‘We as Meyers do not ever give up,’ says defiant Bok coach

02 November 2015 - 02:06 By Craig Ray

Springbok rugby coach Heyneke Meyer will not walk away from the job even though he has come in for some fair and unfair criticism in the past couple of weeks after the Boks finished their campaign in third place at the World Cup. He is defiant, and believes he can be a part of the solution to finding a way forward for the Boks ."I'm a proud man and I see it as a honour to coach the Boks," Meyer said."But like I've said to my children, we Meyers do not ever give up and we never give up on each other."I lost 11 out of 11 with the Bulls. I was fired, vilified and spat at. But I came back every time and the team won trophies and eventually the Super Rugby title."In one season we lost four of our first five and everyone wrote the Bulls off, but we came back to make the semifinals, so giving up is not in my make-up."Leadership is about being able to stand in front when times are tough, not when it's going well."I'm excited about our squad and the quality of the youngsters who are coming through."It took five years of full-time coaching at Super Rugby level to win the title, so it's tough, but I will never walk away."Meyer has admitted his mistakes but an honest assessment of the Springbok rugby cannot ignore the declining standards of provincial rugby in South Africa.The Stormers were the only team to make the Super Rugby play-offs this year, and that only because they were the SA Conference winners. Their points tally would have put them seventh on the standings...

There’s never been a more important time to support independent media.

From World War 1 to present-day cosmopolitan South Africa and beyond, the Sunday Times has been a pillar in covering the stories that matter to you.

For just R80 you can become a premium member (digital access) and support a publication that has played an important political and social role in South Africa for over a century of Sundays. You can cancel anytime.

Already subscribed? Sign in below.



Questions or problems? Email helpdesk@timeslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00.