Ken Borland

Coach Heyneke Meyer on Wednesday launched a possible new era in Springbok rugby when he named 20-year-old Johan Goosen as the starting flyhalf for the Rugby Championship Test against Australia at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria on Saturday.

While Meyer will probably consider the selection a brave move, it was always the only sensible one with Morne Steyn suffering such an obvious loss of form and confidence.

Meyer, whose linguistic gymnastics in trying to deny Steyn is being rested or dropped amused the horde of journalists gathered for the team announcement at Montecasino, stressed that the prolific 28-year-old points-scorer was not being thrown into the wilderness.

“It was a very difficult decision, but I have to look after the team’s interests first and then the individual’s. Morne really wanted to play, especially at Loftus, his home ground, but he is a true champion and he took my decision gracefully. He has won a lot of games for his country, just the last few have not gone well. But Morne’s not someone you need to feel sorry for, he’s a fighter and he will come back stronger,” Meyer said.

Whether Steyn will be able to add to his 41 Test caps and 486 points – the second-most for the Springboks – will depend on how well Goosen and Elton Jantjies, who is on the bench on Saturday, take their chances.

Meyer did suggest that his long-term vision revolves around the two youngsters taking South Africa through to the 2015 World Cup.

“It’s great that going forward to the World Cup – and I know there’s still a long way to go – we have such depth at flyhalf. Johan has always been in the mix since day one, but it’s been a process with him. I feel he is now ready to start a Test for South Africa and I’m excited to see what he can bring.

“As far as Elton goes, we know how strong his kicking game is and I would not put a player in the 22-man squad if I did not have full confidence in him,” Meyer said.

Jantjies, despite being in and around the Springbok squad since 2010, is yet to play a Test and there is a good chance a second debutant will be in action in Pretoria in Jaco Taute.

Inside centre Francois Steyn has been battling a twisted ankle all week and then he aggravated the injury trying to run on Wednesday, and Taute has been earmarked to take his place in midfield if the 2007 World Cup winner does not pass a fitness test on Friday.

But Meyer is rightly concerned about having debutants at 10 and 12 and confirmed on Wednesday that if Frans Steyn is unable to play, then captain Jean de Villiers will shift back to his more accustomed position at inside centre and Taute will slot in at number 13.

“I don’t want new caps at both 10 and 12, so Jean will play 12 if Frans doesn’t make it. Jaco played some great rugby at outside centre in SuperRugby, he would have been in my 22 from day one if he wasn’t injured and he’s 106kg and can run 100m in 10.7 seconds,” Meyer said.

There will be some, especially in the Western Cape, who will be unhappy that Taute has seemingly leapfrogged Juan de Jongh, who was bracketed with the Lions player on the bench.

“It’s tough on Juan, he’s brilliant on defence and he runs great lines. But I looked at the way Australia defend and I went for horses-for-courses with Jaco. It’s also easier if the new guy starts because if he struggles, then you can bring the more experienced guy on and Juan is a very good impact player,” Meyer explained.

Even though locks Flip van der Merwe and Juandre Kruger were brilliant in Dunedin, they have both been demoted, with Van der Merwe at least finding a place on the bench. Again, Meyer said it was a horses-for-courses selection as Eben Etzebeth and Andries Bekker were announced as the starting locks for the Pretoria Test.

“All the locks are sticking up their hands and we’re building great depth there, so it was a tough call. Flip van der Merwe had probably his best game ever for the Springboks and Juandre Kruger was very good too.

“Against the All Blacks, you want locks that play more to the ball and Flip and Juandre were superb at the rucks. But Australia are very good in the lineout, they will put us under pressure there, and one of Bekker’s other strengths is that, in a more open game, he has the ability to pitch up at centre or on the wing,” Meyer said.

It means the Springboks are going into the Loftus Versfeld Test with their tallest possible lineout and an all-Stormers trio of jumpers with Duane Vermeulen at eighthman. Tiaan Liebenberg is also the reserve hooker.

But it is the highly-rated Goosen who will be under the most scrutiny and Springbok vice-captain Adriaan Strauss, his captain at the Free State Cheetahs, is confident the youngster is going to handle the expectation with aplomb.

“It’s great to see Johan get an opportunity, even though Morne Steyn is an exceptional player. He might be a bit nervous when he’s in the moment, but I don’t think it will get the better of him. As I told him, if there’s one player I’ve seen who can handle pressure, it’s Johan. It’s his best attribute,” Strauss said.

Meyer also promised that Goosen will be able to take the attack to the Wallabies as he is wont to do with the Cheetahs.

“Every player is encouraged to play the situation as they see it, I say to every player that he must just be himself because that’s why I chose him. But there’s always going to be more space and line-breaks at Currie Cup level, so the public mustn’t expect too much,” Meyer said.

The public will be eager for Goosen to make a rapid impression. But it will be even more important for the Springboks just to win, in whatever fashion. And then all will be well again in South African rugby.

South Africa coach Heyneke Meyer on Wednesday included promising 20-year-old flyhalf Johan Goosen at the expense of the experienced Morne Steyn in the team to play Australia in a Rugby Championship Test in Pretoria on Saturday.

