What I am failing to understand is why Heyneke Meyer is unable to see what the rest of South Africa's 49,999,999 citizens can see. Not only are the spectators up-in-arms about the game plan and selections, but some of SA's finest (ex players and coaches) are shaking their heads in confusion too. Is it that he knows something that no one else in South Africa does?
Fact: The game plan is outdated. We did NOT put pressure on NZ in Dunedin because of our kick-and-chase approach. We put them under pressure because the forwards dominated. If we had that forward domination coupled with an attacking back line, which uses the kick-and-chase as one of MANY potential weapons in their arsenal, we would have well and truly beaten the ABs.
Fact: Morne Steyn is not going through a bad patch - he does not have the tactical foresight and skill to command a back line made up of some of the best names in world rugby. His kicking percentages have been matched, if not beaten, by other fly-halves in South Africa for some time now, and he has very little to offer on attack when compared with the likes of Johan Goosen or Patrick Lambie. South Africa's greatest days have been marked by great attacking fly-halves who could read the game and make decisions on the trot: Joel Stransky, Henry Honiball, Naas Botha, Butch James to name a few.
If Goosen is injured, Lambie should be put in at Fly-Half. Frankly, I am not really sure why the SA public and journalists have seemed to back Goosen exclusively as the Fly-Half to replace Steyn. Lambie almost single-handedly beat WP in the Currie-Cup final a few years ago - he is a prodigious talent which is being let go to waste. He also has far more experience than Goosen at test level, having played in the last World Cup.
Heyneke Meyer has very few chances left to prove his worth as a coach, and I for one find myself ever so slightly hoping that with Steyn at FH, playing a kick-and-chase game only, we maybe should rather lose than have a lucky win which vindicates Meyer and Steyn.
J. Anthony
Fact: The game plan is outdated. We did NOT put pressure on NZ in Dunedin because of our kick-and-chase approach. We put them under pressure because the forwards dominated. If we had that forward domination coupled with an attacking back line, which uses the kick-and-chase as one of MANY potential weapons in their arsenal, we would have well and truly beaten the ABs.
Fact: Morne Steyn is not going through a bad patch - he does not have the tactical foresight and skill to command a back line made up of some of the best names in world rugby. His kicking percentages have been matched, if not beaten, by other fly-halves in South Africa for some time now, and he has very little to offer on attack when compared with the likes of Johan Goosen or Patrick Lambie. South Africa's greatest days have been marked by great attacking fly-halves who could read the game and make decisions on the trot: Joel Stransky, Henry Honiball, Naas Botha, Butch James to name a few.
If Goosen is injured, Lambie should be put in at Fly-Half. Frankly, I am not really sure why the SA public and journalists have seemed to back Goosen exclusively as the Fly-Half to replace Steyn. Lambie almost single-handedly beat WP in the Currie-Cup final a few years ago - he is a prodigious talent which is being let go to waste. He also has far more experience than Goosen at test level, having played in the last World Cup.
Heyneke Meyer has very few chances left to prove his worth as a coach, and I for one find myself ever so slightly hoping that with Steyn at FH, playing a kick-and-chase game only, we maybe should rather lose than have a lucky win which vindicates Meyer and Steyn.
J. Anthony