Ken Borland

Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer on Wednesday gave the team that beat the Wallabies a vote of confidence by keeping them intact for Saturday’s Rugby Championship match against New Zealand at Soccer City in Soweto, but he is under no illusions regarding the kind of performance needed to beat the world champions.

“The All Blacks are a quality side, they’re on a winning streak, they’ve been together for a long time and they know how to win, even when they’re not playing well. They know how to play away from home and they’ve got the mind-set that they can win away because they’ve done it so many times before. And they’ve got that World Cup monkey off their backs now as well,” Meyer said.

“I know we’re not going to outscore them with tries, and if we’re going to beat them, we have to kick at an 80%-plus success rate, we have to convert our pressure into points, defend unbelievably and take every chance. The players have to pitch up, be mentally strong and physically tough.

“Especially with Dan Carter back for them. I think he’s a superb player, he brings more composure to the team and he’s a huge threat if they get quick ball,” Meyer said.

While Meyer firmly believes that his young team is going places, the All Blacks have probably already arrived.

New flyhalf Johan Goosen is still being touted as the Springboks’ salvation but, as Meyer pointed out, Saturday’s Test is going to be a major challenge and step up for the 20-year-old, who started in the South Africa number 10 jersey for the first time against Australia.

“The New Zealand back three are superb, especially the way they read the game, and they’re very good under the high ball. So it’s not going to be easy for Johan to kick tactically against them; it’s going to be a tough learning curve for him.

“He will improve, though, as he gains experience, as he plays more, and he’ll get better at seeing space,” Meyer said.

But New Zealand, with the arch-poacher always lurking in Richie McCaw, with Israel Dagg, Cory Jane and Julian Savea at the back and one of the world’s great centre pairings in Conrad Smith and Ma’a Nonu, will ruthlessly exploit any wrong move by the Springboks.

They will be out to produce a far more convincing display than they did in Dunedin in the previous meeting between the two old rivals. The All Blacks might have won that game 21-11, but their own media reckoned the Springboks were the better team on the day, losing only because they missed 20 points worth of kicks at goal.

“I am sure the All Blacks will come out blazing because maybe they underestimated us a bit in Dunedin after we had struggled in the first half of the year. They won’t do that again,” Meyer warned.

The injury curse that has been hammering the Springboks finally seems to have relented enough for Meyer to name the same starting XV for two matches in a row for the first time this year.

It’s on the bench where the only change in personnel has been made, with versatile prop Coenie Oosthuizen returning for Pat Cilliers.

The Free State Cheetahs powerhouse received the all-clear the previous day from a neurosurgeon in Durban, the Springbok medical team wanting a second opinion on the neck injury that seemed to still be troubling him so as not to put the 23-year-old’s future career at risk.

Meyer knows how important the forward battle will be on Saturday, saying the pack “have to pitch up, be mentally strong and physically tough”.

Having edged the All Blacks forwards in Dunedin, the Springbok pack certainly won’t be chicken when it comes to taking on the opposition front-on in Soweto.

“This is going to be one of the best packs around – it’s a good combination of youth and experience. But we need to pitch up with physicality against the All Blacks; we need to bring something extra. We’re telling the youngsters to just go out and hurt people,” lock Andries Bekker said of his fellow forwards.

Bekker also had no sympathy for himself when he described his disastrous game in the shock draw in Argentina.

“There’s no problem with my back anymore but mentally, after Mendoza, I needed a lift. There were some harsh words directed at me, but I knew I had not been up to scratch. I knew I had to step up because for me, personally, my performance was shocking,” Bekker confessed.

There will be no room for anything less than 100% from the Springboks on Saturday, with the All Blacks desperate to ensure there are no interruptions to their 15-match winning streak that sees them just three off the world record held by Lithuania since April 2010.

The team 

15-Zane Kirchner, 14-Bryan Habana, 13-Jaco Taute, 12-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-Juan de Jongh, 22-Pat Lambie.

http://dailymaverick.co.za/article/2012-10-04-clash-of-the-titans-springboks-vs-all-blacks-at-soccer-city

The Springboks were transformed at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday, playing rugby of supermodel-level beauty as they overwhelmed Australia 31-8 to claim the first try-scoring bonus point in the Rugby Championship.

