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
25 Jan 2012, 11:04 am
Captain is crucial, Meyer has half a Super Rugby tournament to decide.
25 Jan 2012, 11:12 am
Ryan’s information is outdated.
Meyer has made no secret of the fact that the game now favours a more attacking approach – when the situation requires it. Hence his move to bring in guys like Johan Sadie, Francois Venter and JJ Engelbrecht at the Bulls. He is not stuck in the past like some journalists are.
Hopefully Meyer will continue to pick only local players – mindful of the benefit this has for ALL of our big 3 local franchises, enabling them to retain top players that would otherwise be playing in the Heineken Cup.
Lastly, imagine if Meyer can become the Graham Henry of South Africa. Becoming the first coach to stay on for two World Cups, giving us an 8 year tenure of unparraleled stability on the SA rugby scene.
We would achieve heights previously undreamed of.
25 Jan 2012, 11:16 am
Spies does not warrant a starting spot at test level, let us not hamstring ourselves by picking a passenger as captain.
25 Jan 2012, 11:17 am
Well done Pierre Spies on your appointment as Bok captain….
25 Jan 2012, 11:21 am
Schalk Burger and/or Juan Smith (if fit).
There really are no other options.
Spies still needs his baptism of fire as a captain before being handed the leadership reins at test level.
Not to mention the fact that he needs to cement his starting spot with Alberts, Vermeulen and Strauss breathing down his neck.
But with Meyer there, I’m sure Spies isn’t having sleepless nights.
Spies definitely has value to offer the Boks.
I reckon he’s a fantastic option to come off the bench in the second half of a test – he’d run riot.
As for Morne Steyn and Wynand Olivier…?
25 Jan 2012, 11:23 am
Ryan – I think your comment about picking overseas players is YOUR personal opinion. You call the stance against picking offshore players “outdated”, but I think the All Blacks would disagree with you on that and seeing as how they have consistently been the best team in the world, I would rather back their opinion.
There should be a rule to govern this in that no more than 2 offshore players should be selected. Again, you may argue, but the proof is in the pudding … just ask the All Blacks.
25 Jan 2012, 11:23 am
Then again, Meyer may very well lure Fourie Du Preez back to SA shores to be Bok captain…
25 Jan 2012, 11:23 am
@Tacitus-2: I agree Tac…..suddenly I am feeling optimistic again…….
25 Jan 2012, 11:23 am
Atleast Meyer will call in international coaching help if he feels the need to do so. Meyer is well liked in SA he could be the first coach to get more co-operation from the S15 franchises about rest periods for the top players. Infact that should be enforced by SARU!!
25 Jan 2012, 11:28 am
@davidv-6:
Steenkamp
Rossouw
Mostert
Flouw
Du Preez
Frans Steyn
Jacques Fourie
All still can add value to Boks set-up.
There are a few others plying their trade overseas who may contribute something worthwhile (the likes of Heinke Van Der Merwe and Brian Mujati come to mind), but the players listed above are all top-notch and most of them should be courted.
25 Jan 2012, 11:30 am
Site crashing again, it seems.
Ryan is just stirring controversy. Nowhere has Meyer indicated that Spies will be his captain – or even his no.8, at international level. The man is not even appointed as coach yet.
Pure speculation from Ryan, trying to build up public pressure so that whoever the Keo crowd favour as captain gets a surge of support.
Who knows, maybe Meyer surprises us all and goes for a Graeme Smith type of captain – a new youngster who captains the Boks from his debut.
Doubt that will happen, but the point is, Ryan has little substance to back up his claims.
On the other hand, if it DOES turn out to be Spies, then Meyer will only have done so after careful consideration and based on a very clear strategy. Remember, he will be judged on the results, and his fortunes will rise and fall along with whoever he picks as captain.
And unlike some coaches we’ve had in recent times, Meyer will ALWAYS take full accountability for the Boks performance, whether he deserves it or not.
25 Jan 2012, 11:31 am
puff – Wowser. Those players you listed are all world class and will definitely add value to the Boks.
Frans Steyn and Jaque Fourie being the obvious standouts!!
25 Jan 2012, 11:31 am
The fervour in the Tacitus household must be reaching fever pitch …
25 Jan 2012, 11:35 am
Bulls just released a press release confirming Meyer was offered the job – but they are clearly not happy letting him go.
25 Jan 2012, 11:35 am
1. Steenkamp, Mtawarira, Oosthuyzen
2. Du Plessis, Ralepelle, Strauss
3. Du Plessis, Van Der Linde
4. Smith, Rossouw, Elstadt, Van Der Merwe
5. Bekker, Mostert, Kruger
6. Brussow, Louw, Minnie
7. Burger, Strauss
8. Alberts, Vermeulen, Spies
9. Hougaard, Du Preez, Pretorius
10. Jantjies, Goosen, Lambie, Morne Steyn
11. Pieterson, Mvovo, Killian, Basson
12. Frans Steyn, Venter, De Villiers, Jordaan
13. Fourie, De Jongh, Sadie, Mjekevu
14. Aplon, Sithole, Mapoe
15. Taute, Viljoen
Yes Boks, you can!
25 Jan 2012, 11:35 am
Reading the Bulls statement. They are not happy.
25 Jan 2012, 11:38 am
Hell ! Vrede actually knows how to count to 10.
Well Heineken here is a number for you …. 90% win ratio at home or else.
25 Jan 2012, 11:40 am
@Tacitus-11:
Bismark or Chilli – re Graeme Smith option?
Bizzie to get shafted again?
And you know how much Meyer rates Adriaan Strauss.
25 Jan 2012, 11:43 am
@PissAnt-14: SARU are a joke. The late announcement of the Bok coach looks like it will damage the Bulls preparations and their Super 15 campaign. His choices of assistants will also likely influence the Bulls and probably the Stormers.
Why wasn’t this announcement made in November? Why wasn’t there a proper, transparent process? The whole process looks likely it will likely handicap atleast two of South Africa’s Super 15 teams.
As usual, SARU are incompetent, and I personal think the Bulls shouldn’t release Meyer, unless they receive mega compensation.
25 Jan 2012, 11:45 am
So, options for captain (in no particular order – and including some “out there” names):
Schalk Burger
Juan Smith
Fourie Du Preez
Bismark Du Plessis
Chilli Ralepelle
Adriaan Strauss
Pierre Spies
Josh Strauss
Jean De Villiers
Jacques Fourie
Patrick Lambie
25 Jan 2012, 11:50 am
@WOLFMAN21-19: Why did you expect more form SNAFU? Its how they roll
25 Jan 2012, 11:50 am
@WOLFMAN21-19:
You make some fine points.
Perhaps we will see PDV as caretaker coach until the end of the S15?
25 Jan 2012, 11:51 am
“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.”
LOL.. poor Afrikaners but let it be known that I will be around to rub it in… if he gets selected
25 Jan 2012, 11:52 am
@Tacitus-11:
Oh fark.
“Judge me on my results”.
I look forward to being lied to for the next 2 years.
If Pierre Spies becomes Springbok captain, which is likely, we can become used to competing with Argentina rather then OZ & NZ.
25 Jan 2012, 11:59 am
@puff-22: Meyer signed a 4 year contract. All the recruitment that has been done at the Bulls, and the path for the next four years has been mapped out by Meyer. It isn’t only this next season, its the next four, where Meyer should be in charge. The Bulls, if Meyer leaves, will be a season behind where they would have been.
Absolutely foolishness from SARU, and yet again, South African rugby should be viewed as a joke.
25 Jan 2012, 12:05 pm
@Tacitus-2:
Tac, I’m all with you on stability on the coaching front. But i think that depends largely on point 2 and 4 mentioned by Ryan in the article.
25 Jan 2012, 12:09 pm
@Kietzphat-26:
I would suggest that even the fools at SARU HQ cannot argue with an 80% win ratio – everything else be damned.
25 Jan 2012, 12:17 pm
@Ig-21: Hola Ig. Long time no see.
25 Jan 2012, 12:19 pm
I think Josh Strauss would make a fine Bok captain.
6. Brussow
7. Strauss (c)
8. Alberts
25 Jan 2012, 12:21 pm
i’m not convinced and get slightly concerned when these guys bring with them a whole retinue of assistants. You got to be accountable. I think he’s a sensible guy, but he’s record at the bulls was not great for a good couple of years and was blessed with an extraordinary assembly of talent. Tho Matfield says Meyer made him, he was a very good player when at the Lions, just no-one saw the talent. also, not sure how he cut the mustard at leicester.
But, other than Mitchell or Mallett, its a pretty solid choice.
25 Jan 2012, 12:23 pm
@WOLFMAN21-25: Yes – Provincialism over Nationalism…makes alot of sense to me! Please HM is the man for the job…get over it…I know BB will be pissed as any employer would be to lose their “CEO” but thats life…the greater is more important!
25 Jan 2012, 12:24 pm
SARU did not put in place any succession planning. They then didn’t want to disrupt the Boks during the WC. Afterwards, the guy in charge of the headhunting had to put in place the professional structures and processes to headhunt, as these structures simply did not exist.
Compare this to NZ where such structures are common and estabished. They also knew who they wanted as Henry’s replacement.
Don’t blame the SARU headhunter for the late appointment. He has done the best he could in the circumstances. In fact, rather the headhunter (apologies as I forget his name off the top of my head) should be kept on by SARU for a number of years to entrench the changes he has been making. He has been dealing with a legacy of incompetence.
25 Jan 2012, 12:26 pm
@>^..^< katman-29:
steady now.
let’s not put the cart before the horse.
25 Jan 2012, 12:27 pm
@cab-30: Meyer built the Bulls. He had **** talent initially and had to re-assemble effectively from scratch.
Matfield was brought over from Griquas, not the Lions. He was a promising player then, nothing more.
