SH Nations Preparations for June Tests

[PaarlBok]

Thoughts on Bok squad for the June tests PB?

Dieburger

Daar sal nog die Saterdag voor die eerste toets – op 9 Junie – twee Suid-Afrikaanse derbies – die Lions teen die Sharks en die Bulls teen die Stormers – gespeel word.

’n Dag nadat hulle mekaar in Super-rugby pimpel en pers geduik het, sal die Bokke eers op 3 Junie as groep saamtrek.

Meyer sal dus realisties niks meer as drie veldsessies en ’n kapteinsoefening hê om te slyp nie.

Dit sal dus onrealisties wees om nuwe kombinasies in die veld te stoot, en dáárom sal dit ook sin maak om oorsese Bokke soos Fourie du Preez, Frans Steyn, Jaque Fourie, Danie Rossouw en Gurthrö Steenkamp te betrek.

Look the way this one is heading. I'll pick the S15 form players and reward them. Would also like to see him picking players that will peak comes 2015. Starts with a clean sheet.

 

[PaarlBok]

If Meyer wants more preparation time he should pick experiense players and fill the squad with overseas players and Cheetahs. The form Cheetahs are Ebersohn, Goosen, Brussouw, Ashley, Coenie and Strauss.

13 Ebersohn 10 Goosen, 8 Johnson 6 Brussouw 1Oosthuizen

16Strauss

15 Frans Steyn if Jean is back from injury.
14 Habana
13 Ebersohn
12 Jean de Villiers
11 JPP
10 Goosen
9 FdP
8 Johnson
7 Schalk
6 Brussouw
5 D Rossouw
4 Bekker/Matfield
3 Jannie
2 Bismarckt
1 Coenie

 

[Blue]

JdV looks gone for two months. Shit!

http://www.keo.co.za/2012/04/17/jdv-crocked/

JdV crocked

17 Apr 2012
Stormers stand-in captain Jean de Villiers has injured ligaments in his hand and may be sidelined for two months.
The injury will rule the Stormers centre out for the rest of the Australasian tour, and may also preclude him from the Springboks’ three Tests against England in June.
The severity of the injury is yet to be determined, although the Stormers have confirmed that Danie Poolman has flown to Australia as a replacement.
The Stormers lost team captain Schalk Burger to a knee injury in round one, and De Villiers has led the team ever since. Andries Bekker, the vice captain, was sidelined this week with a back injury, and so news that De Villiers is unavailable means the Stormers will need to pick another captain for this week’s clash with the Reds.
Hooker Tiaan Liebenberg seems the strongest candidate, although Duane Vermeulen and Dewaldt Duvenage also form part of the Stormers’ leadership core.
Coach Allister Coetzee will also need to decide who to play at No 12 in De Villiers’ absence. Coetzee trialled Bryan Habana at No 13 in the pre-season and so he may opt to move Juan de Jongh to inside centre and bring Habana in off the wing. This would depend on Gio Aplon returning from injury to resume his place in the back three.
The Stormers team to play the Reds will be announced later on Tuesday morning.

 

[Blue]

I agree with you Qwerty, there has to be some incentive to keep the players in South Africa where their salaries will be significantly lower than what they could earn overseas. However, you may have noticed in the last couple of years the the Boks have been selecting some players playing overseas eg. Frans Steyn, Ruan Pienaar, BJ Botha etc.

I believe there is enough talent in SA to not have to select any players playing overseas. I am hoping that Meyer is mainly considering selecting these 'experienced' players for the June tests because he literally has no time to prepare his team and perhaps it will be easier to select players with experience rather than throwing new players in at the deep end without adequate preparation time.

My worry is that it will set us back. What if some of the old guard play really well? Then he has to retain them and again we delay the inevitable.

I agree for the most part on the overseas player issue but I think there will always be the odd exception becuase the player is class. I don't think we will ever end up playing loads of overseas based players. 2 or 3 in the 22 max.

In fact it will become less so with Frans Steyn now on his way back to SA. This only currently really leaves BJ Botha and Pienaar as candidates. Fourie Dup is likely to sign a local contract if he decides to play for the Boks again.

I really hope he doesn't bother with Rossouw and Bakkies. Seriously we have other options.

Bakkies looks very average for Toulon. Carrying too much weight. The food in France is bloody good.

I just hope he DOES NOT PICK WYNAND OLIVIER. That is all I ask.

 

[PaarlBok]

My worry is that it will set us back. What if some of the old guard play really well? Then he has to retain them and again we delay the inevitable.

I agree for the most part on the overseas player issue but I think there will always be the odd exception becuase the player is class. I don't think we will ever end up playing loads of overseas based players. 2 or 3 in the 22 max.

In fact it will become less so with Frans Steyn now on his way back to SA. This only currently really leaves BJ Botha and Pienaar as candidates. Fourie Dup is likely to sign a local contract if he decides to play for the Boks again.

I really hope he doesn't bother with Rossouw and Bakkies. Seriously we have other options.

Bakkies looks very average for Toulon. Carrying too much weight. The food in France is bloody good.

