S15R14 Blues vs Stormers @ Eden Park - 2011R14

[PaarlBok]

Top of SA and NZ conference clash open week 14 tomorrow.

Blues: 15 Lachie Munro, 14 Joe Rokocoko, 13 Jared Payne, 12 Luke McAlister, 11 Sherwin Stowers, 10 Stephen Brett, 9 Alby Mathewson, 8 Peter Saili, 7 Luke Braid, 6 Jerome Kaino, 5 Ali Williams, 4 Anthony Boric, 3 John Afoa, 2 Keven Mealamu (captain), 1 Tom McCartney.

Substitutess: 16 Pauliasi Manu, 17 Tevita Mailau, 18 Chris Lowrey, 19 Sean Polwart, 20 Chris Smylie, 21 Winston Stanley, 22 Rene Ranger.

Stormers:
15 Conrad Jantjes, 14 Gio Aplon, 13 Johann Sadie, 12 Juan de Jongh, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Lionel Cronje, 9 Ricky Januarie, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Francois Louw, 6 Schalk Burger (c), 5 Andries Bekker, 4 Rynhardt Elstadt, 3 CJ van der Linde, 2 Deon Fourie, 1 Wicus Blaauw

Substitutes: 16 Tiaan Liebenberg, 17 Brok Harris, 18 Steven Kitshoff, 19 Anton van Zyl, 20 Dewaldt Duvenage, 21 Danie Poolman, 22 Nick Koster.

Referee: Steve Walsh (Australia)
Assistant referees: Glen Jackson (New Zealand), Richard (Australia) Kelly (New Zealand)
Television match official: Ben Skeen (New Zealand)

 

[qwerty51]

De Villiers and Fourie both gone. Both injured? Is Grant injured too or just dropped? He was very poor against the Chiefs, interesting to see two props on the bench too?

Huge losses, I would've tipped the Stormers but now I won't.

 

[PaarlBok]

Glad to see AC finally pick the youngsters in 10/12/13. This is Klein Johann Sadies big change. He has been living under Robert Ebersohns shadow for years and this game will be make or break for one of Paarl Gym's midfield gems. He sure as hell have a fine smell for the smallest of gaps and know the word using space inside out and quick as lighting. If Pie Vreter feed our backline quick I think we can see some damage from 13/11/14 in this one. Defensively I am more worried, our structure may struggled after all these chagnes but big boots to be fill by Cronje, JdJ and Klein Johann. Get past this one with honour and they'll be well set for the future.

The Stormers also picked a full fattie frontrow on the bench. Would love to see our Ginger Fattie Kitshoff starting in this one. If we can dominate 1st phase in this match , an upset on the cards.

Still dont understand Ranger on the bench, but so be it.

 

[PaarlBok]

De Villiers and Fourie both gone. Both injured? Is Grant injured too or just dropped? He was very poor against the Chiefs, interesting to see two props on the bench too?

Huge losses, I would've tipped the Stormers but now I won't.

I was disappointed they started with Grant last week. Cronje had more the a good one against the Saders , ditto Klein Johann. Kitshoff had a good enough scrumming session against the Chiefs and should have started in this one. Important to reward god play from our youngsters to keep their confidense up.

We have to rotate in this competition and the Stormers have probably the best youngsters and backup to do this. Coetzee should have started earlier and now its a case of Swem Jannie swem. Big test for them.

 

[DPK]

Ranger on the bench; is this rotation?

 

[Ruggo]

The Blues will get up in this one.

 

[Set piece magic]

Ranger was dropped by Lam after a 'below par performance'. TBH Watching from Suncorp I didn't see him do that much wrong...

 

[PaarlBok]

He is their best try scorer. Thought they rest only All Black stars?

 

[Sandpit Fan]

Go Stormers! Will be a challenge after those changes though.

 

[Blue]

All three the backline replacements are talents but when you put all yhree next to each other it looks like a very vulnerable combination.

Too much class from the Blues and this team has grit, unlike previous years.

This could be where it all goes wrong for the Stormers. The Blues pack will front.

After last week's performance the Stormers also appear to have leadership problems. The Saders game and last week's have confirmed that Burger is not a good captain.

 

[PaarlBok]

Sure we are underdogs for this match, but still deep down in the heart I am hoping for an upset. The Bluesers backline also look a bit of a throw together in 12/13/11/15. This can even out easily. Our defense have to be spot on for 80 minutes. The players did it last year and sure will have the believe to copy this.
Sport24

Stormers underdogs in Auckland
2011-05-19 08:47Email | Print
Allister Coetzee (File)

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Gavin Rich - SuperSport

Auckland - If you look at where the changes have been made you might suggest the Stormers are up the creek without a paddle going into Friday’s must-win Vodacom Super Rugby clash with the Blues, but that is not the way their coach Allister Coetzee sees it.
Youngsters Lionel Cronje, Juan de Jongh and Johann Sadie will line up next to each other from flyhalf to outside centre in what is definitely the most inexperienced Stormers back division to have played together since 2009. They are playing because flyhalf Peter Grant, inside centre Jean de Villiers and outside centre Jaque Fourie have all been ruled out with injury.

