While the 22-17 scoreline might have flattered England in Durban, Meyer expects a backlash from the English as they will be desperate to win the second test and restore some pride.
And he is right, for as impressive as the second-half domination was by the Boks, there were moments when England looked impressive. There were moments when they caught the Boks and, but for a lack of finishing ability, were also a force in the game.
Now with a week to rectify their mistakes, and knowing Meyer’s single-mindedness in attack, England will be preparing for a Bok game plan crafted on the second-half battering they received. Their hope will be to move the ball around more, creating holes on the outside and trying to move the Bok pack around the field until the openings come.
This isn’t uncommon with teams that Meyer has coached over the years, with defence becoming a key element in the execution of the game plan, and Meyer is keen to drum home the mantra that the Boks can’t afford to relax in any way.
This is why the Bok coach has been hammering home the importance of lifting standards. England won’t be the same team this weekend, and will know they need to lift their game if they are to stand a chance. Their 54-26 win over the SA Southern Barbarians in Kimberley would have emboldened them, even if the Barbarian team was a side that had no real chance of avoiding the scoreline anyway.
And for Meyer as well it is a new challenge. Facing the same foe twice in a different guise brings more tactical questions. Predicting the opposition changes and the way they will play will be as important as concentrating on upping your own game.
“It was probably the first time in my career that I planned on playing the same team in two successive weeks. It is strange, because in Super Rugby you are used to facing a different team every week, whereas now the challenge is the same team,” Meyer explained.
NEW CHALLENGES
“The great thing for us is that we want to focus on our own game and there are a lot of things we need to improve on. There are so many things that we got wrong, and we have got high standards. It makes it easier because the guys have been together for more than a week now and we know what to expect.
“But we know England will change their tactics. They will want to keep the ball in hand more and try and move us around. They did well when they did that in Durban. We want to concentrate on our own game though, and it is important that we lift our standards on Saturday.”
This same call has been echoed by players the entire week. No letting up now, an increase in intensity and accuracy filters through every press conference and interview. The Boks were edgy last week because they had not had time together. This week there is even less of an excuse.
Meyer knows this all too well; reminding all who would listen that it isn’t as simple as picking up where the team left off on Saturday. Test rugby rarely works like that. This time around, while the opposition will be the same, there will be new challenges, new situations to make new decisions. It will be as much tactical as it is physical. This is why the Bok coach isn’t trumpeting the “we have to start well” card.
“I’d love to have a great start, but you are only as good as the opposition allows you to be. England are a great team, especially at the breakdown and it is difficult to get quick ball from them. They did this well in the first half and we struggled to get quick ball, and as a result struggled to get our gameplan going,” he explained.
“We always want a great start, but that is the nature of test rugby. We want to end like we finished the second half, but every test match has its own nature, and its own culture, its own personality.
“In test match rugby you have to grind down opposition, you have to hammer away and hopefully the holes will open in the second half. “
Either way the Boks know they will need to up their game. Not only because England will up theirs, but because it is simply what Meyer demands of them.
Source: SuperSport
