Month: August 2015

Springbok World Cup Outrage Timesaver

What Nick Mallett said

Nick Mallett:

“It’s a fantastic squad, one that most of us expected from Heyneke and the selectors. There’s lots of experience and they’ve given youth a chance in Damian de Allende, Jesse Kriel and Rudy Paige.

“There have been some great players left behind, and I’ve written down a list of them that could represent South Africa. You’ve got Marcel van der Merwe, Scarra Ntubeni, Steven Kitshoff, Franco Mostert, Flip van der Merwe, Jaco Kriel, Heinrich Brüssow, Warren Whiteley, Cobus Reinach, Faf de Klerk, Elton Jantjies, Lionel Mapoe, Jan Serfontein, Cornal Hendricks and Ruan Combrinck. So the guys who are going to the World Cup have a huge responsibility on their shoulders to put in a fantastic performance for our country.

“Schalk Brits is an absolutely outstanding rugby player. But with the third-choice hooker, shouldn’t we be looking towards 2019? Scarra had really bad luck because injury prevented him from getting an opportunity to show what he can do. It would have been nice to have taken him to this World Cup as the third hooker. That’s not to take anything away from Brits, as he is one of the best off-loading forwards in the world. He has brilliant skills and a brilliant side-step.

“I’m a little worried about the guys coming back from injury. How much rugby has Willem Alberts played this year? You’ve also got Pieter-Steph du Toit and Francois Louw coming back from injury. Frans Malherbe had a bad injury, Coenie Oosthuizen had a neck injury and Duane Vermeulen is coming back from a neck operation. So a number of those forwards are brilliant players, but let’s hope those injuries don’t curtail their performances at the World Cup.

“I took two different countries, South Africa and Italy, to the World Cup and in both cases I had to speak to the guys who didn’t make it and explain that no matter how hard they’ve worked and well they’ve played, I had a tough choice to make and had decided to go with someone else. What a player respects more than anything else is honesty, you can’t sugarcoat it at all, as it’s a bitter pill not to go to the World Cup. I’m absolutely certain that Heyneke and his coaches would have done that with all the players who didn’t make it.”

What the coach said

Heyneke Meyer:

“Every single player in our wider group worked incredibly hard and to cut the squad to 31 was probably the most difficult selection I’ve faced in my coaching career. In the end, the selectors decided the 31 players named were the best we have at the moment but that is not to say any of the others won’t have a role to play, with injuries a reality in our game.

“Because of the size of the squad, we also had to give more consideration to utility players, who can move around between positions, such as Schalk Brits and Pieter-Steph du Toit, both of whom can play in the back row, as well as Coenie Oosthuizen, who can pack down on both sides of the front row.

“A number of our backs, such as JP, Ruan, Pat Lambie, Handré Pollard, Damian de Allende, Jesse Kriel, Lwazi Mvovo and Zane Kirchner, are all comfortable to play in more than one position.

“I think the squad has a great balance between youth and experience while keeping together the core of the team that did the country proud in the last few years. We also have a number of players who know what it takes to win a World Cup and their knowledge will be very valuable.

“We’re going to England with the hopes of a nation on our shoulders and we would really like to make our country proud, but we’re under no illusions about how tough it will be.

“The gap between all the nations playing in the tournament has shrunk over the years and this will probably be the closest World Cup yet. But the players have really worked very hard over the last two months and by time we get to Eastbourne for our first match, we’ll hopefully be firing on all cylinders.

“The best medical scenarios were taken into consideration with the selection process. Our medical team have worked incredibly hard with these players and we’re confident they will be ready to be considered to play Japan.

“Although they have not been able to train fully with the rest of the squad at times, they have really worked hard on their fitness and all of them are incredibly fit, some of them in the best shape of their lives.

“The Boks have generally done very well at previous tournaments and our aim will be to build on that. A lot of our players featured in 2007 and 2011 and will know what it takes to succeed. There is a lot of talk about the permutations for the quarter-finals, but our aim is only on the first game, against Japan.

“The past two or three days have been trying and emotional for me. All these guys put their bodies on the line. All these guys are good enough. So, to deliver that news that they haven’t made the squad is tough.

“Guys were bursting into tears when they found out they were in the group of 31. Others were crying when they found out they hadn’t made it. That is always tough for a coach, because you want to help players realise their dreams. It’s hard, the margins are so small.

“What was great to see is that most of those guys stood up and said, listen we’re very jealous, but we support you guys, you don’t just represent the country but you also represent us. We are behind you, and when there are injuries, we will be ready.

“I see these players more than I see my own kids, and they see me probably more than they see their own fathers. You’re not working with numbers, you’re working with people.

