Meyer Opts For Fetcher
Aug 29,2012
Western Province No 8 Duane Vermeulen and Free State Cheetahs flyhalf Johan Goosen are the two uncapped players that have been added to the Springbok squad for the Australasian leg of the Rugby Championship.
The squad of 28 for Tests against Australia in Perth (September 8) and New Zealand in Dunedin (September 15), was finalised on Wednesday.
Apart from the inclusion of Vermeulen and Goosen, there were recalls for Western Province midfielder Juan de Jongh as well as Bath loose forward Francois Louw, who has captained his English club before.
De Jongh was part of the squad for the first Test against Argentina in Cape Town while it will be Louw’s first involvement with the Springboks since last year’s Rugby World Cup in New Zealand.
Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer has confidence in the squad that has been selected, even though injuries, unavailability and retirement have robbed the Springboks of more than 800 Test caps worth of experience.
“We were not happy with our performance in Mendoza and we are making no excuses for what happened there, but we take full responsibility and have to look forward and get ready for our next tough match, against Australia in Perth,” said Meyer.
“Untimely injuries to Bismarck du Plessis, Chiliboy Ralepelle, Pierre Spies, JP Pietersen and Bjorn Basson have already hit us hard in the past few weeks. This again provides opportunities for other players to put up their hands.
“We were very keen to give Siya Kolisi an opportunity on this tour, but he is also out injured, alongside a list of other injured or unavailable forwards that include Gurthrö Steenkamp, Heinrich Brüssow, Schalk Burger, Juan Smith and Ryan Kankowski.
Commenting on the four new players in the squad, Meyer said: “Injuries meant we could not use Duane and Johan earlier in the season, but both have played Absa Currie Cup rugby since their return and after consultation with their respective provincial medical teams, we’re confident that they are ready to travel with us.
“While Duane and Johan are medically fit, their provincial coaches felt it necessary that they get more game time in the Absa Currie Cup this weekend, but as we don’t have a lot of time to prepare and we need as much time with them as possible to get them used to our structures and game plans, the decision was taken to select them for the tour.
“I regard both of them as world class rugby players. If it wasn’t for injuries, Duane would have been a Springbok long ago. I also believe Johan has a long career ahead of him at Test match level and we will expose him when and how we feel it will benefit the player and the team best.
“Both Juan and Francois played at the Rugby World Cup last year and are experienced players.
“Juan covers both positions in the midfield and we opted for Francois because he is a specialist openside flanker, in the absence of Schalk, Heinrich and Siya, that can cover blindside and No 8 as well, while he is also a very useful option in the lineout.
“I’m also very excited with the quality of young talent coming through – Eben, Marcell and Johan are all still Under-21 and that bodes well for the future of Springbok rugby.”
The Springbok squad will assemble in Johannesburg on Thursday and is scheduled to depart for Perth on Saturday evening.
South African squad: Willem Alberts, Andries Bekker, Craig Burden, Pat Cilliers, Marcell Coetzee, Juan de Jongh, Jean de Villiers (captain), Jannie du Plessis, Eben Etzebeth, Johan Goosen, Dean Greyling, Bryan Habana, Francois Hougaard, Zane Kirchner, Juandré Kruger, Pat Lambie, Tiaan Liebenberg, Francois Louw, Tendai Mtawarira, Lwazi Mvovo, Ruan Pienaar, Jacques Potgieter, Frans Steyn, Morné Steyn, Adriaan Strauss, Flip van der Merwe, Jano Vermaak, Duane Vermeulen.
Comments (16)
Aug 29, 2012 at 17:34:45
Vark,,, fok these I pads r Kak,, can't write properly
Aug 29, 2012 at 18:45:56
And think goosen needs more time,, he been out injured for a few months,, he needs to play some cc first,, in all honesty when sias came on for him last week the vrystaat looked a much more fluid team,, it's only his first game,, he really does not need to be rushed into the bok team,,, use jantjies,, instead,, agree fully with the louw move,, but not about goosen
Aug 29, 2012 at 20:08:44
Would be shocked if Goosen makes the 22 and even more surprised if he gets game time. I think this is just the start of the grooming process and having him in the Bok environment as HM must see the writing on the wall with his boytjie at 10.
It could be argued that his time would be better served playing for Cheetahs in CC though
Aug 29, 2012 at 20:03:18
Greyling, Jannie, Beast, Cilliers, Potgieter, Vermaak and Flip Flop should be on the plane to Port Elizabeth not to OZ and NZ.
Aug 29, 2012 at 23:31:58
Agreed when it comes to Flip; Potgieter; Cilliers; Greyling, those guys should'nt be there. I do think, however, that Vermaak hasn't really had an opportunity to show his worth, compared to the forementioned players. I think that he'd prove to be quite a good option, if given some game time. Better than Pienaar. Hougaard has shown flaws in the no. 9 position, but he is a great Winger, in my opinion. Meyer should opt for him on the Wing, and start either Vermaak or Pienaar at scrummie.
Aug 29, 2012 at 22:57:55
okes
Goosen is just there to get some experience.
I do feel for your Elton though
He has been one of 2 or 3 really good consistent Lions players.
Give him a decent pack and he'll dictate play really well.
But no prob with Goose going to get some Bok experience.
Aug 30, 2012 at 01:24:58
Well well well, looks like Meyer is finally seeing some of the light. I happy with most of the squad except Greyling, Potgieter and Cilliers should not be there. Keegan Daniel, WP Nel and Brian Mujati should of been in their place.
Bottom line is Morne will still be the flyhalf and I hope he plays Ruan at nine. Looking at his squad i think he's picked up on the problem areas of 6, 8, 9, but not 10 as he has no choice but to stick with Morne. From the squad these problem areas should come from:
6. Flouw
7. Willem Alberts
8. Vermeulen
9. Pienaar
10. Morne (only for the moment)
15. Lambie
Aug 30, 2012 at 08:37:50
Green you loose trio has one problem and that is pace. Given Vermulen cant play 80 minutes yet we could start with Coetzee at 8.
