Springbok Rugby
The final Springbok planning camp starts in Cape Town on Tuesday evening and Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer, after consulting with the national selectors, has invited 31 players to the camp.
Schalk Burger - Crocked
Stormers captain and flank Schalk Burger could possibly be sidelined until July, which would see him miss the Springboks’ three-Test series against England.
Every week readers of BOKzine (SA Rugby’s Electronic Magazine) are given the opportunity to ask questions of South African rugby personalities. This time was Heyneke Meyer’s turn.
A total of 45 players from the Vodacom Bulls and The Sharks have been invited to the second Springbok Planning Camp, which will be held in Pretoria next week.
Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer says he regrets Jaque Fourie’s decision not to make himself available for the Springboks while he plays in Japan, but he respects it.
Some Super rugby stats to feast on.
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.
Veteran Springbok flyhalf Butch James, a member of the Rugby World Cup winning team in 2007, has decided to retire from Test rugby with immediate effect.
The South African Rugby Union (SARU) on Sunday announced the appointment of former Springbok loose forward Rassie Erasmus into a senior management position at the organisation.
At 16.00 today (Sunday 15 April), Heyneke Meyer is set to release the names of his support team, but there may be a surprise in store……
Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer has named a group of players that will be attending the first planning camp in Pretoria next week.
In an exclusive interview with Volksblad’s Hendrik Cronjé, Juan Smith has announced his immediate withdrawal from all rugby for 2012, to fully recover from the injury that has sidelined him since the beginning of 2011. Juan has indicated that he hoped to return to the field of play vs the Lions on Saturday, but after 4 operations, he has still not recovered sufficiently!
Rassie Erasmus is set to be named as a high performance manager by the South African Rugby Union (SARU).
Former Springbok winger Ricardo Loubscher is the new favourite to become Springbok backline coach for the forthcoming season.
The South African Rugby Union (SARU) has extended its contract with Gilbert Rugby South Africa as the Official Ball and Equipment Supplier to the Springboks.
Heyneke Meyer was appointed four weeks ago as Springbok coach and still there is no clarity as to who will be on his management team in 2012.
Stormers and Western Province head coach Allister Coetzee has signed a new contract to stay in Cape Town until 2015 and has turned down the opportunity to join Heyneke Meyer’s new Springbok coaching staff
The New Zealand television audience has the most potential for growth based on numbers last season in Super Rugby, and local officials and SANZAR chief executive Greg Peters said a brilliant Rugby World Cup last year could provide impetus for some increased viewing.
Folks, it can be that big time Rugby may no longer be played at Newlands
2 August 1956, Solway Ground, Masterton: South Arica 19 / Wairarapa-Bush 8
It was another disappointing Springbok performance and although they won by 11 points all the tries came from individual effort rather than from smooth team work as one would expect after 7 weeks and 15 matches on tour (excluding the 3 weeks and 6 matches in Australia).
New Zealand Herald recently published their list of 20 All Black greats.
The List referred to above are the players that made All Black rugby what it is or who changed the direction or perception on how the game should be played in New Zealand.
Who are the Springbok legends that formed SA rugby; who made Springbok rugby what it is? Continue reading
For better or worse, the Pieter de Villiers era has come to an end. Many felt at the time of his appointment that Heyneke Meyer was the best candidate, and now four years later he will get his opportunity to prove them wrong.
And as expected some of what he says make no sense whatsoever.
I have had a look at the Article dealing with whether Heyneke Meyer’s proposed ‘Unified SA Style’ is realistic or not.
Meyer said on Monday that his ultimate aim would be for all the teams in South Africa to adopt a similar style of rugby.
“In future I would like to install a national style of play and defence and all the attributes that go with it, and everybody should buy in,” Meyer said.
“I am realistic and know you can’t force people to play the same, but there should at least be a common goal and places where you can touch base.”
This brought me to the question is this possible at all and what is the typical South African style? I think what most SA teams have in common is the idea of dominating the set piece (scrum and line-out). Soften them up in the forwards before you spread it to the backs type of philosophy. Continue reading
Newly appointed Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer says one of his greatest challenges will be to have the country’s Super Rugby franchises on the same page.
New South Africa coach Heyneke Meyerwill make finding common ground with Super Rugby franchises and northern hemisphere clubs over conditioning of their Springbok players his priority, he said on Monday.
I suppose this issue is so important to ALL SOUTH AFRICANS, that it is only just that we handle the Matter LIVE!
Herewith the announcement as it appeared live on TV in SA.
Oregan Hoskins announced the Coach, before that Jurie Roux, SARU CEO made some remarks.
It’s official, Heyneke Meyer IS the new Springbok coach!
17 July 1971 – Sydney Oval, Sydney
South Africa 19 / Australia 11
Not much is available about this Test apart from some Gerhard Viviers commentary (see video below) and brief descriptions of the Springbok tries. There were two changes to the South African team who played against France earlier the season at home.
Morné du Plessis and Hannes Viljoen got their first caps in the places of the injured Tommy Bedford and Gert Muller. The South African team can be seen in the table below.
Former Springbok and Bulls captain Victor Matfield could come out of retirement, but only if Heyneke Meyer is unveiled as the new Springbok coach on Friday.
The Blue Bulls Company has just released an official Media Release regarding their stance on Heyneke Meyer’s possible appointment as Springbok rugby coach, by SARU.
The plot thickens…
Let’s join in the fun, Heyneke Meyer’s touted as being a sure ting now for appointment as Springbok coach!
South Africa 27 /West Coast-Buller 6
Dominating in the scrums and line-outs has so far proven to be not enough for the 1956 Springbok team. Not even halfway thought the tour yet and they’ve already lost two tour matches namely against Waikato and Canterbury as well as the first test in spite of winning the line-out and scrums contests in each of these matches.
The two main problems seem to have been; firstly, an inability to contest at the rucks/tackle ball; secondly, lack of polish in the backline. The lack of structure at the rucks and collision areas has been the main area targeted by the local team’s right from the Waikato match. The primary approach was simply to change the line-outs and scrums into rucks and then to charge through in numbers and/or to put the ball behind the Springboks with box kicks and then charge at the backs.
Saru said it would not discuss the issue of Bok coach and that its next comment on the matter would be the announcement of the man for the job at an extraordinary meeting of the general
council.
Not much that Peter de Villiers says in this Article can be disputed. He had a hard task to guide Jake White’s glory boys. With the massive amount of senior player power and his introduction to the coaching job, he was always on the receiving end. Yes, he was not the best technical coach but he kept the politicians off our backs and the team together.
Good luck to the next coach!
It is my impression that politcs will play a major role again and if the new coach is not from the previously disadvantaged group, his task will be most difficult.
Enough opinionating, here is the actual Article: Continue reading