Shanghai – Eight years ago, the World Cup champion Springboks were named the 2007 team of the year at the Laureus Sports Awards. A day before the 2015 Awards, Heyneke Meyer, sat in a room at the Shanghai Grand Theatre and hinted as to how he planned to emulate Jake White’s side.
In brief, Meyer is keeping an eye on Frans Steyn, who is in a self-imposed exile from the national team, Fourie du Preez’s fitness is being managed, he thinks Jean de Villiers will have recovered in time and believes any one of eight teams could win the World Cup.
“I haven’t had any problems with Frans,” said Meyer. Steyn withdrew from the Springbok squad in June last year after what was claimed to be contractual issues between the 27-year old and Saru. “It wasn’t between me and Frans. We’ve got a good relationship. He came back quite late from Japan so I haven’t spent time with him. I don’t believe there should be egos going into the World Cup. It’s not about me, it’s about the bigger picture and the country. I’ll give everything to win that World Cup for the country. We will look at the best players, who is fit and who is available, it doesn’t matter how young or old they are. It’s going to be tough because a lot of guys have been loyal to us, but you have to pick the best 31.
“Frans is a quality player and if he’s on form we know what he can do. It’s a pity he isn’t playing at the minute because he’s just came back and played one or two games. I’ve always regarded him highly.”
Du Preez said recently he would not be playing any Vodacom Super Rugby ahead of the World Cup, and first will meet up with the Springboks in July ahead of the Castle Rugby Championship. Meyer confirmed this, saying the Springbok management had Du Preez on a programme to manage his fitness.
“I rather want him to be underplayed because we have five games with the Championship and the World Cup and that’s enough to get him 100 percent. After seven games he will be at his peak going into the final. What you don’t want with Fourie, and some of the older guys who are important to us, is to play a full season of Super Rugby, and play all the Championship games and then, when they get to the World Cup, they break down. Fourie has been struggling with a back injury. Last year he had an ankle op.”
Du Preez could well be the Springbok captain at the World Cup with both Jean de Villiers and Victor Matfield currently injured, although Meyer believes De Villiers is on course to return to full fitness for the tournament. He will be fresh, although Meyer prefers not so treat an injury as a chance to “rest”.
“That’s where we have been getting it wrong. Rest is not about not working, rest is about working harder on conditioning, going to the gym four times a week and getting in peak shape, and that’s what we’ve lacked in the past. Players who rest totally are starting from scratch, and you want guys coming back into the team in June and July at 100 percent peak performance. We hope Jean will be ready. He’s a tough customer and is training hard.”