Meyer: 'Hougaard will rock Europe'
Sun, 05 Oct 2008 20:35
Big dreams: Tigers boss Heyneke Meyer
South African flyhalf Derick Hougaard, who enjoyed a winning debut for Leicester Tigers on Saturday in kicking 14 points in the 19-15 EDF Energy Cup win over Bath, is going to light up the European stage.
Hougaard, 25, playing under his former Blue Bulls coach Heyneke Meyer, had to wait to make his bow for the English giants because of a shoulder injury, but he made up for lost time with three penalties, a match-winning drop-goal as well as converting Ben Youngs' try.
Having first made his mark on the first class stage with a record points haul in the Bulls' 2002 Currie Cup Final win over the Lions, the eight-times capped Springbok showed all the qualities that Meyer looks for in a No.10.
"It's great to have a guy who is used to playing tactically and we used our chances better in the game," Meyer said of Hougaard after Tigers' win in the First Round match at the Recreation Ground at the weekend.
"You need a very good No.10 in these competitions and Derrick is a good tactical player who can turn a game around.
"He will be one of the best players in the [Guinness] Premiership, especially as he learns to play in different conditions. He's got a lot to offer."
The fans were deprived of seeing an all-South African kicking duel when Bath, with one eye of their European Cup opener against Toulouse next week, rested World Cup-winning Springbok flyhalf Butch James.
But Meyer is convinced that Hougaard, who helped him win the 2007 Super 14 title, will make it big on the European stage as well.
Hougaard, who made his Bok debut at the 2003 World Cup and played his last Test against New Zealand Christchurch last year, failed to make the World Cup squad that won the trophy in France - with James and André Pretorius the specialist No.10s.
He was somewhat reserved in his reaction with his impressive start in Europe.
"The game didn't start very well for me, but I got into the groove," Hougaard said of his debut for the Tigers - the first team other than the Bulls he played for since making his first class debut as a 19-year-old in 2002.
"I didn't panic, just tried to keep myself focused. With a slight lead and wind advantage for the second half we knew we were in a good position."
It was Hougaard's 70th-minute drop-goal that finally put the game out of Bath's reach, but he confessed that he thought there was even less time left when the kick went over.
"Actually, I was looking at the wrong clock and I thought there was only couple of minutes left," he admitted.
