Heyneke Meyer’s worst nightmare is coming true – just two months out from the World Cup.
There is still no certainty his captain Jean de Villiers, who tore knee ligaments last November but has seemingly made a miraculous recovery to be in line to lead the team in England, will actually be fit. He still has to prove himself in the heat of battle and now Meyer’s key loose-forward, Duane Vermeulen, is also a World Cup doubt.
News that the big No8, without doubt the best eighthman in the country and potentially the best in the business, has to undergo a neck operation “to give him his best chance of making it to the World Cup” will have come as a hammer-blow to Meyer.
But it’s not only the fitness of these two major figures that will be worrying Meyer; several other men the Bok boss is banking on in England are still battling to be fit.
Lock Pieter-Steph du Toit – regarded by many as the man who should wear the No5 on his back in England – hasn’t played in months and along with centre Frans Steyn, the duo have been released from the Bok squad to continue their rehabilitation in Durban. Also, Meyer’s first choice scrumhalf, Fourie du Preez, tore medial collateral ligaments a few weeks ago and is unlikely to be fit to play for some time. Other players recently on the sidelines include Heinrich Brüssow (arm), Schalk Burger (groin), Lood de Jager (elbow), Patrick Lambie (neck), Lionel Mapoe (knee), Cobus Reinach (hand) and Jan Serfontein (hip and knee).
Prop Coenie Oosthuizen, in whom Meyer has invested so much in the last three years, also recently underwent neck surgery, putting him in doubt for the World Cup. Willem Alberts, a key member of Meyer’s first choice loose-trio, has an ankle injury, something that has plagued him for months now.
It’s not looking to good for the Boks when all these injuries are tallied and the worrying news is there could well be a few more in the weeks ahead.
The Boks have five matches before boarding the plane to England and the chances of no one picking up a serious injury in this time is almost zilch. But, we always like to boast about the quality of depth in this country, so there shouldn’t be a problem, right? What is certain is that Meyer is going to have to box very clever in the build-up to the World Cup.
Expect only a handful of Meyer’s first choice men to face the World XV, Australia, Argentina and New Zealand in the coming months. It’s not worth the risk, but then Meyer also won’t want his best men to not have played in months come the World Cup. Meyer’s man management skills will now be tested like no other time. - The Star