Heyneke Meyer: Wants improved discipline
Springbok head coach Heyneke Meyer has defended his conservative selections ahead of Saturday's Test against the All Blacks in Dunedin.
Meyer has made just two changes to his side - one of them enforced as Flip van der Merwe comes in for the suspended Eben Etzebeth.
The other change sees Francois Louw replacing Marcell Coetzee at flank, an effort which Meyer said was to negate the role of Richie McCaw.
"I've got the biggest respect for a guy like Richie McCaw," he told the New Zealand Herald.
"I think he's probably the best player to have ever played rugby. And he's a leader from the front.
"Every game has its own personality and I always feel that there are one or two big moments that can change a game.
"I must firstly say that there's a huge difference in playing the All Blacks in South Africa than playing them here.
"We don't have a good record against them in New Zealand. If you want to win then you have to be tactically astute, your defence has to be impeccable and there needs to be no soft moments in your discipline."
Meyer also tried to justify his decision to persevere with Morne Steyn at fly-half ahead of the exciting Johan Goosen and did not accept that Steyn needed to change his style of play.
"I'm a big believer that a guy should stick to his strengths," he explained.
"I think Morne is a great player in his own right and he is a guy who doesn't make a lot of mistakes.
"I don't think he should change the way he plays, I think it's more the outside backs who must use their opportunities.
"It's great to have two slightly different types of 10s because then you can play different types of games.
"Morne has done well for the Boks and I can't see why he must change.
"I believe you shouldn't push a guy like Goosen too early. Coming off the bench against Australia [on debut] I think he did well.
"But against New Zealand... he hasn't even played a test match in South Africa. We have four U20 players in our team now.
"I've always believed in bringing in youngsters but you need to bring them in slowly. I think we're on the right track with Johan and Morne there."
Comments
Chubbylugs says...
@ruggaluvva
I disagree with you. Rugby can be played a number of different ways, the kicking defensive game just isn't a crowd pleaser
The problem with the springboks is not the style but the execution. If the forwards showed the same dominance they did up to the last lions tour then this is the right game plan. How many of the matfield, Botha smith era are still playing though. None
Here lies the problem and limitation with Meyer, right gameplan, wrong team
However, the sensible question would be given the right game plan would they beat nz?. Not at the moment IMHO
Posted 21:06 13th September 2012
jmanngod says...
@Rightwing - Correct! You are NOT the greatest rugby nation!
Posted 20:12 13th September 2012
ManWarrior says...
Eish...(SAFFA lingo for being speechless). Richie is a great player but the best player ever..? I'm beginning to sober up from my obvious ego driven, unfounded rugby knowledge to smell the roses and realize the fact the Springboks are the third best team in the world...for now that is. Wales, France and Argentina are breathing down our neck. Maybe new_j4 could join me in praying for our beloved Bokke...GO Bokke!
Posted 18:47 13th September 2012
Martinmarais78 says...
McCaw best player ever... WTF????
True, Morne Steyn does not make many mistakes, cause he either bombs the ball or slow it down linking 9 with 12..
Posted 18:40 13th September 2012
Dingbat32 says...
Aaah, primary school level mind games from Meyer. Pay McCaw a compliment and he will forget to play well?
@ Richie McCaw - You are a great player, certainly one of the best ever, but Richard Hill was a much better flanker than you. Now go out and show the world that Meyer is not the man to take the Boks forward.
Posted 15:37 13th September 2012
JayStarr says...
I don't even know where to begin...
Posted 15:21 13th September 2012
turboboy says...
right14wing says...
.. we are not the greatest decorated Rugby nation to have won all titles back to back for no reason.
Not sure about being the greatest decorated Rugby Nation (it should read "most decorated" as "greatest" implies opinion not fact unless you mean in your opinion only). A few sides have won RWC's but I don't think any have been back to back. Check out the super rugby link and you might find a few aussie and kiwi teams on the list as well.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Super_Rugby_champions
I won't dwell on IRB ranking position
Posted 13:59 13th September 2012
ruggaluva says...
...this guy is clueless !! Any idiot who watches rugby knows that there is only ONE type of rugby that will win consistently these days and that is the largely practical 'Total Rugby' being played by a few teams around the world today. AB's being the best exponent of it.
Watertight defense - limited kicking and fluid fearless attack, with line breaking skills such as off loading etc keeping the ball alive is the way forward. HM's stereotype Bulls pattern is a dinosaur.
He is running scared by the sound of it and he is busy telling his team all the time how "unnacceptable" they are - they have no self belief and its showing.
HM is on borrowed time already.
Posted 13:56 13th September 2012
SACanuck says...
This guy just does not get it. It is not the players who are the problem it is the outdated game plan and selection policy that is the issue.
Posted 13:26 13th September 2012
right14wing says...
think the word people are soon to forget is ¿transition¿ , you may have recalled after the 95 WC that the Bokke went 18 undefeated then fell to pieces , literally. Transition took place along with time to rebuild. This is again happening and needs to take place but balance along with desire and confidences are also key. I am also like millions still trying to warm up to the Hyneke affect which is still yet to produce , we all shout and scream what we think ! Do you not think that the powers that be already know what we the supporters are saying? It takes time to get things rite and yes we are not utilizing the best of what we have, the old guard for the new! Time will tell, be patience support your team no matter what , we have not won the RWC twice for no reason , we are not the greatest decorated Rugby nation to have won all titles back to back for no reason. Think about it?
Posted 12:42 13th September 2012
Flyman says...
What odds can you get on an ABs win by 30 to 40pts?
Posted 12:18 13th September 2012
zambokke says...
He doesn't believe that we can win. He doesn't believe that we can even fluke a win. He simply doesn't want to get caned. This is damage limitation at best. We probably will get caned though and for the following game he will panick because of pressure from the fans and he will then announce a starting team with Lambie, Goosen etc - not this time though. He is too scared of the ABs and too conservative. If he has no confidence and ambition, then how can the squad and younger players feel confident?
Posted 12:16 13th September 2012
bloemboy says...
In his own words, "to beat them, you need to be tactically astute". Lets masure HM based on his own yardstick and see if he belongs at this level of rugby! Ihave asneakin suspicion that he will not do so well.
Posted 12:04 13th September 2012
jackblack says...
Already making excuses just like last week. As a Springbok supporter, I'm begging the ABs to give us a hiding on Saturday. This numbskull needs a wake up call! I hope we won't be forced to put up with another moron for another 4 years!!!
Posted 11:54 13th September 2012
banter_claus says...
the audacity to critcise the outside backs is unbelievable
Posted 11:54 13th September 2012
philipjfry says...
Steyn needs a solid pack of forwards and a decent scrum-half to play to his strengths. The forwards carry too much ball and don't spend enough time in the rucks. There is little variation at the base of the ruck and the ball is being passed too deep. When there is good front foot ball Steyn uses it to kick for territory or the half back kicks a up-and-under unless the Springboks are in the opposition 22. Overall the defense is poor.
If Lambie plays at full back he could interchange with Steyn depending on the flow of the game. F. Steyn passes well; he could come into first receiver and pass the ball wide to a clump of forwards on the other side of the pitch; one takes the ball up, the others clear out, quick ball on the blind side to one of the wings. The same can be done on the counter attack. I still think employing a rugby league coach from the NRL is the way forward. The way the ball is passed in the NRL and the way teams counter attack from deep is the way forward, not continuous forward runs.
Posted 11:23 13th September 2012
saffastormer says...
Oh great, my initial scoreline predicition has just gone from a AB win by 20 to an AB win by 30
Posted 11:15 13th September 2012