Of course, as is always the case with admiring supermodels on a Saturday night, there is a chance that beer goggles were involved in the form of a weak Australian team, further ravaged by injuries on the night, and we should all just calm down a bit and not start trumpeting the Springboks as the finished article just yet.

What is undeniable, however, is that they squeezed the Wallabies for 80 minutes with great success, winning over a Loftus Versfeld crowd of 44,463 fans that were strangely subdued and not their usual passionate, fiery selves at the start.

Perhaps the previous disappointments had made them wary and that seemed justified as Johan Goosen, the 20-year-old who was meant to be the Springboks’ saviour replacing Morne Steyn at flyhalf, missed two early penalties.

As coach Heyneke Meyer explained afterwards, Goosen had been dogged by a heel injury all week, “was not at 100% in the warm-up”, and then reported he was in pain again after 10 minutes. He felt he could soldier on, but would not be able to kick, so scrumhalf Ruan Pienaar took over the duties.

Pienaar also struggled though, missing four of his seven kicks at goal, so South Africa left another 16 points on the table – which could have made it a serious hiding for the Wallabies.

Goosen’s influence went way beyond mere goal-kicking, though. With the Free Stater standing flat and eager to engage the defences with ball in hand, the Springboks were now able to convert the pressure they created (through a pack that becomes more and more impressive with every outing) into space and try-scoring opportunities.

Meyer and captain Jean de Villiers were obviously delighted to score five tries, but were frustrated by suggestions from some media that the change of fortune had been due to a change in game plan.

“We haven’t changed one thing, that’s what people don’t understand. We’ve created those opportunities in previous weeks, but when we can execute and finish off those opportunities then it’s fantastic.

“We always say there’s space somewhere because, from a defensive point of view, you can’t cover everywhere. You need the ability to play into that space, if the space is at the back then you have to kick it there and contest to get it back. If they have guys back, then there’s the opportunity to run.

“We were really good at the breakdown. We put pressure on them there and territorially we were fantastic; we spent most of the time in their half. When that happens, then you can run the ball more. It all worked nicely for us today,” De Villiers exclaimed.

The predatory Bryan Habana was the chief beneficiary of all that space the Springboks found, scoring the second hat-trick of his 82-Test career and surpassing his former fellow wing, Breyton Paulse, as the leading try-scorer for South Africa against Australia with eight in 16 Tests.

Zane Kirchner also attacked well from fullback, scoring one try and being denied another by a mere centimetre as Adam Ashley-Cooper knocked himself out cold tackling him into touch. The rolling maul was used to good effect, too, with flank Francois Louw scoring from one in the second half. Taking that into account, this time South Africa’s kicking yips did not matter.

The Springboks certainly didn’t set out to be more flashy – that was just the by-product allowed by the hard grind of the men up front.

Thanks to a tremendous effort from the tight five, and an outstanding display from the loose trio of Duane Vermeulen, Louw and Willem Alberts, the Wallabies were knocked back on the gain line, putting the Springboks on the front foot and allowing them to impose their game plan on the visitors.

“South Africa played well tonight; they should be given credit. They were very good around the collisions and didn’t allow us much front-foot ball. Their defence was very effective and we used up players trying to run at them or to stop their ball-carriers,” Australia coach Robbie Deans admitted afterwards.

At almost every ruck, Vermuelen or Louw had their hands on the ball and the Springboks dominated the breakdown to an extent they have rarely enjoyed against the Wallabies.

Pienaar also enjoyed his best game of the year. Aware of the pressure on young Goosen, he took on most of the field-kicking duties and kept the Aussies back-pedalling and chasing the ball very well. His service was also slick and his decision-making good as he looked every part the general on the field.

Goosen was left to express himself with ball in hand and he showed his tremendous vision and deceptive pace on a number of occasions.

After the porous midfield defending in the second half of the Perth defeat, it was encouraging to see Jaco Taute make a fine debut at outside centre, tackling strongly and following the lead of skipper De Villiers inside him.

“You’re only as good as your defence. That’s how you put pressure on and then you score from turnovers. Our defence was awesome tonight. Australia wants a high-tempo game, but these players always put their bodies on the line,” Meyer said.

