Springbok fly-half Johan Goosen is happy to wait his turn before starting a Test - but believes he is ready for it.
Goosen has been the understudy to Morne Steyn for the 10 jersey and impressed when coming off the bench as the pivot's replacement in recent games against the Wallabies and All Blacks.
The 20-year-old revealed that Heyneke Meyer has explained to him why he has not started yet and he is content with his current role in the squad.
"The coach has been great in how he has dealt with me," Goosen told keo.co.za.
"I've always known his plans and I believe those plans are in my best interests.
"He has been very careful, especially in terms of my exposure to the media and so on. I'm patient. I know what the purpose of the plan is.
"But I also feel like I can make the step up to start if the coach asks me to. I feel ready."
With the Boks favouring a kicking game-plan, Goosen knows he has to curb running instincts but disagrees with the notion that Meyer's approach is conservative.
"Of course you have to be a little more careful about your attacking play in Test rugby, defensive systems are so good and teams punish small errors," he explained.
"But that doesn't mean the coach doesn't encourage me to run the ball when it is on.
"I work hard on my tactical kicking, even though we don't kick that often at the Cheetahs.
"I feel I can fit into the plans from a kicking perspective. But of course my strength is running the ball.
"There's a lot of room for that with the Springboks and the coach encourages us to express ourselves.
"It is about assessing the opposition's defensive set-up quickly and taking that split second you have to go wide.
"I think that is the biggest adjustment you have to make from Super Rugby - the time and space you have is so much less."
Comments
kiwilad says...
This kid has the potential to drag the Boks out of the mire they find themselves in, but he will do it with the ball in hand, rather than kick it, and because of that he will not be chosen....
Posted 23:32 22nd September 2012
bloemboy says...
Herein lies the problem. We finally have a running 10 and HM is coaching him out of it. The last decent running 10 we had was Henry Honiball and during his time we played some mighty decent winning rugby.
Posted 06:47 22nd September 2012
melkdave says...
Hers a player who just doesnt want to rock the bot,by critasing the coach.Of course his ready to start ,if he wasnt he shouldnt be in the squad in the 1st place.His time wil come never fear,but for now M.Styen is HMs favourite ,and he will persavere with him for now .Hoping he will come into form.The sad thing is even at his best M.Styen is limited compared to J.Goosen or P.Lambie .Thats whats so frustrating about HMs selection at FH never mind other positions.like 13 and 15 ect.
Posted 19:15 21st September 2012
hellovanite says...
Well then Goosen must be ecstatic by now
Posted 12:30 21st September 2012