25 Jan 2012, 12:28 pm
And, according to our sources, this is whom Meyer has lined up:
1. John McFarland:
The English-born defence coach and former London Irish head coach helped Meyer and the Blue Bulls win four Currie Cup titles and become the first South African side to win three Super Rugby titles. Rated as “the best defensive coach in the world game” by his bosses in Pretoria, McFarland has spent 10 years working with the Bulls. He is set to work as a kicking coach at the Boks.
2. Jacques Nienaber:
The defence coach of the Stormers, who was responsible for making the Cape franchise the best defensive unit in the 2010 and 2011 seasons, joined up with the Boks at the World Cup last year – where the Boks’ defensive record was second best in the pool stages, conceding just two tries (one each against Wales and Samoa), and another in the quarterfinal loss to Australia. He will be in charge of defence.
3. Rassie Erasmus:
Regarded as one of the most astute analysts of the game, Erasmus resigned from his role as ‘Senior Professional Coach’ at Western Province/Stormers. Although he was also linked to Nick Mallet and the England job, he has since emerged as the leading candidate to be a full-time Technical Director/analyst on Meyer’s panel – similar to the role he played for both Jake White (2007) and Pieter De Villiers (2011) at the World Cup.
4. Paul Treu:
He made a seamless transition from being captain of the South African Sevens team the one season and coaching them the next! After a patchy start, Treu has developed into one of the best attacking masterminds in the abbreviated version of the game – taking the BlitzBokke to the IRB World Series crown in 2008/09. He has also managed to develop and nurture players through his Sevens structures. Treu’s visionary dedication has earned him a spot as the Bok backline coach.
5. Basil Carzis:
He was courted by Peter de Villiers ahead of last year’s World Cup, but the fitness and conditioning expert looks set to follow Meyer to the Test arena after being part of their three successful Super Rugby campaigns and also winning four Currie Cup titles with the Bulls.
Looks like the era of the Bulls – going to be fun
25 Jan 2012, 12:28 pm
@the artist formerly known as gunther-33: A new beard sweeps clean.
25 Jan 2012, 12:30 pm
@>^..^< katman-29: Ja Ja – 1 curry cup and the next Bok Captain…fine player and leader but I’ve seen better…really!
25 Jan 2012, 12:30 pm
Is one of keo’s underlings standing on the fcking internet pipe again? Someone, give Vrede a shove and see if the site’s speed improves.
25 Jan 2012, 12:31 pm
I think ryan last point is the most important. If the players’ health is not managed, we won’t have to worry about who gets selected. He’ll basically just have to select the guys that are fit enough to play.
One thing that is for sure is that he won’t be able to build a team over four years. There is too much rugby on the new rugby calender. Within two years a top player will be expected to play about 35 provincial games and 20 tests. That is a whole career a for some players!
25 Jan 2012, 12:34 pm
@Michael-34:
i remember when he was bought from the lions/cats cos i thought he was by far the best lock in SA, but no-one else bothered since at the time he had a bit of a problem-child rep and his long hair gangly physique proably not too keen, but the guys natual abilities were unparalled, he was even fairly hardworking in the rucks in those days.
25 Jan 2012, 12:35 pm
@>^..^< katman-36:
indeed.
a bird in the hand is worth two in the beard.
25 Jan 2012, 12:42 pm
Greetings and salutations Katman
25 Jan 2012, 12:45 pm
@the artist formerly known as gunther-41:
Never look a gift horse in the beard.
25 Jan 2012, 12:46 pm
Am i the only one to think that Matfield will come out of retirement for his mentor and captain the boks?
25 Jan 2012, 12:49 pm
Nou moen ek wee elke tyd kom lies van Hyneke.
Die klong is noggie eens in sy job, my broe
taktikus kan sieke nie sy luck glo nie
25 Jan 2012, 12:49 pm
Bulls statement regarding Meyer
January 25 2012 at 11:44am
By Blue Bulls Company
Comment on this story
Gallo Images
Heyneke Meyer.
At a meeting called by the South African Rugby Union (Saru) on Tuesday with the Blue Bulls Company’s Board of Directors, Saru informed the Board of their intention to offer Heyneke Meyer the position of Springbok coach.
The Blue Bulls Board reiterated its position that Meyer is under contract with the Blue Bulls Company and had appointed Meyer as Executive of Rugby, only after an undertaking and commitment by Meyer to lead Blue Bulls rugby over the next four years.
It is the Blue Bulls Board’s position that it would not be in our interest to release Meyer after many commitments have been made in order to enable Meyer to fulfill his mandate.
Should Meyer however decide to accept the position of Springbok coach, he needs to inform the Blue Bulls Board of his decision to abdicate his responsibilities and commitments to the Blue Bulls.
Although the Blue Bulls Board would be disappointed with such a decision by Meyer, the Board has faith in the coaching structures under the leadership of Frans Ludeke in taking the Bulls into the future. – Blue Bulls Company
25 Jan 2012, 12:51 pm
@RickyRocket-44: yes
25 Jan 2012, 12:53 pm
Bulls are not happy, verstaan dit
25 Jan 2012, 12:56 pm
Meyer should be signed to a 2 yr contract. Just like Div in 2008 and that should be standard for Bok coaches to come. No more 4 yr blah blah blah cycle bullsh*t.Even Robbie Deans in Oz extended by 2 yrs.Dont know about Hansen.
Lets start from a clean slate. Leave likes of du preez overseas.They are on end of their careers,Botha as well. Guthro is my favourite SA player but its time for next generation in Beast,Coenie,Greyling,Marcel vd Merwe etc
There is enough Talent coming through to build a world class team in the next 18 months.Th majority of the squad is heading to their peak in their careers and there are exciting youngsters coming through.There is plenty black talent also in national set up and junior setups. He has f*ckall to complain about
Backbone of next 12-18 months:
Beast,Bismark,Jannie.Bekker,Burger,Brussow,Smith,Alberts,Pieterson
Exciting youngsters:(capped)
Hougaard, Lambie,Jantjes,Mvovo,De Jongh,Johnson,Flip vd Merwe,Basson,Coenie,Rallapelle,Greyling
uncapped:
Juandre Kruger,Minnie,Lappies Labuschagne,Marcel vd Merwe,Josh Strauss,Johan Goosen,Johan Sadie,,Siya Kolisi,Rynardht Elstadt,Duanne Vermuelen etc
Good experienced players:
Kankowski,Aplon,Riaan Viljoen,Habana,De Villers,Deysel,Potgieter,Adriaan Strauss
Future stars:
Etsebeth,Botha,Mjekevu,Sithole,Venter,Carr,Kitshoff,Jordaan,JP du Plessis,Marcel Coetzee,Ruan Venter,Mbovane,Ntubeni,Mthembu,Jafta etc
25 Jan 2012, 13:00 pm
Aan alle kleurlinge
Julle moet julle name gaan check oppie destydse ‘couloured affairs’ website
jy moet register of jou pension gaan nie deurkom nie
http://colouredaffairs.com/
25 Jan 2012, 13:02 pm
Saw an interview with Paul Treu this morning…
While he did not say he wasn’t involved with the Boks…
He did say that he’s started a process with the 7s which is to build the blitzbokke into serious contenders for the olympic medal in 2016 and he wants to be a part of that process and finish the job by hopefully winning the medal…
he said while it is an honor to be considered in any role with the boks… he would like to be a part of the olympic effort…
so while he didn’t deny anything outright… he made it pretty clear the 7s are pretty much his top priority…
so unless there is a way of allowing his to do both… it looks like he would prefer to chase olympic gold…
will be interesting to see on friday…
either way… what a man… humble, articulate, razor sharp… and (as he proved this morning) very diplomatic…
i will support whatever decision he makes (or has made…)
25 Jan 2012, 13:10 pm
After studying sports psychology at the University of Pretoria Meyer coached a variety of smaller clubs before joining the Eagles as assistant coach in 1997. The following year he was promoted to head coach and took the team to seventh place in the Currie Cup and to the semi finals in the following year. In 2000 Meyer joined the Northern Bulls as head coach. In 2002 he became head coach of the Blue Bulls and coached them to 4 Currie Cup titles in between 2002 and 2006. In 2007, the team became the first South African team to win the Super 14′s competition.[1]
In February 2008 Meyer was expected to succeed Jake White as coach of the South African national team but after this job went to Peter De Villiers Meyer quit rugby and accepted a senior position at a sports supplement company.
He is only 44
They do not say anything about being assistant to teams that won trophies
25 Jan 2012, 13:17 pm
@ufo-51: The difference between 7s and 15s is massive in terms of attack, the latter being far more structured. If he does decide to stick to 7s, who will HM draft in?
i can’t see SARU approving an all white coaching staff I’m afraid. AC is out of the equation as far as we know, so who will it be?
25 Jan 2012, 13:21 pm
As long coach Meyer reads our comments on the Keo blog every night before bedtime he’ll be just fine!
25 Jan 2012, 13:22 pm
Take no prisoners! Win at all costs!! Test matches are their to be won and there is no place for experimentations at test level. Also no place for political pawn’s. Selections must be based on merit. I belive in transformation but this needs to be done a school level, club level and provincial level – SARU’s responsibility!!! What is being done here??
Also no bullshyt about loosing for the greater cause i.e. World Cups. How far did it get us in the last WC?
No papsak!! Best news ever!!!
25 Jan 2012, 13:24 pm
@cab-40: From the Cats who had the Griquas players in the mix.
25 Jan 2012, 13:30 pm
The provinces are putting provincial ahead of national interests yet again. The Bulls statement reads like they are applying pressure on Meyer not to accept. Shame on them.
25 Jan 2012, 13:30 pm
@trupisero-53: My guess is the following:
Tech Analyst: Rassie
Forwards: Pote Human
Backs: Ricardo Loubscher
25 Jan 2012, 13:36 pm
@mshiniwami-49: What about Frans Steyn ???
25 Jan 2012, 13:37 pm
@trupisero-53:
yeah trupi… i know and understand the difference between the two… i’m simply stating what he said based on all the speculation…
if he does take the job… i believe he is sharp enough to do it very very well…
but i fear the good work he’s done in the 7s may be undone… so… if he can only do one… i think i’d prefer him to stay with the 7s… but if he can do both i’d have no problem with that…
25 Jan 2012, 13:42 pm
Ig is here?
