Front Row Grunt | Rugby … with cauliflower ears

January 27, 2012
by Tank
4 Comments

Kings will play Super Rugby

So the worst kept secret in world rugby was eventually ratified this afternoon by SARU … Heyneke Meyer will indeed coach the Springboks … What a fantastic breath of fresh air …

Of more significance (given that we all knew Meyer was going to coach the Boks on Monday), SARU also confirmed that the Southern Kings’ will indeed play Super Rugby in 2013!

HOWEVER … Proposals on mechanisms to identity which of the existing franchises will fall out of Super Rugby will be considered at a SARU Special General Meeting on March 30. So it’s yet another stall …

SARU will ask SANZAR to include a sixth South African team in an expanded competition, but they are seriously unlikely to go with that option. Already it is a bloated tournament, and that would then upset the balance with SA then having more sides than Australia and New Zealand …

So … A seasoned South African Super Rugby franchise will make way for a side that could not win the Currie Cup second division last year … Out with one joker, in with another …

And confirming Heyneke Meyer as the new Bok coach …

The 44-year-old Blue Bull takes over from Peter de Villiers, with his first assignment being against England in Durban on June 9.

“I know the importance of rugby in the South African psyche and will do everything in my power to ensure the Springboks remain among the pace setters of world rugby. I’m very happy to accept this enormous honour and massive responsibility,” said Meyer.

Unlike when De Villiers took the position, Oregan Hoskins, President of SARU, said Meyer received unanimous support from the General and the Executive Councils of SARU.

A decision on Meyer’s support staff will only be taken later, in consultation with the new Springbok coach. Let that horse trading continue then … All of Coetzee, Erasmus, McFarland, Treu, Rossouw, Carzis, and Neinaber are in a melting pot set to boil over given the franchise CEO’s want to keep their Super Rugby brains trust in tact …

Heyneke Meyer – Fact File

Personal:

Date of birth: 6 October 1967
Age: 44
Place of birth: Nelspruit
Education: Bergvlam HS (Nelspruit), University of Pretoria
Degrees obtained: BA (Pcychology, Geography and Human Movement Science), Hons BA (Geography), HED
Family: Married to Linda, three children

Coaching career:

1988-1996: Coached a number of High School first teams, Under-21 sides and Carlton first teams in Pretoria.
1997: SWD Eagles assistant coach
1998: SWD Eagles head coach ( Cup semi-finalists and Currie Cup)
1998: Emerging Springboks head coach
1999: Stormers assistant coach (semi-finalists in Super 12)
1999: SWD Eagles head coach (semi-finalists in Currie Cup)
1999: Springbok assistant coach (third place, Rugby World Cup)
2000: Bulls head coach (Super 12)
2001: Blue Bulls head coach (Cup champions)
2001: Springbok assistant coach
2002: Bulls head coach (Super 12), Blue Bulls head coach (Currie Cup champions)
2003: Blue Bulls head coach (Currie Cup champions)
2004: Blue Bulls head coach (Currie Cup champions)
2005: Bulls head coach (Super 12 semi-finalists), Blue Bulls head coach (Currie Cup runners up)
2006: Bulls head coach (Super 14 semi-finalists), Blue Bulls head coach (Currie Cup joint champions)
2007: Bulls head coach (Super 14 champions)
2008-2009: Leicester Tigers head coach
2011: Tuks Varsity Cup – Advisor
2011: Blue Bulls Company – Executive: Rugby
2012: Springbok head coach

January 25, 2012
by Tank
4 Comments

Blue Bulls dig in …

The Blue Bulls have released an official statement on the issue of Heyneke Meyer and the Bok coaching job.

Statement

At a meeting called by SARU, on Tuesday, 24 January 2012, with the Blue Bulls Company’s Board of Directors, SARU informed the Blue Bulls Board of their intention to offer Heyneke Meyer the position of National Coach.

The Blue Bulls Board reiterated its position that Meyer is under contract with the Blue Bulls Company and had appointed Meyer as Executive Rugby, only after an undertaking and commitment by Meyer to lead Blue Bulls rugby over the next four years.

It is the Blue Bulls Board’s position that it would not be in the Blue Bulls interest to release Meyer after many resources and commitments have been made in order to enable Meyer to fulfill his mandate.