All of those players are Springboks, with De Villiers and Fourie being incumbent internationals and quite possibly the best midfield combination on the planet, so they are big players to lose, and the favourites tag will certainly shift to the Blues in their absence.

However, as Coetzee has pointed out to the Cape media, what the Stormers do have now is a unknown quality about them and Sadie in particular will have the Blues guessing as to his capabilities and playing style.

Although Sadie did play wing against the Crusaders and his straightening of the line did create the try that Fourie scored in that game, he has made only fleeting appearances as a replacement at his preferred position of outside centre, which is where he is lining up on Friday.

One of the star players in the Western Province Under-21 team that dominated the national competition in 2010, there have been a few questions asked about Sadie’s defensive game but there is no denying his awesome attacking potential and Coetzee seldom mentions his name without also talking about the X-factor.

“Juan and Johann are both exciting players, so it is a great opportunity for them, regardless of whether or not they have played together as a combination before,” said Coetzee.

“These are two good rugby players and I have full confidence in them. They are facing a quality centre combination in Luke McAlister and Jared Payne, but who knows what might happen. It could be important that no-one knows much about Johann Sadie at centre. They don’t know what he can bring to the party, and I am sure he is looking forward to the challenge. He may surprise a few people.”

That he certainly could, for Sadie is being spoken of in WP circles as a big part of the future plans in the region. And while De Jongh has spent much of the season on the bench, he was excellent in last year’s Super 14 and ended up playing international rugby, where he was considered one of the best newcomers.

While De Jongh doesn’t quite have his mojo yet, he has played some good cameos that have served as a reminder of what he is capable of, particularly when he came on as a replacement in the match against the Bulls at Loftus in March.

There is a perception in the Cape that De Jongh has lost form that is largely because of the poor decision making that has seen him butcher a couple of easy try-scoring opportunities. However, as a lot of those opportunities came through his own good work in either breaking the line or being in the right place at the right time in seizing on opposition mistakes, it could be argued that all he needs to do is cross the line once and his white-line fever will be behind him.

It is also fortunate for the Stormers that Cronje got to play almost three full games while Grant was absent through injury in the weeks following the loss to the Reds. He acquitted himself well in those games and while his goalkicking may not be as reliable as Grant’s he arguably does have better distribution skills.

So while the injuries mean the Stormers go into the match as underdogs, it’s not exactly as if they are going in on a wing and a prayer, and they might well be advised to take a look back at what happened to them when they played an under strength Crusaders team a few weeks ago if they are looking for encouragement.

If the Stormers can beat a full-strength Blues team in Auckland while they are under strength, it will be a significant boost to their confidence at a crucial stage of the season.

One point from this match will be a good reward.

Dunno your problem with Burgers captaincy? He lead from the front, not from the backline like Matfield or John Smit.

 

[whatty]

I have a 100% winning record for the Stormers at Eden Park including a 50 point slap in 2004 when I went with my Dad on his last visit to Auckland. "Great memory" but I think I may miss this one. Friday night at Eden Park not exactly a pleasurable experience......its a nightmare getting in and out especially during Friday night traffic.

 

[PaarlBok]

I have a 100% winning record for the Stormers at Eden Park including a 50 point slap in 2004 when I went with my Dad on his last visit to Auckland. "Great memory" but I think I may miss this one. Friday night at Eden Park not exactly a pleasurable experience......its a nightmare getting in and out especially during Friday night traffic.

Boet we need you urgently at the game! :nta: Cant be worse then Newlands N1/M5 on a friday night.

 

[Blue]

I have a 100% winning record for the Stormers at Eden Park including a 50 point slap in 2004 when I went with my Dad on his last visit to Auckland. "Great memory" but I think I may miss this one. Friday night at Eden Park not exactly a pleasurable experience......its a nightmare getting in and out especially during Friday night traffic.

Fair weather supporter. You mountain goats really are pussies.

 

[PaarlBok]

Fair weather supporter. You mountain goats really are pussies.

:lmao:

 

[tigerland12]

if Fourie and De Villiers were playing I would of given the Stormers a good chance of winning, now I can't really see it happening

 

[ChargerWA]

I tipped the Stormers, partly because at this time of the year I need a few upsets to climb the ladder, but also because the Stormers will be desparate to win this. Another loss now and their season is starting to loook shaky. I'm also tipping it's time for a blues brain explosion back to inconsistency to begin.

 

[whatty]

Fair weather supporter. You mountain goats really are pussies.

 

[Blue]

Jou ma.

 

[whatty]

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