25 Jan 2012, 13:44 pm
Boks have some fantastic talent coming through despite the bowing out/ageing of some real legends.
But there are a couple of other teams who already have some established young talent and who may trouble Meyer and co for the next two years.
Consider:
1. Robinson
2. Moore
3. Alexander
4. Simmons
5. Horwill
6. Pocock
7. Elsom
8. Higgenbotham
9. Genia
10. O Connor
11. Ioane
12. Barnes
13. Ashley-Cooper
14. Mitchell
15. Beale
16. Polota Nau
17. Slipper
18. Vickermann
19. Samo
20. Lucas
21. Cooper
22. McCabe
25 Jan 2012, 13:46 pm
Can you all please leave me and Ig alone?
25 Jan 2012, 13:49 pm
@Dawn-61:
he read about your love affair with tactitus and left again…
your one chance wasted…
25 Jan 2012, 13:50 pm
There is only one.
Ig.
Tacitus is a poor second.
25 Jan 2012, 13:52 pm
@Dawn-65:
we’ve all known that for years…
but you couldn’t wait for him…
now he’s gone…
25 Jan 2012, 13:55 pm
@Beertjie-58: The bulls certainly won’t be happy with that.
25 Jan 2012, 13:56 pm
@ufo-66: now Tac is too….finding out he was nothing but an Ig-*****
25 Jan 2012, 13:56 pm
(Don’t tell anyone but he is never gone!)
Anyhoo. Poor Heyneke. That’s quite a bucket list.
25 Jan 2012, 13:57 pm
@trupisero-68: Keo, shove your censorship right up your ***
25 Jan 2012, 13:58 pm
Ou liefde roes nie!
And of course he would appear while I’m washing the damn car and my back is turned.
25 Jan 2012, 14:03 pm
@trupisero-68:
@Dawn-71:
so your dolphin got in the way of your true love…?
25 Jan 2012, 14:13 pm
As katman says:
Clean car = good hygiene
25 Jan 2012, 14:14 pm
@ufo-72: of course the censorship rules don’t apply to the recent comment list.
Pretty pointless Keognome
25 Jan 2012, 14:15 pm
@Dawn-71: die volksie bonnet nou skoon?
25 Jan 2012, 14:28 pm
@trupisero-74:
yeah… simple to check…
25 Jan 2012, 14:42 pm
@trupisero-75: lol
25 Jan 2012, 14:43 pm
@Atlas-52: they also do not mention that in 2002 his Blue Bulls team was the first ever team to go through a season WINLESS.
25 Jan 2012, 14:46 pm
now lets see if things change, i supported Pdivvy and i’ll support meyer, but no doubt we will see the fights in here how great meyer is and how chit div was , and the reverse of course
25 Jan 2012, 14:47 pm
and of course then there will be those blamming john smit because we lost , be it he is nowhere near the bok team or setup, but no doubt he will be blammed
25 Jan 2012, 14:49 pm
and if we do lose the bulls supporters will tell us it’s because of what div left behind etc etc etc , and then if we win others will say meyer took over a winning team
so let the fun begin lol
25 Jan 2012, 14:50 pm
@gr8 white-31: SARU needs the unions to be strong – they provide the players for the national team. It should be in the interests of SARU to provide assistance to the unions to ensure that their set ups are strong, or atleast not to weaken the unions through their incompetence.
If Heyneke becomes the Bok coach, and gets the assistants that some people are saying he wants to get, it will result in the Bulls losing their defensive coach and DoR, the Stormers are already without their DoR and will lose their defensive coach, and the Sevens team will lose their coach. This will happen a month before the Super 15, and after the sevens season has already started.
How is this good for the “greater”?
25 Jan 2012, 14:53 pm
@President_of_the_Sharks_rugby_experts-79: doubt we’ll see the “how great Div was” much
25 Jan 2012, 15:03 pm
Yip the greatest was nearly the greatest, but got a sucker punch right at the end. What a legend -can we not have him as PR spokesman for the Boks?
25 Jan 2012, 15:06 pm
Two challenges Heineken Meyer will face…can he make his ten man game plan succeed and does he have the skill to manage players who don’t have the laager mentality!
25 Jan 2012, 15:16 pm
His biggest challenge will be trying to stop the Ab’s from winning everything.
25 Jan 2012, 15:17 pm
@wallabie.-85: Ten man rugby may work against the northern unions but against the Abs and Wallabies they will be hammered – will be very interesting to see the ” new style” that the Bulls want to play this season , very interesting!
25 Jan 2012, 15:18 pm
@Transformation-78:
Yeah but he led the Bulls to CC victory in 2002, 2003 and 2004.
Strangely enough he wasnt coach of the S14 team in 2001 (Phil Pretorius) or 2003 (Rudi Joubert) and only when he was given an extended stay at the helm of the Bulls Super Rugby side, 2004 – 2007, did the Bulls start achieving real success at Super Rugby.
Are you saying that winning the CC 3 times in a row is not recognised by you as achieving some measure of success?
25 Jan 2012, 15:18 pm
@NZINCHINA-86:
I’ll wager the the kiwis and ozzies all take 15-20 point beatings in SA this year.
25 Jan 2012, 15:22 pm
@John Galt-88:
Transie never nails his colours to a mast.
he much prefers to nitpick and crit anyone and everyone.
I mean,seriously, this is the first time that Saru have gone ahead and recruited the best they could.
we should all be thrilled.
25 Jan 2012, 15:23 pm
@wallabie.-85: heyneke had decided to DITCH the “10 man” game and embrace and “all black-like” high tempo ball-in-hand approach, hence the acquisition of players like sadie, engelbrecht and ditching of watermeyer, brummer, dippenaar.
“DIRECTOR of rugby Heyneke Meyer told Business Day yesterday he planned to turn the Blue Bulls back into a dominant franchise which plays a fluid, high-intensity running game.”
“I brought Pine (Pienaar) in who was a backline coach because I want to improve the way we’re playing. If you look at the guys we’ve recruited, they are very exciting backs.
“You always have a vision of how you want to play and then get players around that.
“We will always have a tough forward pack but we’ve looked at how the game has evolved,” Meyer said.
“If you stay the same you’ll never get ahead.”
25 Jan 2012, 15:27 pm
@Brigadier Van Zyl-90:
It comes from supporting the Kings all these years hoping to see it turn into a supertransformation rugby power. Only to see it turn into a team where old white rugby has-beens go to die.
Its all very frustrating for him.
25 Jan 2012, 15:27 pm
@Brigadier Van Zyl-90:
It comes from supporting the Kings all these years hoping to see it turn into a supertransformation rugby power. Only to see it turn into a team where old white rugby has-beens go to die.
Its all very frustrating for him, so you cant really blame him for behaving like this.
25 Jan 2012, 15:28 pm
What the bloody hell happened there?
This site is seriously grommety today.
25 Jan 2012, 15:31 pm
@John Galt-88: don’t put words in my mouth. in that little ditty that was written about meyer it said nothing about him losing ALL the games in that year and subsequently being fired. you mention d_ick muir’s name in any conversation and it will be mentioned that he took the lions to the longest losing streak in a super rugby season.
facts are facts..
25 Jan 2012, 15:31 pm
@NZINCHINA-86:
the time has come
to say fair’s fair
to pay the rent
to pay your share
the time has come
a fact’s a fact
it belongs to us
you’re gonna give it back
25 Jan 2012, 15:33 pm
@Brigadier Van Zyl-90: it is called objectivity, try it sometimes.
i’m thrilled that either heyneke or gert will coach the boks!
will i now turn into a sycophant and not look for areas of improvement? forget it.
25 Jan 2012, 15:37 pm
@Transformation-95: How different thing would have been if Frans Steyn kicked that conversion or kicked the ball into touch?
25 Jan 2012, 15:39 pm
@John Galt-93: hahaha gremlins
25 Jan 2012, 15:39 pm
@Transformation-91: Can you honestly believe that after 300 years of ten man bash bash rugby that the Bulls will actually change ?
Cant wait for this years S15 going to be hilarious
25 Jan 2012, 15:41 pm
@Horings-98: you tell me, quite frankly i was glad the guppys lost but not so chuffed with seeing Wacko Jaco climb the poles like a ba)boon
25 Jan 2012, 15:44 pm
@stew-100: I think people will probably think nothing has changed when the Bulls play. The forwards will bash it up, but the backline will just come into play more than in the past.
Remember, where did Habana score more of his tries? At the Bulls or the Stormers?
25 Jan 2012, 15:49 pm
@Transformation-101: **** Muir would have been the coach who turned it all around to win the first Super tournament for a South African team. The Sharks would probably have gone on and secured more superrugby trophies. We all would now be debating whether Muir or Meyer should be Bok coach and those against Meyer will say Muir has the better record head to head and is a coach for the big occasion. He also reached success much faster than Meyer and therefore more suited to coach the Boks. etc etc etc…
25 Jan 2012, 15:54 pm
@stew-100: well they’ve bought exciting youngsters but as always the proof is in the pudding…
25 Jan 2012, 16:06 pm
Yet I do have statistics that show the team playing bash-bash 10-man rugby scores more tries than the pretty boys from the coast…
25 Jan 2012, 16:08 pm
In my opinion the only major tests facing Heinecke are the 2 against New Zealand in August and the 2 against Australia.
The other test playing nations shouldn’t pose too many problems if we can beat those 2.
25 Jan 2012, 16:16 pm
@Brigadier Van Zyl-89:
i make the bet if i thought you’d actually pay
25 Jan 2012, 16:18 pm
@stormersboy-106:
the Argies will be very difficult to beat away, you won’t win in NZ this year
25 Jan 2012, 16:21 pm
@NZINCHINA-108: The point I’m trying to make is that he should be accountable for results only.