Should Meyer however decide to accept the position of National Coach, he needs to inform the Blue Bulls Board of his decision to abdicate his responsibilities and commitments to the Blue Bulls.

Although the Blue Bulls Board would be disappointed with such a decision by Meyer, the Board has faith in the coaching structures under the leadership of Frans Ludeke in taking the Bulls into the future.

Clearly it’s not “Happy Families” between the Bulls and SARU, with the Bulls quite obviously wanting their main to stay true to his contract …

A few sleepless nights for Meyer then … Well, not really. I think we all know which job he is going to choose … But it is a little naughty of the Bulls to go public like this … No matter how hard done by they feel …

One would have thought this might have all been done a little earlier than three days before the actual announcement though! It’s not like SARU only found out this week that they had a national coaching position to fill …

Already not much of a secret, but so much for the “Big reveal” on Friday … First Gallo and Rassie, now the Blue Bulls and Heyneke …

What will they do with the EP Kings? That is the pertinant question that needs to be answered by SARU on Friday … I have heard a few truly out there solutions, and cannot wait to see what they go with …

January 24, 2012
by Tank
7 Comments

Meyer’s able lieutenants …

In 2002 Heyneke Meyer’s Bulls became the first Super Rugby team to lose all it’s matches in a season, conceding 500 points and a total of 76 tries. Meyer was sworn at and spat on by Bulls supporters at Loftus Versveld, and was summarily fired as the Bulls Super Rugby coach.

In 2007, having been re-installed as the Bulls Super Rugby coach a few years earlier, his team last their first two games of the season (Sharks in Durban and Force at Loftus) … They went on to become the first SA team to win 3 matches on tour, beat the Reds 92-3 in their final league game to get a home semi, and crowned the year by becoming the first SA side to take home the Super Rugby trophy …

“I have never coached to impress other people or to prove them wrong. The success achieved by the Bulls makes me humble and grateful, because I know from personal experience how it feels to be down and reviled by everyone”

“Any trophy is an inanimate thing. It’s not the cup that’s important. I would rather remember that day for the privilege of having been able to make a difference in each of the player’s lives. They enriched my life immeasurably, and I can only hope I did the same for them.”

Said Meyer after the 2007 Super Rugby win …

The kind of guy you want coaching the Springboks? Damn straight! And unless the blazer brigade that is the SARU Council (who just need to ratify the decision made by Jurie Roux and SARU) conspire to cock it up again, this is the man who will take charge of the national side from Friday the 27^th of January … Thankfully!

Eight years ago he was asked to recuse himself from the shortlist and Jake White got the job. He should have got the job four years ago, and had in fact had been told that it was indeed his, but that scourge of South African sport, internal politics, got the better of the process in the metres before the finish line, and Peter de Villiers got the job.

Meyer was a broken man … He quit rugby and accepted a position at a sports supplement company. But like a fire left to it’s own devices overnight, the embers remained warm, and in June 2008 Meyer took a fan to those embers and accepted an appointment Head Coach at the Leicester Tigers. He was back …

After the debacle that was the last four years, South African rugby is crying out for a forward thinking tactician. A student of the game who implements plans put in place based on the need to deliver results. Victor Matfield calls him the best coach he has ever played under. Anton Leonard, so long the man directing the action on the field, had this to say about Meyer: “He always acted and thought imaginatively and was never scared to take a chance. He listened when we talked, but led by example in every sense”

I think this man has earned his keep, and as such, understands the honour and responsibility that comes with the position. I just hope he is prepared for the political shit-storm and back stabbing that comes with the job …

So who will he pick as his able lieutenants? Now such a key part of any coaching structure, it is said that one of the reasons Meyer won the race is because SARU liked his ideas re said lieutenants …

These are the names Meyer has lined up:

1. John McFarland:
English-born former London Irish head coach who has been with Meyer and the Blue Bulls for the last 10 years. Highly rated as a defense, McFarland is set to work as a kicking coach at the Boks.

2. Jacques Nienaber:
The Stormers defence coach responsible for making the Cape side the best defensive unit in the 2010 and 2011 seasons. Called in as a consultant to the Boks for the World Cup, he will be in charge of defence.