I agree re Vermaak he is not one of the players what should be going to PE.
Flip mus tystop those silly penalties or else his days could be numbered. Juandre is not international class and i would prefer the 118 kg Elstadt being given a shot.
A number of selctions have been determined by injury.
Both Beast and Jannie can be thankful that Coenie is out and WP Nel is being overlooked else their test spots could be in danger. They are far to passive outside the scrums and have to up their work rates - their driving up o fthe ball is practically non existent.
Movovo is lucky still to be there he is proving to be one who loses the ball to the opposition too often a bit fragile. JJ can consider himself unfortunate as he should have had a shot on the wing and also covers center.
C J Stander must have come close. With Elstadt covering lock and & 7 we have enough big bruisers and a CJ Stander would have been in my squad as a more pacy ball player.
Where is Jordaan? Given Frans can cover 15 why not drop Zane and bring Jordaan in?
Aug 30, 2012 at 08:54:33
If HM selects Goosen he is a bigger dimwit than I thought. To put pressure on a young kid is crazy!!!! I remember a young Gaffie du Toit been thrown in the deep end against the AB'S and he was made the scapegoat and never regained his confidence. However, HM has a cool head in Pat Lambie who is a flyhalf!!!!!!!! He proved himself in the RWC with his cool head although he was playing at 15. Yet he is another flyhalf who's career is being screwed up by national selectors!!!!! Why Morne Steyn is still in the squad is anyones guess. This guy simply just kicks possession away all the time. So I doubt if HM has seen the light yet It is just a matter of time before his head ROLLS!!!!!!! The only reason he has gone for a fetcher now is that one of his staff has obviously told him you cant win without the ball and if they play like they played against the Pumas against Aus and AB's they are going to get a PAK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
If it takes HM so long to see that we are not competing at the breakdown and not protecting our ball he is not a good coach at all!! We are all armchair critics and most people who write on this site could see against England already that we were struggling without a fetcher!!! He might only drop Morne Steyn a year before the next RWC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Its time SA rugby start looking for coaches outside SA. THIS PREDICTABLE RUGBY IS GETTING BORING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Aug 30, 2012 at 09:22:04
HERE HERE! Drop Morney NOW! He kicked the ball away with 2 minutes on the clock! Any coach with half a brain would AX KICK HIM then AX HIM! This coach is not tuned into the game! He cant see the signs and make the changes! He is making SA look like we have no talent to use! He is an insult to the game and the direction we should be moving in! I was happy to see a new coach but i think PDV would be doing a better job by now and that i believe! Go with the young and bright potential future world cup players now! And have a solid bench in place then you are working towards a goal! We dont mind loosing alot of games as long as we refresh ourselves and reinvent our Champions not to win by default like AB did but how our 2007 champions did and the next WC we should wip them in the final and lay it down! This Castle nations is leaving a bitter taste in my mouth! Im getting pissed! Get organized with your selection, game plan and vision! Dont make us look worst than we already do! Catch a wake up and start reading this blog if you dont know what to do! I dare you to make me swallow my world and make a public apology on utube!
Aug 30, 2012 at 10:55:57
Meyer's problems goes both ways. Fetcher should be there obviously, despite Meyer thinking the game has changed... which it obviously hasn't. But he also lacks grunt. PDV and White had grunters in Burger, Juan and Bakkies. Unfortunately Eben isn't that type of player in the second row, but that's why Meyer decided to have 3 perceived grunters in the backrow. Unfortunately only Alberts really falls into that category.
Grunters and fetchers should be chosen first and then the glory hounds. Vermeulen would probably fix that slightly, but hopefully at the expense of Potgieter and not Alberts.
He'll probably stick with Hougaard, but that is a serious mistake. He's not yet capable of doing the pressure work at 9 for the first half. At this stage Hougaard is a good impact player from the bench, but he doesn't have that 'get the ball back at all cost' attitude yet. Piennaar rarely had to have protection from the forwards just to get a clean ball.
Aug 30, 2012 at 11:01:28
Currently it looks like the best combo would be 9. Piennaar/Vermaak, 10. Goosen, 12. Steyn. Would also probably improve our tactical kicking game with these players obviously having bigger boots than Morne. But then they should use all 3 and not leave everything to the flyhalf.
If Meyer has any sense, he would have Piennaar, Goosen and Steyn work on drop kicks for the next 2 weeks.
Aug 30, 2012 at 11:10:07
Beast, Strauss, Jannie, Bekker, Etzebeth, Alberts, FLouw, Vermeulen, Pienaar, Goosen, Habana, FSteyn, JdV(c), Hougaard, Lambie.
Subs: Pat Cil, Liebenberg, FlipVdM, Coetzee, Mvovo, De Jongh, MSteyn
That team could give the Aussies a go. Sure you're throwing Goosen straight in the deep end, maar swem boetie!!
Hw much worse than Morne can it get? And with Hougie on the wing we have our own nuggety outside back without the burden of trying to control the game. And who knows, with Goosen there he can do a skip pass over Frans 'wat is pass?' Steyn's head every now and then, then our wings might actually get to see that odd-shaped ball thing.
Come on Bokkies, the potential is there!
Sep 01, 2012 at 09:41:27
Frans 'wat is pass?' ha ha
I think elton would have been a better option than goosen at this stage given his time out of the game. I like your starting team with that exception
Aug 29, 2012 at 17:32:37
That's better,, louw is that bark flanker,, not afraid to get his head bashed,, he will secure us more ball,,, all we need now is for morne to take a walk,, lol,x