All that other nonsense belongs elsewhere.
25 Jan 2012, 16:25 pm
@stormersboy-109:
you guys have a different situation over there but you should be happy with a guy like him, he’s been picked on merit good luck to him the Brig reckons we’re going down by 15 to 20 in the republic this year
25 Jan 2012, 16:28 pm
What The Brig says, goes.
25 Jan 2012, 16:30 pm
Personally, I could not be happier at Meyer’s imminent appointment. He is the right man for the job, and he comes at a time when we not only need him badly, but also when we usher out a whole bunch of senior players and start looking around for their replacements.
This is not so much the handing over of the baton as it is an entirely new heat of the race.
Needless to say, he won’t pick all the players I want in the team, but I have a good feeling about him. If he can keep them disciplined and fit, and instill some self-belief, I believe we have the players to beat anyone, over and over.
25 Jan 2012, 16:30 pm
@Dawn-111:
apparently
25 Jan 2012, 16:30 pm
@NZINCHINA-110: 15 to 20 sounds about right.
25 Jan 2012, 16:31 pm
@stew-100:
didn’t the bulls actually win in 2009 and 2010?
didn’t the chiefs take the biggest pasting ever?
haven’t the crusaders biggest loses been to the bulls?
@Transformation-97:
objectivity?
you wish?
you’re already nitpicking his cv and calibre and the oke hasn’t even officially given the job yet.
25 Jan 2012, 16:31 pm
@NZINCHINA-108: that’s very humble of you, let’s see what boofhead Hansen & Fossy have in store for you before being brekgat, can we?
25 Jan 2012, 16:31 pm
You better be saluting, and smartly.
25 Jan 2012, 16:32 pm
@>^..^< katman-114:
talk it up son
25 Jan 2012, 16:33 pm
Boofhead Hansen!!!
Hooliha!
25 Jan 2012, 16:34 pm
@NZINCHINA-118: Pipe down, boet, or I’ll make it 20 to 25.
25 Jan 2012, 16:34 pm
@>^..^< katman-112: nice one Katters, i nearly said Knatters
25 Jan 2012, 16:37 pm
@Brigadier Van Zyl-115: hey, with all you bulle hordes going out of your heads a certain level of impartiality has to be injected to this blog. agree?
25 Jan 2012, 16:37 pm
again, I’m thrilled with either of smal or heyneke.
never thought heyneke would actually want the job anymore after being messed around so embarrasingly last time.
on the plus side, heyneke must really really want the job badly to ignore what went on in the past. his ambition is something that keeps coming up, that can only be good.
25 Jan 2012, 16:38 pm
@>^..^< katman-120:
you’ll need my abacus shortly
25 Jan 2012, 16:38 pm
Knaters?
25 Jan 2012, 16:40 pm
@NZINCHINA-124: What’s that? A radio-friendly swear word used by Scandinavian eurotrash bands?
25 Jan 2012, 16:41 pm
@Transformation-121: @Dawn-125: You know the definition of a Freudian slip?
When you say one thing but you mean your mother.
25 Jan 2012, 16:41 pm
@Transformation-122:
what bulle hordes…there’s only me and Tac.
otherwise known as the “brainstrust” on keo.co.za.
everyone else, including yourself are bonafide nutjob uberliberals, revolutionaries or neo nazis.
…..and then there are the shark supporters…
25 Jan 2012, 16:44 pm
Ok … I thought it was an item of underwear.
25 Jan 2012, 16:45 pm
@Brigadier Van Zyl-128:
to be fair….Katman and PA get honourable braintrust mentions.
Dawn never posts more than 5 words at a time so she is exempt.
but that’s it really.
25 Jan 2012, 16:45 pm
O vok my The Brig is on fire today!
25 Jan 2012, 16:46 pm
@Brigadier Van Zyl-123:
hope he delivers for you, no excuses please if he doesn’t
25 Jan 2012, 16:47 pm
@>^..^< katman-127: utsho kuNYOKO
25 Jan 2012, 16:47 pm
@Dawn-129:
yeah, i was going to say, I think my wife looks really hot in a freudian slip.
25 Jan 2012, 16:47 pm
@>^..^< katman-126:
it will help you with your numbers much faster than a calculator
25 Jan 2012, 16:48 pm
I don’t need more than five words.
25 Jan 2012, 16:48 pm
@Brigadier Van Zyl-128:
25 Jan 2012, 16:48 pm
Who in their right minds would ever know anything about “Scandinavian eurotrash bands”.
Perhaps if you have the entire, definitive ABBA collection at hand you might be in the know…
25 Jan 2012, 16:50 pm
OK, it’s on.
Kat v Bod, later Kat v Skop.
25 Jan 2012, 16:51 pm
@Bod-138: Look who’s talking. The original Dancing Queen.
Do you or do you not know the entire screenplay dialogue of Priscilla Queen of the Desert? Be honest.
25 Jan 2012, 16:52 pm
Mind you skop seems to be slipping off the rails lately
25 Jan 2012, 16:53 pm
@Dawn-141: I don’t think he counted on the acid trip lasting quite so long.
25 Jan 2012, 16:55 pm
@Bod-138:
speaking of hands.
how are yours oh whisperer of oranges?
25 Jan 2012, 16:56 pm
@>^..^< katman-142: Or he has melted
25 Jan 2012, 16:57 pm
@Bod-138:
come now…the music may be shite, but the chicks are hot,apparently very sexually liberated and if worse comes to worst…there’ll be a huge pissup with plenty of jagermeister bombs at the end.
25 Jan 2012, 16:59 pm
the funny men have arrived, time to go Brig let me know the wager I’ll take a lazy 20 off you but the bet can’t be denominated in rand for obvious reasons
25 Jan 2012, 16:59 pm
@Dawn-141:
lately?
that dude is one lion short of a circus.
Parental Supervision recommended.
25 Jan 2012, 17:01 pm
@NZINCHINA-146: Yuan would be sooooo much better…
25 Jan 2012, 17:02 pm
@>^..^< katman-142:
nope, we laced his toothpaste with acid tabs.
so he’s pretty much out of it in the day and in the past when he has gone on long into the night, he’s out of it then as well.
and as luck would have it, I found one of those 5lt colgate tubes.
he hasn’t noticed, I scribbled “made in observatory” on the back.
so he thinks it’s all cushdy and wasn;t suspicious at all..
25 Jan 2012, 17:03 pm
Don’t go China! You need a laugh!
25 Jan 2012, 17:04 pm
@NZINCHINA-146:
the wager can be a 2 wheelbarrows of Zim dollars.
or if you prefer something more acurate.
5kg’s of Zim dollars.
25 Jan 2012, 17:04 pm
@>^..^< katman-140:
What/who is “Priscilla, Queen of the Desert”??
Marie Antoinette in drag…. a decent novel…. a good play…… a good opera…. s decent wine???
No lo se
25 Jan 2012, 17:06 pm
@Bod-152:
“Pricilla, Queen of the Desert”
….I think that might be the mayor of cape town
or is that Brakpan?
25 Jan 2012, 17:07 pm
@Bod-152: Mama mia, here we go again…
25 Jan 2012, 17:07 pm
@Brigadier Van Zyl-153: in Brakpan kry jy nie ‘n girlfriend nie, jy kry ‘n beurt
25 Jan 2012, 17:07 pm
@the artist formerly known as gunther-143:
Swollen, full of calluses, and itching to plant themselves within you kisser….
Any further questions???
25 Jan 2012, 17:08 pm
@Brigadier Van Zyl-149: Skop has Obs teeth. They haven’t seen a commercial brand of toothpaste for ages.
25 Jan 2012, 17:08 pm
@Bod-156: he was talking about your hands, not your Muir
25 Jan 2012, 17:09 pm
@trupisero-155: ha ha, ek sê.
25 Jan 2012, 17:09 pm
Pynappel aand vanaand at the Brig residence
25 Jan 2012, 17:09 pm
@>^..^< katman-157: probably has tats that make him look like he’s been moered with a wet comic book too
25 Jan 2012, 17:10 pm
@Brigadier Van Zyl-153:
No… I think only Katters knows what “Priscilla, Queen of the desert” is…
A new Bohemian Heavy Metal Band perhaps…
25 Jan 2012, 17:11 pm
@Bod-156:
I’m not sure I like the sound of that.
erm thanks but no.
25 Jan 2012, 17:12 pm
@trupisero-158:
So what part of it didnt you understand???
25 Jan 2012, 17:12 pm
@>^..^< katman-157:
ja, he usually follows old Xhosa Songoma folklore and gargles with Sea Water.
And if he’s getting his seawater from koeberg side, that could also explain a lot.
25 Jan 2012, 17:12 pm
Cmon bod you aint fooling anyone
Besides Priscilla was a brill movie.
25 Jan 2012, 17:14 pm
Guy Pearce’s finest moment
25 Jan 2012, 17:16 pm
“Priscilla, Queen of the desert”
is that the long awaited 2nd part to that movie from the 80′s…
“sheena, queen of the jungle”
25 Jan 2012, 17:16 pm
@the artist formerly known as gunther-163:
Ok, I will pop the calluses tonight, take your mugshot off my dartboard and promise myself to be nice to Gunter this week.
It will be hard, but I will survive….
25 Jan 2012, 17:16 pm
@trupisero-161:
sies
25 Jan 2012, 17:17 pm
Oops you didn’t just say “I will survive” didja?
25 Jan 2012, 17:24 pm
LOL
Prisciilla …Queen of the Desert
What an apt description of our Kia Picanto ,Absa disciple, Bulls suppoting , in the closet friend.
25 Jan 2012, 17:24 pm
@Dawn-166:
Are you telling me its a farking B grade movie my deep buddy is refering me to???
Here I was scratching my brain about some form of poetic, deep centred base of argument and all I get is…. “Priscilla, Queen of the Jungle”
Gotta go….. Walker Texas Ranger is on Quatro in ten minutes time.
