Rucking Hell!: Meyer Offers England Hope

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.

Rucking Hell!: SaveFlip

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Rucking Hell!: Meyer's large squad shows promise but the off-field circus continues

As this blog is starting a new journey, so is new Springbok boss Heyneke Meyer, charged with the task of rebuilding the South African national side after a tumultuous four years with PDV at the helm. For the first time since Jake White was unceremoniously replaced, you can look at the South African squad without the same sense of disappointment and bewilderment at the selection policy. Despite having not played a match so far, it seems as if Meyer has gotten off to a good start. His final training squad appears to have been picked on playing form and there is a great deal for South African fans to be excited about. 

There are, however, some deeply troubling questions surrounding the Springbok selection of the final training squad. The first major issue was the repeated rumours about the return of Victor Matfield. Whilst Matfield was undoubtedly a great player and arguably the greatest line out forward ever (since the inception of lifting), his return to the international arena was ludicrous and gave a troubling image of a coach (and selectors) who sounded as if they just weren't watching Super rugby. Lord knows what they’ve been up to but had they been watching, they would have seen the Stormers come flying out of the traps at the beginning of the season. In their engine room is the giant Bekker, long thought to be the heir apparent to the Springbok second row, and young Eben Etzebeth. Etzebeth has been a sensation – at only 20 years old and in his debut season of Super rugby he has been one of the most in-form locks in the tournament and it would be hard to argue against his innclusion in the Springbok match day squad.  A monster in both the tight and the loose, he is in prime position to become a truly world-class second row. You would also presume that Meyer, having spent a brief spell in England, would know the aerial capabilities of the Bulls’ Juandré Kruger. Whilst praise must be given to the new coach for including these young players, any suggestions of a Matfield return were bewildering – thank you to the IRB for putting an end to the endless speculation.

The front row selections appear well considered. With John Smit now gone, Bismark is free to assume his rightful starting spot, probably alongside his brother Jannie. At loose-head the Beast is coming into some good form after a spell on the side-lines whilst Dean Greyling is still, and will continue to be, enormous. It seems unlikely however that Bismark will assume his predecessor’s role as captain. Despite having captained the Sharks on occasions, his inability to communicate with other human beings appears to have ruled him out of contention. Jean De Villiers would be the safe bet having captained the Stormers very well all season and being guaranteed his starting place. However, in a Matfield-esque turn, Meyer has thrown out the possibility that Fourie Du Preez may captain the side. He’s a great player after all and an instrumental piece in South Africa’s world cup winning side. All round a great choice…

Except for the slightly bewildering, yet dauntingly obvious fact that he has not been picked in any of the Springbok squads to date. Meyer is proposing to captain a player who isn’t even (at this moment) being considered for selection.

In the back row, Meyer has a selection issue at blind-side. With the legendary Juan Smith still side-lined and Alberts struggling for fitness, the most in form South African flanker to date would be the intense Marcel Coetzee of the Sharks. He would provide an enormously physical carrying game to balance with Heinrich Brüssow’s superiority on the floor.

Having recalled Ruan Pienaar and (we’re led to presume) also recalled Fourie Du Preez, Meyer now has five scrumhalves to choose from, but the safe money must surely be on Francois Hougaard, who, having paid his dues on the wing, has cemented himself as one of the premier nines in the Super Rugby competition. In the centres JDV will definitely start, and will be pared with either of his club mates De Jongh or Habana. The back three is remarkably unexciting but with a dominant pack and experienced centres, it seems unlikely to matter.

The most disappointing thing from a neutrals perspective is the injury to young Johan Goosen. Probably the most in form fly half in the competition when he got injured, Goosen was posing a serious and realistic threat to Morne Steyn’s number 10 shirt. This would have been Meyer’s first real test of steel – would he have picked the in form 19 year old over the metronome of Steyn or played is safe and stuck with the Bull’s consistent playmaker? Unfortunately (and very fortunately for England), it seems like we will have to wait another four months until this question can be answered.

Meyer has managed to avoid a lot of drama to this point by announcing such a large squad. With 42 players named it would have been hard to have missed many players out. Nevertheless, it seems as if the Bok amateur dramatics are set to continue. Whilst they are going to be ruthlessly efficient on the pitch, the hilarious inconsistencies look set to continue off it.