Looking at all the games played there are two issues here that needs discussion - namely the coach himself and the players used:-
Meyer's Position
Meyer's rating as a coach over the last four years should be seen in context and that issue was discussed on this site a number of times. In essence there can be no doubt that Meyer is a decent person with a great love for the game of rugby - but that is unfortunately countered by serious mistakes made since his selection as a coach:-
The tendency to look more at experience and less at Performance
A major problem during the Meyer coaching era was a tendency on his part to try and convince top players of the past to return to play for the Springboks - not realizing that the players concerned do not measure up to international Rugby anymore.
Instead of looking at alternatives Meyer was more noted for his efforts to get players like Gurthro Steenkamp, Heinke van der Merwe, Schalk Brits, Bakkies Botha, Victor Matfield, Ruan Pienaar, Fourie du Preez, Jacque Fourie. Zane Kirchner and Juan Smith back to play international rugby.
Meyer's attitude was typified in one game in particular - the disastrous WC game against the Japanese. Before that game the great announcement was that the team was the most experienced team the Springboks has ever fielded in the WC ever - the result was the worst performance of any team in the history of Springbok rugby.
One of the worst problems with that attitude was that the players used archaic methods and were not able to adjust to modern rugby - a total denial that the players had serious limitations in what is expected from them at present.
The lack of emphasis on performance led to too many experienced players with very little to show in the WC squad. Examples are Kirchner, Alberts, Pienaar, Matfield, Jannie du Plessis, etc
Deficiency in team building and squad development for the WC
The tendency to fall back on experienced players of the past led to a chaotic situation as to squad development for the WC. When some of the listed players fell by the wayside or declared themselves unavailable for further international rugby - we ended up with a world squad with way too many players with very little or even in none case no test experience.
Fingers are pointed at some of the youngsters - but how much experience did they in fact have before the squad was announced? Very, very little and the squad was not one any logical coach would have selected.
In the end there were too many players in the squad that had no or very little rugby over the period since June 2014 and was taken virtually from their hospital beds to play for the Springboks. Of those only Vermeulen can be described as a success. Despite all the fanfare Fourie du Preez was only average in most games and of the rest players did not feature.
What was some p[layers doing in the squad anyway? Zane Kitrhner had the most playing time - why was Willem Alberts, Coenie Oosthuizen and Morne Steyn for instance in the squad? They plated from the bench on occasion only.
Lack of a consistent game plan
Over the last three years the game plan used fluctuated consistently. In some tests the idea was to play an ball-in-hand game - in others it was traditional Bulls rugby. In the early years of his career Fourie du Preez was noted for his personal attacking play and his passing the ball back to forwards more than anything else.
Over the past year the cracks in the lack of consistency in the game plan resulted in ever-increasing performance disasters - at one stage we were ranked as number 6 in world rugby.
In the present tournament the game plan used was seriously defective. Burger was jokingly referred to as the real no 10 in the team - he blamed himself for the ball possession loss that let to the AB's second try - but should he have been in that problem situation in any event?
There are two issues here -
* the ack of a consistent game plan; and* the lack of allowance for individual decision-making and initiative.
The ultimate situation is that there was NO real game plan and as a result we had no real option-taking by players playing an easily predictable and easily countered playing style - with ever-increasing deficiencies being the norm.
Player Performances
Now lets look objectively at the players concerned:-]
Willie le Roux
When Le Roux came on the scene he was noted for individual brilliance in decisionmaking and execution. He had that positive - and at that stage been good under the high ball as well. There always was a few question marks as to his defense - however the positives outweighed the negatives by far. In recent tests Le Roux lost his sparkle and his execution took a turn to the worse, Still an excellent proposition - but was his game too much constrained by over-coaching and a game plan he is not suited to? Why did his execution went backwards in recent tests? We just do not know the answer to that one.
Zane Kirchner
The million dollar question remains - why was he in the squad at all? He played in one game - was bog ordinary and clueless and for the rest enjoyed the English holiday. A wierd selection to start with.
JP Pietersen
Was not really a game breaker over the past three years either in tests or at Super Rugby level, He was largely passive and ineffective and was in the squad mostly based on his performances 6 yo 8 years ago.