25 Jan 2012, 17:27 pm
isidingo starting soon.
cool-not
25 Jan 2012, 17:27 pm
@the artist formerly known as gunther-163:
Bod wants to plant his swollen member on your kisser? 
ha, run for the hills.
25 Jan 2012, 17:30 pm
This is getting out of hand!
25 Jan 2012, 17:30 pm
gym calls (NO PETER DAVIES)
and no floaters too!
25 Jan 2012, 17:31 pm
Spanish TV seems to be 20 years behind the rest of the world.
25 Jan 2012, 17:33 pm
Transie its a concern.
25 Jan 2012, 17:35 pm
Boderic loves the 80′s.
Best years of his life.
Gwantie too.
25 Jan 2012, 17:36 pm
@Dawn-178:
Why??? We have a choice between MacGuyver, Columbo, Mike Hammer, Walker Texas Ranger, Law and Order and Michael J Fox tonight
Or we could move over onto the full on porn channels…
25 Jan 2012, 17:40 pm
Leave Bod alone. He’s trying to find the Derek simulcast on the radio.
25 Jan 2012, 17:42 pm
@the artist formerly known as gunther-180:
It something going through life as a whippersnapper you will never understand…. the 80′s
Someday, Grant, Skop and I will sit you and Kaaitjie in front of a fire and educate you all about life….. and beyond Priscilla
25 Jan 2012, 17:47 pm
@Bod-183: The 80s were cool
25 Jan 2012, 17:55 pm
I don’t want to be near that fire.
25 Jan 2012, 17:57 pm
@Michael-184:
Made all the better as Kaatjies and Gunthers parents had not even thought of them in those yonder days….
25 Jan 2012, 18:13 pm
Terence Stamp was brilliant as Priscilla and should have got an Oscar.
25 Jan 2012, 18:35 pm
Does a 2 bar heater at the Edgemead Retirement Villas count as a fire?
25 Jan 2012, 18:40 pm
@David-187:
Terence Stamp was at his best in Wall Street.
One of my all time favourite movies.
25 Jan 2012, 18:52 pm
WP’s newest talked up recruit will be in action this Friday in the curtain raiser for the Stormers/Lions match.
Tim Swiel will run out at fullback for WP Vodacom Squad as they take on WP Amateur team – kick off, 16:45
25 Jan 2012, 18:53 pm
Sorry did I interrupt a movie trivia session?
25 Jan 2012, 18:55 pm
Was Terence Stamp in Wall Street?
25 Jan 2012, 18:55 pm
@Michael-184:
You are into archaeology yeah?
Read about the dinosaur discover in the Free State?
http://www.news24.com/SciTech/News/Oldest-dinosaur-nests-found-in-SA-20120125
25 Jan 2012, 18:59 pm
Bod has been found.
25 Jan 2012, 18:59 pm
@PissAnt-191:
He played Michael Douglas’ nemesis, Sir Lawrence Wildman
25 Jan 2012, 19:02 pm
Sorry PA #195 was a reply to Dawn.
25 Jan 2012, 19:04 pm
Dammit. At an Unisa course this week, missing all the Heyneke Meyer news/digs at Tac.
25 Jan 2012, 19:04 pm
@Jeraldjay-196:
Riiiighhht…
At least you had me thinking for the first time today…
25 Jan 2012, 19:05 pm
@PissAnt-191: Indeed. Very rude.
25 Jan 2012, 19:07 pm
@Taahirah-199:
Askies
25 Jan 2012, 19:08 pm
PA get Ig back!
Two posts aint enough
25 Jan 2012, 19:08 pm
@PissAnt-193: Yes, I’m an archaeologist as one of my two professions
Fascinating. The previous oldest were found in China. Thanks for the link. I don’t follow dino news often and rely on the presss for the latest titbit info; it’s far further back in time than the periods I look at.
25 Jan 2012, 19:10 pm
Askies!
25 Jan 2012, 19:26 pm
#128 B van zyl just to let you know as a loyal bulls fan i also post on this site and i have seen alot more bulls fans posting,so there is more than just you and tacitus.HM is good for bok rugby but as a selfish bulls fan i hope he turns the job down and stays at loftus as he is onto a hiding to nothing as bok coach as SARU`S performing clowns will always interfere with his selections.The words transformation or quota have been around since 1990 and they still plague bok rugby it is a sickness unique SA rugby and who knows when it will ever end.On a lighter note i hope the bulls new signings settle down quickly into the team and help to us bring us a trophy this year.I hope for a good showing in the super rugby and and who knows maybe even a cc final.
25 Jan 2012, 19:30 pm
@blueboy-204: Indeed.
most notable omission being Staal.
25 Jan 2012, 19:32 pm
HM might have planned a ball in hand attacking approach for the S15, but I wonder whether he’ll revert to form for the Boks?
25 Jan 2012, 19:48 pm
More than few good reasons mentioned above on why NOT taking the job!
For a reputable coach who failed at Leicester not long ago, HM should have known better, and then he surely upset his power base the Bulls, which he will find detrimental if and when he is blown out of his Boks’ seat.
Rassie showed the way of operating under a token coach PdV’s watch, that would be a safer way for HM to operate.
25 Jan 2012, 19:56 pm
heyneke
may just be
cutting
his own
throat
flushing his
whole reputation
down the
drain
politics
may just be
his downfall
saru is not
the bbru
they won’t
support him
through thick
and thin
all the best
to him
nonetheless
he has the
knowhow
to do it
25 Jan 2012, 19:57 pm
@David-206:
Don’t you think the Bulls gameplan during the 1st half of the S15 will reflect how HM decides to play. Especially with Steyn and Hougaard the likely 9 and 10 for both the Bulls and Boks.
25 Jan 2012, 20:16 pm
Gunther is a Bulls supporter, and he has been here consistantly throught thick and thin. One of the few.
25 Jan 2012, 20:42 pm
In honour of Heyneke’s appointment I’ve stopped drinking Amstel and am now a Heineken drinker…Prost!
25 Jan 2012, 20:43 pm
@Jeraldjay-209:
S15 rugby is not traditional Test rugby. I have a feeling that HM might take the more pragmatic approach. I hope I’m wrong though.
25 Jan 2012, 20:47 pm
I got some news via other media source that HM is a conscientious proponent of progressive broadening policy of transformation which can only bode well for a far reaching legacy which may produce dividends beyond only the score board at the end of his tenure.
All the blou Bulletjie vrees surrounding his plunge into the Saru no man’s land abyss might yet prove to be absolutely unfounded.
25 Jan 2012, 20:49 pm
@Treehugger-210:
C’mon, which of any supporters here have changed allegiance, other than Grant 10.
25 Jan 2012, 20:51 pm
Heyneken?
25 Jan 2012, 20:55 pm
@Dawn-215:
Each to his own bru.
25 Jan 2012, 21:04 pm
@David-212:
David, that’s exactly where I feel we differ from the Aussies and the AB’s. Our approach changes when we play test rugby and we tend to play more conservatively, where as they back themselves.
25 Jan 2012, 21:13 pm
@ashampoopaloo-213:
‘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..’
You made it quite clear that Jake White’s use of foreign coaching assistants was the reason for his RWC success. I wonder how far you will go up your own poopal to reverse your scorn of South African coaches that do this when Meyer does the same. You appear to already be trying to climb up his arse.
25 Jan 2012, 21:14 pm
@Jeraldjay-217:
You’re quite right. Oz and NZ concentrate on developing basic skills at junior level so that the national coach can focus on implementing an overall game plan that takes these skills for granted.
25 Jan 2012, 21:18 pm
Well he’s the only one with his hand up with some remote talent for coaching teams to success. Should have had the job 4 years ago.
I do have concerns when Spies is mentioned as a possible captain, and to my mind he is not good enough to start. I also recall Meyer’s fascination with Derick Hougard, which will translate in to a fascination with Morn Steyn.
Other than that we can’t do worse than we have recently. And frankly we haven’t done well for a long time. Wining RWC and losing regularly at other times is not winning, it is losing more often than you win.
25 Jan 2012, 21:19 pm
@David-214: huh?
WP/ Stormer since 1976…hardly missed a game…
SA supporter till 2010 and 2011 when i abdicated out the circus to Namibia…
Now back
25 Jan 2012, 21:19 pm
@Great White Sharks coming to get ya-218:
Who were the number of foreign consultants HM used apart from Louden? Jake only employed one, as far as I know unless you count Cheryl as a rugby coach.
25 Jan 2012, 21:21 pm
@grant10-221:
Good to have you back.
25 Jan 2012, 21:21 pm
It always saddens me when our more parochial fans put their teams ahead of teh national team. I am sure Heyneke Meyer sees coaching the Springboks as the pinnacle of his career.
25 Jan 2012, 21:24 pm
@David-222:
Timotei shampoo has repeated on and on that Jake White’s success lay fully in the employment of Moans. Not my words.
25 Jan 2012, 21:25 pm
@SodaJoe-220:
I agree totally with you about HMs love affair with Spies and Hougaard, but I am suspicious about anyones judgement who still supports Leeds United.
25 Jan 2012, 21:27 pm
@David-226: If you want to judge me on who I support then it is a very lost cause: The Springboks, The Lions, The Leeds.
A Heavy cross to bear.
I think I was an axe murderer in a previous life.
25 Jan 2012, 21:29 pm
@David-226: Your Canaries are doing well bud. 9′th is not bad in the Premiership. Well done.
25 Jan 2012, 21:29 pm
@grant10-221: You going to the game on Friday and watch Minnie have a free meal?
25 Jan 2012, 21:32 pm
@SodaJoe-227:
Previous life? What are you doing in the evangelical republic of the USA?
25 Jan 2012, 21:37 pm
@David-230: Living the dream bud.
25 Jan 2012, 21:38 pm
@SodaJoe-228:
It’s a bloody miracle. Lambert has done wonders without spending money on expensive signings. Even his signing of Howsen from you guys was based on putting faith in talent rather than fame.
Surviving in the Premier League is difficult for clubs that intend remaining financially responsible and solvent.