3. Rassie Erasmus:
An astute analyst of the game who has had enough of the petty politics at WP. He will be a full-time Technical Director/Analyst on Meyer’s panel.

4. Basil Carzis:
Has been part of the Bulls three successful Super Rugby campaigns, and is Meyer’s choice as the fitness and conditioning expert.

5. Paul Treu:
Has developed into one of the best attacking masterminds in the abbreviated version of the game. Treu’s visionary dedication earns him an option as the Bok backline coach.

6. Pieter Rossouw:
Former WP and Stormers stalwart, named “Slaptjips” given his lazy running style. Has been the man running the Bulls backline. Said to be Meyer’s 1st choice as backline coach.

It looks like Meyer will take the forwards himself, perhaps calling in a scrum and lineout consultant when needed …

As is to be expected, the CEO’s of the respective Super Rugby franchises are spitting the dummy about losing so much brain power so close to the Super15. This might see Pieter Rossouw lose out to Treu as the backline coach, and it might see Neinaber only join the Bok coaching team after the Super15. I am also told that despite Allister Coetzee having said that he has not been asked to join Meyer as an assistant coach, is name is still not completely out the mix. But I cannot see the Stormers releasing all of Erasmus, Neinaber and Coetzee …

All in all, I see these as exciting times for Springbok rugby …

And even though Meyer has a proven track record with regard to spotting young talent , developing said players, and bringing them into the Bulls system at an appropriate time, I would still follow the All Black lead and offer the new Bok coach a two year contract. I am well and truly over this “Judge me on my World Cup results” crap. The Boks are a national treasure that need to be delivering results to an adoring public on a regular basis, not just every four years. We have more than enough talent and depth to do so …

What the Boks need - A trophy!

January 22, 2012
by Tank
5 Comments

Introducing … Heyneke Meyer

It’s a mere 4 sleeps before SARU announce the poor bugger set to take over from Peter de Villiers as Bok coach … I say “Poor bugger” because while it has to be seen as an honour and a privilege to coach one of the best rugby sides in the world, it also strips you naked and puts you in a glass house in full view of the ravenous SA public, protected only by a blazer brigade more concerned about their political futures than the state of Springbok rugby …

It’s not a job for sissies as they say in the classics …

And as said in my last post, there has been PLENTY of speculation as to who will get the position … Gert Smal and Heyneke Meyer were the last men standing, though, and both remained bound to their contracts with their existing unions …

But … That has now changed … Meyer has met with SARU CEO Jurie Roux to finalise his coaching contract, no doubt influenced a little by the Blue Bulls being a little more aware and accepting of the needs of the national body.

So the current Bulls Director of Rugby will indeed eventually (given that he missed out last time to De Villiers) be swopping the light blue blazer for a green one on Friday …

A little more on our new Bok coach Heyneke Meyer then …

Full name: Heyneke Meyer
Born: October 6, 1967
Major teams coached: SWD, Blue Bulls, Bulls, Leicester Tigers

Meyer obtained a BA (PT) with Psychology and Geography, BA Hons in Geography as well as a HED at Tukkies University, with his alma mater announcing him as their Laureate winner 2007.

Meyer coached a variety of smaller clubs before joining the Eagles as assistant coach in 1997. The following year he was promoted to head coach and took the team to seventh place in the Currie Cup and to the semi finals in the following year.

He was appointed as assistant coach of the Springboks during the 1999 World Cup, and in 2000 Meyer joined the Bulls as head coach. In 2002 he became head coach of the Blue Bulls and coached them to 4 Currie Cup titles in between 2002 and 2006. In 2007, the team became the first South African team to win the Super 14.

In February 2008, after Peter De Villiers was announced as successor to Jake White as Springbok coach, Meyer quit rugby and accepted a senior position at a sports supplement company.

In June 2008 Meyer was appointed Head Coach at Leicester Tigers succeeding Marcelo Loffreda. In January 2009 he took compassionate leave from his Tigers post to attend to family matters in South Africa , and Meyer then tendered his resignation from the Tigers on January 28, 2009.

He recently moved into a new position at the Bulls – that of ‘Executive: Rugby’ and has been seen at several Tukkies Varsity Cup, Blue Bulls Vodacom Cup, Currie Cup and Super Rugby matches.

