November 2013 was a bittersweet end to the season for many Springbok fans.
South Africa ended their season with a second consecutive unbeaten tour, but no less than 10 overseas players accompanied the Springbok squad on their tour of Europe.
Zane Kirchner, JP Pietersen, Bryan Habana, Jaque Fourie, Morne Steyn, Ruan Pienaar and Fourie du Preez were backline players, effectively only the captain Jean de Villiers and Willie le Roux had a regular starting spot during the tour.
That should be of great concern to any South African supporter. There is no other international coach who has an entire backline playing overseas that he calls upon.
In the forward pack, the situation is a bit more positive, only Francois Louw has been a regular in the forward pack and to an extent that can be tolerated at this point.
Perhaps it would be worth noting that a number of these Test players only left South Africa after the Super Rugby season.
JP Pietersen, Bryan Habana and Morne Steyn fall under that category, and you could argue that the transition of replacing all three those players all at once could have a significant impact on the continuity of the backline.
However, that argument fails when you consider Jaque Fourie, Ruan Pienaar, Fourie du Preez and Francois Louw has left South African rugby in previous seasons.
Add to that the press release this past weekend that Victor Matfield is coming out of retirement to play for the Bulls in this year’s Super Rugby tournament in the hope to qualify for Heyneke Meyer’s squad.
Anyone who has read Matfield’s book My Journey and followed the news in regards to Meyer’s wish list since 2012 would know that both Fourie du Preez and Victor Matfield has been part of that list.
We won’t know what has been discussed between them and the coach behind closed doors, but one thing I am quite certain of is that Matfield’s impending return has been driven by that wish list.
Pieter de Villiers were criticised throughout his tenure for holding onto players like John Smit, Victor Matfield and even Jean de Villiers for too long and failing to bring new talent through.
As much as John Smit was a revered player in South Africa, the calls for Bismarck du Plessis to be the first choice hooker, was deafening.
A coach has a fiduciary responsibility to his nation, he has to relinquish his team in a better state than what he received it in, going by that measurement, Pieter de Villiers Failed, Heyneke Meyer has made a promising start to tenure, and the results have spoken for themselves.
Losing to only Australia and twice to New Zealand in 2012, he followed that up with only two losses to New Zealand in 2013.
However, rugby is not only about short term results, it is also about development, and in my view the jury is out on whether Meyer is developing the team in the correct manner by recalling retired players and overseas players.
To be fair there can be two schools of thought here.
It could be that the injuries to players like Schalk Burger, Johan Goosen, Jaco Taute, Juan Smit and Piere Spies have influenced Meyer’s decisions on the basis of experience to continue selecting overseas players.
The return of Schalk Burger and Johan Goosen in particular might mean Francois Louw and Morne Steyn might not be the first choice players in their positions.
However the evidence suggests that the more likely theory is somewhat different.
Why is Heyneke Meyer so adamant to continue with Fourie du Preez and Ruan Pienaar?
Will he argue that he likes decision making to come from his nine and therefor his game plan evolve around the nine?
Or is it that he has no confidence in the decision making ability of Morne Steyn and therefor requires his experienced nines to be the decision makers?
If that is the case it would suggest that Meyer requires his Ten to be a kicking machine and unless his kicking form goes, he is prepared to suffer the consequences, as what happened in 2012.
It seems Heyneke Meyer has one goal in sight. Win the world cup, until then win as many games as you can.
I suppose you could argue there is nothing wrong with that thinking, most coaches work on that premise. However gaining ascendancy in world rugby is not a four year project, you cannot look at the world cup cycle in isolation.
Building a team and ensuring that it remains at the top of the pile needs a succession plan not only in coaches, but also in players. That goes irrespective of when the world cup is.
Meyer has debuted 12 players under the age of 22 in the past two seasons, but most of them has been set aside now for overseas retired players.
In what state is Meyer going to leave the Springbok team at the end of his tenure?
Will the next coach have to start all over again?
Colin
Guest
Of course, Bismarck has just been named Captain of the Sharks, so perhaps Keegan is on the way out... White has also been talking to Watson (captain of the Kings), so who knows...
Chan Wee
Guest
yes but will he get game? tyler b was the preferred 10 when dc was away. tom taylor stepped in when tyler was injured i even remember tom t taking kicks when dc returned from injury . he may be called into cover dagg , but then again tom t did it last year! tough call
Firstxv
Guest
Bulls have been practising since early December? Really? the Blues have only just started revving up now with the first warm up games in 3 weeks...