25 Jan 2012, 21:38 pm
@Great White Sharks coming to get ya-218:
You an imbecile idiot.
I share Victors view that Heyneke Meyer is 1000 times better coach than White was. White directly benefited from the Sharks and Bulls getting hands on coaching influence through Louden and Campese, and at his facing his deepest fears realising he had no clue how to approach the WC White went running to Jones for assistance because he couldn’t cut it with the saffa coaches in his stable.
Meyer is far more wide awake and innovative and progressive in every respect to White, so what crapp you trying to insinuate here you dubious arsehole schmuck. I have my views on White like I have my own views on Pdv and Meyer and they are most definitely not mutually exclusive.
Meyer is not White, Meyer is a far more progressive thinking individual and it was indirectly through Meyer employing Louden and Sharks employing Campese, and White turning to Jones that gave White the potential to be competitive in 2007,. The luck of the draw and the lucky packet results did the rest, but both Pdv and Meyer are way better coaches than White could ever hope to dream he could ever be, and Victor Matfield and some others already know that, even if idiot schmucks like you don’t.
25 Jan 2012, 21:39 pm
@SodaJoe-231:
Great for you!
25 Jan 2012, 21:40 pm
@David-232: Johnny Howsen is a very, very good player. Outstanding buy for Norwich. I worry that Snodgrass will be next to go.
25 Jan 2012, 21:42 pm
@ashampoopaloo-233: We really haven’t had very many good coaches: Mallett, Christie, that’s about it. After that we lost more than we won (against those that count). Those are the facts.
I truly hope that we can play winning rugby, I doubt we will ever play attractive winning rugby – we never have.
25 Jan 2012, 21:48 pm
@SodaJoe-236:
About time too..
Where have you been?
No letters, No phone calls..
…… just come watlzin back!
25 Jan 2012, 21:49 pm
@SodaJoe-236:
You saffas have played ‘attractive’ players tho!!
Who cannot say Percy under a high ball is not a beautiful sight!!
25 Jan 2012, 21:51 pm
I hear Percy is as dumb as an ashampoopaloo, but I guess the ladies like that in a man
25 Jan 2012, 21:52 pm
my post 213 above is completely about another aspect of Meyer’s character not directly related purely to rugby strategy which shows he is not afraid to embrace a far broader approach to the bok job if my instinctive hunch about him is correct, and all I ventured to say is this could bode well for a more progressive and less constricting attitude when it comes to Meyer’s policy and ability to straddle the transformation injunctions he’s going to inevitably face in this national coach task.
25 Jan 2012, 21:53 pm
@SodaJoe-235:
We need a creative midfielder as an alternative to Wes Hoolihan, and I reckon Lambert may give Howsen far more freedom than he had at Leeds.
25 Jan 2012, 21:54 pm
@David-226:
I was in England in ’95 when Leeds was still in the Premiership. They had a Ghanaian international called Tony Yeboah. He scored a few incredible long range goals which impressed the locals.
I wonder what happened to him.
25 Jan 2012, 21:54 pm
@carol-237: Hello Miss Cheltenham. Living the dream is expensive and working for a living is time consuming.
How’s the very expensively educated Welshman?
How’s the Cheese from Alex James?
25 Jan 2012, 21:56 pm
@ashampoopaloo-240: Wow you should be a lawyer.
25 Jan 2012, 21:57 pm
Sorry David, #242 was directed at Sodajoe.
25 Jan 2012, 21:59 pm
@Jeraldjay-242: He went back to Germany. Still one of the greatest goalscorers in our illustrious history. Also scorer of one of the greatest goals in our history.
We also made Cantona. Tell THAT to the Red Roses.
But I am about to be kakked on for polluting a rugby site.
25 Jan 2012, 22:04 pm
we played plenty attractive winning rugby before schmucks like Maakgraaf Streauli and White got their hands on the Boks. Mallet played attractive winning rugby for 17 winning games on the trot. The pre isolation teams of Dawie De Villiers with Visagie, HO de Villiers, Mannetjies Roux, Joggie Jansen, Ray Mordt, Syd Nomis, or the isolation years of the Du Plessis brothers with Naas and Garth Wright, Heunis or Gysie Pienaar and Danie Gerber Neil Burger or Jaco Reinach were all attractive winning rugby sides
25 Jan 2012, 22:04 pm
@ashampoopaloo-233:
Time will tell, as for now all the arguments for H.M vs JW are just speculatoins affected by personal biases.
The odds are against HM, he failed at Leicester because he was out of his comfort base, and don’t forget the Bulls failed too in 2011 under HM watch with their increased transformation of the line up, didn’t make the play-offs in both competitions.
Adding all the detrimental factors listed by Ryan and what would you get?
25 Jan 2012, 22:06 pm
@SodaJoe-246: And rightly so.
25 Jan 2012, 22:09 pm
@ashampoopaloo-247: You are right in a way. But overall we are a grind them down, bully them, keep it tight. You leave out Naas Botha era. Etc.
But I will say this I would love to have all 3 Du Plessis brothers playing now. Michael at flyhalf, Willie at inside and Carel at outside center (which I always thought was his best position).
Danie Gerber. Ray Mordt. Yeah baby. Gysie was a fabulous fullback.
25 Jan 2012, 22:10 pm
@>^..^< katman-249: Well at least I don’t go on and on and on and on and on and on about yak skiing. As big as it may be. This IS a rugby site.
25 Jan 2012, 22:10 pm
@SodaJoe-246:
Yes the Cantona and Chapman show. Pity Cantona only played 1 season for you guys, the last 1st Division season which you won.
Then he changed the history of English Football by moving to United.
25 Jan 2012, 22:11 pm
@ashampoopaloo-240:
I agree with you that HM has the vision to assimilate various approaches, but I have a feeling that he is a better mentor and developer of young players in applying his ideas. The Bok job requires that the coach selects players who are already capable of competing at international level and forging a unit based on their proven skills. That’s why I believe his talents are better utilised at provincial and franchise level.
25 Jan 2012, 22:15 pm
@SodaJoe-251: True, but it is openly sympathetic to the bovine alpine off piste cause.
25 Jan 2012, 22:15 pm
@SodaJoe-250:
I also thought 13 was Carels best position, even at the time.
25 Jan 2012, 22:18 pm
Crikey, watching Munster getting snotted in the scrums by Northampton. BJ Botha is having a scrummaging nightmare. Mujati (not scrumming directly against Botha) looking bloody strong.
25 Jan 2012, 22:22 pm
@SodaJoe-251:
Good to hear the is another Mighty White in town.
MOT!!!
25 Jan 2012, 22:26 pm
@Jinx2-257:
ET is another one.
25 Jan 2012, 22:26 pm
@Hondo-248:
I mentioned earlier today that Meyer strikes me more as a manager and less of a hands on coach and that why it seems he needs a whole team of individual specialists propping him up which he probably didn’t have the luxury of at Leicester. So he may be a little insecure at the coal face in an isolated head on situation when chips might be down, but I still believe he has a broad based rugby management and intuitive intelligence way superior and more progress thinking to White.
25 Jan 2012, 22:27 pm
Anyway, night guys, and Carol.
25 Jan 2012, 22:28 pm
@David-258:
Yip. Like an Original Koppite
25 Jan 2012, 22:28 pm
Cheers, David.
25 Jan 2012, 22:43 pm
Man, we could use a tighthead like Brian Mujati. I hope Heineken is watching this Heineken Cup game. Mujati is making poor Wian du Preez his girlfriend in every scrum. Jannie can’t do what Brian is doing. And poor BJ on the other side of the Munster scrum is having and equally horrific evening.
25 Jan 2012, 22:45 pm
@Jinx2-262: Jinxter. Good to know. I am a lifelong Leeds fan. Been more on the long than the life recently. MOT.
25 Jan 2012, 22:46 pm
Meyer’s BIGGEST problem is how to take the big step upward to test level without repeating his abysmal start to his Super 12 coaching career when he lost 20 of his first 22 games and earned back-to-back wooden spoons. He’s got to hit the ground running. And that means actually WINNING — not merely “taking lots of positives” out of a long string of defeats. Or by saying “judge me at the World Cup”.
25 Jan 2012, 22:49 pm
@>^..^< katman-263: Really? Man – he wasn’t that great when he played for the Boks.
Jannie Poep has been ok actually. I think he’s going to be formidble. Coming in to his prime. And with Biz next to him they should be great. Beast, Coenie, good looseheads too.
BJ has always been a kak prop. Finish en klaar. Penalty machine too.
Wian I rated, don’t know much now. But we have more looseheads than tightheads I reckon.
25 Jan 2012, 22:49 pm
Oh, I’m watching a 3 day old game. Why does Supersport say “live” when it’s not?
Anyway, regardless of when it was played, Brian Mujati is (was?) having a monster game.
25 Jan 2012, 22:50 pm
@TheTackler-265: Judge him on his results. I reckon it is a very very long time since he started in S12. And a lot of good things done since (barring Leicester – which he bailed early and yes that doesn’t say very good things).
25 Jan 2012, 22:54 pm
Jinx2 found a poem jinx wrote to me once. Am gonna send it to you if that’s OK.
25 Jan 2012, 22:55 pm
@SodaJoe-266: He played for the Boks ages ago as a young man. A lot has happened (and developed) since. He’s built like a brick shithouse now, and rated very highly in Europe. Was nominated for the Aviva Premiership Player of the Season last year. Probably the strongest scrummaging tighthead in England at the moment.
25 Jan 2012, 22:56 pm
Katters a bit behind the times?
25 Jan 2012, 22:57 pm
@Dawn-271: The term is “retro”.
25 Jan 2012, 22:58 pm
@>^..^< katman-270: Well good luck to him. I hope he does well.
25 Jan 2012, 22:58 pm
@>^..^< katman-272: Nah that’s just your jaloppie.
25 Jan 2012, 22:59 pm
Damn TV ads can lie.