The most decorated rugby coach in the country, Heyneke Meyer has achieved success at all levels of the game, and has a proven track record of identifying and producing world-class players.

Victor Matfield wrote in his autobiography that Meyer was the best coach he had ever played under. Some of the players who grew into world beaters under Meyer’s watchful eye include Bok stalwarts Fourie du Preez, Bakkies Botha, Danie Rossouw and Bryan Habana.

Meyer’s key strength, according to those that have worked with him, lies in his knowledge of sports psychology, with his team talks now being written into rugby folklore by players writing their biographies.

He is a coach who ensures he is surrounded by specialists in every aspect of the game, and seemingly not intimidated by their knowledge and input.

He has an ability to lay down plans and stick to them, even if that means a lack of short term success. Should that happen at an international level, though, how forgiving will his bosses and the SA public be?

The Boks and Heyneke Meyer

Victor Matfield asked Heyneke Meyer to hand out the jerseys for his 100th Test. Here he is with the Boks after handing out said jerseys …. A premonition?

January 19, 2012
by Tank
5 Comments

Heyneke vs Div … or Big G?

Or Rassie?

So much speculation surrounding the pending announcement of the Bok coach … In a way I think it serves SARU right for delaying the announcement for so bloody long … If there was doubt as to who they wanted, or difficulties in getting their chosen man out of an existing contract, then they should have either announced Div as the interim coach until after the England series, or not given a definite announcement date … it’s not as if the Boks need a coach until a week before the England series in any case!

As it stands, it seems that Div had his first post World Cup meeting with SARU CEO Jurie Roux this week! Look, I am no Div fan, and cannot wait to see the back of him as a Bok coach, but that is pretty piss-poor man management, and bloody unfair!

So we have had Gert Smal as the “Dead cert” until the Irish Times ran a piece quoting the IRU as saying that Smal will definitely be seeing out his two year contract at the home of Guinness …

We then had the “Heyneke Meyer vs Allister Coetzee” speculation which was pretty laughable given that Coetzee has said from the get go that he is out the mix this time round.

Rassie Erasmus’ resignation from WP put the cat amongst the pigeons, and got the tongues wagging, most loudly from Rapport on Sunday, and sport photo agency Gallo Images this afternoon, who both “announced” him as a Bok assistant coach … Notwithstanding that it will be the head coach who appoints his assistants …

Then yesterday we had Times Live saying that Div was out the mix completely mere minutes before SuperSport suggested it was basically a dead cert that he would be the interim Bok coach until after the England series …

Mark Keohane then suggested Div as an interim solution until after the Six Nations, where after Gert Smal would take the helm …

My aching tit … I suppose it’s good on SARU for keeping schtum while all this cow manure hits the fan, but a little foresight could have prevented all of it … And it does not help that the cricket season is proving to be duller than dishwater … Resulting in people aching for a little rugby news …

Closer to hand, and while the bigwigs and blazers at SARU ponder the above, fighting for your attention in the Cape on Saturday will be two pretty cool, if slightly low key, warm up games …

In Wellington at 16h00, the Stormers take on Boland (and it’s on TV nogal), and at UCT at 16h30, the Ikeys take on Dawie Theron’s SA U20 side …

The latter will be played in 4 chukkas of 20 minutes, with multiple substitutes allowed, no doubt allowing both coaches to give their entire squad a run around in the Cape Town heat …

The SA Under-20 starting XV that will do duty on Saturday:

15 Marais Schmidt, 14 JJ de Klerk, 13 William Small-Smith, 12 Patrick Howard, 11 Travis Ismaiel, 10 Tony Jantjies, 9 Kevin Luiters, 8 Fabian Booysen, 7 Wiaan Liebenberg, 6 Khaya Majola, 5 Ruan Botha, 4 Paul Willemse, 3 Nicolaas van Dyk, 2 Mark Pretorius, 1 Allan Dell.
Replacements: Gideon Muller, Marzuq Maarman, Jason Thomas, Franco Marais, Mihlali Mpafi, Ettiene Oosthuizen, Jacques du Plessis, Cobus Nel, Shaun Adendorff, Poerie van Rooyen, KK Hlungwane, Errol Jaggers, Mathys Smit, Jan Serfontein, Ruwellyn Isbell.