Harry Jones
Guest
Meyer must have a specific view of 5 lock: he must see Eben-Victor as the ultimate pairing.
Peter
Guest
Interesting Biltong .... but lets see what actually happens. My respect for Meyer has really grown over the last year, and despite some people's belief that he still has a bias for old Bulls players I don't agree with that, and I also believe that he has clearly earmarked PS du Toit for the number 5 lock position and that Matfiield has no chance of competing against him.
Oh, didn't know that, will have to go take a look at it. Deysel was a bit unlucky the last few years, had lots of injuries that kept him out, hopefully this year he will play a full season, I hope.
Chan Wee
Guest
yep and that explains his ticket to fame. it went viral on utube :) If i was coach would try him and Alberts the same way HM plays BDP ans Struss, 40 each !!!
Peter, this on the Supersport website this morning. "Former Springbok captain Victor Matfield will play for the Vodacom Bulls in this year’s Vodacom Super Rugby series – but don’t expect him to arrive back in the competition with a bang. The Bok lock has been practising with the Bulls since early December, alternating between a player and coaching role as the team prepares for the upcoming Southern Hemisphere season. But while neither Matfield nor the Bulls want to publicly confirm his return yet, he has been given a green light by the coaching staff and fitness experts to resume his career, but still has to wait for an administrative clearance. As supersport.com reported back in November, Matfield is seen by Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer as his answer to the lack of a quality number five lock at national level, and the Bok coach has wanted him back in the Springbok fold for a while now. Matfield initially wanted to concentrate on a coaching role, mentoring young locks, but with no No 5 lock establishing himself in the first two years that Meyer has been in charge of the Boks, he was apparently convinced to make the comeback. The Bok lock is only awaiting the clearance from the Bulls and Saru to restart his career, with this expected within days. But once he gets back on the field, sources close to the Bulls have told supersport.com he will be used “sparingly” to ensure he is ready for international rugby and not specifically Super Rugby. The Bulls plan to use him off the bench at first, and then to start him more in the latter part of the season, but he isn’t likely to be part of every single team during a vigorous Super Rugby season, and will likely fall back into a mentoring and coaching role in the weeks he doesn’t play. The plan has been designed to give Matfield a chance to ease back into rugby, and ensure that he is at his peak when the Springboks play. It is likely that he will be used sparingly at first by the Boks as well, brought in rather in a mentoring role, and that everything will be done to ensure he can play until after the 2015 Rugby World Cup."
I agree Temba, but if we don't provide anyone else the chance we will end up in 2015 with not one experienced scrumhalf, imagine the pressure the new guy will be under then.
At centre I agree, but I believe JJ will be a very good wing, given half a chance.
He is a monsters old Deysel allright. I watched a Currie Cup match last year where he jersey was torn from his body, the next passage of play went on for about 3 minutes with Deysel running around bare chested, he is an imposing figure.
Peter
Guest
This Matfield rumour is just a red herring that the Afrikaans press in particular love feeding off. Ever since Meyer became coach this rumour has been doing the rounds and there is still no signs of a comeback. And if the gameplan called for a really tight forward battle Matfield (apart from the lineouts) would be fairly ineffectual in it - that is more Bakkies, Etzebeth and Flip's role.
DR
Guest
It's a really exciting squad alright Chan. Il be tuning in! ;)
Chan Wee
Guest
@ DR : on paper the blues look like world beaters. how they do week in - week out will be worth following. Faumuina* Mealamu* Woodcock* Donelly* Luatua* Kaino* Braid Saili Weepu* Kerr Halai* Nonu* Saili* Piutau* Visinia 11 MIB capped guys :) and benji Marshall to call upon too!
Chan Wee
Guest
@ biltongbek : DEYSEL is BROC LESNER on a rugger ground :)
DR
Guest
Yeah, me too Colin. Think the Blues (and JK) will do well this year.
Colin
Guest
Agree Tane, I think Matfield should reconsider. Really, really reconsider...
Colin
Guest
I like Sir Kirwan DR. I would like to see him do well :-) I've never liked the Waratahs because all the Aussie journalists worship the ground they walk on and yet they haven't exactly risen above mediocre over the years -- a very hyped team.
Colin
Guest
Agree Deysel Biltong - let's hope HM doesn't end up haunted :-), Alberts does the job, Keegan is a terrier Toomuaforpresident, whereas Kankowski I sort of regard as another Coetzee and would definitely put my money on the youngster. I didn't know Kankowski was back...I've been on holiday too long.
Ah mate, Deysel is in the mould of Alberts.