Panic Mechanic at work - Meyer's incomprehensible team for Saturday

In short, Wednesday’s greatly shaken-up Bok team revealed by coach Heyneke Meyer does dangerously little to inspire pre-match confidence.   To put it politely, it looks experimental - and in many cases glaringly short of a gallop - and will do extremely well to find the necessary cohesion after the long-haul trek at pretty short notice to see off a Pumas outfit presumably revelling right now in their triumphant homecoming and weighing up another famous kill.

The big question, I reckon, is: has Meyer been given (or given himself) the licence to risk another Test reverse - it would be an unpalatable fifth on the trot if it occurred - with a view to the bigger picture of the World Cup next month?

Because if win-at-all-costs is the motto being spread through the Bok camp for this one, the troops assembled (including as many as eight alterations to the starting mix) may labour to find the necessary synergy to complete the stiff requirement.

There is a hint of overkill, and a similar peppering of panic ... and these, in fairness to the suddenly hard-pressed Meyer, have not previously been hallmarks of his patiently and often very rationally-assembled Bok template since 2012.   Or is he quite prepared for the possibility of taking another more immediate torpedo to the hull, in order to cocoon one last time a great many of his firmly-in-mind personnel for the assault on RWC 2015?

The shaking of the bag for Saturday is so extreme that it is hard to know where to begin for analysis purposes.    Maybe the front row, so often the area where Argentina brutally focus their attack, best sums up the extremity of Meyer’s reaction in selection terms to the 12-point Durban humbling.

Simply put, it is “all change, please” as the entire Bok trio is restructured in the quest to stave off a second turbulent day at the scrummaging office in a week.   Meyer is not too wide of the mark in saying that reserve props Trevor Nyakane and Marcel van der Merwe “finished strongly” in Durban (to justify their starts for a stern examination in Buenos Aires) although by then Argentina had basically completed their destruction job at the set-piece and assassin-in-chief Marcos Ayerza long been pulled off for a well-earned rest.

Still, Nyakane is especially deserving of only a second appearance in the run-on side after amassing 14 caps as a substitute: the loosehead coped quite well with that legend of the No 3 trade, Martin Castrogiovanni, in his maiden start for the Boks in Padova last year.

He is part of a significantly more representative-looking Bok XV this weekend, which won’t surprise too many observers after a fresh political hoo-ha earlier this week.

Whether this was a conscious step or not, it probably still won’t placate some critics who will lament the complete absence from the match-day 23 this week of Siya Kolisi, who did everything that could have been expected of him in 17 minutes off the bench at Kings Park, but finds himself no more than a nominal “additional tour squad member” for the Argentina trip.

Naturally the return from a relative wilderness of Irish-based Zane Kirchner to the last line of defence – his last of 29 caps was as deputy fullback against Scotland at Port Elizabeth 14 months ago - will ruffle plenty of feathers.

Regardless of reports that he has been playing solidly for Leinster, he just seems too glaringly like a “fallback” considering the known limits to his skills set ... and anyway, he will do wonderfully well to switch on to immediate needs after a significant exile from the green-and-gold cause.

I haven’t personally discounted the possibility of a good World Cup by the Boks, and I’m also not yet among the hysterical prophets of doom over Meyer’s suitability - and some reports this week suggest we’ve still got him until 2019 - to the head coaching job.

Right now, it’s this Saturday that worries me more.

An Argentinean friend is among those whose company I will be keeping for the game on Saturday night. I fear it is the cork on a Malbec that may be triumphantly popped at the final whistle.

Again ...

This sums up the situation 100% and put to the sword all the hullabaloo of our two resident comedians.   There is no reason to be confident  as summed up in the following extract:-

"In short, Wednesday’s greatly shaken-up Bok team revealed by coach Heyneke Meyer does dangerously little to inspire pre-match confidence.   To put it politely, it looks experimental - and in many cases glaringly short of a gallop - and will do extremely well to find the necessary cohesion after the long-haul trek at pretty short notice to see off a Pumas outfit presumably revelling right now in their triumphant homecoming and weighing up another famous kill."

Two points here:

1. "...who will lament the complete absence from the match-day 23 this week" - Was he even present in the match day squad at King Park?

2. "Did everything that could have been expected of him" - Was he expected to disappear?

Only a fool would have broken up the de Allende/Kriel combo to bring back an old man.......same can be said of bringing back useless Matfield......there is nothing smart in what Meyer does.

Telling us that old man Kirchner is great and that had Morne been available, he too would have been selected......this is how poor this man's thinking is.

Does he honestly think we are going to take on the world with the likes of Kirchner, Mvovo, Hendricks, Jean, Morne, Pienaar, du Preez, Brits, Heinke, Matfield, Alberts, Louw and the likes.

Hell he begged Jaque Fourie to come back from retirement......had he been fit, he too would be in the mix

Conservatism of the highest order. The guy is useless......just go check all the social media sites, the country wants him gone......they see him for the useless coach that he is

What the three barking dogs and the oh so smart social media don't get, is the alternative isn't some smart coach from NZ. But they will try to throw the toys out of the cot. This is as good as it gets. Boy I hope Allende tackles at more than 60% on Saturday. 

What SA gets is the facts, no-one can support a fool who thinks the likes of Kirchner, Mvovo, Hendricks, Jean, Morne, Pienaar, du Preez, Brits, Heinke, Matfield, Alberts and Louw are the best in their respective positions.

We all know that a half descent coach would not be entertaining these washed up has beens or never beens at the expense of the class youngsters we have at our disposal.

Imagine a coach selecting a 38 year old ahead Lood, Willemse, PSDT and du Plessis.....that in itself sums up where the social media views are versus how blissfully ignorant you are.

Aren't you a little embarrassed to still be throwing your weight behind this loser?

I feel for you ignorant lone rangers