Steyn’s form deserted him as the Springboks drew in Argentina and then lost to Australia in Perth and New Zealand in Dunedin, and the under-pressure Meyer has responded by omitting the man many South African fans hold responsible for the poor results.

“It was a very difficult decision, but I have to look after the team’s interests first and then the individual’s. Morne really wanted to play, especially at Loftus, his home ground, but he is a true champion and he took my decision gracefully. He has won a lot of games for his country, just the last few have not gone well. But Morne’s not someone you need to feel sorry for, he’s a fighter and he will come back stronger,” Meyer told a news conference in Johannesburg on Wednesday.

Goosen, who looked a prodigious talent in SuperRugby for the Cheetahs before a dislocated shoulder ruled him out at the halfway stage of the competition, has promised much in two appearances totalling half-an-hour off the bench.

“Johan has always been in the mix since day one, but it’s been a process with him. I feel he is now ready to start a Test for South Africa and I’m excited to see what he can bring,” said Meyer.

The uncapped 22-year-old Elton Jantjies has been included as the reserve flyhalf on the bench and, if inside centre Francois Steyn fails to recover from a twisted ankle, then another debutant, utility back Jaco Taute, will play outside centre, with captain Jean de Villiers shifting to number 12, where he has played most of his 79 Tests.

“I’m really passionate about the Springboks, it feels like life and death decisions for myself. But it’s not about giving players chances at this level, they must be able to make a difference and I would not put them in the 22 if I did not have confidence in them,” Meyer said.

The other changes to the Springbok team that lost 21-11 to New Zealand in Dunedin two weekends ago sees South Africa fielding a new lock pairing in 2.03m Eben Etzebeth and 2.08m Andries Bekker that will give them the same lineout that led the Stormers to the top of the SuperRugby standings. Eighthman Duane Vermeulen is also a key lineout jumper, while Tiaan Liebenberg is the reserve hooker.

Meyer said the changes in the second row would ensure that the Springboks had taller players better suited to the strong Australian lineout and what is expected to be a fast-paced game.

“All the locks are sticking up their hands and we’re building great depth there, so it was a tough call. Flip van der Merwe had probably his best game ever for the Springboks and Juandre Kruger was very good too.

“Against the All Blacks, you want locks that play more to the ball and Flip and Juandre were superb at the rucks. But Australia are very good in the lineout, they will put us under pressure there, and one of Bekker’s other strengths is that, in a more open game, he has the ability to pitch up at centre or on the wing,” Meyer said.

Team- 15-Zane Kirchner, 14-Bryan Habana, 13-Jean de Villiers/Jaco Taute, 12-Francois Steyn/Jean de Villiers, 11-Francois Hougaard, 10-Johan Goosen, 9-Ruan Pienaar, 8-Duane Vermeulen, 7-Willem Alberts, 6-Francois Louw, 5-Andries Bekker, 4-Eben Etzebeth, 3-Jannie du Plessis, 2-Adriaan Strauss, 1-Tendai Mtawarira. Replacements: 16-Tiaan Liebenberg, 17-Coenie Oosthuizen, 18-Flip van der Merwe, 19-Marcell Coetzee, 20-Elton Jantjies, 21-Jaco Taute/Juan de Jongh, 22-Pat Lambie.

Heyneke Meyer is not the sort of coach to make sallies into a brave new world willy nilly, but even if he did want to introduce a new dimension to Springbok flyhalf play this weekend against Australia, the fates seem to be conspiring against him.

With Morne Steyn clearly in desperate need of a break to regain his form and confidence and Johan Goosen having shown he has the stomach for Test rugby even at the tender age of 20, there were high hopes that there might have been a changing of the guard at flyhalf for Saturday’s Rugby Championship Test against the Wallabies.

That was until Francois Steyn rolled his ankle at practice on Monday and Goosen had to train barefoot because of a bruised heel.

Francois Steyn’s absence would rob the team of 53 caps worth of experience at inside centre and Meyer might be loath to introduce a new starting flyhalf because of that. Even moving Jean de Villiers to 12 doesn’t  solve the problem, because then either Juan de Jongh, with just 10 caps, or the uncapped Jaco Taute will have to play at outside centre.

While many would like to see Morne Steyn on holiday, lying on the beach with his hands on his tummy, Meyer explained on Monday that not choosing the 28-year-old in the Springbok squad would not have helped because, due to the South African Rugby Union not having full control over their contracted players, he would have just been snapped up the struggling Bulls to play Currie Cup rugby.

“The pressure won’t go away for him, the Bulls are also under pressure. It’s best to keep him involved with us, he’s taken a lot of criticism, but you’re still working with a human being and I can see that he is himself again back at home,” Meyer said. “I’m not just going to throw Morne away, he just kicked badly and Johan Goosen is not 100 percent fit and I’ve been bringing him through slowly. If I bowed to public pressure, then I would change the team every week.”