“Frans had a really bad time. We had a great chat at the beginning of the year. He really wants to play for the Boks again. He admitted that he’s made mistakes. His brother passing was really emotional. When I spoke to him about my decision he said he understood. He was so positive though, he said: “Coach, whenever you need me, I’m on the next flight”.

“Frans then gave me hug and had tears in his eyes. I had tears in my eyes. There were so many players like that, who were close to making selection.”

What the players said (Forwards)

Duane Vermeulen:

“I think this is the fittest I’ve been in quite some time, I’ve not really had a pre-season like this for a while. I’m very confident and happy with how I am, and there are still a couple of weeks to go before we leave for the World Cup. I should be able to start taking contact on the field from next week and then it should hopefully be downhill from there. It obviously was a serious injury, but all the medical guys are happy. At the time we discussed managing the injury, I wish I’d actually just gone in to have surgery because then I may have been ready a bit sooner than I am. It was a difficult time, especially when I was told I needed to do the surgery, but it’s all worked out well in the end. I’m hungry, I want to hit the pitch running, I want to take contact, tackle guys, carry the ball. I’m so keen to get back into action. It’s never nice being sidelined, and I’m so excited to be over that.”

Schalk Burger:

“When I returned to rugby, making it to this World Cup was the big goal, but to be here is surreal. It’s a great privilege to be involved in another World Cup, but now the big work starts. We want to perform on the world stage, we won it back in 2007 and there is no greater feeling. It doesn’t really feel like my fourth World Cup, but obviously going into a big tournament like this, I’ve experienced the good and the bad over the years, and hopefully those experiences will all stand me in good stead. This is going to be a very special experience, in 2003 I was just a youngster coming out all guns blazing. Now I’m in a different phase of life with a young family. I’ve obviously gone through quite a bit, but I think I’m probably a better rugby player for it. What I may lack in what I had in the physical aspects, I think I’ve probably gained in wisdom and skill set. I think the plan at the beginning of the year was to do the utility job, and I did it at the Stormers as well, so while I’ve been starting at No 8 recently, Duane has recovered, so wherever they find a spot for me I’ll be happy.”

Siya Kolisi:

“I don’t think you can ever expect to be in the final squad considering how many top quality players there are, particularly in the loose forward department. So it was tough, I had to work hard and fight hard, especially after last season. I had to dig deep to get out of that hole I was in. I’ve worked really hard to get here, and it’s just such an honour and a privilege. It was a tough journey, but that just makes it so much more special. All I want to do is work hard and focus on my game, I can’t put extra pressure on myself, I’m just grateful to be here. This is the ultimate goal, but it’s only the beginning to make the squad, now we need to go and perform at the tournament, and really push ourselves to the limit. As players, we know what we are here to do and we have a common goal. We’re a tight family, and now that the squad is finalised, we can focus fully on the World Cup and that first game against Japan. Hopefully the whole country will get behind us.”

What the players said (Backs)

Jean de Villiers:

“In a way it made us stronger as a squad. I’ve seen how much we’ve grown as a squad since that loss to Argentina. There will always be critics, and I think it’s because people want the Boks to do well. And that’s good if it’s coming from the heart. I’m open to that.”

Rudy Paige:

“I wouldn’t want to say it was a total surprise, the coach did say from the beginning that there was a plan for me, and I’ve been with the squad for a while. But I’m obviously just thrilled with the selection. I had a feeling because I had been training with the team and have been in the mix, although it’s human nature to have some doubts in the back of your head. I couldn’t believe my dream was coming true when Heyneke gave me the news. I can’t wait to put the green and gold on, it’s going to be a massive honour to get that first cap when the opportunity arrives. It’s going to be a great challenge at the World Cup, and personally I’m just so happy to have been included and to be taking on a challenge I haven’t experienced before.”

Fourie du Preez:

“I’d love to be able to say, “Yes, I’m much better than I was in 2007 and 2011″, but to be honest, I’m probably not. Age does have an effect, and there have been some injury setbacks. But I think I’ve learned a lot over the last few years, and that I now make better decisions and can perhaps help the team a lot more in different ways than I could previously. I can’t say I’m 100% confident [about my fitness], but I’m working towards that goal and still have two weeks of training to go. It’s still a bit of a process for me to get to where I want to be, but I’m confident I’ll get there. I’ve worked really hard to get here. My plan was to hopefully play in a couple of Rugby Championship games and play myself into the team, and although that couldn’t happen in the end, I’ll continue to work very hard and hopefully I’ll still have the opportunity to get myself into the form I want to be.”