Heyneke: I'm not a magician; Ruby 365

Being a Springbok coach is, without doubt, one of the toughest jobs in the world.

Not only does he face the constant public scrutiny of his selections and game tactics, but the most annoying problem is probably the political animals with their own agendas - those who don't know the difference between a rugby and a soccer ball and just count the numbers.

As if the outside attacks on his personality were not enough, Meyer this week - in the lead-up to the crucial Rugby Championship encounter with the All Blacks - had to deal with loadshedding interrupting an important media briefing (when he announced Schalk Burger as the new Bok skipper) and mother nature delivering a wind strong enough to blow over a team backdrop banner that landed on top of the coach.

Through all this he just kept smiling and joking that he is getting worried people may be 'targeting' him, adding that it may be a 'good omen' at Ellis Park on Saturday.

But there were some serious questions posed to him about transformation, which he straight-batted like a real expert.

Meyer, who has been constantly criticised for the past four years for not selecting Heinrich Brüssow, was this asked why he selected Brüssow ahead of black players like Siya Kolisi and Teboho Mohoje.

The Bok coach made it clear that not too much should be read into the selections, or non-selections, in the build-up to the World Cup.

"Like the All Blacks, we are using these five games to get guys going [give as many players as possible game time]," Meyer said, when he was asked, for the umpteenth time, about the absence of certain players.

He added that there will be more changes in the next few weeks, with back-to back games against Argentina coming next month.

And, as become customary at Bok team announcement media briefings, the issue of transformation was also raised - with just four non-white players in his starting XV and two more on the bench. This is well below the 'transformation goals' the coach has to deal with.

"I have been criticised at every level, from playing too many 'experienced' [old] players and not playing enough your players," Meyer said, when asked why Brüssow had leapfrogged Siya the likes of and Mohoje.

"You get used to that," the coach said, adding: "The only thing I want to do is select the best team for South Africa.

"The players know where they stand [with me, in terms of selection]. We have to go out there and win against the All Blacks on Saturday."

It is not just the political animals who had a go at Meyer, with criticism coming at him from all corners about his team selections - including television shows with former coaches having a go.

For them Meyer had a strong message.

"The difference between the 'experts' and my team is that my team must play, while the experts' team doesn't have to play.

"One day when I am done with rugby, I would also like to be a so-called expert.

"I first have to win a few games as a coach, before I can call myself an expert," he quipped.

And, of course, there was also the attacks on his tactics, with claims that the Boks can only play a dour, kick-and-chase game.

Meyer made it clear, again, that South Africa don't kick more than any other team.

While he admitted the Boks' tactical kicking is NOT up to standard, he pointed out that the All Blacks kick the most, but do it more accurately than the rest.

The Bok coach felt South Africa have gone backwards in that regard.

"We are not good at contesting the ball [in the air]," Meyer said, adding: "Our tactical kicking is not where it should be."

He said that players often revert back to bad habits when the pressure gets on, kicking the ball away and wanting to go back in defensive mode.

"I am probably not too bad as a coach, but I am not a magician," he said.

"It will take time to change that [attitude of reverting to old habits]. Our kicking game is nowhere near where it should be, but we are working hard on it.

"The big challenge for us is to get our tactical game right before the World Cup.

"I must put it on record that tactical kicking doesn't mean you kick the ball away, it means kicking on your terms and it means you give yourself a chance to get the ball back when you kick.

"We are not where we want to be, but we know where we are heading."

By Jan de Koning in Johannesburg
@King365ed
@rugby365com
 

 Good on him for standing firm on his decisions. Yes, there are a few "experts" around but only on guy takes the rap when things go wrong. 

 JW
This si a problem that goes much deeper than what Meyer said.  First of all there is the political and BEE issue which is bedevilling all sports teams in SA.  When quotas are set by the Government in accordance with a political agenda - the whole issue of sport is back to the apartheid years where racism was the deciding factor in team selection.   Today it is slightly different by calling it quotas - but th racism issue is still predominating - whatever it is called.
Instead of growing a sporting culture in schools - sport development in schools is even more neglected than scholar education is at present.  Appointments of personnel in school is ruinous and is determined by the Trade Union - not by ability or performance.  Teachers often do not turn up for work - as an example a Provincial Minister decided to  visit a school without advance notice - there was not a single teacher present on that school day.  Teachers only in extremely rare cases in virtually all school take part in extra-curricular activities such as sport.  Instead of solving the problem at source the Government is more interested in laying down quotas and weakening the teams to use sub-par players.  The result is chaotic - for example the implementation of the so-called Super 18 system.
Meyer himself is under increasing pressure to get rid of some of the older players - who factually under-perform.  His loyalty to some players is a joke - a bad one at that.   Friendship is an admirable quality - but not necessarily the best thing in a work  environment.   I think he is feeling the criticism of Matfield as a personal attack on him - not on criticism of Matfield actual performances in the team.  That is a blind spot he is not realising.           

 
So true ... !!!

A magician can usually pull a rabbit out of a hat ... you on the other hand should rather focus on wearing your red nose with as much dignity as it'll allow you. 

 Mozart
A praise song without. an objective assessment of the situation.   That is just not good enough.  

Well Cleancut, a magician doesn't have the pressure of having to pull a Lambieghini-pig out of a hat in the face of a rabbid crowd of fickle b lock heads.

 Lambie again - have you made advances and the guy and he told you to bugger off?