I just hope he DOES NOT PICK WYNAND OLIVIER. That is all I ask.

Ebersohn impressed me lately. Look like he came to age now and we still have JdJ who can play either 12/13. Agree with you Blue, we should move on now, start clean and let the hasbeens go. 12 Frans /Jean will be good. I'd also like to see Lambie in 15 and Goosen Morne in 10. Goosen sure the form 10 in S15 at the moment. Kick and run and tackle , he is our all in one package.

 

[Blue]

Yeah but again Henyeke is going to pick experience so Goosen is no chance. Hopefully Frans at 12 and Lambie at 15. JdJ again is a bit more experienced than Ebersohn who is a great player. Shit he is coming along in spades.

How is Bekker? Is it bad?

 

[PaarlBok]

How is Bekker? Is it bad?

Its his lower back. Saw in FB JdV mention that Bekker will probably play now that he is injured. Still watching on Jeans scans.

 

[Cave Dweller]

That's an interesting one Blue and depends largely on what Meyer's policy of selecting players currently playing overseas (and the extent of this). Assuming Meyer has no problem selecting a number of players from o/s, my team would look something like:

1 - Greyling
2 - Bismarck
3 - Jannie du Plessis
4 - Etzebeth
5 - Bekker
6 - Brussouw
7 - Schalk (c)
8 - Spies
9 - du Preez
10 - M. Steyn
11 - Habana
12 - de Villiers
13 - Fourie
14 - Hougaard
15 - Lambie
16 - Adriaan Strauss
17 - Kitshoff
18 - Werner Kruger
19 - Juandre Kruger
20 - Alberts
21 - Pienaar
22 - F. Steyn*

* I think F. Steyn will challenge de Villiers for 12, but I'd like to see him play there consistently (perhaps for the Sharks?) and de Villiers has been playing well for the Stormers (I must confess that I do not have the opportunity to watch any Top 14 or Heineken Cup rugby, so I have no idea what kind of form Frans is in). I'd like to see Lambie at 10, but I'm not sure he is ready to be a test 10 just yet, but still feel he has to be in the team. Similarly with Goosen, I don't think he is ready for test rugby yet, but I would definitely have him in and around the squad.

The combination in the backs is quite difficult actually. What condition is Jaque Fourie going to be in? de Jongh is an adequate replacement if Meyer wants to limit is o/s selections. Tough on JP Pietersen to miss out on the 22. Is his switch to 13 at the Sharks helping him or hindering him when it comes to test selection? Other than CJ van der Linde, do we have another prop who can play THP and LHP so that we can free up a bench spot by selecting one prop only? I don't think we do.

Players unfortunate to miss out but should be in the greater squad:

Chilliboy, Flip vd Merwe, Vermuelen, Goosen, Joe Pietersen

I can see a couple of headache areas. Hooker Liebenberg/BDP/Strauss
Flyhalf Goosen/Steyn
What about Nel. He's been performing very good as well. Better than Greyling. Stander and Daniels as well as van der Walt
Ebersohn ,Whitehead and Strauss been playing better than De Villiers for me. I think Olivier is South Africa's Carter. Pietersen been the most consistent and Mvovo not looking bad as well

 

[PaarlBok]

Think we should rather have a sqaud of 30 then a team the way the young guns coming through from all provinces. Meyer and Rassie can build a nice squad for years to come.

 

[Blue]

I can see a couple of headache areas. Hooker Liebenberg/BDP/Strauss
Flyhalf Goosen/Steyn
What about Nel. He's been performing very good as well. Better than Greyling. Stander and Daniels as well as van der Walt
Ebersohn ,Whitehead and Strauss been playing better than De Villiers for me. I think Olivier is South Africa's Carter. Pietersen been the most consistent and Mvovo not looking bad as well

Bismarck has earned the right although the other two have been performing better. I would have no problem seeing Strauss start.

Nel is a TH and got owned by Taumololo who is hardly the best scrummaging LH in the comp. Nel's problem will always be his size.

JdV's organisational skills in defense has been better than most 12's in the comp. Problem is that he doesn't organise the attack as well. It's a conundrum.

Hang on are you saying Wynand Olivier = Dan Carter?????

 

[Cave Dweller]

Bismarck has earned the right although the other two have been performing better. I would have no problem seeing Strauss start.

Nel is a TH and got owned by Taumololo who is hardly the best scrummaging LH in the comp. Nel's problem will always be his size.

JdV's organisational skills in defense has been better than most 12's in the comp. Problem is that he doesn't organise the attack as well. It's a conundrum.

Hang on are you saying Wynand Olivier = Dan Carter?????

No lol I say the feelings towards him are mixed like it is with Carter in Australia. Not Dan but Tom lol

 

[PaarlBok]

Maybe a bit young but the Stormers fatties and specially Malherbe has been pretty good on S15 level. I'd like to see him getting involve at Springbok level rather sooner then later. We have enough LH , so Ginga can still play U20 but with him and Coenie performing so well this year, no need to call Guthro back. Beast will be hungry.

 

[Ulrich]

N other developing news..