The Ikey squad that will sweat it out:

Adriaan Botha, Alexander Mcdonald, Andrew Norton, Bradley Bosman, Damian De Allende, David Ambunya, Dayne Jans, Digby Webb, Dillyn Leyds, Francois Van Wyk, Graham Knoop, Gregory Mallett, James Kilroe, James Tathem, Kyle Kriel, Levi Ordendaal, Liam Bax, Liam Slatem, Mark Winter, Matthew Page, Michael Morris, Mini Bhengu, Nathan Nel, Neil Rautenbach, Nicholas Farror, Nicholas Holton, Nicholas Mills, Ntsolo Setlaba, Pallo Manuel, Paul Cohen, Rayn Smit, Richard Stewart, Ricky Shroeder, Shane Meier, Stephen Wallace, TC Botha, Timothy Louw, Wesley Chetty

Next week, the SA U20s take on Maties in their final pre-season friendly at Coetzenburg at 10:00 – a new time to what was initially planned.

And in Wellington, in what will no doubt be sauna like conditions De Kock Steenkamp will lead a fairly inexperienced Stormers side against an even newer looking Boland team …

I do miss my SuperSport commentary days, but one place I would not want to be on Saturday at 16h00 is the commentary box made of sheet metal attached to the top of the grandstand at Boland Park. I am all for losing a few kg’s, especially in #boozefreejanuary, but that is above and beyond the call of duty!

Allister Coetzee has left out many of his big name players for obvious reasons, and this game will be also be played over four chukkas, giving every player in the 28-man squad an opportunity to push a bead. No starting XV has been named.

Stormers squad: Adrian Kritzinger, Allistair Vermaak, Berton Klaasen, Bolla Conradie (v/c), Brok Harris, Burton Francis, Clemen Lewis, Danie Poolman, De Kock Steenkamp (c), Don Armand, Eben Etzebeth, Ederies Arendse, Frans Malherbe, Gerbrandt Grobler, Gerhard van den Heever, Gio Aplon, JP du Plessis, Juan de Jongh, Marcel Brache, Kurt Coleman, Michael van der Spuy, Nic Groom, Nick Koster, Nizaam Carr, Reuben Johannes, Rohan Kitshoff, Tiaan Liebenberg, Yaya Hartzenburg.

I know Conradie has done some great work with the Bolanders, but seems a fairly strange call to name him as the vice captain, even if only for this game … Great to see Ikeys Kritzinger and Armand in the pre-season squad. Both are seriously talented and could well turn out during the Super 15. Also fun to see new recruits Burton Francis and Gerhard van den Heever went get their first run for the mountain goats.

I think it would have made sense to have Joe Pietersen, who returned from France last year, in the mix, as it has been a while since he donned the blue and white, while I can understand Coetzee leaving Deon Carstens out the squad given that he is a tight forward who has been playing regularly for Saracens.

Duane Vermeulen and Andries Bekker, both fighting back from serious injuries, will only be considered for the Stormers’ final warm-up fixture against the Kings.

On the other side of the field, Boland, having only nine players available from the match 22 that beat the Kings 43-12 in the Currie Cup First Division final last season, named a 30-man team filled with new names:

Boland: 15 Jacquin Jansen, 14 Alistair Kettledas, 13 Jonathan Francke, 12 Siviwe Magaba, 11 Brandon April, 10 Ricardo Croy, 9 Neil Papier, 8 Junior Bester (c), 7 Thor Halvorsen, 6 Milroy Isaacs, 5 Nolan Clark, 4 Jerry Sefoko, 3 Peet Vorster, 2 Chris Buckle, 1 Charl du Plessis.

Reserves: 16 Martin Nel, 17 Ludwig Ras, 18 BJ Julies, 19 Jaco du Toit, 20 PJ van Zyl, 21 Franzel September, 22 Zandre Jordaan, 23 Juwell Samuels, 24 Armand Marais, 25 Jeremy Plaatjies, 26 Cola Williams, 27 Senan van der Merwe, 28 Trevor van Rooyen, 29 Adriaan Klaasen, 30 Adam Barlow.