Meyer Bok coach – what’s your view

27 Jan 2012

Fire away campers. Keo online here to answer all your questions about the new Bok coach.

At the outset let me state I am thrilled Meyer is the man.


89 Comments

  • 1.PissAnt: Reply to this comment
    27 Jan 2012, 11:47 am

    Good luck Heyneke, hell knows you are going to need it.

  • 2.keo: Reply to this comment
    27 Jan 2012, 11:49 am

    Communicated with him most of the week and he is taking this responsibility so seriously – mostly he says to the biggest stakeholders in the game, the rugby public.

  • 3.Lions_Soutie: Reply to this comment
    27 Jan 2012, 11:49 am

    When do you think the captaincy will be announced?

  • 4.JA-JA: Reply to this comment
    27 Jan 2012, 11:50 am

    Has the announcement been made yet? I can’t watch TV at the moment.

  • 5.Tacitus: Reply to this comment
    27 Jan 2012, 11:52 am

    Is it going to be a 2 year or 4 year appointment?

  • 6.Lions_Soutie: Reply to this comment
    27 Jan 2012, 11:53 am

    @keo-2: Does he have a hard enough edge to put up with 4 years of rubbish from the presidents council? Jake aged 10 years, PDV got off lightly, what will happen to Heyneke?

  • 7.keo: Reply to this comment
    27 Jan 2012, 11:53 am

    No at noon. Captaincy only when first squad is announced.

  • 8.keo: Reply to this comment
    27 Jan 2012, 11:55 am

    He has been consistent in his view that there is no four year ‘judge me at the world cup’ plan. He is adamant that the Boks need to be successful every year and a winning habit makes for the best World Cup preparation.

  • 9.DocNZ: Reply to this comment
    27 Jan 2012, 11:56 am

    As least it is not helium bob dragon, or orange picking dragons…

  • 10.Mr Black: Reply to this comment
    27 Jan 2012, 11:57 am

    Is it official?

  • 11.jamisz: Reply to this comment
    27 Jan 2012, 11:57 am

    @Tacitus-5: Believe 4 years.

  • 12.Dawn: Reply to this comment
    27 Jan 2012, 11:57 am

    Good grief we had bazillion posts on “views”, now have to re-hash them all again.

  • 13.DocNZ: Reply to this comment
    27 Jan 2012, 11:58 am

    When will his coaching crew be announced ?

  • 14.Treehugger: Reply to this comment
    27 Jan 2012, 11:58 am

    what channel ?

  • 15.keo: Reply to this comment
    27 Jan 2012, 11:58 am

    4 yrs but reviewable after 2 on performance. They may spin it differently but that is nuts and bolts of it

  • 16.Dawn: Reply to this comment
    27 Jan 2012, 12:00 pm

    He’s only been given 2 years anyway.

    SARU change of policy.

  • 17.Treehugger: Reply to this comment
    27 Jan 2012, 12:01 pm

    Its on blitz

  • 18.Tacitus: Reply to this comment
    27 Jan 2012, 12:01 pm

    The future looks so bright at the moment.

    Imagine what the Boks could achieve. Imagine what they could have achieved over the last 4 years. If only…

  • 19.keo: Reply to this comment
    27 Jan 2012, 12:02 pm

    thank god the Peter de Villiers era is finally over

  • 20.Treehugger: Reply to this comment
    27 Jan 2012, 12:08 pm

    Eishhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh Heinie, you made me cry. He is so % dedicated to this, he was so emo …..shame man. Big hug for you.

  • 21.Lions_Soutie: Reply to this comment
    27 Jan 2012, 12:09 pm

    @Tacitus-18: Not even Heyneke would have been immune to the experienced players egos. I think he may prefer starting off with a young team. Everything points towards Spies as captain now

  • 22.JA-JA: Reply to this comment
    27 Jan 2012, 12:11 pm

    When are the assistant coaches going to be announced?

  • 23.Suzy Poison: Reply to this comment
    27 Jan 2012, 12:15 pm

    As a Bok fan living in Oz, it breaks my heart to watch the Boks constantly kick away good possession, game after game. Australia have never had a decent forward pack in the 18yrs I have lived on this big Island, but yet they know what to do with the ball. Do you think Meyer can change a traditional way of thinking that is ingrained in high-veld “Skop-en-tackle” rugby from the year dot? I am not so sure, he discovered Derek Hougaard, a limited player that would not make a C grade side in Oz, and elevated him to God status at Loftus. I have heard that Heyneke can be innovative, but I am not holding my breath. To quote Darwin; “It’s not the strongest or the most intelligent that survive, but those that can adapt!” South Africa rugby never innovates or adapts, and Meyer will play ten man rugby again. Please, please prove me wrong!

