2012 S15 Stormers

[qwerty51]

Quality player, wondered where he went last season.

 

[PaarlBok]

Official now
WP site

WP Rugby today announced the return of Joe Pietersen from French Top 14 Club, Bayonne. Pietersen,, who is equally comfortable at wing and fullback and has also helped out at flyhalf, has signed a 2 year deal with Province and will join up with the DHL Stormers for pre-season conditioning on 1 December.
Before leaving for France Pietersen played 56 matches for WP, scoring 345 points (last match 17 October 2009) and 21 matches for the Stormers scoring 107 points in total (last match 29 May 2010).

 

[Blue]

Percy's love child. Good goal kicker as well. Thought it was a loss when he left.

 

[PaarlBok]

Fondse official off to Newcastle and Jantjes maybe a trade for Joe?

 

[PaarlBok]

Deon Carstens maybe back .

 

[PaarlBok]

Stormers summary for the season
WP Rugby

Carstens signs, Grant to return
WP Rugby today confirmed that Peter Grant will return from Japan at the conclusion of the Japanese domestic season, to again play for the DHL Stormers in 2012. In further transfer news, Province announced the signing of versatile front rower Deon Carstens from Saracens in the UK.
Carstens who played 9 tests for SA (the last against the British and Irish Lions in 2009) will join up with the DHL Stormers in early January after having secured a release from his team to return home. Schooled at Franschhoek Primary and Boland Landbou High School, the front rower was one of the most capped Sharks players in his time with the franchise (94 provincial and 84 Super Rugby). With some very promising young props coming through the WP ranks (Kitshoff and Malherbe), Carstens, capable of playing on both sides of the scrum, will add depth and experience to the Province front row players, as well as help mentor and further develop the young talent. Carstens has been signed on a 2 year contract.

Other recently signed players include Joe Pietersen and Gerhard van den Heever. Western Province has strategically this season brought through the ranks, a host of young talent that will be added to senior athletes to form a group with depth, capable of competing in next year's Super Rugby season.

There has been a lot written about an “exodus of young talent” from the WP ranks - here are the facts as they currently stand;

WP has over the past few years put in place structures and facilities to ensure the development and growth of players through its own ranks. This process has been very successful.

The WP Rugby Institute is a top class facility and consistently delivers quality young players capable of playing senior rugby. In 2010 WP U19 and U21's won their respective competitions and both, despite a strategic policy of playing U21 players in the senior competition, reached the play-offs in 2011. WP Rugby, through its Institute, has developed a succession planning structure whereby we develop our own talent and only when and where necessary will we look outside the borders of the Western Province. This year, for example, 11 Institute graduates played Super Rugby and 14 U21's played Currie Cup rugby. These young players assisted in taking us to a Super Rugby SA Conference win and a home semifinal, as well as a Currie Cup semifinal. Obviously, we are not satisfied that we did not win the ultimate prizes. After all that is why we are in the business of professional rugby union.

The coaching and team structures currently in place have ensured the progression of players through the ranks and WP, as demonstrated this Absa Currie Cup season, has a large number of very good young players capable of playing senior rugby. The game is professional and as with any code, players are scarce resources and when out of contract they have mobility to move between teams. Despite media reports which give the impression that WP Rugby does not do everything in its power to retain talent, one must take cognisance of the professional world of sport and that once a player is a free agent and out of contract he will make his own decision. Every season at each rugby province/club players move eg. at the Bulls Gary Botha, Bakkies Botha, Du Preez, Rossouw, Steenkamp, Watermeyer have moved; in New Zealand Ma'a Nonu has moved from the Hurricanes to the Blues, Sonny Bill Williams has moved from the Crusaders to the Chiefs. It is simply a reality of professional sports.

WP Rugby currently has an exceptional group of young players coming through the ranks and crucially the bulk of them have opted to stay with WP. In addition the bulk of the senior players have also opted to remain with WP.

Players that are leaving, or have been released include:
� Lionel Cronje - released from contract to the Bulls.
� Sam Lane - returning to his home country Australia - Sam Lane is Australian and after many years away from his family, who reside in Australia, has decided to return home.
� JJ Engelbrecht - out of contract, offered contract by WP Rugby, but opted to sign for the Bulls.
� Johann Sadie - out of contract, offered contract by WP Rugby, but opted to sign for the Bulls.
� Tim Whitehead - Out of contract, offered contract by WP Rugby, but opted to sign for the Sharks.
� Adriaan Fondse - contract not renewed - to Newcastle.
� Conrad Jantjes - contract not renewed - to Biaritz
� Pieter Louw - contract not renewed.

