Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer has made some interesting comments during a press conference held during the first day of the team’s training ahead of the End of year Tour.
The coach named a player that could form the 32nd player of the squad in Marco Wentzel, stating that the player is the best 5 lock in the premiership and is officially on standby. Apparently there are some issues to sort out with the player’s club.
Other comments include looking at Francois Hougaard mainly as a wing during this tour, despite the player stating that he would rather be backup scrumhalf than play wing.
The coach has also mentioned that mistakes have been made in the past in calling up players based on Currie Cup form alone, and that some of those players were never heard of again. This comment could see Raymond Rhule not taking any part in the tour , as he has not played any Super Rugby to date.
More on this as news comes through.
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this is bullshit.marco wentzel the best lock in the premiership???? i don’t think so. this would be the ideal opportunity to give anton bresler a go.he had a very good season in my opinion and is way better than franco van der merwe also.
@jovner (Comment 1) : You forget that Bresler does not wear the blou. That’s the biggest requirement for any Bok as stated by ChrisS in his piece yesterday.
Another thing is that Wentzel was at Leicester Tigers when Meyer was the coach so again this is a coach who is living in a comfort zone and is only picking players (and staff) that he knows.
@Butchie34 (Comment 2) :
Have you ever considered that Meyer probably doesn’t rate Bresler??
I think Anton has had a good season but this ‘maak die Sharks almal Bokke’ attitude is a bit boring don’t you think?? 😈
@Butchie34 (Comment 2) : “You forget that Bresler does not wear the blou.”
Well, there’s that and also the fact that he doesn’t command the lineout as is expected from a number five lock.
@wpw (Comment 3) :
I agree that not all the performing Sharks can be Boks..
BUT, to play a 33 year old has been ahead of a 24 year old performing lock (both Super Rugby and Currie Cup) is a bit of a joke!?
This especially since the coach is talking long term and working towards the next world cup. Wentzel will be 36 when the World Cup comes around?!
Interesting option. I liked him when he played in SA and apparently he is in good form.
@wpw (Comment 3) : It is boring, but I’m not following the tack of “Maak al die Sharks Bokke”. There are many players in the Bok setup at the moment who are not in form or are even second to other players.
Jano Vermaak – Cobus Reinach/Nic Groom (if you’re arguing for building for the future, why not expose one of these two to Springbok rugby. Both deserve to be there ahead of Jano who is third choice and will only get to play if Pienaar and that wing Hougaard are injured).
Arno Botha – apparently he’s a Springbok captain in waiting I don’t see it. To be honest, he only probably got selected because Jacques Potgieter is injured)
Zane Kirchner – Mr Reliable and Mr Boring. Players like Gio Aplon and Louis Ludik would offer more (in my opinion)
Morne Steyn – the poor guy deserves a break from rugby. Let him sit at home and have a cold one while watching the game with his family. There are already two other flyhalves in the squad. Hardly necessary to go with three and the two going are two out of three options for the future.
@vanmartin (Comment 4) : Let’s be honest though… Wentzel isn’t going to get any game time either so it’s pretty much moot.
Going forward to RWC 2015 I’d take Juandre Kruger as my number 5. Bekker is good, but unfortunately it seems as though he’s made of glass and you never know when he’s just going to breakdown.
… And my Xmas wish this year… New Bok coach please! Can’t stand this lunatic anymore!
@catfish (Comment 9) : Seconded
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 5) : Did you notice that Lambie is listed as a fullback even though he has come out and said he wants to play flyhalf?
@Butchie34 (Comment 2) : Where is HM’s integrity?Why choose a player who couldn’t make it in SA?Only reason can be that they want to save travelling expenses to UK to pay HM & crew a bonus!!! 😆
@markm (Comment 12) : Good question. But I think at the end of the day, it doesn’t really matter too much because Wentzel won’t get a game. It might have something to do with the costs involved which is sad.
@wpw (Comment 3) : No, no, not all the Sharks – Otherwise the Boks won’t even be able to win against WP! 🙁
who?? 🙄
@markm (Comment 12) :
“Where is HM’s integrity?” and you are only asking this now, I ve been wondering about this very thought since he said he dropped Daniel for the All Blacks and said that he (Daniel) would play against the Aussies. Daniel has not had a sniff since then.
@wpw (Comment 3) :
Only the intellectually-bankrupt need default to the same old argument at every turn.
Read the facts and tell me what leads you to believe that Wentzel is better. 🙄
@Big Fish (Comment 17) :
Nice one bro.
Thanks for the insult.
I don’t care that Wentzel is with the Boks as he will more than likely carry tackle bags on tour.