  • 24.MacToogie: Reply to this comment
    27 Jan 2012, 12:24 pm

    @keo-8: i dont think Spies should be in the Bok starting team let alone captain of the Boks, i have my reservation about Schalk and Bismark as captains as well. with Juan on the injury list i dont see anyone who can command that role right now.

  • 25.ufo: Reply to this comment
    27 Jan 2012, 12:28 pm

    Congrats Heyneke… Make us proud!!

    Reckon you genuinely have majority approval and support…

    Keo… sheesh man… your site is get slower and slower…. really frustrating…

  • 26.the artist formerly known as gunther: Reply to this comment
    27 Jan 2012, 12:29 pm

    Keo what is Heyneke’s star sign?

  • 27.Predawn: Reply to this comment
    27 Jan 2012, 12:38 pm

    Heyneke Meyer has the unenviable task of getting Bok rugby off the Comedy Central channel and back on SuperSport.

    Expect SARU to nitpick and dissect every aspect of his coaching like they did with Jake White.

    I believe that Meyer had to be literally put in an arm lock to take the position.

  • 28.Transformation: Reply to this comment
    27 Jan 2012, 12:38 pm

    this website is going to the dogs, why is so slow? ffs

  • 29.Treehugger: Reply to this comment
    27 Jan 2012, 12:40 pm

    Ok have finished watching the whole thing now and for those of you who didnt watch, he is so the right man, He comes across as strong, humble and just wants what is best for the team, oh he diffidently wont take any chit from any one, no ones “yes man”.

  • 30.Guns: Reply to this comment
    27 Jan 2012, 12:48 pm

    @Suzy Poison-23:

    “he discovered Derek Hougaard, a limited player that would not make a C grade side in Oz,”

    hmmm.. Not sure I buy that…

    The standard of Rugby is very high in SA, Players that don’t make it in SA are more likely to have a higher chance of making an Auz team.

  • 31.>^..^< katman: Reply to this comment
    27 Jan 2012, 12:50 pm

    What the hell is happening to this site? It’s like watching a super slo-mo some continental drift footage.

  • 32.>^..^< katman: Reply to this comment
    27 Jan 2012, 12:52 pm

    What the hell is happening to this site? It’s like watching a super slo-mo of some continental drift footage.

  • 33.ChairmanShabazz: Reply to this comment
    27 Jan 2012, 12:54 pm

    Congrats to the white and especially Afrikaner race on the appointment of your man.

  • 34.MacToogie: Reply to this comment
    27 Jan 2012, 12:56 pm

    @Suzy Poison-23: the Boks have their own way of playing rugby, we are not NZ, we are not Aus, we are the Boks and we have been one of the best teams in the world along with NZ and Aus for plenty years playing our way, the only entertaining rugby is winning rugby. if you enjoy the flashy stuff switch to supporting the Wallabies or NZ, and just in case you think flashy is the way to go, go look at how NZ won the RWC and tell me if that was pretty rugby.

  • 35.>^..^< katman: Reply to this comment
    27 Jan 2012, 12:59 pm

    On the questions about the coach… Keo, is it true that Meyer will move Habana back to the Bulls so that he can train and play alongside the rest of the Bok squad?

  • 36.Guns: Reply to this comment
    27 Jan 2012, 12:59 pm

    @Suzy Poison-23:
    Don’t get me wrong though, Im not saying we have the best players.

    & I hope he does prove us all wrong re: 10man game… & I Hope Speis does not walk into that team although im sure he will. He will probably up his game in the Super15 this year though to lead the Bulls and prove his worth to Meyer.

    Having said that though I have to admit after watching the lions tests again Speis adds value with his cover work and positional play in tight games, he is not a big bruiser like Vermulin or Alberts but he does know the current/old bok defensive patterns pretty well and has the ability to get across the park and make cover tackles of field kicks, that much we all know.. So I have a feeling the argument would be “IF” you had big ball carriers like Alberts, Schulk & Bismark all ready in the team, would you need another big carrier or grunt or would it be more usefull to have a faster player to do lots of cover work?

    As a sharks man I am just playing Devils Advocate here, I have been one of spies hardest critics in recent times and would love to see some1 like Vermulin play for the boks.

  • 37.keo: Reply to this comment
    27 Jan 2012, 13:01 pm

    apologies for the slowness …. server problems in germany

  • 38.Dawn: Reply to this comment
    27 Jan 2012, 13:08 pm

    Germany.

    Right.

