The following from Supersport
"pringbok coach Heyneke Meyer dropped a bombshell Monday when he announced that Bok lock Flip van der Merwe would not be available for international duty this season.
Van der Merwe has withdrawn himself from the Bok camp, apparently for personal reasons.
Meyer made the announcement during a question and answer session at the end of the first day of the Springbok camp in Johannesburg, with more questions than answers on the reasons why.
Van der Merwe was considered a certainty for the Springbok squad and a firm contender for the Rugby World Cup this year, and this all hangs in the balance with his FUTURE as an international test player hanging firmly in the balance.
“Flip is not available for international rugby at the moment,” Meyer told journalists at the camp.
“ It is a big setback as I’ve always rated him, and he is an enforcer. You need an enforcer for international rugby and he can play at five as well. He would be in this squad, but unfortunately he isn’t available.”
Meyer had just finished explaining his concern about the depth at lock, and his worry that the Boks may not be heading to the World Cup with the firepower they need in that department when he was asked about Van der Merwe’s absence.
The loss of the big lock – for an indefinite period – has severe implications for the Bok squad, especially with Van der Merwe’s versatility, being able to play both four and five and his experience that would have helped the team.
Meyer said the situation with the lack of depth with locks was so serious “that if I picked a side today, I’d be in trouble.”
The Bok coach was talking about how the situation had changed since he took over in 2012, to where it was today.
“We’ve been very blessed, when I took over the JOB we were thin at tighthead, now we have great tightheads. The challenge is to keep them in South Africa. Suddenly every overseas club is looking to sign our youngsters.
“Since Vincent Koch – and I’ve coached him since he was a youngster – has moved to tighthead, he has been brilliant. We have a lot of tightheads. The one position I’ve really been worried about, and now I’m seriously worried about is lock.
“Eben (Etzebeth) is recovering from injury, Pieter-Steph (du Toit) is injured and Victor (Matfield) has been out with a knee, so if there is one position I’m worried about, that is it.
“There are one or two loose forwards that can play lock, but you need specialists there. Lood (de Jager) is also injured, so if I had to pick a side today we’d be in trouble with locks. Flyhalves we are doing fine and there enough nines, but the other position I’m worried about is centre. We have had a lot of injuries in the midfield, while at fullback there are players coming through.”
The Bok coach will be looking for options during the camp, but may well try out one or two new locks to bolster the position when the first Bok squad is announced.
However in a Rugby World Cup year, it is a worrying aspect that needs to be addressed so the national side can take precedence in all respects."
The lock situation
Meyer has buggered up the situation badly by bringing in Bakkies Botha and Matfield into the lock selection and is even now persisting with Matfield. We have ample locks to select from - but he refuses to recognize that basic fact:-
4 Enforcers - Etzebeth, Willemse, Du Plessis and De Jager
5 - Du Toit, Lewies, Mostert, Botha
We definitely do not need a physically-deficient quasi-lock moonlighting in the backline in the team.
The Center situation
This is also the Meyer fiasco. Insofar as center selection is concerned Meyer has floundered around like a chicken whose head has been chopped off. He had 9 players at outside center since 2012 and 4 at inside center. He made it worse by bringing in Jacque Fourie at the end of 2013
With the exception of De Villiers, Serfontein and De Allende (whom he only used as starter twice) the rest were all abject failures. The situation was that Meyer did not have a clue what is expected from a center - hence the fact that he failed to find any continuity in that position.
We have good centers to spare - but Meyer would fail to select the best because he is clueless.
