Springboks
Boks need rest - Heyneke
2012-11-01 07:50
Heyneke Meyer (Gallo Images)
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Cape Town - Springbok coach
Heyneke Meyer says the matter of injuries rests heavily on his mind and feels the time has come to change the systems in place for the national team.
The heavy workload of the Boks in recent months have resulted in numerous injuries and as a result hookers Bismarck du Plessis and
Tiaan Liebenberg, prop
Coenie Oosthuizen, lock
Andries Bekker, loose forwards Heinrich Brüssow,
Juan Smith,
Schalk Burger,
Pierre Spies, Jacques Potgieter, flyhalf Johan Goosen, centre
Frans Steyn and wing
Bryan Habana are all unavailable for the tour.
Meyer feels South African rugby should take a leaf out of New Zealand's book and rest the players for extended periods in an effort to ensure good health.
"Without wanting to be critical of the way things are done here, I would like to see changes in the systems going forward," Meyer said.
"I think New Zealand have got it right. They intend to rest (Richie) McCaw on their European tour.
"There are some great players with injuries when one looks at
Frans (Steyn) and Bryan (Habana).
"Okay, JP (Pietersen) is back from injury, but the injured players can do a lot for the team, they are important for us.
"The (incoming) youngsters do well but when you have names like Habana and Steyn in your backline you have a really good team."
The injury-depleted Boks fly to Europe on Saturday and play Ireland on November 10 in Dublin, Scotland a week later in Edinburgh before concluding their tour against England in London on November 24.