Young players that have opted to stay and who have already (or would have except for injury) played Super and/or Currie Cup rugby, include future stars like:
� front rowers: Kitshoff, Ntubeni and Malherbe,
� locks: Etsebeth and Roux,
� loose forwards: Kolisi, Johannes and Carr
� Back line: Schreuder, Van Aswegen, Coleman, Groom, Catrakillis, Klaasen and Brache.

Let us also not forget Koster and Elstadt who are also still young players, as well as a further group of players emerging from the WP Institute, U19 and U21 teams, that are committed to WP.

It must also be taken into account that the senior internationals, lead by Burger, have recommitted themselves to Province. Whilst certain players have been released and others have opted to move, WP has retained the bulk of its current and future stars, according to the succession plan. Whilst there is still a lot of media and public speculation in the market, there is a succession plan in place and WP will clarify squads and contracting as soon as it is ready to do so in the next few weeks.

The players are currently enjoying an extended break and will return towards the end of November to commence pre-season conditioning.

 

[Lee Grant]

I thought that Pieter Louw was good value on the flank. I know he was a bench player mainly and wasn't very big but he was a hard head and I am surprised that his contract wasn't renewed.

 

[PaarlBok]

I thought that Pieter Louw was good value on the flank. I know he was a bench player mainly and wasn't very big but he was a hard head and I am surprised that his contract wasn't renewed.

He was injury phrone most of the time. Pretty sure Oom Lee havent saw the likes of Kolisi, Carr and Johannes, excellent young talent. Myself still doubtfull about Koster.

 

[PaarlBok]

Stormers warmup matches:
27 January: Stormers vs Lions (Newlands)
31 January: Lions vs Sharks (Newlands)
4 February: Stormers vs Sharks (Newlands)
11 February: EP vs Stormers (Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium)
Boland vs Stormers (Date and venue TBC)

 

[PaarlBok]

Jac Fourie chasing the money
Sport24

Bok star set to stay in Japan
2011-12-01 22:00Email | Print

Cape Town - Springbok centre Jaque Fourie is set to stay in Japan and probably won't be available for the Stormers in next year's Super Rugby tournament.

Die Burger newspaper reports that the 28-year-old looks likely to accept a massive offer in Japan which won't see him return to play for the Cape franchise.

Fourie, who plays for the Panasonic club, was expected to return at the end of March to play in the Super Rugby tournament, but an apparent R22 million offer for two years is likely to keep him in Japan.

With Fourie gone, the Stormers will be decidedly thin in the centre department with Jean de Villiers and Juan de Jongh the only recognised centres left. This comes after the men from the Cape lost two promising talents in Johann Sadie (to the Bulls) and Tim Whitehead (to the Sharks).

An injury to either De Villiers or De Jongh will leave the Stormers in a precarious position. With Fourie likely not returning, the Stormers brains trust would do well to offer former Sharks centre Adrian Jacobs a contract.

Jacobs's contract at the Sharks was recently not renewed and he has since returned to the Cape - from where he hails - and has expressed his interest to play for the Stormers.

Another option at centre is JP Du Plessis, who played for the Western Province Under-21 side this past season. Du Plessis plays at outside centre and was part of the Melbourne Rebels' Super Rugby group last season.

Good luck to him. Great player but it will open up the 13 jersey for JdJ and backup JP du Plessis.

 

[whatty]

The time and dedication he has put into SA Rugby he deserves all he can make in the twilight of his career. Good luck mate.

 

[yourmatesam]

Big loss there Paarl, he's a handy centre.

 

[PaarlBok]

Big loss there Paarl, he's a handy centre.

Yep but this will give others a change. The new player cycle starts in 2012 and I do blame him for the loss WP made when losing Johann Sadie. Pretty sure we could have kept Johann if Jac made up his mind earlier like FdP and Danie Rossouw about his plans. Johann moved because WP wanted to keep Jac and could not offer Johann the money the Brutes did and Wagner & kie tried to hold on. Big price we paid and I just hope WP tied up JP du Plessis now. He'll be our perfect backup 13 for JdJ.

 

[Blue]

Yep but this will give others a change. The new player cycle starts in 2012 and I do blame him for the loss WP made when losing Johann Sadie. Pretty sure we could have kept Johann if Jac made up his mind earlier like FdP and Danie Rossouw about his plans. Johann moved because WP wanted to keep Jac and could not offer Johann the money the Brutes did and Wagner & kie tried to hold on. Big price we paid and I just hope WP tied up JP du Plessis now. He'll be our perfect backup 13 for JdJ.

How can you say that? At the time he had an offer that would have seen him back next year. They liked what they saw and made a new offer. So "at the time" he did not have this offer. It was a short term offer.

It's not his fault. If anyone is to blame, it's the WP management.