  • 39.Mr Black: Reply to this comment
    27 Jan 2012, 13:09 pm

    @ChairmanShabazz-33:

    Thanks :lol:

  • 40.HHS: Reply to this comment
    27 Jan 2012, 13:09 pm

    Liewe f0k…. SARU, in future pass around a packet of Skittles, because some of those reporters need a color “fix”.

  • 41.Dawn: Reply to this comment
    27 Jan 2012, 13:11 pm

    Journos really banged on at him re transformation in their flat Flats accents.

    So last century.

  • 42.Dawn: Reply to this comment
    27 Jan 2012, 13:13 pm

    Heard Reyhan though. On first name terms nogal.

    Pure Model C.

  • 43.the artist formerly known as gunther: Reply to this comment
    27 Jan 2012, 13:15 pm

    @ChairmanShabazz-33:

    Ja.

    Sorry the cullart thing didn’t work out so well.

  • 44.Great White Sharks gonna get ya: Reply to this comment
    27 Jan 2012, 13:17 pm

    @ChairmanShabazz-33:

    Baie dankie.

  • 45.Dawn: Reply to this comment
    27 Jan 2012, 13:17 pm

    Yay.

    Three quarters of that room was cullart.

    We rule the world.

  • 46.Jeez: Reply to this comment
    27 Jan 2012, 13:19 pm

    I like the fact that he mentioned getting the best international and/or local people as his support staff….Hopefully a good Auzzi backline coach…

  • 47.ChairmanShabazz: Reply to this comment
    27 Jan 2012, 13:21 pm

    Today will go down as an extremely dark day in the history of black South Africa.This is the day that the ANC gave rugby back to the non-black invaders and they should really be ashamed of themselves.

  • 48.trupisero: Reply to this comment
    27 Jan 2012, 13:22 pm

    ok, now just Hougie then the bulls quota for the boks is filled

  • 49.Dawn: Reply to this comment
    27 Jan 2012, 13:26 pm

    Yo keo

    Pay the bill.

  • 50.Dawn: Reply to this comment
    27 Jan 2012, 13:28 pm

    Shabazz

    Go to mosque

  • 51.trupisero: Reply to this comment
    27 Jan 2012, 13:28 pm

    anyone smell a troll?

  • 52.ufo: Reply to this comment
    27 Jan 2012, 13:33 pm

    and we’re back…

  • 53.ufo: Reply to this comment
    27 Jan 2012, 13:33 pm

    somebody got rotaroota in to clear the pipe…

  • 54.the artist formerly known as gunther: Reply to this comment
    27 Jan 2012, 13:34 pm

    @Dawn-50:

    its capo.

    he’s manged to relieve another another tourist of the iphone.

    no time for mosque.

    tv’s to fence.

  • 55.Michael: Reply to this comment
    27 Jan 2012, 13:39 pm

    Finally. Someone located the Restart button.

  • 56.grant10: Reply to this comment
    27 Jan 2012, 13:43 pm

    what an impressive interview with Heyneke……I have become a convert….all strength to you Heyneke…..hope everyone rallys around you and that you are given all support from everyone in Saru and the Franchises…..

    You really said the things I wanted to hear….

    Great start imo…

  • 57.Dawn: Reply to this comment
    27 Jan 2012, 13:46 pm

    Michael.

    You can’t blame them. The restart button is in Germany.

  • 58.the artist formerly known as gunther: Reply to this comment
    27 Jan 2012, 13:48 pm

    @Dawn-57:

    no man the restart button is at Gnome Towers.

    On an antique server from Germany.

    Walnut if you must know, lovely piece.

    Please pay attention.

  • 59.Jeez: Reply to this comment
    27 Jan 2012, 13:49 pm

    Good to hear that he said he’s looking for a captain with character and that the potential candidates will have to prove themselves..

  • 60.Jeez: Reply to this comment
    27 Jan 2012, 13:51 pm

    in super rugby that is…

  • 61.Treehugger: Reply to this comment
    27 Jan 2012, 13:51 pm

    @grant10-56: I was thinking of you while watching it, thinking grant has to like this guy lol.

  • 62.the artist formerly known as gunther: Reply to this comment
    27 Jan 2012, 13:52 pm

    @Jeez-60:

    Phew.

    For a minute I thought we were talking about a dance-off.

  • 63.Cambridge: Reply to this comment
    27 Jan 2012, 13:52 pm

    @Suzy Poison-23: Nice to see you here Suzy. Been reading your comments on theroar.com.au for years. You should stick around, we need more quality comments on this site.

