alan Zondagh… Some educated answers would be good to hear. Considering that SARU will probably make HM ask for help locally before looking abroad.
Zondagh’s Biography: http://rpcrugby.com/alan-zondagh%20
28 Nov 2012, 09:20 am
@Slartibartfast-214:
Start from scratch? Hardly! These are available players PdV left Meyer.
15 Kirchner/Lambie
14 JPP/Aplon
13 De Jongh
12 De Villiers/F Steyn/Olivier
11 Habana/Mvovo
10 M Steyn/Jantjies/Lambie
09 Hougaard/Pienaar
8 Spies/Kanko/Vermuelen
7 Alberts
6 Brussow/Louw
5 Bekker
4 Bakkies/Flip
3 Jannie/Coenie
2 Bismarck/Strauss/Chilli
1 Beast/Gurthro
28 Nov 2012, 09:22 am
@Jeez-243:
How about Brendon Venter?
28 Nov 2012, 09:32 am
@David-245:
Is he any good?
28 Nov 2012, 09:34 am
Who was Mallett’s backline coach when he was coaching the boks?
28 Nov 2012, 09:36 am
@Jeez-247:
Solly.
28 Nov 2012, 09:36 am
@Jeez-247:
Alistair Coetzee
28 Nov 2012, 09:37 am
@David-249:
Too quick.
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