Some questions about Heyneke Meyer

Four years ago, Heyneke Meyer was one of the two final candidates for the position of Springbok coach. Politics played a role and post a very strong era of Bok rugby, we threw our success away for political gain. On January 27, 2012 the South African Rugby Union (SARU) appointed the man that should have been appointed then – nobody seems to disagree. But I am surprised at the peace which accompanied his appointment. Hardly any questions were asked and I am not sure why.

Here are some of the questions bothering me but rather that perceiving my questioning as a lack of support; see them as an objective view of this whole situation.

1. How much active coaching has Heyneke Meyer done since 2007? Has the game not changed immensely in these last four years more than any other four years previously?
2. Can Meyer succeed without the machine in tandem, Gary Botha, Victor Matfield, Bakkies Botha, Fourie Du Preez and Morne Steyn?
3. How will the franchise and Currie Cup coaches be different along with the Unions from any other Bok coach’s time?

These questions are not meant to discredit Meyer’s record as it stands but that record did end in 2006 – it took Meyer a good six years to make the Bulls the force they ultimately became. With the Boks, he only has four years. Why would the provincial unions be any more accommodating with Meyer than with De Villiers or White? I don’ t see them changing. This job stays the same no matter who is employed in it and I fear that the silence is almost so much that we will play into the “building foundations” excuse over the next two years as opposed to demanding a winning Bok team from their first test.

The talent is plentiful and there is little excuse for anything but success. Does SA have an air of expectation about Meyer or are we placing him on the rugby podium of worship too early? Meyer also finds himself in a peculiar position: De Villiers inherited a World Cup champions unit, White before him inherited an absolute mess which could only get better, Meyer inherits an indifferent Bok set up, not all together rubbish but not consistent winners. He really needs to prove that he brings much more to the Boks than the coaches before him. Talk is cheap; he has to produce an intelligent, confident team that SA believes in.

SA needs to believe that every time the Boks take the field we can and will win and then it has to actually happen. I think Meyer has a tougher job than we all realise. I support him. I think he has one of the best strategic coaching brains in the game and I hope this can translate into some really positive, consistent and sustainable steps forward for the Springboks.

On a side point, I really hope that Victor Matfield stays retired. I have a feeling that he will not dominate like he has and that he needs to get into the next chapter of his rugby career: coaching, and maybe, one day, a Bok coach. If he brings Matfield out of retirement, Meyer will count this in 2015 as one of his gravest errors. Matfield is not a player that will dominate the 2015 Rugby World Cup and we should let sleeping dogs lie on this one.

Good luck to the coach and his assistants. I am rooting for you and look forward to seeing my questions regularly on the scoreboards of Bok test matches.