  • 64.Cambridge: Reply to this comment
    27 Jan 2012, 13:58 pm

    Great day to be a South African; the right man has been put in the job for once. The guy is pure class. I loved how emotional he got about the whole thing, which is exactly the kind of humility and dedication to the cause which will get us back to the top of world rugby.

  • 65.The objective man: Reply to this comment
    27 Jan 2012, 13:58 pm

    I see a trend here. I guess the following will happen: If he succeeds, you will say I told you so… if he fails, then no one will blame HM, you’ll blame SARU…

  • 66.grant10: Reply to this comment
    27 Jan 2012, 14:00 pm

    @Treehugger-61: Helleva impressed….I like the wait on captaincy…..the wanting the best team so not arrogantly ruling out saffas overseas…and the commitment to each Test…not this WC Holy Grail rubbish….

    also like the ‘ surround me with only the best support approach, whether saffa or overseas’ …

    Very impressive….blank canvas and I am happy….

  • 67.Guns: Reply to this comment
    27 Jan 2012, 14:00 pm

    @keo-2:
    Would love to have seen this press conference, cant Keo or some 1 get a youtube video up?

  • 68.rangerman: Reply to this comment
    27 Jan 2012, 14:03 pm

    keo, you have been getting comments for weeks telling you that your site is sh it performance wise.

    and you ignore this.

    so we couldnt discuss the bok coach appointment properly.

    you suck, sort it out ok?

  • 69.grant10: Reply to this comment
    27 Jan 2012, 14:08 pm

    @Guns-67: really he was bloody impressive…..showed nervous emotion but a clear path…..this guy really impressed me a lot…he seems extremely self assured but humble….a rare personality trait.

  • 70.rangerman: Reply to this comment
    27 Jan 2012, 14:11 pm

    what was with all those cullart jornos endless “blec bleck bleck transformation step backwards bleck bleck bleck bleck coaches bleck players bleck bleck bleck” bs?

    ****** boring as hell seriously.

    they must collectively fukkoff.

    i especially enjoyed how ryan got handled by jurie regarding the two years vs four years question :lol:

    but actually ryan, you are the top scribe here imo, i enjoy your articles when you cut loose or explore an issue so much more than all the regurgitated “news” here.

  • 71.au revoir mon tout noirs, au revoir...: Reply to this comment
    27 Jan 2012, 14:17 pm

    @grant10-56:
    such honest, frank, open and insightful discussions not only by heyneke but by roux and hoskins as well.
    very, very refreshing.

    pretty much a certainty that heyneke wont be lost in translation to the world with his afrikaans accent. better too than divvy.

  • 72.Treehugger: Reply to this comment
    27 Jan 2012, 14:24 pm

    @Guns-67: It was great, the passion for what he is about to do radiated from him, can understand why the Bulls are such a tight unit under him and them being p!ssed at losing him.

    We will become great again under him i think,that is judging from what i saw in the presser.

  • 73.Jonos: Reply to this comment
    27 Jan 2012, 14:24 pm

    At last, a grown-up coach. Happiness and hallelujah!

  • 74.Michael: Reply to this comment
    27 Jan 2012, 14:27 pm

    @Dawn-57: I don’t think much of their host provider for having ongoing problems.

  • 75.hendrikp: Reply to this comment
    27 Jan 2012, 14:29 pm

    Reckon Meyer will heavily favor Bulls players? Time for the Bullification of Springbok rugby?

    Yeah… give it a year, then people will be calling for his head.

    Of coure I’m happy to be proven wrong.

    When Pierre Spies gets made captain… and it’s going to happen… I’ll do a grant and not attend games, because that kind of bias would be inexcusable.

  • 76.the artist formerly known as gunther: Reply to this comment
    27 Jan 2012, 14:45 pm

    @hendrikp-75:

    You won’t be happy to be proven wrong at all.

    You’ll cry like a pregnant schoolgirl.

    You desperately want your worst fears confirmed.

    Which is why you live in kiwiland.

  • 77.blueboy: Reply to this comment
    27 Jan 2012, 14:54 pm

    HM had it cushy at the bulls he was his own boss and now he has given up all that to become a stooge in SARU`S circus and because of the quota system STILL in sa rugby he will be told to play this one and that one just like jake white was told.I feel sorry for him as he has left the comfort of loftus for the madness of SARU`S circus,but it`s his decision and i wish him well because working for saru he will need all the well wishers he can get.

  • 78.hendrikp: Reply to this comment
    27 Jan 2012, 15:03 pm

    @the artist formerly known as gunther-76:

    Not true.

    I’m desperate to see a Bok side performing as well as it could with the right selections & proper tactics & coaching.

    I just don’t think we’ll get that from Meyer. The latter two yes, but selections will be a problem.