Damn Pantene. My hair never looks like that even if I buy the Pantene/Loreal in Clicks.
25 Jan 2012, 23:00 pm
Retro is a new “dynamic”
25 Jan 2012, 23:01 pm
@Dawn-275: Maybe you’re not worth it.
25 Jan 2012, 23:02 pm
@SodaJoe-264:
Me Too. Started supporting Leeds when Peter Lorimer played for Cape Town City in 1971.
25 Jan 2012, 23:02 pm
@SodaJoe-273: I’d drop him a line if I were Meyer.
25 Jan 2012, 23:03 pm
@Dawn-269:
Please do. Jinx would have really approved HM’s appointment.
25 Jan 2012, 23:04 pm
Listen. Andie McDowell is speaking directly to me when she sAys “cos you’re worth it”
Doesn’t work on my hair.
25 Jan 2012, 23:06 pm
@Dawn-281: Andie McDowell? Don’t make me laff. Isn’t she like 50 in the shade, and mostly plastic?
25 Jan 2012, 23:07 pm
Only TV ad I liked was the little Darth Vader.
25 Jan 2012, 23:08 pm
She does Loreal or one of those, doesn’t she?
25 Jan 2012, 23:09 pm
@>^..^< katman-282: Don’t blaspheme.
25 Jan 2012, 23:09 pm
Munster beat Northampton something like 51 – 36 in that Heineken game so how come Mujati destroyed Du Preez if he still came out on the losing side? Either Katmans report or the keo journo’s report is not accurate cos according the keo report Northampton got whacked by Munster on the weekend.
25 Jan 2012, 23:10 pm
@Dawn-284: Dunno. Not my forté,
25 Jan 2012, 23:11 pm
@SodaJoe-285: You can do better, Joe. Andie is a stuck up tannie.
25 Jan 2012, 23:13 pm
@ashampoopaloo-286: Listen you knobhead, I was simply speaking about Mujati and the Saints scrum. Munster backline are punching huge holes through the Saints defense. But come scrum time, the Munster pack are being brutally sodomised, over and over. Two penalty tries so far. So don’t pretend to be all clever. Because you are far from it.
25 Jan 2012, 23:15 pm
Du Preez got subbed to limit the damage. But his replacement is doing even worse. And BJ has nowhere to hide in this game. Scored a good try, but being humiliated in every scrum.
25 Jan 2012, 23:20 pm
Plastic doesn’t work on any woman.
25 Jan 2012, 23:20 pm
From the Telegraph:
It made for a riveting first half which ended at 19 apiece, but which was memorable mostly for a stunning effort from Northampton’s front five at the scrummage. Time after time Soane Tonga’uiha and Brian Mujati bent to their task, splitting and twisting and shunting the Monster pack into the extremes of embarrassment. They were so clearly superior and were suitably rewarded when referee Romain Poite, one of the few officials in world rugby to consistently make the right calls in this area, awarded Northampton a penalty try after Munster flanker Peter O’Mahony booted the ball out of the back row of the scrum as it retreated towards the outskirts of Milton Keynes and beyond.
25 Jan 2012, 23:21 pm
@>^..^< katman-290:
We talking about the farm invader here? The same guy who accused Heinke vd Merwe and his ex-Lions teammate of racism for using a scrum technique known as the ba-boon when Mujati happened to be in the opposing team?
25 Jan 2012, 23:22 pm
Andie McDowell is downright gorgeous southern belle beauty with a Texan or Georgia drawl to top it put Scarlet O’Hara in the shade
25 Jan 2012, 23:23 pm
From the Guardian:
The reward for the home team was a scrum five metres out and they now launched Brian Mujati on the tighthead side of the front row against Wian du Preez, a little all-South African contest within the contest. Except it was no contest, for Mujati and Soane Tonga’uiha were giving their opposite numbers a horribly uncomfortable evening. The Saints drove and Munster were driven to sin, the result a penalty try.
25 Jan 2012, 23:25 pm
@Tacitus-293: His dad was a farm invader, not him. And that ba-boon scrum call is just way too convenient a story for this cynical old *******.
But yes, him.
25 Jan 2012, 23:26 pm
Hangover on MM2. I never tire of this movie
25 Jan 2012, 23:26 pm
@ashampoopaloo-294: Are you reading the homework I’m posting here for you? Any more cleverness you’d like to add?
25 Jan 2012, 23:30 pm
you are one fuckface little prickpunk you know that you little Katmankunt, little arsehole fuckwit punk. You think you so Fckng clever you little pissarse cn’t when fact of the matter is you are one mammoth moronic imbecilic little runtcunt dunce.
Its you telling the world how Mujati’s Northants are shunting Munster all over the park yet they lost 51-36 so the real imbecilic little poephol moron gotta be you, and nobody else.
25 Jan 2012, 23:33 pm
Am waiting for Mr Chow.
25 Jan 2012, 23:36 pm
@ashampoopaloo-299: Read the posts again, poepol. See what I wrote. Then wipe the kaka from the corners of your frothing mouth and try again.
I honestly hope you’re seeing someone about these complex issues of yours. because you are not well upstairs. But you don’t need me to tell you this.
Now fck off, I’m going to bed.
25 Jan 2012, 23:37 pm
Dawn this little fuckwit poephol moron Katmankunt a friend of yours, he’s a right royal little cunteyed pumkarse creep, next time you sipping chardonnays or whiskey down at the fireman pub together you can tell the little know fckall know-it-all runtcunt I told him so.
25 Jan 2012, 23:39 pm
I wanna go to Vegas and have a moerse blowout
25 Jan 2012, 23:49 pm
Lay off it skop. You’re a fraud. You don’t gel as the defender of the meek, the protector of the poor, the man who walks a million miles in the shoes of the ordinary joe.
You do a good senile froth though.
25 Jan 2012, 23:50 pm
@Dawn-300: You having Chinese tonight….oh and what are you eating afterwards
25 Jan 2012, 23:52 pm
No skop I think you just told him yourself
25 Jan 2012, 23:53 pm
Mr Chow in the movie The Hangover!
25 Jan 2012, 23:54 pm
@ashampoopaloo-302: Dude, people would be more open to your ideas if you stringed some coherent sentences together.
Just take a step back relax, and type a paragraph that is coherent and devoid of crazy and you will get less grief around here….just some friendly unsolicited advice…take it don’t take it
25 Jan 2012, 23:55 pm
@Dawn-307: I’ve not watched the Hangover yet….not sure I’d enjoy it…maybe if I was hungover?
25 Jan 2012, 23:58 pm
Why not? It’s brill!
26 Jan 2012, 00:00 am
Watch the first one. The second one sucks.
26 Jan 2012, 00:01 am
what does a silver spoon fed little colonialists son living it up in mother hubbard’s cupboard know about what the poor or the meek or the hungry or the weak go through on a day to day level, when he isn’t doffing his top hat or putting on his barristers wig before bowing profusely to the queen? He don’t actually know a g’dam thing.
26 Jan 2012, 00:06 am
Please frothface, feed me more, you’re killing me
26 Jan 2012, 00:08 am
This faux defender by night has no hesitation loading up his ‘boys’ in his datsun bakkie by day, dropping them off at his bouer sites, making them sweat out dollar bills for his royal baasness.
26 Jan 2012, 00:14 am
@Dawn-307: mr chow is dope…especially in Hangover 2
26 Jan 2012, 00:16 am
h@wooden spoon-314: skop at least creates jobs here & isn’t sitting in an airconditioned office in england pontificating…
26 Jan 2012, 00:21 am
@Transformation-316: what makes you believe so convincingly that I do not ‘create jobs’ in SA?
Do tell.
26 Jan 2012, 00:22 am
@Transformation-316: ps. I have yet to come by an airconditioned office in England, but that’s a small detail.
26 Jan 2012, 00:23 am
@TheTackler-265:
When Heyneke took over the S12 Bulls in 2000, they had very little in the way of personnel, and no way of fixing it as they had no money, so it’s no wonder they lost all their matches. The next year, 2001, they made him the Blue Bulls coach and the first thing he did was to let ten senior players go.
They started recruiting young U/20 players as it was all they could afford, and they won the Vodacom Cup that year, and the Currie Cup the next three years in a row.
The Bulls played two S12 semi-finals away and lost both, so Heyneke decided the only way to guarantee a home semi was to get enough bonus points by scoring tries, so he appointed Todd Louden as his attack coach and a defence coach form England’s 2003 World Cup squad. It worked as they trounced the Reds to secure a home semi against the Crusader, it was a tough, tryless match and afterwards the Crusaders sent Heyneke a signed Crusaders jersey afterwards and said:”it was the hardest team we ever played against”
He appointed Spies captain this year as he’s the most senior player left, the others left, retired or are injured
You shouldn’t worry about him not getting rid of the dead wood in the team, blooding youngsters or bringing in outside coaches
He might even get Habana firing on all cylinders again as he took a small talented centre from the Lions and made him the best winger in the world and IRB Player of the year. He’s a big fan of Vince Lombardi of the Green Bay Packers too and you can see it the way he manages his players
26 Jan 2012, 00:25 am
Trans, my man, when is your 10 year Waterford Kamhlaba reunion?
26 Jan 2012, 00:29 am
@victoriabok-319: I can see why I hardly come here any more. The mean spirited discourse can be tiresome.
26 Jan 2012, 00:30 am
Whoops sorry Victoriabok that was not directed at you or your post, which was excellent by the way.
Just a general observation.
26 Jan 2012, 00:31 am
@wooden spoon-320: what makes you think, so convincingly that i left high school less than 10 years ago?
do tell?
26 Jan 2012, 00:32 am
The car thieves drew 2-2 with the head stampers and are thru to the carling cup final. go king kenny!
26 Jan 2012, 00:35 am
@victoriabok-319: what a nice ode to meyer…all that is in the past now all that will count are results.
we as Bok supporters want to win!
the nonsense we heard from some aussie fans here that they might’ve lost the semi vs the kiwis but they had the youngest team at RWC is nonsense. only victories count from now on!
