Meyer's comments on the CR tests

Meyer's latest comments: -

Heyneke Meyer may be perceived to be a dour coach with a propensity for a one-dimensional kicking game. However, nothing could be further from the truth.

Speaking to the media in Johannesburg on Monday, where they started preparations for the forthcoming Rugby Championship, Meyer said his team as actively embracing a more expansive game.

In fact last year they scored the highest number of tries in the Test arena - a fact often overlooked by the naysayers.

"There's been a lot of criticism against our Super Rugby teams for not scoring enough tries," Meyer told a media scrum, adding that they have improved significant in that regard.

"I said we wanted to score tries in June and I feel we got that right,"he said of the 17 tries they scored in the three official tests against Wales and Scotland. There were another six tries in a non-cap international match against a World XV.

Meyer admitted the days of simply "out-muscling" the opposition are long gone.

"We have to outthink them," the coach said, adding: We have to be physical enough, but we have to out-think the opposition.

"We have made huge steps [in this regard] in the last year to year-and-half."

Looking towards the opening Rugby Championship match, against Argentina in Pretoria on August 16, Meyer highlighted the scrums and conditioning as areas of concern.

"One area I believe we have to improve on in the Rugby Championship is the scrums," he said of a facet of the game in which the Boks were rated as No.1 in the world in 2013.

"I wasn't happy at all with the scrums in the June Tests," he said, adding: "Worldwide there has been a big trend the scrums and I am very worried about this aspect.

"We only five attacking scrums that we could play from in the Rugby Championship [last year]. There is not a lot of play from scrums and that is one area I believe we need to look at."

While Meyer was full of praise for Bok conditioning coach Basil Carzis, he admitted it will receive plenty of attention in the weeks to come.

"Fitness-wise we are probably ahead [of last year], but we are still not where I want us to be.

"The first few weeks we will work hard on that, we have to take it to a new level. I still believe the one area we need to improve on if we want to be the best in the world is conditioning - that will always be my top priority.

"Once you become fatigued the skill levels drops, your defence goes, your scrums go and the penalties start to mount.

"If you look at the game now, the ball is in play longer than ever. Previously there was more of a kicking contest and an arm-wrestle - now it is a far more expansive game."

Another cause for concern, according to the Bok mentor, is tactical kicking.

"We just looked at Super Rugby, and I can't speak for South African teams, but the New Zealand and Australian teams moved to a No.9 and No.10 that can kick tactically very well.

"It [tactical kicking] was one of our downfalls last year in the Rugby Championship.

"We have to keep on improving and we will spend a lot of time this week working on that."

Conclusion

Meyer's major concerns are -

*    The scrumming deficiencies evidenced in the June tests; and 

*     The issue of  strategic kicking issue

THE SITE DUNCES - UNDER THE ACTIVE LEADERSHIP OF PRESIDENT MOZART  - THE BIGGEST DUNCE IN THE HISTORY OF THE GAME OF RUGBY - DULY SELECTED FOR BEING THE BIGGEST FOOL EVER - ABLY ASSISTED BY HIS VICE-PRESIDENT CERADUNCE  -

*   have been writing eulogies on this site about good Steenkamp was in scrumming and how the national treasure identified by chief Dunce Mozart - has excelled;  

*   have emphasized that that the role of the locks in scrumming is of minor importance  and Matfield and Botha was adequate even though it was not in evidence during the tests and that comments to the contrary is false;  and

*   Tht Mornetjie was perfect in the June tests and there is nothing wrong with his strategic kicking and that even though Du Preez is no available - there is no problem with the kicking game of Pienaar and Hougaard.   

ONE REALLY CANT BLAME OUR LOCAL SUPER-DUNCES - THEY ARE CLUELESS ABOUT RUGBY AND IN THEIR DELUSIONAL STATE CANNOT UNDERSTAND WHY OTHERS ARE CRITICAL OF THEIR STUPIDITY.   MORNETJIE'S OTE HR PROBLEM IS HE DOES NOT KNOW WHEN TO KICK AND WHEN NOT TO = SO THAT DOES NOT HELP EITHER.

Cape Town - Fourie du Preez’ injury may well have opened up an opportunity for the next line of halfbacks to make an impression on coach Heyneke Meyer, but it also served as a warning they could play themselves out of contention if they do not take the step up.

Du Preez’ injury - an ankle that ruled him out of the rest of the year and currently leaves him bedridden at his home in Pretoria - was described as a "massive setback" by Meyer in his first chat with the media since the injury.

And the Bok coach wasn’t scared to lay down the gauntlet either, reports the supersport.com website.

It isn’t a secret that Du Preez has been a massive part of the resurgence of Bok rugby under Meyer and his snappy service, excellent vision and superb tactical boot have played a massive part in the Boks’ success in the last two years.

The ability for the halfback to find the right runner, make the right decision and clear the ball from the base at speed simply has no equal in South Africa.

But therein lies the rub.

The Boks don’t have Du Preez available for this year’s Rugby Championship nor the end of year tour, and given the opportunity to impress right now, Ruan Pienaar, Francois Hougaard and new selection Cobus Reinach all have a mountain of work to do if they plan to give similar service to the Bok team this year.

To be honest, there are few, if any, equals to Du Preez in world rugby, but the Boks must now find a halfback that can give similar crisp service and make the right decisions, all the while being able to use the boot tactically when necessary against the toughest sides in the world.

And for the three halfbacks in the squad, while it is an opportunity to impress, it is also a double-edged sword which could work against them.

All three have their strengths and weaknesses, but Meyer has made it clear the Boks are not going to sacrifice what they expect from the next halfback.

"Fourie is an unbelievable setback, by saying that I’m not saying that the other nines are not in the same class, but rather that Fourie brought a lot to our team, especially in attack.

"He was also another captain on the field and the one guy that could always pick up the right runners," the Bok coach explained.

"I don’t know if people realise that, but there was a huge evolution in our game, where we started attacking out of our own 22 metre area, and we really scored some great tries running from our own 22. (And that is with Mornetjie on the field, oh wise doos)

"Fourie was a mastermind in that, he knows when to kick, when to run, and when to pass, because of his experience."

Meyer has already had a meeting with the three halfbacks to inform them of what he expects, and while Ruan Pienaar is the favourite to take Du Preez’ starting role, the others certainly have a chance.

"I’ve said to the nines today we need to find the next nine, who will be going with us to the World Cup.

"We’ve tried all the candidates now, so after this I will stick with three nines going forward," Meyer said.

 #Poesmike

How glad am I that a dumb fucking cunt like you is just a stupid blogger with your meaningless opinions,shared here.Luckily for SAYRugby you will never get to share your illiterate opinions.You would count yourself lucky to even be in the same room as HM.

Ceredyne and Mozart keep eating you for breakfast.Its quite hillarious.