Burger to captain the Stormers
Schalk Burger will be given the task of leading the Stormers in the 2010 Super 14 as the franchise looks to build on the impressive momentum picked up by Western Province in the Absa Currie Cup.
Stormers coach Rassie Erasmus says he will be “really surprised” if Burger is not named as Stormers leader following the departure of previous Stormers captain Jean de Villiers for Munster and Western Province skipper Luke Watson for English club Bath.
Although that is not a definite confirmation of Burger as leader, and discussions still have to take place on the issue, when it comes from Erasmus, who runs the show in the Cape, you can consider it as good as a done deal.
“Schalk should be a front-runner for the captaincy. Again on Saturday when he came onto the field in the semifinal against the Blue Bulls, he showed what a great leader he is and what an impact he makes,” said Erasmus.
“He relates well to the whole management system and set-up, and he is a Province boy through and through. Nothing it finalised as yet, but it would be a really big surprise if he is not appointed as captain.”
While some might question Burger’s credentials on the basis that he struggled as captain when given the leadership as a stop-gap in the Kobus van der Merwe era, Burger led the Stormers to an excellent away win over the Highlanders in Dunedin in the last match of the 2009 Super 14 tour. He was praised by the commentators for his leadership that day, and it was only a subsequent injury that saw the captaincy armband switched to Watson for the remaining games.
With Watson gone, there is going to be a lot of speculation over who will now play at No 8, and the configuration of the rest of the back-row. But Erasmus has consistently stated his view that he does not see particular designations as a big issue when it comes to the make-up of a back-row as he believes all players, not just loose-forwards, should be hunting for the ball at breakdowns.
So whereas a unit made up of Duane Vermeulen, Burger and Francois Louw, with either Vermeulen or Burger at No 8, is likely to play most games if the players are all fully fit, Erasmus says he is prepared to take a horses for courses policy for different opponents.
“If we play a good lineout team, it would be wonderful to have Duane Schalk and Francois who can all jump in the lineout. But if we come up against a guy like Heinrich Brussow, then someone like Pieter Myburgh or a Boetie Britz might come into the mix. Then there is still Pieter Louw, who can also jump in the lineout. It will differ from game to game.
“When it comes to No 8, we would want a guy who is able to handle the pressure of channelling the ball at the back of the scrum, so while it might differ game from game, it will be between Duane and Schalk.”
