"Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer says that the defeat to Argentina in Durban last Saturday caused the penny to drop for him and remind him what would constitute winning rugby at the forthcoming World Cup.
Meyer admitted that when playing against running orientated teams such as Australia and New Zealand, the Boks had got caught up in a desire to satisfy the perennial call from South Africans to play a more quick paced and aesthetically pleasing game. But while that worked against like-minded southern hemisphere teams, the Pumas had sent out a telling reminder of what is required against the northern hemisphere mind-set.
Although Argentina is in the southern hemisphere, almost all their players play for northern hemisphere clubs and thus take on the northern hemisphere approach. Meyer said that the reminder had played a part in directing his decision to select Pieter-Steph du Toit as a flank back-up for Saturday’s return clash with the Pumas in Buenos Aires. That and the need to have a player in the World Cup squad who could cover both lock and flank.
“Up to now all of our top ball carriers have been injured, so we were basically forced to pick a loose trio made up of opensiders against New Zealand and Australia,” said Meyer in explaining his selections.
“You can do that against Australia and New Zealand as they play a much quicker game. The Super Rugby style of play is quick paced and so generally is the Rugby Championship, but it is a very different game to what is played in the northern hemisphere and which will be required in northern hemisphere conditions at the World Cup.
“It is my fault because I should have learned last year, when Ireland caught us out for the same reason at the start of the end of year tour. In the north the rugby is much more of an arm wrestle, and on the last end of year tour we were caught out because we lacked big ball carriers and were outmuscled, as we were against Argentina last Saturday.
“So Willem Alberts will play a big role for us, and he needs game time and this is his last chance to get in some play before the World Cup. But he will play for just 30 minutes. Pieter-Steph also needs game time, as he’s only played 20 minutes, and has only played two tests as a No5 lock.
“He was brilliant as a blindside flank when he played for South Africa under-20, and we believe he still has those attributes. What we have to do is really look at what we did in the northern hemisphere tours before the one last year. In 2012 we were unbeaten and again in 2013. Not many Springbok teams in history have gone to the northern hemisphere for a tour and been unbeaten.
“We played a tactical game on those tours, and we need to return to that. I have tried to play crowd pleasing rugby, but in every test that they play against us the All Blacks kick the most and end up winning. This past Saturday we tried to play rugby and kicked the ball only seven times, which should have pleased those who want us to play attractive rugby, but we got well beaten. Winning is what it is about and we need to become more tactical in order to do that.”
The selection of Alberts means that Meyer will have an out and out ball carrier at No7 for the first time this season, and indeed since halfway through last year, for Oupa Mohoje, who played there in the latter stages of the 2014 Rugby Championship and also during the November tour, doesn’t really fit that bill.
Marcell Coetzee played blindside flank against the World XV and against Australia, Francois Louw switched from openside to accommodate Heinrich Brussow against the All Blacks, and Coetzee, now injured, was back at No7 against the Pumas last Saturday. None of those players are specialist blindside flanks.
The switch in direction for the Boks now that the World Cup is near at hand is also reflected by the change at flyhalf, where Patrick Lambie comes in for Handre Pollard. The latter was brilliant in a typical southern hemisphere type test match against the All Blacks last October, and proved a handful for that team in the first hour of the most recent match between them.
However, he was dropped after a poor performance against Ireland at the start of the 2014 end of year tour, with Lambie, who has only lost once as the starting flyhalf in the northern hemisphere – the last match of 2014 against Wales – ending the tour as Bok first choice.
Lambie wore the No10 for all three test matches of the 2012 tour, when the Boks went through unbeaten, and also in 2013. The other player that Meyer might be considering for his suitability for northern conditions is Morne Steyn, but he is unavailable to play this week so that he can be at the birth of his child.
“I actually considered playing Morne and Pat against the Pumas in Durban (at 10 and 15 respectively), and it is a pity we haven’t got Morne available this week,” said Meyer.
“We have to play more tactically. Last Saturday we kicked seven times and got totally outplayed. I stuck with Handre Pollard in the previous games because he didn’t have a good Super Rugby season and needed to build confidence. Pat had been injured and I had to bring him back slowly. I have always considered him a potential first choice No10.”
The selection of Zane Kirchner at fullback also fits into the requirement for a more tactical game, though it is unlikely Kirchner will survive the cut when the Bok squad gets reduced from its current muster of more than 40 to the 31 that will travel to the World Cup.
“We need a guy who can field the high balls, and we need Pat at No10 this week. Zane is the guy who gets the second most criticism in South Africa, with me getting the most, but sometimes criticism is unfair. Polly came in and scored against the All Blacks and everyone thought it was a great selection, but then last week he almost got booed off the field. Zane has always been brilliant for us and Willie is out injured, so I am comfortable selecting him.”
This really is a collection of the biggest load of BS ever read on this site. It is typical Herr Goebbels and DF gabble without any substance. I read the gibberish and could not understand how far from reality Meyer really is. In essence he selected the exact opposite to what he said. Useless Albert at 7 yo achieve what? Matfield to further reduce the Tight 5 to a Tight 4 or less.
