Heyneke’s major tests
25 Jan 2012
RYAN VREDE examines the 10 primary challenges Heyneke Meyer will face as coach of the Springboks.
Meyer is set to be unveiled in the role on Friday, and with it comes a myriad challenges. These are the ones, in no particular order, that he will have to master.
TRANSFORMATION
I’ve been consistent in my view that transformation is largely the responsibility of the provincial and franchise coaches, but as Springboks chief Meyer cannot be completely mitigated from responsibility in this regard. There will be a string of gifted, young black players at his disposal, among them Juan de Jongh, Chiliboy Ralepelle, Lwazi Mvovo, Bjorn Basson, Gio Aplon and Elton Jantjies, as well as a clutch of junior internationals who’ll rise to prominence during his tenure. How he fares in this facet of his job will be central to how he is measured.
NEGOTIATING THE POLITICAL MINEFIELD
Immense political pressure will accompany the expectation for greater transformation at national level. Meyer’s predecessor Peter de Villiers was largely and curiously spared a grilling for his commitment to a mostly white match 22 for the duration of his tenure. Meyer, an Afrikaner, won’t be afforded such breathing room.
PICKING THE RIGHT ASSISTANTS
In Gary Gold, De Villiers selected a forwards coach with good technical and tactical skills and an unrelenting work ethic. He erred in his pick of back coach, Dick Muir, whose fanciful ideas and philosophies were never going to be effective at Test level. Muir would become a well paid ornament by the end of his stint, with the senior players deciding the attacking strategy. Meyer will have to be astute with his selections, installing men with high levels of skill and competency, innovation, experience, credibility and solid work ethics. There are no outstanding candidates. Meyer has a good relationship with Rassie Erasmus and could turn to him. Expect Victor Matfield to be used as a consultant at some stage, although his coaching inexperience could preclude him for consideration for the forward coach gig. Meyer was also never afraid to look abroad in a bid to improve the Bulls, with a number of foreign consultants sharing their expertise at Loftus during his reign. Backline coach Todd Louden made a marked impression on their attacking play in 2007 and it not beyond reason that Meyer could look to him, or a foreigner of his ilk, to assist him. There is, however, likely to be resistance to this idea…
MEDDLING OF PRESIDENT’S COUNCIL
The suits on the gravy train at the South African Rugby Union have a reputation for killing the soul of national coaches and at some point are bound to impose their unique brand of incompetence on Meyer. He was given a wide berth at the Bulls in his bid to build the world’s best franchise, often travelling abroad to study the tactics, techniques, conditioning methods and recruiting strategies of various sporting codes. Whether these amateurs will rubber stamp Meyer’s progressive plans remains to be seen.
SELECTING A CAPTAIN
John Smit was the outstanding candidate for the job in 2004 but Meyer isn’t in a similarly privileged position. Schalk Burger seems a good fit, but Meyer could well opt for a player he knows and trusts. In discussions with me he has consistently spoken of the leadership credentials of Pierre Spies. Indeed he was central to the decision to appoint him captain of the Bulls.
FOREIGN PICKS
The selection of foreign-based players was a contentious one under De Villiers, who initially refused to consider them but later softened that stance. I haven’t yet established Meyer’s position on this issue, but would hope that he doesn’t share De Villiers’ outdated view and consider a number of men who could add great value to a Springboks squad.
ADVANCING THEIR GAME PLAN
Expect pragmatism to take precedence over panache with the Meyer-coached Springboks. He believes the breakdown laws don’t promote ball retention through multiple phases in your territory and that this dictates you play down in the opposition’s half through tactical kicking, then seek to force them into errors through organised and punishing defence. Sound familiar? It was the strategy the Springboks of 2009 through 2011 employed with varying degrees of success. Victor Matfield and Fourie du Preez – disciples of Meyer’s philosophies – drove that process. When employed accurately it is very difficult to counter, but failure to do so will result in the defensive line being exposed. There also needs to be another dimension added to their attacking play in opposition territory. He has the players to shape a formidable attacking force.