But, ever the perfectionist, he added: “I’m very proud of this young team tonight, but three tries were just a centimetre away and you have to convert those. So I’m not happy with that: if you create those opportunities, you must put them away.”

http://dailymaverick.co.za/article/2012-09-30-rugby-meyers-major-metamorphosis

There is no denying the hunger in the Springbok team as they take on Australia – against whom they have lost their last five matches – in a Rugby Championship Test at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria on Saturday.

It is a run of defeats that South African captain Jean de Villiers has admitted rankles him, the veteran of 79 Tests having played against far better Wallabies teams since making his debut in 2002.

While the run of five straight wins is a record for Australia against South Africa, they have also won seven of the last eight meetings.

“We’ve only won one out of our last eight matches against Australia which is simply not good enough. That can never be acceptable and this team has now inherited that record, so it’s our job to rectify that,” De Villiers said on Friday.

De Villiers also added that the 2012 Springbok class is a distinct team to last year’s, pointing out that they were responsible for six of those seven defeats. But there was more than just a hint of mental block when South Africa thoroughly dominated the Wallabies in the first half in Perth but failed to put them away.

What sets Saturday’s Springbok side apart from the teams that have lost in previous years is the presence of Johan Goosen at flyhalf.

The 20-year-old has the all-round game to trouble the visitors with ball-in-hand, he engages the defence and seems to have a marvellous temperament for one so young. Plus he is in good form with the boot and a strong defender.

If the Springbok pack once again gives 100% and plays like they did in Dunedin against the All Blacks, then Goosen should have the platform to enjoy a successful debut start.

De Villiers admitted on Friday that the forwards were doing most of the hard work lately and that it was time for the backline to contribute.

“The forwards have really stood up, even though they are the less experienced players, they got us close in the last two Tests and the backs now need to catch up,” he said.

While the hunger of the team is not in doubt, they will obviously require more than that to beat a team with the smarts of Australia. The inexperience of the forwards suggests they could fall prey to the trap of trying too hard and making mistakes as a result.

“The forwards really need to step up again and make the job easier. You really want that hunger, but you also need calmness in your head. That was probably shown by Dean Greyling against the All Blacks. He really wanted the opportunity to show what he could do, he was so psyched up and he really got the guys going in the changeroom before the game. But then he came out and made one or two poor decisions,” De Villiers said.

South Africa have played well enough to beat both Australia and New Zealand away from home, but it is the decision-making of the Springboks (and missed kicks) that has prevented them from turning their dominance into points on the scoreboard.

“We need to step up for 80 minutes, some soft moments cost us in the other games. The margins are very small in Test rugby, one or two mistakes and you find yourself 10 points behind.

“We’ve definitely created opportunities to score, but I believe playing for 80 minutes is the problem. We need to improve on those small mistakes,” the captain said.

Lady Luck will also no doubt have her say in what is expected to be a fast-paced game that will test the bodies of the Springboks to the full.

The Australian pack has shown the ability to absorb the physicality of the Springboks and then up the pace and spread the ball in the latter stages, and nobody will be surprised if their new starting flyhalf, Kurtley Beale, dashes and darts from the outset in an effort to move the home side around as much as possible.

“Beale is a classy player and it’s quite a tantalising prospect to see him and Johan Goosen against each other in their first starts at flyhalf. Kurtley has shown what he can do at Test level and he’s also shown what he can do at flyhalf in SuperRugby. We need to be up for it defensively because he’s definitely going to test us,” De Villiers admitted.

Teams

South Africa – 15-Zane Kirchner, 14-Bryan Habana, 13-Jaco Taute, 12-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-Pat Cilliers, 18-Flip van der Merwe, 19-Marcell Coetzee, 20-Elton Jantjies, 21-Juan de Jongh, 22-Pat Lambie.
Australia – 15-Berrick Barnes, 14-Dominic Shipperley, 13-Adam Ashley-Cooper, 12-Pat McCabe, 11-Digby Ioane, 10-Kurtley Beale, 9-Nick Phipps, 8-Radike Samo, 7-Michael Hooper, 6-Dave Dennis, 5-Nathan Sharpe, 4-Kane Douglas, 3-Ben Alexander, 2-Tatafu Polota-Nau, 1-Benn Robinson. Reserves: 16-Saia Fainga’a, 17-James Slipper, 18-Rob Simmons, 19-Scott Higginbotham/Mike Harris, 20-Liam Gill, 21-Brett Sheehan, 22-Anthony Fainga’a.

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.