By Ken Borland
JOHANNESBURG Aug 30 (Reuters) – South Africa’s players
believe in the game plan employed by coach Heyneke Meyer and the
environment around the team allows them the freedom to disagree,
Springbok captain Jean de Villiers said on Thursday.
Meyer has been criticised in South Africa for a rigid game
plan revolving around forwards bashing the ball up to get over
the gain line, with the backline generally used to implement the
kicking and territory games the Boks have used in recent years.
South Africa won their opening Rugby Championship match
against Argentina in Cape Town, before being held to a shock
draw last weekend in Mendoza by the debutants in the southern
hemisphere competition formerly known as the Tri-Nations.
“When you don’t live up to expectations then you will be
criticised,” de Villiers told a news conference at Soweto’s
Orlando Stadium.
“But the important thing is that we believe in what we are
doing, we are set on a game plan that we believe can produce
winning rugby.
“We definitely don’t feel like it’s a dictatorship. Heyneke
is a new coach trying to get his message across as to how he
wants us to play. But we’re all grown-ups, if we disagree then
we’ll stand up and say so.
“We believe in what the coach is trying to do, if that
changes, then I believe our environment, the system the team
operates in, allows us to have the space to express our views.”
While the Springboks were panned for playing
one-dimensional, forward-dominated rugby against Argentina, de
Villiers said he felt the backline had been more effective than
they were given credit for.
Continued…
