Meyer madness to take over?

The following from News24:-

"Morne Steyn could start at flyhalf for the Springboks during this year’s Rugby Championship, while Pat Lambie may get a run at fullback.  Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer has indicated that he will continue to make changes to his side throughout the Rugby Championship as he continues his search for the best combinations ahead of this year’s Rugby World Cup.

According to Netwerk24, fans shouldn’t be too surprised to see Steyn slot in at No 10 and Lambie at No 15.   Handre Pollard and Willie le Roux started at No 10 and No 15 respectively against the World XV at Newlands this past weekend, but both players made a few glaring errors.  Pollard kicked poorly and while Le Roux scored a hat-trick of tries, he made a few errors that could prove costly in bigger games.

When Lambie came on as a substitute late in the game, he played at fullback, with Le Roux shifting to wing.

Pollard only succeeded with three out of seven attempts at goal.

“Our kicking was not good enough throughout. We prefer keeping ball in hand, but when we kicked, bad habits crept in,” said Meyer.

“Pat kicked well when we brought him on at fullback. I think it was tough for Handre to get his balance right on the wet field. But he’s a brilliant player and we simply have to correct matters. In a World Cup tournament, you have to succeed with every kick at goal.”

Meyer is also confident that Le Roux will start playing better.

“The more Willie plays, the better he’ll get. I moved him to wing when I brought Pat on to see how they would combine.”  

The Boks next tackle the Wallabies in Brisbane this Saturday"

This must be lunatic thinking insofar as Morne Steyn is concerned.   Meyer should have his head read after the piss-poor show of Morne last year in Perth - where he on his own cost the Springboks the match.   His defense in that game was horrible - missing 46% of all attempted tackles.   In his last game for Stade Francais he missed 55% of all attempted tackles.

Since he lacks ball sense and he cannot read games, Morne is one of the worst ball distributors in rugby and he will destroy the Springbok backline performance.  He did it last year in Perth as well.    If Meyer is stupid enough to pick that dud he will get the "Idiot of the Year" award for dumb selection of duds.   

These are all very sound moves. Lambie is a fullback in the Halfpenny idiom. He is a good open field tackler going low. At flyhalf  he is hopeless at trying to prevent the offload....Pollard is a much better general play option. In fact Lambie is often confused in his decision making at 10....hesitant.

But we have to accept goal kicking is crucial in the RWC. De Beer almost carried the Boks to glory in 99....Monty did in 2007. And if Donald hadn't been subbed on, would the ABs have won in 2011....it's in doubt. A top notch goal kicker is crucial.

That's where Steyn comes in.....off my bench. Start Pollard and hope his boot is working. But if we need a dead eye Richard in the last 15 minutes Morne has just proven again...he is the man. The guy with the rare temperament to soak up the pressure.

Lambie is a sub for Willie should we need to close up shop. HM is spot on if this report is to be believed.

You bunch of ignorant clowns........I wonder what you will be saying when we come second to Oz and NZ and exit the WC at the quarters stage......you are all as pathetically ignorant and conservative as our coach....I'm guessing you went to hoerskools? 

My education was one of choice and a good one at that.......set me up for life, I'm smiling......what's your point?

I'm just questioning your intelligence, for judging by your rugby takes, you come across as profoundly dumb.......I mean, give me a break......Lambie is not a 10 and Morne should be our bench 10.......could you be more stupid or should I say ignorant?  

[removed]ie.......I'm not big on your stupid taal so forgive the spelling error ou seun 

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Oh wow so because I chose to study at Rhodes because financially it suited me given my mothers means, somehow my law degree from Rhodes, which at the time was the best law department in the country has in some fashion impeded my career? Please explain how you reached this wonderful conclusion that apparently angers me?

I don't give a toss where Rhodes ranked, it was a great Uni to attend and my degree has served me as well as the next man's......you are a laugh.

Let me guess, Alan Sugar with no degree at all was impeded in his quest to make a name for himself?

Damn right you lot are rugby ignorant if you find favour in selections like Morne and Matfield.

