Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer yesterday hailed his tenure as a success despite a lack of notable silverware over the last four years.
In his four years in charge the Boks have won the Nelson Mandela Challenge Plate in 2013 and 2014, while they also boast two clean sweeps on the end-of-year tour before winning the Rugby World Cup bronze medal.
“You can use stats for whatever benefit but if you look at the last four years, with the exception of the All Blacks, we have the best winning record, we've scored by far the most tries, and the second least tries conceded,” Meyer said on the team's arrival in the country.
“I believe we’ve achieved a lot, the one thing we haven't achieved is winning the World Cup, we got close.”
Meyer's kick-and-suffocate playing philosophy came under severe scrutiny during the World Cup as an outdated and ineffective approach to the game. The Bok mentor believes, however, he would be able to steer the team in a different direction, provided he had buy-in from all stakeholders in South African rugby.
“If we plan for the future, we definitely have the resources and knowledgeable people but we need to work together as a nation,” he said.
“I think SA Rugby is doing some great things but we need to work together as a nation.
“Only then can we catch the best team in the world, we need to look at what they do and do it better.”
Meyer said South Africa needed to follow in New Zealand's footsteps and ensure there was continuity in terms of the coaching staff.
The Springboks suffered an embarrassing defeat to Japan in their opening match of the tournament before getting their campaign back on track.
They advanced to the semi-final where they lost by two points to eventual champions New Zealand.
New Zealand retained the services of then head coach Graham Henry after their quarter-final exit at the 2007 Rugby World Cup in France.
Four years later they won the title on home soil before assistant coach Steve Hansen took over.
“If you just look at Henry and Hansen, who coached Wales, they didn't win any World Cups but they've learned from it,” Meyer said.
“They got back to New Zealand; Henry was under huge pressure but New Zealand kept him on for another four years and with Hansen they came back and won the World Cup.
“Hansen is still there after 12 years and they are more or less the same coaching team that won it again.”
Meyer said South Africa had the potential to do as well as the All Blacks did over the last eight years and he would convince a Saru review committee in December that he should be retained as Bok coach.
“We have unbelievable talent but we have to nurture and develop them,” he said.
“If you see how close we got and I don't think we are playing at 50 percent of our potential.”
The 48-year-old said he would present a report to the Saru committee and was willing to serve South African rugby even if his contract was not renewed until the next World Cup in 2019 in Japan.
“It is not for me to decide but I am just here to serve no matter in what capacity. I just love rugby and South African rugby, I love the Springboks – it’s great to be involved and if I can be involved in future it would be great,” Meyer said. - The Star