Boks coach talks up All Blacks
AT THE WORLD CUP EFFUSIVE in his praise as always, Springboks coach Heyneke Meyer has labelled this All Blacks outfit the best rugby team of all-time.
No bonuses for guessing who the favourites tag rests with, then.
Meyer was in typically talkative form as he named an unchanged starting team and included veteran lock Victor Matfield, who returns Sunday’s World Cup semifinal at Twickenham.
The rugby world has been in awe since the All Blacks put nine tries on France last week and Meyer joined the bandwagon. ‘‘I really mean this,’’ he began. ‘‘This is probably the best team I believe to have ever played the game.’’
Meyer justified his reasoning by pointing to the All Blacks record under Steve Hansen which stands at 46 wins, three losses and two draws. Ushering through 35 rookies since 2011 has also allowed Hansen to mould a new batch of talent – the likes of Aaron Smith, Julian Savea and Brodie Retallick – around his core of experienced veterans.
After working hard to improve their tactical kicking and deficiencies under the high ball, Meyer suggested the All Blacks had no weakness.
‘‘Just look at their record over the past four years,’’ Meyer said.
‘‘Usually after a World Cup there’s a decline in performance. Steve has been there for eight years as an assistant and most of the coaching staff has gone on.
‘‘They’ve just got better since the previous World Cup and that hasn’t happened in world rugby.’’
Meyer is not daunted, though. Nor does he fear the All Blacks. By putting the defending champions on such a pedestal he hopes his men will rise to the greatest test many of them have faced.
‘‘I don’t want to be disrespectful but I love playing the All Blacks. It’s probably the easiest game as a coach to motivate a team. You want to test yourself against the best. I live for these games.
‘‘Sometimes I wonder why you do this job then you stand there and feel the adrenaline facing the haka. It doesn’t get any better than this.
‘‘We as a team know this must be our best performance probably ever if we are going to beat them. We have to believe we can beat them. Once we get going we will go at each other for 80, 90 minutes but off the field we have a great relationship.’’
Hansen and Meyer typify that relationship, with the winning coach shouting the other a beer.
During his reign only once in seven tests has Meyer been the provider and he wants to double that this weekend. ‘‘We’ve had so many chances against them in the past. Hopefully I can give Steve a case of beer.’’
Despite the forecast for rain, the All Blacks are expected to stick with their up-tempo approach. They will back their ability to offload in the tackle and attempt to leave the big Boks pack gasping for air.
In each of the last seven tests between these two nations, Hansen’s men have outscored the Boks in the second half, suggesting they are fitter and boast superior impact players. Meyer, however, claims he has solved this issue by including Matfield, Willem Alberts, Jannie du Plessis, Adriaan Straus and Pat Lambie on his bench.
‘‘Every single game has gone right to the wire. They’ve got so many guys that were there in the previous World Cup and they don’t buckle under pressure. That pressure always comes through in the last five minutes.
‘‘I’m very happy about the bench. It’s probably one of the best I’ve ever picked. The last 10 to 15 minutes you need quality guys that are fit and good enough to put them away.’’