No side selects a player just because he can kick for poles....fact is Morne's stats in that department are only marginally better than Goosens, Lambie, Pollard or Jantjies......Morne should never smell a side given how poor a rugby player he is.....look at his record for the Boks......the guy is useless  

 Yeah Dave.

I understand you got an E for Die Taal, but your friends told you to feel satisfied because E stands for Enough.

I'll rephrase it as 'rugby ignorant' - does that help

Nay Vlag, it has nothing to do with 12 years of education......its just a worthless language that means nothing to the world, so I cant be asked to be in tune with its spelling/grammar or whatever......I have not used the stupid language in over 15 years.......its redundant to me......so if I get the odd spelling wrong who gives a flying fuck.......but trust a stupid Dutchman like yourself to conclude that it has something to do with my education......I had the bloody worthless taal shoved down my throat for 2 years of national service.......that's enough for any man to be put off for life

I am including some other names from the past, when we played less tests too, to make the comparisons complete

Most tests:

1. (56) Morne Steyn

2. (42) Butch James

3. (35) Henry Honiball

4. (32) Jaco vd Westhuyzen

5. (32) Pat Lambie

6. (31) Andre Pretorius

7. (28) Naas Botha

... (25) Piet Visagie

... (22) Joel Stransky

... (13) Jannie de Beer

... (10) Hansie Brewis

Not bad for a useless player in such an important position.

Averages, as a totals comparison is not really fair to anyone.

Points scored per game:

1. (13.9) Jannie de Beer

2. (11.7) Morne Steyn (660 points total)

3. (11.14) Naas Botha (second most total points for a flyhalf 312)

4. (10.9) Joel Stransky

5. (5.4) Andre Pretorius

6. (5.2) Piet Visagie

7. (4.46) Henry Honiball

... (2.1) Pat Lambie

... (1.6) Johan Goosen

An interesting point here, is that in his last 13 starts, Morne Steyn's average was 13.38, which indicates an improvement, directly opposed to the alleged "slump in form"... If I include his few minutes (5) as fullback replacement, it is 12.42 points per game average over the last 14 matches.

We can also add the fact that the average number of tries scored by the Springboks in Morne's last 13 starts was 4 per match (52 tries in total).

Average tries scored per match:

1. (0.27) Joel Stransky

2. (0.24) Piet Visagie

3. (0.15) Jannie de Beer

4. (0.15) Jaco vd Westhuyzen

5. (0.143) Morne Steyn

6. (0.1) Hansie Brewis

7. (0.07) Butch James

8. (0.07) Naas Botha

... (0.03) Pat Lambie

... (0) Johan Goosen

In terms of numbers, Morne scored 8 tries, Piet Visagie and Joel Stransky 6, Jaco vd Westhuyzen 5.... And the great running flyhalf Homiball a full one! Even Honiball's sub (Franco Smith), scored 2...

Another interesting point from this, is that Danie Craven had the following to say about probably our best running flyhalf, ever (Piet Visagie)... "He reminded me of Tony Harris in many ways - a player who seldom broke but when he did, it usually led to a try."

(I selected Visagie because he only played against the top rated teams and never played against the "weaker" teams like Argentina, Italy, Samoa, etc.)

I was was going to make certain deductions from these figures, but I will leave it up to you to make up your own minds about these players.

I am just going to add this.... 'Hopefully Morne Steyn will one day get the recognition for the player that he actually is.'   "

  "This is rubbish - the topic was iro team selection for the Brisbane test - but Mozart twisted it into a discuss of Dave.   That is why why relationships on this site normally turns into BS"

Pot....kettle...black...

Mike your hypocrisy is a damn disgrace!

Average tries scored per match:

1. (0.27) Joel Stransky

2. (0.24) Piet Visagie

3. (0.15) Jannie de Beer

4. (0.15) Jaco vd Westhuyzen

5. (0.143) Morne Steyn

6. (0.1) Hansie Brewis

7. (0.07) Butch James

8. (0.07) Naas Botha

... (0.03) Pat Lambie

... (0) Johan Goosen