There has been a lot of criticism of Meyer so two question
1 Good or bad coach
2. Will he lead us up or down the rankings.
Beeno - he is a good coach
He will lead us up the rankings - in fact to number 1
No fence sitters please.
1- Meyer is a good coach, as evidenced by his results with the Bulls. However I think he has limited vision regarding the developing of a new game plan -- or the improvement of the current one. I attended several Pumas trainings and Graham Henry kept repeating the same: "Rugby is much easier than what people think". Of course it's easier when you have such a skilled squad. Or a hugely dominant forward pack like the Bulls did.
2- This year... nope. Next year? Maybe. I think that a fully fit Bok squad could challenge the ABs, provided they do the ABC right, regardless of the gameplan. I think the Boks are horribly undercoached in several aspects of the game (ball protection, clean outs, counter-rucking...).
If he selected the best players he is a good coach. Perhaps he should let someone else do selection so he can focus on coaching
Beeno
I will be fair in my assessment. Meyer has two negatives that refuses to go away and those are -
* his clueless assistant coaches - especially the attacking coach and the backline coach, and
* hs selection of filed players (examples are numerous - Greyling, Werner Kruger, plusblind belief in failing players like Morne Steyn and Kirchner).
I believe Meyer has the potential to be a good coach - but that is subject to him changing his assistants and adapting his system of player selection. Unless that is done the only way the Springboks will go is down in the ratings.
We cannot afford a turnover of a potential of 40 points in a game against a team like the All Blacks and expect to win. That turnover was bar three missed goal kicking opportunities by other players entirely due to the poor performances by the players mentioned above. Player selection is the key to a really successful coaching career - and Meyer's obstinacy is costing us dearlly.
Boks are a powerhouse of rugby, and meyer has already achieved things that no other coach has done like the worst ever result against the pumas.
for me the facts are very simple, the Boks while missing a lot of players still had more then an adequate squad to dispose of the english and get a whitewash, especially as the england team were rebuilding and playing a lot of newbies who just reached puberty the other week, meyer got 2 from 3 wins and all were home games.
he played the pumas twice and couldnt beat them in mendoza, becoming the first Bok coach to play and not win against them in a game.
they lost to the wallabies and All Blacks, but as i have always said here and elsewhee, theres no shame to losing to the wallabies or ABs, the SANZAR teams are not the top 3 for nothing.
his selection policies have been on par with PDV colourful comments throughout the years, baffaling, ridiclous and if ur not a saffa, freaking hilarious.
but numbers dont lie, meyers won 3 from 7 tests for a winning percentage of 42.9%.
no, he is not a good coach.
@ben10,
i love the positive outlook u have my bru, uare probably the most optimistic Bok supporter ive ever met, but Boks will never be ranked No1 under meyer, not as long as the All Blacks are around anyways.
there have only been three No1 teams since its inception, england, Boks and All Blacks and the All Blacks have been the ranked No1 team 4 times longer then both england and the Boks combined, i havent seen nothing in the world to suggest thats going to change, at best u might get another 2009 year, but a consisent enough effort to actually usurp the covet No1 rank??? i think we both know better, :P
Sasue
I agree with 90% as to what you say - but the key issue remains - namely the assistant coaches and selection deficiencies. I do not think that the All Blacks is unbeatable - they have their own problems at present and those are not going away. They can be beaten by the Springboks - but then Meyer must change hi suppoting coaching staff and select players that can perform and not the present handicaps like Kirchner and Morne Steyn.
We have a great capacity to shoot ourselves in the foot and Meyer is continueing with that process. Your comments on De Villiers are spot on - his comments were "freaking hilarious" and just plain stupid.
I indirectly support your rating of Meyer if you read what I said above. However, Meyer should also get PR advice before he shoots off his mouth and make nonsenscial comments - the latest one beuing about 20 year-olds in the team. If the senior players do not perform - as the case is at present -there is nothing wrong with having them replaced by younger players. Problem is that Meyer refuses to see the poor performances of the senior players and flatly refuses to replace them. Obstinacy is a clear detriment in this case - and he is in fact at present not a good coach. He can change for the better tthough - but that remains to be seen.
Well some predictable comments. I can see some red faces in the future with severe back peddaling to avoid the egg landing.
saSUE unfortunately has his head buried deep in the sand and Mike cannot accurately read the signs.
We left 40 points on the park and lost by ten. The writing is on the wall. Boks are set to rule the world - you heard it from Beeno - the realist. saSUE please dont believe your own propaganda.
Beeno
I can accurately read the signs - and always said that we must have patience with Meyer. What was most disappointing thus far was his persisitence with sub-par players and that is where I criticized him in the past.
The first sign of things to come was the removal of Hougaard as a scrummie. It was clearly decided by Meyer that the experiment is not working and there is really no sign that he would return as a scrummie.
The situation was drastically changed today with the team announced earlier. He seems to be getting better with problem identification and selections. There is effectively only one of the sub-par "old Guard" left - namely Kirchner. I personally think that the performances of De Villiers will also improve in the new team environment.
I actually hope for one other thing and that is that the Springboks build up an early lead of 20 to 25 points early, which would allow Meyer to bring on Jantjies - that would show definiteiy whether he is of any real use as a flyhalf. Although it would still be dangerous I cannot imagine Jantjies - hopeless as he is - destroying a lead like that all on his own
Apparently Meyer lost his first 11 matches as bulle coach I saw a poster say. He moves on step by step.
Yes it would be nice if Jantjes and Taute get a run. Its an ideal way to ease guys in. A lot of these younger players will no doubt tour at the end of the year.
Beenbird,
HM is an international coach now and expectations are a lot higher so I hope like hell it doesnt take 11 losses before we see at least a win against the two above us?
Meyer is a great coach in fact his results are but a click away from bringing the results we desire. How ever his naievity at this level is causing him to do things that he probably didnt want to try at such an early stage in his tenure as coach. Add to his selection oddities and his lack of real expertise in his backup and support resources and you ccan see that he is actually battling against internal challenges as much as external.
However he is the head coach and is responsible for the results thus far and no matter how close we can push the AB's and Wallabies it means nothing until we can win!
Hmmmmm who can doubt we are seeing the beginnings of the back peddaling I predicted from ragtad. Mike is already in full flight!
I am afraid the naievity is not Meyer's ragtad - please think again and look closer to home! Bwahahahahahahahaha
Cruz there was absolutely nothing wrong at all with the game plan against the abs. Only problems were execution - mainly re goal kicking. Watch this space.