What did you want Fourie to do, turn down that sort of money because somehow he was to blame for talent leaving the Cape? Get real. Blame Rassie Earasmus for losing your young blokes. How on earth they allowed Sadie to leave is just stupid.

Good luck Fourie. Time to cash in.

Some people get bitter when a sportsman takes the money. I say bullshit if they have earned it, which this bloke has.

 

[PaarlBok]

How can you say that? At the time he had an offer that would have seen him back next year. They liked what they saw and made a new offer. So "at the time" he did not have this offer. It was a short term offer.

It's not his fault. If anyone is to blame, it's the WP management.

What did you want Fourie to do, turn down that sort of money because somehow he was to blame for talent leaving the Cape? Get real. Blame Rassie Earasmus for losing your young blokes. How on earth they allowed Sadie to leave is just stupid.

Good luck Fourie. Time to cash in.

Some people get bitter when a sportsman takes the money. I say bullshit if they have earned it, which this bloke has.

I am glad he is leaving, just sad that Rassie and Wagner tried way to long to keep him. They should have fired him and offered Sadie his contract. Now if we can just stop picking overseas Bokke. make it much more easier for players like Jac to chase money.

 

[jauzy19]

Yep but this will give others a change. The new player cycle starts in 2012 and I do blame him for the loss WP made when losing Johann Sadie. Pretty sure we could have kept Johann if Jac made up his mind earlier like FdP and Danie Rossouw about his plans. Johann moved because WP wanted to keep Jac and could not offer Johann the money the Brutes did and Wagner & kie tried to hold on. Big price we paid and I just hope WP tied up JP du Plessis now. He'll be our perfect backup 13 for JdJ.

I think Adi Jacobs will be signed too. And Conrad Jantjes hasn't signed anywhere in France for the moment.

 

[PaarlBok]

I think Adi Jacobs will be signed too. And Conrad Jantjes hasn't signed anywhere in France for the moment.

Ja they surely will try and hold on AD Jacobs as a backup specially in 12. The others are very young and I'll rather have his experiense then Berton Klaasen. Grant can play 12 aswell and JdJ both.

 

[PaarlBok]

The young up and coming flyhalf talents from Bishops
2010 Dyllon Leyds
[video=youtube;R5sSWy1ZfYA]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R5sSWy1ZfYA[/video]
2011 Practising with the Stormers at the moment Tim Swiels
[video=youtube;kYT56lzoMAs]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kYT56lzoMAs&feature=player_embedded[/video]

 

[rustycruiser]

How inept are the WP management? They let Johann Sadie and Tim Whitehead leave, because they don't have the money to sign them and Jaque Fourie. And they make that decision while Jaque Fourie is not under contract? Utter incompetence. But par for the course for WP, who have the breadbasket of SA junior rugby in their backyard, yet let the better players slip through year after year. They (and SA rugby in general) could learn a little from professional outfits like NFL teams, who never let sentimentality get in the way of contracting. NFL teams are ruthless with players past their prime and thus avoid John Smit situations. I guess this is an issue with the legacy remains of the amateur era overshadowing the professional structures of the Union, plus the incompetence of the staff. The Bulls are by far the best run, most professional, of all the SA rugby structures.

 

[PaarlBok]

How inept are the WP management? They let Johann Sadie and Tim Whitehead leave, because they don't have the money to sign them and Jaque Fourie. And they make that decision while Jaque Fourie is not under contract? Utter incompetence. But par for the course for WP, who have the breadbasket of SA junior rugby in their backyard, yet let the better players slip through year after year. They (and SA rugby in general) could learn a little from professional outfits like NFL teams, who never let sentimentality get in the way of contracting. NFL teams are ruthless with players past their prime and thus avoid John Smit situations. I guess this is an issue with the legacy remains of the amateur era overshadowing the professional structures of the Union, plus the incompetence of the staff. The Bulls are by far the best run, most professional, of all the SA rugby structures.

Wait a second Boet before you jump here with ineptness. Jac Fourie was still in contract when Sadie got his R Million contract from the Brute which was comparable with the senior players like Schalk Burgers contract and he wanted a starting spot in the Stormers team to stay. Jac Fourie Japanese contract is R22 Million for two years. Surely you dont expect any SA franchise to try and counter that kind of money.

I blame this on Jac Fourie who havent gone the FdP or Danie Rossouw route to give the Brute time to plan well ahead with their player budget. Throw in SARU's policy of picking overseas base players make it very easier for star players like Fourie to chicken run.

I say vok Jac Fourie, dont slam the door on your way out. WP sure as hell will go in the future giving a much needed oppertunity for JdJ to start and WP have Paarl Gim who prodive all the SA Franchises midfield stock. Sadies roomie at Stellenbosch Klein Stokkies Hanekom will stay at Maties and just play himself up in the structures and we do have some backup stock if needed.