Meyer scores with Du Preez
Scrumhalf and Vermeulen’s play at World Cup a credit to the coach
IT IS debatable whether Heyneke Meyer is the right man to lead the Springboks for another four years after the World Cup, but he deserves credit on getting Fourie du Preez.
IT IS still debatable whether Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer is the right man to lead the team for another four years after this World Cup is over, but on one score he deserves credit.
Meyer’s sheer belief in scrumhalf Fourie du Preez’s ability and his own obsession with making sure the halfback appeared at the tournament, paid off big on Saturday. Meyer conceded before the dramatic 23-19 quarterfinal win over Wales that he had been on his knees, begging Du Preez to push himself beyond the limits of what he knew possible to make it to England. In one instant, both the coach’s efforts and Du Preez’s own desire and commitment to be on the field showed why it was the right decision.
Du Preez’s 75th-minute try took the Boks into the World Cup semifinals for a fourth time. It was not designed in the coach’s office, but constructed between two of SA’s most influential players.
Du Preez and No 8 Duane Vermeulen came up with the move after watching footage of Wales’ scrums in recent weeks and executed it to perfection.
“We initially wanted to go for a ‘penalty scrum’ but during the week, we saw that the Wales scrumhalf was covering behind the scrum,” Du Preez said. “So we planned that I would dummy to the right and Duane would break to the left and run on to the wing.
“I then followed him but I didn’t think he’d give a back-flip pass, but credit to him because that shows what a big-match player he is.”
Vermeulen nearly did not make it to the World Cup because of a neck injury. Meyer also cajoled Vermeulen and gave him every opportunity to make it.
The coach took some criticism for picking Vermeulen and Du Preez, who played no Test rugby this year prior to the World Cup, and he was vindicated.
But the pedigree and quality of each player was never in doubt, nor was their character. It ultimately came down to their fitness and with each passing game their influence has grown since both started in round two against Samoa.
The irony is that Meyer has proved to be a good selector, but has also admitted he had nothing to do with the tactical decision that led to the try.
There is a growing feeling that those two leaders in particular, are running the show now and Meyer’s overly emotional demeanour and unharnessed air of nervousness is being offset by the stoic pragmatism of the duo. The Boks are underdogs against the All Blacks in Saturday’s first semifinal and Meyer is still under pressure to retain his job. But the only way the Boks can make the final is if both Du Preez and Vermeulen continue to lead from the front.
“Fourie wasn’t sure he would make it back and he fought a tough personal battle to get here,” flank Francois Louw said. “But he has stepped up even with the added burden of captaincy. Fourie has taken that challenge brilliantly and we follow him because he leads from the front through example. That is the most important thing because I want to follow a guy who puts his body on the line and shows the way by what he does.”