    Excuse me for being afraid to see the future of Springbok rugby being tainted with really average-to-useless players like Werner Kruger, Pierre Spies, Deon Stegmann, Zane Kirchner etc.

    All I wanted was a coach who would select the 26 to 30 or so best players available to the Springboks. I think we’d have gotten that from Smal.

  • 79.Gtown: Reply to this comment
    27 Jan 2012, 15:05 pm

    scary thing is, Spies could have a HUGE season…

    Don’t fancy a scary god botherer like that as captain. focus on RUGBY not the hereafter, please.

    Anyway, congrats to Heyneke. Let the Bokke REIGN!!!!!

  • 80.ufo: Reply to this comment
    27 Jan 2012, 15:10 pm

    @hendrikp-78:

    why not wait until heyneke actually selects his team before pronouncing him unable to see beyond the bulls…

    just a thought…

  • 81.hendrikp: Reply to this comment
    27 Jan 2012, 15:18 pm

    @ufo-80:

    Fair call. I’m hoping for the best :) Maybe just sour that Smal didn’t get it lol.

  • 82.Gtown: Reply to this comment
    27 Jan 2012, 15:18 pm

    @ufo-80: completely agree. there’s a kak load of rugby to be played and a lot of form to be witnessed, hence my previous remark.

    Spies better SUCK! haha…

  • 83.Guns: Reply to this comment
    27 Jan 2012, 15:19 pm

    @grant10-69:

    @Treehugger-72:

    Well that is great too hear, he certainly seems to have the PR box checked ;)

    It sounds like he is confident he has been given the right Kind of backing from SARU, Im guessing he obviously had very strong connections not only with the bulls but in general in order to negotiate a deal with Saru in which he believes he can succeed.

    Can’t wait for 2012!!!

  • 84.Guns: Reply to this comment
    27 Jan 2012, 15:27 pm

    Also remember at the end of the day he will also be working with his assistant coaches, hopefully Rassie will be one of them, he will have to justify a very strong case to them as well as SARU when he chooses his Captain. Sounds like he is a very streetwise guy.. Wont be surprised if he has Schalk down as his captain.

  • 85.Guns: Reply to this comment
    27 Jan 2012, 15:28 pm

    Lets wait for the Super15 ;)

    If Spies starts smashing people left right and centre scoring tries in every game etc etc we may all have to bite the bullet.. He was looking rather pumped in those pre-season training pics :D ;)

  • 86.ufo: Reply to this comment
    27 Jan 2012, 15:32 pm

    @hendrikp-81:

    cool man.. i don’t see heyneke’s bulls connection as a negative at all… every coach has to have coached somewhere in our provinces… and i believe he’d be excited to think he now has a bigger pool from which to select… he’s no fool and will want to win… i think he’ll make the right calls…

    BTW… searched like hell for the turnover stats i saw on kitshoff and can’t find them… so have to retract those statements… obviously got it wrong….

    @Gtown-82:

    i can’t see spies suddenly turning it all around and playing particularly different to how he always has…

    having said that however… IF he did have a fantastic season and started playing the physical game we all believe he should… then i’d have no problem if heyneke did select him…

    if we’re going to call for the form players to be selected… we have to take it on the chin if our favourites are not in fact the form players…

    as long as heyneke does in fact select the guys in the best form… i really don’t give a gnat’s @ss which provinces they play for…

  • 87.Gtown: Reply to this comment
    27 Jan 2012, 16:02 pm

    @ufo-86: WORD, mahfugga!

  • 88.ufo: Reply to this comment
    27 Jan 2012, 16:08 pm

    @Gtown-87:

    hehehe….

    :lol:

  • 89.Suzy Poison: Reply to this comment
    29 Jan 2012, 12:11 pm

    @ 63 Cambridge…Cheers mate…trying to keep it real for the Saffas in Oz. My blood is green like any Bok supporter but living here gives me a different perspective. A few Saffas posters have said we play a different game to the Aussies and Kiwis, but imagine if we used the ball like either of them. With our forwards we would be unbeatable. In 2007 just having Eddy Jones on the team, made the Boks realize just how predictable their game is, and he is an average Aussie coach. Just one or two changes and the Bok halves, Fourier and Butch kept them guessing. Sadly a bloke like Quade would never get a start in South Africa, because he can’t kick, instead we go for the Derrick Hougaard’s.

Keo.co.za has always promoted uncensored views, but has never tolerated racist or crass outbursts. Come on guys and girls. If you can't moderate yourselves or each other then I am going to be forced to regulate the posts and enforce a registration process for comments. The choice is yours.

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