26 Jan 2012, 00:35 am
@Jinx2-324: another thing that we have in common, I do love Kenny Dalglish. Despite being a Liverpool bastardo.
26 Jan 2012, 00:36 am
@Transformation-325: Couldn’t agree more. I am gatvol of losing. Enough already.
26 Jan 2012, 00:36 am
Trans, you question dodger you, but to answer – the inherent immaturity of your posts is a dead give away.
26 Jan 2012, 00:37 am
Anyway been absolutely fabulous as usual and all but it’s time to go and do something better.
26 Jan 2012, 00:42 am
@wooden spoon-328: well, when dealing with verkrampte like you that is the only approprite language
26 Jan 2012, 00:45 am
@SodaJoe-327: yeah soda…SARU for once have not dropped the ball & got the people & player’s favourite candidate. now the ball is in meyer’s court.
a victorious bok team is all that we will accept!
26 Jan 2012, 00:50 am
@Transformation-325:
Us Bulls fans were tired of losing when he took over (and I expect we’ll get used to it again in his absence) and he slowly turned the ship around.
It took time as he didn’t have the money to buy talent and had to raise his own from U/20 players.
With the Boks he’ll have all of SA’s talent to his disposal as well as some good ones playing overseas.
I suspect he won’t clean house but would start with most of the remaining players from last years WC group and gradually add young talent, much like he did with the Bulls.
It would be suicide to play tests with a young team without any senior players
Look at the 2002 and 2003 Currie Cup teams compared to the 2007 S14 team, a lot of players were replaced with better ones like the Cronje brothers guys like BakkieS
26 Jan 2012, 00:56 am
@victoriabok-332: ja nee…Test rugby is not currie cup…coaches don’t take 2 years to figure outan opponent’s strategy and counter it.
good luck to heineken.
26 Jan 2012, 01:03 am
Anyone who does not believe that refs. favour Barca big time is just totally dishonest. RM thru Benzema should have been awarded a penalty in the 78min.
The ref at F-T seemed quite smug and proud of his favouring of Barca.
Seemed to even taunt the RM players to lay their hands on him after the final whistle instead of simply and smartly just leaving the field.
Barca players should get the Spollywood Oscars handsdown later this year.
26 Jan 2012, 01:09 am
@Transformation-333: ja nee…Test rugby is not currie cup…coaches don’t take 2 years to figure outan opponent’s strategy and counter it.
Yes, but he’s not constrained by using only the players his Union could afford either
And the Boks have a lot of experienced players like Bismarck, Bekker and Steyn, and exciting X-Factor players like Hougaard, Goosen, Lambie and JJ Engelbrecht coming in
We should rather see the glass as half full
26 Jan 2012, 01:16 am
@victoriabok-335: i reiterate. ONLY results will make the glass seem half full. robbie deans had 10 times the cv heineken has but he is currently sitting on 56% win ratio & 3 out of 16 vs the all blacks.
meyer’s currie cup records are history.
26 Jan 2012, 01:20 am
@ET.-334: players should get the Spollywood Oscars handsdown later this year.
No, SkollieWood, you’re talking about soccer players
26 Jan 2012, 01:29 am
@victoriabok-337:
For Barca players that would work too.
26 Jan 2012, 01:37 am
@ET.-334: serves madrid right, Pepe stomped messi’s hand last week & got away with murder! he shouldn’t have been on the pitch tonite!
26 Jan 2012, 01:56 am
@Transformation-336: i reiterate. ONLY results will make the glass seem half full. robbie deans had 10 times the cv heineken has but he is currently sitting on 56% win ratio & 3 out of 16 vs the all blacks.
meyer’s currie cup records are history.
We have the players and talent available, hopefully we’ll get the results with Heyneke.
26 Jan 2012, 02:24 am
Early results will be critical for Meyer, else you blokes will turn on him. England will be a perfect warmup but without Victor the back five will be weakened. Juan and Shalk in form and firing will be key. Spies would be a very risky captain. As to the backs either youth will reinvigorate or it’ll be same same.
Definition of rugby insanity will be to put roughly the same blokes out with the same gameplan (Bulls/Boks 09) and expect different results. I expect some improvement in 2012 from the boks but not enough to get amongst the silverware, and certainly not enough to confirm the new era most rose-tinted optimists here are expecting has begun.
26 Jan 2012, 02:33 am
@Qrest-341: juan’s injured
“Spies would be a very risky captain” is an understatement. over rated and lazy. in the aus vs boks game spies touched the ball twice and was driven out to touch both times.rest of the time he was missing.
why’s burger not captain? is this a provincial thing?
agree it will take a minimum of 2 season for the new bok team to really rolling. team work takes time to build and is the most important factor in a rugby game.
26 Jan 2012, 02:49 am
I note you do not dispute the bad adjudication but instead launch into an immature attempt to justify the ref’s. insane actions wrt Barca players’ stupid actions with an equally and utterly stupid action of a RM player but in an earlier game.
That you would link two highly dissimilar events in two totally different matches albeit by the same opponents clearly demonstrates your glaring lack of rationality and judgement and thus moronic and emotional expressions on said matter.
The first incident occurred in midfield play( thus no penalty issue) of the 2nd.half of one match and is just not acceptable to any fair-minded observer and deserved to be punished and pilloried. I would have red-carded that if I as the official saw that incident.
The 2nd incident in the subsequent game involved 3 players(Benzema, Pujols and his goalie) challenging for a lose ball on the 6yd. line within the penalty area of Barca. Pujols duly up-ends Benzema onto his back-side and prevents him from having a clear kick at the ball towards goal where their is no goalie(who duly collects the lose ball). A penalty call clearly had to be made.
More disconcerting was the ref’s actions after the final whistle.
Being neither a Barca or RM supporter but still delighting in their excellent play most times, clearly leaves me as being unbiased and in a position to expose bad play and bad and favoured adjudication.
Raw emotional responses leave a question mark on anyone’s ability to make fair observations and leaves that individual irrelevant, but merely emotional in that matter.
26 Jan 2012, 06:09 am
It’s easy. Take everything that PDV did and do the opposite.
Blood youngsters and develop talent.
Don’t let the senior players manage the team.
Play a balanced gameplan.
Score tries.
Coach the team.
Score tries.
26 Jan 2012, 06:10 am
@garth-344: Oh yes, pick your best team. Loyalty is for dogs, not rugby.
26 Jan 2012, 06:59 am
Matfield: I’d return to Boks for Meyer
January 26 2012 at 06:44am
By VATA NGOBENI
Comment on this story
——————————————————————————–
INLSA
Victor Matfield could come out of retirement, but only if Heyneke Meyer is indeed unveiled as the new Springbok coach.
Victor Matfield could come out of retirement, but only if Heyneke Meyer is indeed unveiled as the new Springbok coach on Friday.
Matfield hung up his boots at the end of last year after an illustrious career with the Springboks and Bulls but revealed this week that he would consider a return if Meyer calls on him.
Matfield, who is the most capped Springbok with 110, captained the Bulls to Super 14 and Currie Cup titles under Meyer’s mentorship and has great respect for Meyer and a return to rugby by Matfield is likely to lure the likes of Fourie du Preez, Bakkies Botha and Gurthrö Steenkamp back to the national team after they have left for greener pastures abroad.
If Matfield is to return under Meyer it would probably be for a season or two just for Meyer to get to grips with the structure at national level and it would also solve the big dilemma of who the next Springbok captain will be.
“Everyone knows what I think about Heyneke, but we must wait until Friday (tomorrow) before we talk about it. Let’s wait and see what happens, we will talk. Everything has consequences. Playing? I don’t know but we will see. It depends if he wants me. I really don’t know, it is difficult to say …,” Matfield said.
The 34 year-old is certain to feature in Meyer’s Springbok management structure if he is not asked to play, probably as technical advisor or line-out consultant.
However, the fact that Matfield has already signed a lucrative television contract with SuperSport as one of their pundits will make Matfield’s dream of being the outright Springbok captain almost impossible.
On Wednesday, the Blue Bulls Company confirmed that the South African Rugby Union (Saru) had approached them for the services of their executive for rugby, Meyer, and talks between the parties were ongoing in Cape Town on Wednesday after an initial meeting at Loftus Versfeld on Tuesday.
Chief executive officer for the Blue Bulls Company, Barend van Graan, along with commercial manager Stephan van der Merwe met Saru to finalise the compensation deal for the three years still outstanding on Meyer’s contract with the Bulls.
But the Bulls could be in for more despair when Meyer takes over the reins as Springbok coach as an exodus of senior management is expected as they search for higher honours with the Springbok team.
Matfield is a certainty to join Meyer, while Bulls forwards coach Johann van Graan could be in the running for a position in Meyer’s management team as soon as his contract expires at the end of the year.
Meyer will continue to raid the Bulls kraal once he ascends to the Springbok coaching job with defence coach John McFarland and strength and conditioning coach Basil Carzis also likely to join the management team at the end of their contracts with the Bulls next year.
Speculation is also rife at Loftus Versfeld that high performance and business manager at the Blue Bulls, Ian Schwartz, could also be in line for a top job at Saru and Schwartz’s imminent departure could spell the end of the Bulls’ golden era of which Meyer was the supremo. – The Star
26 Jan 2012, 07:01 am
And the emergence of a brand spanking new Fat Boys Club takes place…..
26 Jan 2012, 07:18 am
@grant10-347: I don’t think its quite that bad! The next captain for the boks is a real issue, because of the lack of future planning that took place in the last regime. Matfield being captain for a season would probably do more benefit then harm I’m sure. It is all starting to look very Bulls first then everyone else later though. Hopefully Meyer will select players on merit first and foremost.
26 Jan 2012, 07:20 am
I said previously that Meyers success was based partly on cliques and that we should expect the same for the Boks, seems I was on the money !!
26 Jan 2012, 07:22 am
@Tuna-229: ja mate….
its too ingrained in my DNA….
cant not go…
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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