Bok training camp breaks new ground

17 Apr 2012 15:46:40

Heyneke Meyer may only be in the first real testing week of his tenure but he is already setting up structures that are far more advanced than the national team has ever had before.

Along with Saru’s new General Manager: High Performance Rassie Erasmus, Meyer has already set the wheels in motion to see that players are up to speed with what he wants from them ahead of the England test series, including game plans, individual skills and a number of small intricacies that could make the world of difference when the international season rolls around.

Meyer and Erasmus have already started setting up the structures -- both short and long term goals that will benefit SA Rugby, with players from the Toyota Cheetahs and MTN Lions being the first to benefit from the new unified structure that Saru wants in place for its national teams.

For the first time at this camp, a national coach will tell his players where they rank on the national pecking order, what they need to improve in their game and how long they have to do it and, more importantly, just what he’s looking for from them.

While it seems absurd that this hasn’t been the case before, in the past coaches chatted individually to players and their provincial coaches, and often it wasn’t followed up, or simply ignored.

But now, Meyer and Erasmus have already set up a system to track player statistics, and other than walking through his game plan for the England series, Meyer and Erasmus have had one-on-one meetings with all 30 players present in Johannesburg to let them know where they stand. This system will eventually include an online database where players can log in and download drills and plays so that they understand them when they get to the national camp.

New Zealand have had this system up and running for years now, with great success and their national coaches are welcomed when they visit the franchises in a country where the national team comes first.

Erasmus will help Meyer in the long term set up similar structures for all the national age-group levels, so that players are given individual skills coaching and analysis from the national set-up so they are up to speed when they reach the national team.

It is an ambitious project, but one which, if successful, will reap the benefits of a team that uses the time it has productively to focus on beating the opposition.

Meyer already faces an uphill battle to prepare his first side in a short week after a bruising north-south derby, and will need all the help he can get to have players ready to understand his vision when they get to camp.

“Rassie already started doing some work for me behind the scenes and for the first time we have statistics on all the players. He will sit with me on the one-on-ones and we will be able to discuss with every player where they stand in relation to the national team,” Meyer explained.

“Say its Pat Cilliers for instance, I’d be able to tell him where he’s graded in relation to the other props, what he must do to improve and with three weeks left what chance he has of making the squad. Rassie will be a big help in this, and we both agree that if SA Rugby has a strong technical committee, we can produce analysis that is more substantial.”

The camp with the Cheetahs and Lions players will be followed by a second camp next week with the Sharks and Bulls players and one the week after with the Stormers players.

 

[Brisbok]

Jaque Fourie says no to Boks

2012-04-18 07:33​

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Jaque Fourie (Gallo)​

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Cape Town - Springbok centre Jaque Fourie has made himself unavailable to play for the Springboks for at least the next two seasons.

Die Burger reports that Fourie made this revelation through his agents’ online magazine, unionsportsmag.co.za.

The 29-year-old has a two-year contract with the Kobe Steel Kobelco Steelers in Japan and said while he plays there he won’t be available for the Springboks.

“I am extremely proud of my career as a Springbok and have unbelievable memories.

“However, after last year’s Rugby World Cup I decided to write a new chapter in my rugby career. I want to play with the same commitment for the Steelers as I played with for the Springboks.

“Therefore I won’t be making myself available for the Boks while I’m at the Steelers.”

The 69-Test veteran with 32 international tries says there are enough good centres in South Africa to fill his boots.

“South Africa has unbelievably talented centres and their time has now arrived,” said Fourie.

http://www.sport24.co.za/Rugby/Springboks/Jaque-Fourie-says-no-to-Boks-20120418

 

[Brisbok]

....no longer any need to have the de Jongh vs Fourie debate. With de Villiers also likely to be ruled out, we could have a centre pairing of F. Steyn and de Jongh which is very exciting. Bit of a tough ask to give them one week to prepare for a test match when they've never played as a combination before though!

 

[Cave Dweller]

29 years old and you do not want to play for your country. Representing ones country is a honor which many young kids dream off and a few experience. I just lost all my respect I had for Fourie.

 

[Tordah]

29 years old and you do not want to play for your country. Representing ones country is a honor which many young kids dream off and a few experience. I just lost all my respect I had for Fourie.

what are you talking about, that guy has already had a great career as a Springbok, including winning the RWC and the TN and consistently being among the top centers in world rugby. Fair play to him, he wants to earn some (presumably) easy dough now.

 

[qwerty51]

....no longer any need to have the de Jongh vs Fourie debate. With de Villiers also likely to be ruled out, we could have a centre pairing of F. Steyn and de Jongh which is very exciting. Bit of a tough ask to give them one week to prepare for a test match when they've never played as a combination before though!

huh how long is de Villiers out for?

 

[Bardon]

Not sure if these have been mentioned anywhere.

1. England have added midweek games against North and South SA Barbarians to their tour.

2. Jonathan Davies will probably miss Wales games against Australia due to a possible hernia op.

 

[Blue]

huh how long is de Villiers out for?

Scroll up

About two months from current reports but not confirmed.