HOME SOLIDITY
Under De Villiers the Springboks won 71% of their home Tests. However that figure is improved by victories over weakened northern hemisphere sides in incoming tour matches. They lost five of 11 Tri-Nations Tests between 2008 and 2011, including being blanked by the All Blacks at Newlands in 2008. Meyer needs to forge his Springboks side into a side who are extremely difficult to beat on home soil, maintaining at least an 80% plus win record in the Republic.
TESTING TOURS
The Springboks won nine of 23 away Tests on De Villiers’ watch and just two of 11 in the Tri-Nations. This is an unacceptable return for a side packed with with world-class talent. Meyer consistently stressed the importance of winning on the road when coach of the Bulls and placed an intense focus on uncovering and remedying the reasons why they had struggled to do so. In 2007 they won three from five on the Super Rugby tour and could have come home with a clean sweep. Here’s hoping he has similar success at national level.
CONDITIONING CONSENSUS
With an extended Super Rugby and Rugby Championship format, it is essential that Meyer reaches some consensus with franchises about the game time of their elite players. This has proven near impossible in the past, with franchise coaches understandably concerned primarily with fielding their strongest combinations as often as possible. I don’t see this situation improving.
373 Comments
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26 Jan 2012, 07:26 am
@justrugby-349: you called it mate
for damn sure!
26 Jan 2012, 07:36 am
The new little master, Virat Kohli, scores his maiden test century against rampant Aussies fast-ones, esp. Siddle.
26 Jan 2012, 07:40 am
@HongKongSlong-348: Victor must stay far away. He was part of the senior players that stuffed up the last few years for us.
26 Jan 2012, 07:44 am
@victoriabok-319: i think Jake White needs to be given a bit of credit in regards to the emergence of Habana – remember i think he was playing for the Boks even before he played for the Lions
26 Jan 2012, 07:45 am
Victor should come out of retirement to lead a very young bulls team but his time with the boks is over.
26 Jan 2012, 07:47 am
@garth-353: There are no players with any decent leadership skills at the moment. Burger is a fantastic player, but as a leader he is rubbish. Spies lets just see, but I suspect he’ll be even worse! None of the other captains are close to getting into the national team. Will be interesting to see how Strauss at the Lions goes over the next 12 months, he has potential. But in the meantime a short term captain may not be the end of the world. Its a shame about the whole Watson situation, because that guy can lead.
26 Jan 2012, 07:52 am
much as i’ve always respected and admired victor… i can’t see this being a move for the overall good of rugby…
as the article says… if vic comes back so too may fourie du preez… and i honestly can’t see heyneke not selecting both of them…
neither are realistic prospects for the next world cup… and while immediate results are what everybody will be looking for… the long term hindrance to bok rugby may be far greater…
fourie’s inclusion will disrupt any chance houggie has of stepping into the number 9 jersey… which means he will play on the wing… which prevents another player from becoming a a full time bok… and heads overseas…
victor’s inclusion would prevent the final development of bekker… who would have already been an international for any other country and has waited for vic’s retirement… bekker will see his chances shut down and also head overseas… and then when vic does retire… again… we face the same issue of finding decent locks… in an urgent time-frame for the next world cup… rather start that process now…
if vic wants to.. rather let him get involved by being forward or even lineout coach… and passing on all his undoubted knowledge and expertise to the next generation… that imo would be the correct way to stay involved…
but… the key phrase is… “if called on by meyer.” so let’s wait and see what heyneke does before jumping on him now…
but yeah… so much for victor retiring at the top…
26 Jan 2012, 07:54 am
What about in the backs for captaincy – surely a player like Habana , who does give his all would be more of of an inspiration than ” soft as a pansy” Spies ?
26 Jan 2012, 07:56 am
man oh man. we in for an intersting ride…..
26 Jan 2012, 07:58 am
@ufo-357: Agree with you there if Victor wants to get back i think as a lineout coach would be a start …… What happened to his job at Supersport ?????
26 Jan 2012, 08:00 am
@stew-360:
have seen ads on supersport announcing vic as being involved… i suppose they’d just put that on hold… or maybe use him on an if-and-when basis…
26 Jan 2012, 08:12 am
I am getting more and more worried about this appointment now.
Hope its all just speculation….
But hell man we do the same things we gonna get the same results
this is why I so wished we could of got a Mitchell or Mallet
stong okes who would go with the renewal process.