Lock Flip van der Merwe, who took his chance with both hands when he started against the All Blacks in Dunedin, is troubled by what team doctor Craig Roberts described as “a very mild calf strain,” while prop Coenie Oosthuizen, who played just once in the Green and Gold against England in June before injuring his neck, is suffering from “general stiffness” having returned to action with 35 minutes for the Free State Cheetahs at the weekend.

Wing Lwazi Mvovo (tight hamstring) and flank Jacques Potgieter (groin) are other players who will be managed with a gentle touch this week.

The Springboks were in touching distance of both the Wallabies and All Blacks in their last two matches and Meyer is confident they can restore the public’s faith by winning their last two Rugby Championship games in Pretoria and Soweto.

“It will definitely be different playing here. We should have won overseas and in the past we’ve done well at home,” Meyer said. “I have a good feeling about this team, it’s definitely developing, there’s a great vibe.

“We had three tough away games in a row, the only team to have that, so it’s great to be back at home and the players are a lot more relaxed. At first with a new, inexperienced team and a new coach, there are going to be doubts and a lack of self-belief. But I could see against Australia and the All Blacks that the players knew that they could win.”

Those hoping for a radical change in how the Springboks approach these next two Tests should not hold their breath, however. Meyer made it clear on Monday that his strategy will still be arm-wrestling the opposition into submission.

“In Test rugby, the teams are so close (in standard) and there’s not as much space, so it’s an arm-wrestle. There’s been a lot of talk about the game plan, but I thought we played them perfectly. We had more chances to win but we didn’t convert that pressure into points,” the Springbok coach said.

So dazzling the opposition is out, but Meyer does recognise the need for better attacking play.

“I was a bit cross today because the players have to get that mindset that if they break the line, then they must finish. They mustn’t look around and stop,” Meyer said.

Despite the injuries, there was a definite sense of the tough last few weeks being eradicated from the memory banks as the Springboks trained energetically and enthusiastically in the stadium where Meyer perfected the blueprint that he will continue to back against the best teams in the world.

http://dailymaverick.co.za/article/2012-09-25-the-gospel-according-to-heyneke-meyer-springboks-down-but-not-out

South Africa coach Heyneke Meyer said his team were delighted to be back at home, but injury problems meant he could not totally relax as the Springboks had their first training sessions of the week in Pretoria on Monday.

Having drawn with Argentina and lost to Australia and New Zealand on the road in their last three Rugby Championship matches, the Springboks take on the Wallabies at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday in a last-ditch effort to stay in contention to win the competition.

But any hopes Meyer may have had of freshening up his team with new faces could be stymied by injuries, most notably to centre Francois Steyn and up-and-coming flyhalf Johan Goosen.

“We had three tough away games in a row, the only team to have that, so it’s great to be back at home and the players are a lot more relaxed. I wanted to go hard with the full squad of 30 at training today, but we’ve picked up lots of little untimely injuries,” Meyer told journalists at Loftus Versfeld on Monday.

Steyn rolled his ankle and was on crutches as the team practised at one of their spiritual homes on Monday afternoon, but team doctor Craig Roberts said x-rays were clear and a decision on the 25-year-old World Cup winner’s availability will only be made on Tuesday or Wednesday.

Goosen has a bruised heel but took part in some training, albeit barefoot.

Incumbent flyhalf Morne Steyn missed 11 points with wayward kicks when South Africa lost 11-21 to the All Blacks in Dunedin on September 15 and has failed to gel with his backline. When Goosen has come off the bench to replace him in the last two tests, for half-an-hour in total, he has looked the part and general opinion in the republic is that the 20-year-old should start instead of Morne Steyn against the Wallabies on Saturday.

But Goosen’s niggle and the possibility that the Springboks will lose 53 caps worth of experience at inside centre if Francois Steyn cannot play could delay what seems an inevitable changing of the guard.

“You obviously want to give players a break when they are fatigued, but if I hadn’t called Morne Steyn into the test squad then he would play Currie Cup for the Bulls. The pressure won’t go away for him, the Bulls are also under pressure. It’s best to keep him involved with us, he’s taken a lot of criticism but you’re still working with a human being and I can see that he is himself again back at home,” Meyer said.

“I’m not just going to throw Morne away, he just kicked badly and Johan is not 100% and I’ve been bringing him through slowly. If I bowed to public pressure, then I would change the team every week.

“You can’t just throw a whole bunch of 20-year-olds in against the Wallabies and All Blacks, they’ll be slaughtered, and I won’t push anyone unless they are 100% ready,” the coach added.

Meyer said he was confident his team could take the spoils against Australia, even though the Wallabies squeezed home 26-19 in Perth on September 8, with the Springboks failing to turn pressure into points, especially in the first half.

“It will definitely be different playing Australia here compared to Perth, where we should have won. In the past we’ve done well against them at home and I have a good feeling about this team, it’s definitely developing, there’s a great vibe,” Meyer said.

The other Springboks who are dogged by injury niggles are prop Coenie Oosthuizen (general stiffness), flank Jacques Potgieter (groin), wing Lwazi Mvovo (hamstring) and lock Flip van der Merwe (calf).