Willie le Roux.....is at risk

With non selection for the Bok squad and improved money available from overseas, of course Willie is at risk. He is typical of a group of near test players, crucial to our S15 fortunes, who can't be paid enough.

But Willie is a special case....the one free spirit in a "game plan" rugby nation. And so the fans love the guy.....his crazy chip kicks deep in his own half, his sense for the gap when bringing the ball up from a kick and his Van Cliburn hands. To me he plays more like Campese than any SA rugby player I have seen.

Would it all work in tests? I have my doubts, the game has become so tight and so physical. In that sense Meyer may be right. But Willie is the kind of crazy experiment sports fans love. They want to believe that kind of thing still has a chance in sport.

So in denying the Willie experiment a chance to succeed, Meyer is denying more than Willie Le Roux. He is denying that an unconventional, free spirited approach can work.....and fans don't like somebody who "treads on their dreams", to quote Yeats. Meyer would be wise to let this sink or swim on the merits.....and maybe, just maybe,  it works!

 Well put Moz. I think the "expirement" would earn him PR points and as you say it may actually work. It would be a smart move on more than one level.

Play him against Sotland and Italy for a start and see what happens. Let him know he has got to do the basic job of a fullback first before indulging in his creative whims.

Good post Moz, but I suspect Meyer's conservatism will reign supreme here. The man is under pressure, he knows he fell short in year one and is going to stick with his tried and tested to try and lift him out of the low.

While Willie is your free spirit kind of player, he tends to be more calculating than the likes of Cooper or Jantjies and for that very reason adds weight to the need to include him.

Meyer will be more the fool for not rewarding Willie, but as I have said, conservatism will sadly prevail.

Saffex

It really is sad to see the way Meyer is going - I thought he would make a difference - but he seems to be wearing blinkers in his team selection.   It is too early to say what will actually happen - but I am afraid I have expected more in the past from him and everytime he came up with rubbish.   It is likely to be the case again.

What has Meyer lefto choose from at Full Back?   With Francois Steyn out of contention and Taute also injured - he is left with two choices and those are Lambie and Kirchner - that is if he does not do the obvious and keep Lambie at 10 - since Morne Steyn is on his way to France and Kirchner is on his way out of SA as well.

Kirchner was by far the worst full back in Super 15 this year.   I would at leat have picked Le Roux for the bench - if not in the starting line-up, but our coach would never do that.  He prefers the Bulls players above everything else and would keep the spilt milk (departing from SA playes already contracted out) and let Le Roux leave as well. 

That is the long and the short of the story and I remain with my statement - Meyer is on a way that can only be destructive since he does not consider the backline players of any importance iro of attacking rugby.   In other word we need a modern and open-minded coach and not one that produce nothing for SA Rugby.

Yep Mike as I have said in the past, I had massive expectations when Meyer was a appointed but he failed to deliver in a big way in his first year. Poor selections and an out of date game plan. 

We could have put this down to finding his feet, but I dont buy that. Any coach with substance should be able to recognise the in form and best players for his squad and he should be in touch with the modern way the game is played.

Given his failure in the first year, one would have hoped for the fact that he had learnt from his mistakes and that his first squad selection of the year would have reflected the lessons learnt. Instead we had the same old, with selections of proven failures and the omission of far too many form and quality players.

I have a bad feeling about Meyer, the man smacks of Bulls conservatism. He has an outdated plan and is not open to change or alternatives.

We wont see the likes of Willie and once again Hougaard will be sidelined as he does not fit the kicking bill

Saffex

Sasue is ivolved in a competition on fantasy team selection and he has some ptoblems in certain positions.   Howeve, he made the following interesting comments:-

"Why cant I just be like Meyer and pick useless players??? Oh thats right, cos I want to win,"

Ah Willie-boy must stay , I sense a Christian Cullen like talent there, & the younger brigade stepping up in the backs, its refreshing   .... bring on the OZ/AB tests .

I very much doubt Meyer has last year still on his mind. Why would he?

He’s moved on and so far so good. He’s tested a few newbies and seems keen to risk a little with innovative selections. I’m all for it.

I think he’s seen the excitement his debutants brought to the fans as well as the energy they injection into the squad.

You guys whine all the time. That without reason. It’s almost as if your hoping he fails. Especially you mike!!

We have a 34 - 10 winning start so far.

What the fucks the matter with you chumps???

 Oom Mike you found Willie yet, I see you have been lying again