Remember when Jake White selected an over the hill Andre Snyman to play on the wing for the Boks?
Did it make sense back then??
Does this selection make sense?? 😕
If HM rated Bresler he would have selected him ages ago – he clearly doesn’t rate him. 😐
@Big Fish (Comment 17) :
Btw, I didnt defend Wentzel’s selection.
Boy but you guys are sensitive of late.
I wonder why… 🙄
@wpw (Comment 18) : But then one can also argue that if Meyer rated Wentzel he would have selected him ages ago.
Sammy
Maybe he wanted a player that is used to NH playing conditions.
Etzebeths lock partner is right nere in SA, it should be PSDT and not Bresler, a rare talent.
But how does one blame HM when the Sharks are now playing him back in the U21’s? and also playing him at 7 and not 5???.
WP had an injury and gave Etzebeth a chance….. the rest is history.
I know some will say i am crazy, but i firmly believe like Lambie and Coetzee, PSDT is taht kind of talent.
All players have talent, they wopuld not be there if they did not, BUT, along come certain players who are just that cut above the rest.
To be honest I would not get worked up over Wentzel being selected for EOYT to carry tackle bags. There are 4 locks in the squad already – Etzebeth, Kruger, Flip and Franco.
At this stage it will benefit Bresler a lot more to work with the Sharks hookers in the off-season to improve the lineout for next year. He does not have enough of a line out presence at this stage to be a 5 lock for the Boks.
@wpw (Comment 21) : Fine, but then why take any SA based, players why not pick 30 NH based players. 👿
@sharks_lover (Comment 22) : Sorry i was meaning future.
Not calling for PSDT to be included in the Boks setup right now, That chance went away when he got injured and came back to be a flank.
@wpw (Comment 21) : Both Gerhardt Mostert and Bakkies are playing up north, and having spoken to one or two peeps i know that live in the UK, well one being a pom has said very recently, that the most inform lock in the HC is Bakkies,
Can you imagine Etzebeth and Bakkies in partnership and in great form???
bresler this, bresler that…hehehe 😆
Just throwing this out there, who is covering 12 if Jean De Villiers doesn’t pass the fitness test?
@Orelando_G (Comment 28) : de jongh…
@wpw (Comment 21) : Marco Wentzel is a 2-cap Bok (2002 vintage); he is a boy from George. He & HM have a player/coach relationship spanning many years, great distances, different environments & various “clubs” (the SWD Eagles, the Bulls, the Leicester Tigers… & now perhaps the Bokke?)
Does Bresler even qualify to play for SA? As he was born in Namibia. Does he have citizenship with you guys?
Marko is a Good Mate of mine, but I am glad I have a alias for what I am about to say:’what a shocker’!!!
Hero to Zero and Back in 10years…Heyneke has lost the plot completely.
That said he can give Jeandre Kruger a Rugby lesson any day.
Lol at the arguments for both Wentzel and Bresler.
You lot are as colour-blind as HM.
@BoerSeun (Comment 32) : agree, he’s completely lost the plot now
‘I don’t believe you should try too many
things at Test level, that is for Super Rugby.
But I’ve also said I wanted to use the tour
to see one or two different combinations.
I’ve always been honest with Patrick and
said that if he wants to be a Test 10 he has
to improve his tactical kicking game and he
has definitely worked hard on it,’ Meyer
said.
‘You need a tactical 10 in Test rugby. Dan
Carter, for example, was excellent in
turning us in Soweto and that’s the type of
kicking game we’ll need. Pat has the
potential to be a great flyhalf. After this
year I want to stick with two flyhalves that
I’ll take through to the World Cup.’
@Megatron (Comment 27) : Do you have a problem with Bresler???? At least he is one of the decent guys I know and would not leave crappy comments and insult other people.
@Argex (Comment 31) : Bresler was born in Namibia but is a SA citizen. At this stage he does not have Namibian citizenship because Namibia does not allow dual citizenship. He could have played for Namibia if he was interested in going there.
@sharks_lover (Comment 22) : Etzebeth came in for Elstadt. If Elstadt (who everyone seems to have forgotten about) can get his 2011 form back and remain injury-free then he may surpass Eben again for that number 4 lock spot.
Having both of them in the match day 22 would be amazing! The new Bakkies and Danie show
@Marge (Comment 36) : I have no problem with Bresler and I can tell you he is not Springbok material yet,
WAY TOO MANY people look at good CC performances and say a player should be a Springbok. bresler didn’t really stand out once the Boks were back.
