Meyer: Future for Boks bright, despite World Cup exit

The southern hemisphere nations consolidated their positions as the top four in world rugby after a weekend of battle that resulted in the top two, New Zealand and Australia, moving through to this Saturday’s final. “Central contracting would help with control over players, but essentially, we need to beat New Zealand teams week in and week out at Super Rugby level to build confidence”.

Trailing 12-7 at the break at a wet Twickenham, the defending champions scored the only try of the second half and the Springboks had wing Bryan Habana sin-binned as the All Blacks emerged 20-18 victors. “They’ve all experienced that now and I think there’s a big future for them in the Springbok team”. “We need to get out belief back because at a few stage it was lost”.

I said at half time that I felt the All Blacks would win as long as they stayed in the South African half, and generally that was what they were able to do.

And then there’s the matter of the future of Stuart Lancaster who had one more year, admittedly, to get the hosts into shape at a home tournament, failed to get them out of their pool.

Let’s face it, barring the Japanese mugging in their group opener, the Boks never disappointed and I wouldn’t exactly call a two point losing margin against the greatest team on the planet a disgrace either.

Cool heads and making the right decisions can be the difference.

Matfield, 38, accepts he will not be around to play alongside those rising stars, but hopes to sign off with a victory in the World Cup third-place play-off on Friday. “It was the flawless game”.

When Meyer and the Boks looks for positives from this World Cup, it is the performances of their youngsters that will stand out.

Henry predicted that the Boks would come unstuck once they were fronted physically, and although somehow the determination of the South Africans kept it to a two-point game, sure enough what Henry said would happen did happen in the semifinal.

I don’t believe in loser talk. “I just said, “Well done, you guys were better and good luck for the final”. I’m just thinking about today now and I’m always there to serve.

There were plenty of good bits in the All Blacks game, especially the lineout, which managed to knick a few against the throw, and for the most part their scrum was solid… those penalties at scrum time are so 50-50, especially when you’re going forward. “We need teams to start fearing the Boks again”.

Victor Matfield (centre) wants a good last game for retiring Boks.