Do those that have been overly critical before and during the 4 Nations actually understand South Africa Rugby?
It is about trying to implement our own game plan instead of allowing the opposition to implement theirs, or even us trying to implement their gameplan.
Meyer has made some mistakes especially at the beginning on his tenure by choosing to many Bulls players for the Boks. His bench could also have an out and out specialist fetcher to cover when the breakdowns are not going well.
""The calls of his main critics are that he is out of touch with the modern game and needs to be replaced"".
The naysayers have been calling for a wee backrow that is a bit faster to run from ruck to ruck.
This is following an Australian or All Black game plan.
Even the Australian comentators, as well as the Sky Presenters understand the South African game plan.
We have bigger stronger forwards that can dominate the collisions and the line of advantage through pick and carries.
The Boks game plan is to go straight through the middle by the forwards to get a penalty or score a try,
and go wide to the outside backs only when space opens up due to an overlap caused by the opposition defence getting pullled into make tackles.
Even the blinside wing is another runnner straight through the middle, and the inside center typically will not pass wide if their is no space, as this will isolate the outside backs and concede turnovers.
Forwards run straight unlike backs who often run at angles from side to side.
The critical part of implementing the South African game plan is the breakdown-retaining possesion of our own ball from pick and carries by the forwards.
Our forwards do not have to be so small/mobile as they are not runnning from side to side of the field to retain possesion of the backline players who are getting tackled out wide continuosly.
The game plan of South Africa and Australia & NewZealand is different because they attack more with their backline players than the forwards.
This is to a large degree because their backline players typically have better passing skills than SA backs.
Our backs are strong runners, just not the same in passing skills in a man for man comparison. (Although Willie LeRoux clearly does)
This allows their backs to pass the ball from side to side in the backs until space opens up.
Australia try go wide as quick as possibale to run the ball from side to side of the field until a space opens up, or a mismatch like a wing vs prop happens.
This means more rucks from tackled backline players than forwards, which require smaller/mobile loose forwards to run all over the field from side to side to recycle to retain possesion.
If they (OZ, NZ) are able to implement their game plan our forwards get tired out running from side to side of the field trying to compete at breakdowns of tackled backline players.
Although today was a good example of what happens when our forwards are good at the ruck area by quick recycling of the pick and carries by the forwards.
The boks just go straight through the middle and the opposition concedes penalties in efforts to prevent this.
A good kicker in Morne Steyn converts the penalties into 3 points, or kicks for the corner to set possesion within the opposition half.
A lineout then ensues and another drive by the forwards, or another pick and carry to go straight through the middle and suck defenders in.
By the time the Boks go wide in the backs the opposition defence are disorganised due to the go forward ball or plain overlaps as defenders are lying on the ground having being smashed by the bok forwards running on to the ball.
It is a case of getting the jaugernaut pack running onto the ball over and over and the opposition gets smashed back over the advantage line. This pulls in defenders and puts the opposition on the back foot.
The bok game plan does fall apart when the opposition slows down possesion at the rucks and this prevents the Bok forwards from running onto the ball at full speed.
The key area is being effective at the breakdown of forward pick and carries, not having wee loosies that run from side to side of the field trying to recover the ball from backline players being tackled.
The new rules are the scrum also seem to be good as it is rewarding bigger and stronger packs.