Bryan Habana
Still a good international wing - but definitely not on par with what he used to be. Another player who should be considered as past his best
Lwazi Mvovo
At one stage during his career he looks quite promising - but at this stage he brings nothing to the game. Was rarely used - but the question remains - what was he doing in the squad at all.
Jesse Kriel
Very inexperienced and thrown into the deep end when both De Villiers and Jaque Fourie was not available. Other than for the Springboks Under 20's he never played a game as center after 2013. He is basically a good player and will develop further with experience.
Jean de Villiers
Nobody can ever contest the fact that he is an excellent captain and normally a top class player. His sheer determination through getting back into the squad after his horror injury last year is to be regarded with sincere appreciation. However, his return games were all problematic and he should not have been in the squad at all.
Damian de Allende
The one positive in the Springboks backline of the future. De Allende is a really good player with very little experience on test level. He was outstanding this year in both Super 15 and tests and together with Pollard is the key to future backline success of the Springboks.
Handre Pollard
Needs more experience to develop further as a good flyhalf. Has shown guts and determination remains an excellent proposition for the future. Needs more leeway to make his own decisions - is limited at present by a defective game plan.
Patrick Lambie
Lambie is a solid player and will not let a team down. A star he is not - but neither is he a lost course as suggested by some o thiss ite.
Morne Steyn
A player with very limited capacity and whose execution leaves at times a lot to be desired. What was he in fact doing in the squad anyway. Definitely not based on performance and his contribution thus far was from the ebcnh in ne game already win by the time he came from the bench. Tine overdue for the departure of Steyn from the international scene.
Fourie du Preez
Definitely a great player in the past - he was selected despite an absence of nearly 14 months from rugby. After the Japanese disaster - he was hailed as the best savior of the WC campaign. Did well in the first game after his return to rugby and then dwindled into insignificance. Du Preez is definitely a player from the past - his constant when starting for the Bulls was a tendency to pass balls back to the forwards and he did that consistently in this tournament. This is defnitly his last tournament as a Springbok and it is time to move on.
Ruan Pienaar
Another reputation player that did nothing above average in the tests this year and was in fact poor in some test games. His contributions to the WC was alrgely negative. Another one to forget about in future.
Rudy Paige
Played fr about 10 minutes in this tournament and the question remains - what was he doing in the squad?
Duane Vermeulen
Remains one of the top 8's in world rugby
Willem Alberts
The big failure in three matches he played in since June 2014 before selection for the WC. Alberts played virtually no rugby in the WC. The man is not up to international rugby and his recent performances have all been sub-par.
Schalk Burger
Burger can never be accused of a deficient work ethic. He tries his heart out in games he played in. However, he was badly abused by being used as first receiver of the ball and played as a kind of ball carrying 10 in this tournament. He is not suitable to play that kind of rugby and as a result failed in the end. The so-called game plan did him in. He is one player that may survive for another year or two in test rugby, but even that is not certain.
Francois Louw
Louw did quite well in the tournament - but we need an opensider and not a person more suitable to play as a blindside flank forward. Not a star in any terms of the word and probably also in his last tournament or series as a Springbok,
Victor Matfield
Matfield should never have been used as a test player and his return to rugby co-incided with a mounting series of losses of games he played in. Definitely not a test level player at present. He was useless in all the games during this tournament - a special disaster in the game yesterday. The sooner he goes to Northampton - the better it would be for SA rugby.
Lood de Jager
A younger player with a good future in test rugby. Need further development in that environment.
Eben Etzebeth
Always a good lock
Jannie du Plessis
His record over the past year was putrid and there was no improvement in the WC. At times solid in scrumming - outside of scrumming a serious negative. Way past his sell-by date.
Frans Malherbe
Definitely a plus in the present squad - very good scrumming and did his part in the rest of the game as well. Would play for the Springboks in years to come.
Coenie Oosthuizen
After his repeated neck injuries is he still a test player. had virtually no game time so what as he ding in the squad? Will have to proof in future that he is still up to standard.
I will complete this list later in the day.
Coach57,555 posts
25 Oct 2015, 07:45
#1
25 Oct 2015, 07:45#1
