Kolisi, Paige give Meyer thumbs-up
SPRINGBOK coach Heyneke Meyer can stay, flanker Siya Kolisi said sheepishly when the Boks returned trophy-less to South Africa from the World Cup on Tuesday morning. Kolisi spent the bulk of the Rugby World Cup sitting on some of the most comfortable stadium seats Britain had to offer and appeared in the opening two games off the bench.
Moreover, in 13 tests since making his debut against Scotland in 2013, he has never started a game under Meyer. Still, Kolisi was diplomatic despite the wave of criticism against M e y e r, following the failed campaign in the UK and the four years of stagnation over which the coach has presided. “Yes, yes he [Meyer] can continue,” Kolisi said.
“We definitely wanted to do better than we did. “We didn’t start the tournament well but we came back strongly, only to lose by just two points to the All Blacks. “I wanted to play more than I did but the most important thing is the team and the coach make the final selections in the end. I was happy to be there and being part of the effort to win it. “We have to continue on this path because we played well in the latter matches of the tournament and we have to build on what we’ve got,” the flanker added.
December 5, the day after the South African Rugby Union general council deliberate on his future, will either be Armageddon for Meyer or the first day of another four-year term. Despite leaving behind a trail of ignominious losses in the past year and doing little to advance transformation goals, Meyer wants to remain in the job.
Kolisi, 24, said the Boks had to work well in advance in order to do well at the next World Cup in Japan in 2019. He added that the imminent exits from international rugby of Schalk Burger – and, possibly, Willem Alberts – did not guarantee that he would inherit a Bok start next year. “What I’ve learnt is that you’ve got to start working four years before the time – you can’t just start building when you get there,” Kolisi said.
“Personally, I felt I was horrible for two years and then I had to push harder last year and this year to try to make it back into the team. “This was honestly thebest experience I’ve ever had in a Springbok team, even though I didn’t play that much.” Scrumhalf Rudy Paigewas also satisfied with the supporting role he played at the World Cup, despite getting just three minutesof game-time in the inconsequential last game against Argentina.
Between Kolisi and Paige, the pair combined for less than 80 minutes ofplaying time during the entire World Cup – 68 to be exact. “It was a brilliant experience and I learnt so muchfrom Fourie [Du Preez] and Ruan [Pienaar],” Paige said.
“I got to see what the best in the world could do. Now it is up to me to take that experience and use it to become a better player for my country and club [province].“I told myself before the start of theWorld Cup that even if I don’t play a single minute I’ll be part of a greatteam and that personal stuff was not an issue,” Paige added. -Sbu Mjikeliso
