Arcane world of front row a World Cup grey area for Meyer
HE most amazing thing about World Cups is how quickly they come around. After the glory of 2007 it seemed, not four but only a year or so before we were in New Zealand. Now we are a mere eight Tests away from the 2015 edition back in the UK. Where does time go?
Where does time go if you are a national coach? Imagine being Heyneke Meyer. He did not set South Africa alight with his first games as Springbok coach and for a long time was considered far too conservative. Then he seemed set on bringing back the oldies and also on favouring Morné Steyn to the point of distraction.
One thing we have learnt is that Heyneke is his own man. He certainly lives every moment of each game, as evidenced by his performances in the coaches’ box. He once told me that, for his first match in charge, he tried to hang his blazer on the coach’s camera but the TV and sponsorship ponytails would have none of it. He is a reluctant celebrity.
TNow we are but eight games away from him having his homework marked in public at the next World Cup. He has this tour in Europe and then the shortened Rugby Championship next year and that’s that! It is hard to believe. In fact, he is in pretty good shape as a coach. Think about it.
His veterans have done well. Think Bakkies, Victor and Gurthro. They played as though they had never been away and are in the frame. His youngsters by and large have over-achieved. Etzebeth, Pollard and Serfontein play like seasoned Boks and not the babies they are.
These two groups are very important for the run-in.
Players who are overseas – think Jaque Fourie, Schalk Burger and Fourie du Preez – know the coach is not afraid to go for the tried and trusted. Also, youngsters know that the door is not closed. Domestic form has been rewarded in the selection of the new caps. At every chance, Meyer has taken players into squads and the result is that they know how the Springboks are organised. Under Heyneke, that – and a wonderful team spirit and work ethic – is what made the Bulls the best provincial team in the world by a mile. He now has players to start, to come off the bench and to come into the squad if there
are injuries. He has, in essence, created a club side.
The only problem, we are told, is at tighthead prop. Jannie du Plessis is the incumbent but who else can do the job that is regarded as being the capstone of the scrum? I have no idea. In any scrum, in any game, there are only six people who know what is actually happening. The coaches look and hope. The referees use their rules of thumb and threats of cards to try and deal out justice. The commentators try and sound knowledgeable about the arcane world, and the rest of us just pretend and guess. The four props and two hookers are the only people who know what is happening, but they are the biggest liars in the game. Imagine a prop or hooker telling a coach that he was ever in trouble. You must be joking.
Between now and next year, Meyer, Pieter de Villiers and whoever else is in the selection frame have to decide on the six best front-rankers for the World Cup. They have to take into account possible bad weather conditions, meaning lots more scrums, when they choose. They also have to look at the amount of ground every single player now has to cover in terms of loose-play running. Tackling is a vital skill as well. We cannot afford to go into the World Cup with a question mark against our scrum. That is the bottom line.
Ireland, England, Italy and Wales are all good scrummaging sides. Don’t be surprised to see replacements coming off the Bok bench in patterns that seem to be illogical in terms of the games. Do not worry. Of more importance is that the Boks get to decide on the best props, hookers and scrum combinations we have available.
Getting this right on the tour is even more important then winning because if we do, we might well win the World Cup next year.
Which would you choose?