Bok exodus worrying Meyer

Heyneke Meyer is happy for Richardt Strauss but the Springbok coach admits that the rising tide of South African players into the arms of covetous European unions is a serious cause for concern.

Strauss should make his debut for Ireland against his native country this Saturday at Lansdowne Road but he hasn’t been alone in swapping ambitions of wearing one green jersey for the possibility of donning another three years down the line.

Leinster added Stormers lock Quinn Roux to their roster this summer while CJ Stander has left the Bulls for Munster. Both are ‘project players’ meaning they will qualify to play for Ireland if, like Strauss, they spend three seasons here.

“Yes, obviously concerned,” said Meyer. “You want the best players in South Africa. I don’t think suddenly we’ve a lot of guys leaving without affecting the depth that we had. There’s a perception that we had all this depth.”

The extent of the problem hit home for Meyer on Sunday when he sat down in his hotel room on arrival in Dublin and, after working through a list of names, realised that there is an “unbelievably strong” Springbok team playing overseas right now.

“Every single position, there is a great player that’s playing overseas,” he pointed out. “Obviously, while CJ is a brilliant openside, a brilliant loose forward, he could easily get on and play for Ireland. He’s good enough.

“But then again, South Africa has so many loose forwards. In a sense, you want to keep him but also see him play international rugby. It’s a professional game. They have to look after their families and their future.”

Meyer went on to express the hope that Stander, at least, would return home one day and wear the Bok emblem on his chest and the string of events that has led to Saracens’ Schalk Brits earning a recall may well give him cause to ponder such a possibility.

It is four years since the hooker won the last of his four caps, against Australia in Perth, but a rake of injuries left Meyer turning to Europe and digging out the 31-year old’s number and you would imagine that must give Strauss some pause for thought this week too.

“I thought somebody was taking the piss out of me,” Brits admitted in Dublin yesterday. “I got a text from (Meyer) and I’ve had it before from my mates telling me I’m in the Springboks squad and it’s never happened... I’m in and so I’m really over the moon at this opportunity.”

Brits cancelled a trip to New York with his wife to accept his country’s call and he will be one of four European-based Boks — Ulster’s Ruan Pieenar, Bath’s Francois Louw and Gurthro Steenkamp of Toulouse are the others — filling some of the voids this next few weeks.

Like Pienaar, he will be familiar with this week’s opponents given he packed down opposite Cian Healy, Strauss and Mike Ross at Wembley and again at the RDS two seasons back when Leinster did the double on Saracens in the pool stages of the Heineken Cup.

As he pointed out yesterday, Sarries “were pumped by Leinster” in that Dublin get-to but the volume of casualties on both sides of the frontlines this week make it difficult to predict exactly who will be favoured to prevail if that quartet get to revive their rivalry.

With Ireland forced to delve as deeply into their reserves, there is an air of unpredictability surrounding the occasion and a hint of desperation too, perhaps, given South Africa’s less than imperious Rugby Championship form and Ireland’s haunting 60-0 defeat last time out in Waikato.

“They are a quality side,” Meyer protested when Ireland’s All Black drubbing was presented for inspection. “They are unbelievably experienced. I know the coaching staff quite well. I have a lot of respect for Gert (Smal) as a forwards coach and I’ve worked with Less Kiss and coached against him. He is a great attack and defence coach.

“If you look at that (60-0), it’s history, but if you look at that series they could have won the second Test. They played superbly. They could have won the match. You can’t just look at one performance.

“The All Blacks are the type of team that, if they catch you on a certain day, they can score quick tries and you have to chase the game. That’s what happened us in the last test match as well.

“When I look at that result, I think they will be even more dangerous. Guys always lift it for the Springboks, especially at home. If you look at the last four games (between Ireland and South Africa), we’ve won one out of four, which is not a good record. So, a lot of respect.”