If we are short of a lock, why not choose someone who has proven himself at Currie Cup, Super Rugby and International level, is based overseas and is a strong leader…like Johann Muller
@Orelando_G (Comment 40) :
Muller would have been on stand by – had he not been injured..
@KSA Shark © (Comment 39) :
Bresler played in every Super Rugby match that got us to the final, so I do not think that the hype is only around Currie Cup performance.
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 41) : My bad, didn’t realise that.
@Orelando_G (Comment 43) :
I only heard this last night, it should have been in the article..
@KSA Shark © (Comment 39) : Well put. Bresler certainly was one of the hardest working locks in the CC this year but unfortunately he’s not the complete package at this point in time.
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 42) : Chadwick played in every CC game that got us to the final as well. 🙂
In the SR he was a solid lock but certainly not one of the star SA locks that would warrant a Springbok call up.
@vanmartin (Comment 45) : yep, hardworking blah blah blah…how many times this year did i hear sharks fans complaining about your lineout being rubbish and bresler is supposed to be the man behind it…last saturday your lineout again was raped, what did bresler do?
nothing!
@Megatron (Comment 47) : What do you think of Elstadt’s Bok chances next year? He was initially ahead of Etzebeth in the Stormer’s pecking order before he got injured I think.
@ChrisS (Comment 48) :
Elstadt is actually a flank – and I am sure I read that that is his preferred position as well, so we can expect him on the side of the scrum next year..
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 49) : Pity. I was really impressed with him last year at 4. Do you think he has the potential to fulfill the same role as Danie Rossouw did? He’s got mongrel and I think the Boks need that!
@ChrisS (Comment 50) :
I agree with him being impressive last year, but again, he lacks that consistency as he hasn’t featured this year.
As a flank, I don’t think he will feature for the Boks, maybe as a utility player, but he will have to have a really special Super Rugby campaign – which I thin kis unlikely, as he is behind a few players in both lock and flank?!
@KSA Shark © (Comment 46) :
Changing your argument. You said the hype was from CC – Rich pointed out that was wrong. Debate over the QUALITY of his SR performances is a different issue altogether.
You been attending trolling classes with some SW regulars perhaps?
@ChrisS (Comment 48) : he is a 7 that was asked to play 4, he did so well they kept him there the whole year last year…i see him in the danie rossouw role ie lock/flank in the long run for both WP and maybe Boks…he needs to work on his discipline though, a little vuil.
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 51) : He’s been injured a lot this year so I don’t think it’s a question of him being inconsistent.
I hope that he can push Etzebeth hard for his position as that can only benefit Bok rugby.
@Megatron (Comment 53) : I’d like to see him get a shot as I feel that he’ll bring a hard edge to the Boks!
Keen to see him, Etzebeth, Vermeulen and Schalk operating in tandem. Bekker has also added a hard edge to his game.
@Big Fish (Comment 52) : 😯
All I’m saying is just because a player played in every game getting a team to the final, doesn’t mean he should be considered a star.
Meyer Bosman played every game as well, why isn’t everyone calling for his Bok inclusion?
@KSA Shark © (Comment 56) : We need an SA A Team that tours on an EOYT and plays against high quality opposition and not just club sides. That way fringe players who have performed in the Currie Cup can gain higher level exposure and stake a claim for a Bok spot in the future.
The Maori All Blacks side is doing just that for NZ rugby!
@ChrisS (Comment 57) : Giving the guys more exposure is great idea, but then we need to cut a competition elsewhere, there is to much rugby already.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 58) : Not necessarily – the Boks are the guys with really high work loads. The fringe players would not be in the Bok squad anyway
@Bokhoring (Comment 59) : Yes but the Boks are the ones burning out and are then replenished with fringe players. If we have the Boks AND the fringe players burning out then who replaces THEM?
If you guys are taling about a 2-3match tour or tournament once a year then that is fine, but I’ve heard calls in the past for a SA A tour or a 4Nations championship for the A sides etc.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 56) :
😈
@KSA Shark © (Comment 60) : Personally I would prefer the midweek matches we used to have on EOYT, or an under 23 team that takes part in some tournament.
At the moment the under 20 world cup plays that role for us, but I do believe the age gap between that and senior Bok rugby is too much.
@Megatron (Comment 47) : What’s your point? Did you read my whole my comment before replying at least? Did your see comment 4? 🙄
@Bokhoring (Comment 62) :
Only if you name isnt Eben Etsebeth!
@ChrisS (Comment 57) : the maori all blacks team is not a NZ A side. it is a hodge-podge of kiwi players that only have maori wakapapa (heritage) as the common denominator.