Publications
Partners
Cape Town - Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer believes fans back home in South African view him as a dull coach who is afraid of taking chances.
Meyer was speaking at a press conference in Dublin on Wednesday when he named his team to tackle Ireland at Aviva Stadium this weekend.
According to the Cape Times, one of the questions put to the Bok coach was if he thought his coaching philosophy was one of being a risk-taker.
He said he thought he was an "unbelievable risk-taker" and has done so on many occasions during his coaching career.
"Back home, people see me as this dull, Afrikaans, stupid, conservative guy!" Meyer was quoted as saying.
But Meyer insisted that it was not the case. He pointed to the fact that he has always backed the young players, picking Derick Hougaard at 19, Morne Steyn at 18 (during his time as Bulls coach) and now 20-year-old Handre Pollard against the All Blacks.
He admitted it was a risk picking Pollard to start against the All Blacks, but happy that it paid off as the Boks won the last encounter between the two teams 27-25 at Ellis Park.
Meyer has also shed the notion that he is a coach with a conservative, kick-at-all-costs approach, with the Springbok backs scoring some scintillating tries over the past few seasons.
Saturday's clash against Ireland at Aviva Stadium kicks off at 19:30 (SA time).
Teams:
Ireland
TBA
South Africa
15 Willie le Roux, 14 Cornal Hendricks, 13 Jan Serfontein, 12 Jean de Villiers, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Handré Pollard, 9 Francois Hougaard, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Teboho “Oupa” Mohoje, 6 Marcell Coetzee, 5 Victor Matfield, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 Bismarck du Plessis, 1 Tendai Mtawarira
Substitutes: 16 Adriaan Strauss, 17 Trevor Nyakane, 18 Coenie Oosthuizen, 19 Bakkies Botha, 20 Schalk Burger, 21 Cobus Reinach, 22 Pat Lambie, 23 JP Pietersen
Meyer was speaking at a press conference in Dublin on Wednesday when he named his team to tackle Ireland at Aviva Stadium this weekend.
According to the Cape Times, one of the questions put to the Bok coach was if he thought his coaching philosophy was one of being a risk-taker.
He said he thought he was an "unbelievable risk-taker" and has done so on many occasions during his coaching career.
"Back home, people see me as this dull, Afrikaans, stupid, conservative guy!" Meyer was quoted as saying.
But Meyer insisted that it was not the case. He pointed to the fact that he has always backed the young players, picking Derick Hougaard at 19, Morne Steyn at 18 (during his time as Bulls coach) and now 20-year-old Handre Pollard against the All Blacks.
He admitted it was a risk picking Pollard to start against the All Blacks, but happy that it paid off as the Boks won the last encounter between the two teams 27-25 at Ellis Park.
Meyer has also shed the notion that he is a coach with a conservative, kick-at-all-costs approach, with the Springbok backs scoring some scintillating tries over the past few seasons.
Saturday's clash against Ireland at Aviva Stadium kicks off at 19:30 (SA time).
Teams:
Ireland
TBA
South Africa
15 Willie le Roux, 14 Cornal Hendricks, 13 Jan Serfontein, 12 Jean de Villiers, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Handré Pollard, 9 Francois Hougaard, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Teboho “Oupa” Mohoje, 6 Marcell Coetzee, 5 Victor Matfield, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 Bismarck du Plessis, 1 Tendai Mtawarira
Substitutes: 16 Adriaan Strauss, 17 Trevor Nyakane, 18 Coenie Oosthuizen, 19 Bakkies Botha, 20 Schalk Burger, 21 Cobus Reinach, 22 Pat Lambie, 23 JP Pietersen