Meyer must be very level headed ….and make practical decisions….
if he gets all sentimental and wnts to place himself in familiar and comfortable surroundings he will be making a huge mistake.
Change Management always toughest of all…..
and change management is required
26 Jan 2012, 08:23 am
@grant10-347: Looks like it doesn’t it?
I really hope not and that this is all just speculation.
I’m not reading too much into it yet.
Matflield is past his best, on the way down, as is FDP, and probably Bakkies and Danie.
Keeping them in the team for reasons of sentimentality would be very bad for Springbok rugby IMO.
Lets get the younger players through.
It;s been argued (with some merit) that for the last year or 2 that Bekker is a better player than Matfield is, and has been for the past 2 years.
Matfield is a great of the game and I’m sure can add value to the set-up, but for him to continue playing would be a mistake. Even if Heinecke asked him.
26 Jan 2012, 08:37 am
Can anyone now even attempt to deny that ‘verkrampte’ arrogance label I brought to these pages all those yearrs ago?
This is what lame reformation and its cousin transformation achieves for you when the country in its totality does not own its economy,
That dirty term ‘quota’ really means that for the tests against top rugby nations at least 18 of the match 22 must be from the ‘verkrampte’, minority set.
Tests must be halted and resume only when the playing field is totally level. Then you will see how quickly development will be fast-tracked, country-wide.
26 Jan 2012, 08:39 am
@ashampoopaloo-233:
You don’t know if you’re Arthur or Martha, coming or going, you tell so many tall tales.
First you criticise Jake White for having the audacity to seek the services of foreign assistants….when this article makes it quite clear that Meyer has been utilising the services of outside influences for the benefit of the Bulls for some time, you clam your pie hole.
You are so confused you can’t even remember which rubbish spewed from your beak from one day to another.
You criticised de Villiers coaching methods for months before the RWC, right up to the day of the Boks game against Fiji, then when the Boks won you went off on a de Villiers is great crusade. You speak too mush of the kakka.
Your bigotry is as clear as the loser sign on your big wide forehead.
26 Jan 2012, 08:40 am
@HongKongSlong-356: Look what happened last time we picked the captain and then the team. Pick your best players and then your captain. Matfield should not destroy his legacy like Plod did. Stay away old man!
26 Jan 2012, 08:40 am
@ET.-364: ah, social engineering eh?
thats so 1948, you know, when racism began?
26 Jan 2012, 08:51 am
And don’t you just love the 1948 period as there was NO RACISM in your book, not so imbecile-with-zero-credibility?
Driven into the ocean en masse is the “social engineering” you deserve, discredited moron.
Angerman’s thought for the day is:
“All Xhosas are dishonest”
26 Jan 2012, 09:14 am
@ET.-368: ah,the old “drive them into the sea” plan eh?
i spend my weekend in the sea, hunter gathering like my african ancestors did.
et’s thought for the day is ” “
26 Jan 2012, 10:53 am
I think a lot of the concerns about Heineke just transplanting his old Bulls favourites is misplaced. This guy is his own man and no fool. He knows the value of consistency, but also the importance of renewal and well managed succession. He has inherited an excellent pool of talent to work with and I expect he is smart enough to make the best use of it. I am optimistic where the Boks are concerned. A lot will depend on who performs in this seasons S15 as to who will be in the new Bok side.
26 Jan 2012, 21:53 pm
@stormer in a teacup-370: i hope so. would hate for meyer to do what robbieDeans did when he created the canterblacks when him and mitchell ran the show. how mitchell and deans could think that benBlair and leonMcdonald were better than cullen i dont know
27 Jan 2012, 22:51 pm
Spies as captain? Did he not read the article keo wrote about picking a captain who picks himself in the team. Ive never seen Spies shine against the All Blacks or Wallabies. A bit of a Liam Messam, great at super level, but never made the step up to top line international footy. Sculk would be a logical choice for 2012 I think. What about FDP? Or is he not the captaincy type?
27 Jan 2012, 22:52 pm
To add to that, surely on a fit day for all 3 you would play Brussow, Sculk and Juan as your loosies, as a kiwi, that is the loose trio I would fear most, not powderpuff Spies
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