A few days ago, TCI reported on Meyer's wider training squad and praised his balanced, if not expansive, selections. Today, Meyer announced his final training squad for the tests against England that begin next weekend and he has not disappointed us here by once more demonstrating that South African selection policy is still done with a blindfold and a random name generator.
When we reported on Meyer's suggestion that legend Victor Matfield may make a spectacular (idiotic) return to the international stage, we had a bit of a laugh and said - Meyer must not be watching the Super 15! This was meant as a tongue in cheek joke, of course the Springbok coach watches the Super 15!!!
Yet, with the announcement of today's final squad, we are once more left with the feeling that, not only does Meyer not watch Super Rugby, but he is in fact completely detached from the rugby world. Anyone who watches rugby will tell you (and Sky Sport's The Rugby Club never cease to wax about it), that England do not have an open side flanker. Under sized blindsides have toiled their hearts out since Neil Back retired but nobody has managed to fill the role of a specialist seven. In 2009, Heinrich Brussow burst onto the rugby scene with some unbelievable performances against the Lions and has continued to dominate the breakdown ever since. Meyer may argue that Brussow is out of form - but quite frankly this doesn't matter. Brussow is a world-class fetcher and from this season's evidence, a much improved carrier of the ball. He has been packing down at 8 for the Cheetahs in attack and can often be seen charging from the back of the scrum. Brussow would have given England nightmares at the breakdown; even if he isn't his usual world-conquering self, Lancaster would at least have to of prepared for Brussow. Robshaw's usual hustle and bustle would have been focused entirely on moving Brussow off the ball to give England any chance of quick ball that they desperately suffer to get.
The truly troubling problem is that Meyer has only picked only one open-side in uncapped Sharks' maverick Marcel Coetzee. Coetzee is a carrying open-side who charges recklessly into the nearest body he can see. His tunnel vision is unparalleled, and whilst effective, it is a little one dimensional. Other terrible selections include the injured and completely out of form Ryan Kankowski and the injured and completely unreliable Jacques Potgieter. Potgieter is a complete liability on both ends of the field. He is almost as blinkered as Coetzee and his reckless abandon in the tackle area is more dangerous than it is abrasive.
Brussow has essentially been dropped for two injured players. In the backs, the in form Joe Pieterson has been dropped for the ever disappointing Kirchener whilst the selection of Olivier over De Jongh screams of a completely defensive and negative game plan. This weekend the Stormers overcame the Bulls, yet only three men from Cape Town have made Meyer's squad (and Habana used to be a Bull).
Meyer has not failed to disappoint with another hugely controversial selection. Lancaster will be able to sleep a lot easier tonight and a series that was once a foregone conclusion is now back up for grabs.
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