Stormers 2011

[whatty]

I like the hoops, looks great. Not sure how you would get any of the Boland colours into a design, Black shorts?

 

[Blue]

You give to much credit to the Sharks?

Regarding the new jersey. As long as I see hoops I am happy, even more happy if I see a bit of Boland in the jersey. At least it have the caracters of the provinces within the franchis which we havent saw in the past, can make peace with the sponsor yellow, they give the cash to provide the players.

Like the jersey. Bit of old school in there. Now if only the Bulls can run out against the Goats with an old school Blue jersey we can watch some real rugby

On a side note, that's six seriously good footballers in the photo. If they can stay relatively injury free and ride a bit of luck along the way, the Stormers can really win this thing. I back them to top the SA conference anyway. If they can match the class on paper with mental strength.

 

[Lee Grant]

If they have the same attacking defence and general forward physicality as last year they will be hard to beat. Their problem in 2010 was scoring tries.

 

[PaarlBok]

I back them to top the SA conference anyway. If they can match the class on paper with mental strength.

Dankie Blou, myself feel positive about things are going at WP. We came a long way since Rassie took over the powers and one just have to look at the Maties team that will play Pukke on mondays opening clash of the Varsity Cup to see the amount of local youngsters WP hold on since he took over. Myself expecting some of the senior lotte going after the WC tournament but there are a lot of them waiting to come through , the Vodacom Cup all important this year to bring them through. At least we got the good news to know that the Burger Bekker show will go on after the WC. Schalkie has already showed his local loyalty and now Bekker coming out with the same thing

Superrugby

'The Cape is my place' - Bekker


Butch James arrived in Johannesburg via jet this week, but the Golden Lions Rugby Union’s deep pockets could not convince Andries Bekker to move from Cape Town.

The Springbok lock told Sport24 this week that he recently extended his contract with Western Province until the end of next year. The move followed persistent rumours since last year that he was on the Golden Lions Rugby Union’s (GLRU) shopping list.

“Newlands is my place. It was nice to walk off the field on Friday night and be applauded by the crowd,” said Bekker.

“It’s good to be back and I don’t think I will ever move from Newlands.”

What about rumours of the Lions’ interest in him?

“The offers were there, but the Cape is my place. I have signed again until the end of last year and am not going anywhere soon.”

SUCCESSFUL COMEBACK

Bekker made a successful comeback in the Stormers’ 15-0 win over the Lions in a pre-season friendly match in the Neo Africa Tri-series.

Last year he established himself as one of the leading locks in world rugby with some outstanding form and there were even suggestions that he could replace Victor Matfield in the Springbok side.

However, Bekker underwent a back operation and the match against the Lions was a first step back after months on the sidelines.

He will lead the Stormers in Saturday’s friendly match against the Sharks at Newlands in the absence of Schalk Burger and Jean de Villiers.

With Anton van Zyl having suffered a serious shoulder injury, Bekker’s fitness and presence will be of major importance for the Stormers from the outset.

The big question, of course, is how long it will take him to become that phenomenal athlete again that saw him likened to All Black lock legend Colin Meads in New Zealand last year.

Bekker’s goals are modest for now.

“I would firstly like to establish myself in the team again. Anton had an excellent season last year and my primary goal is to make the No 5 jersey my own again,” said the Cape giant.

“Then I hope to have another season like last year. Every guy has to wait his turn for the Bok jersey. Victor has played over a hundred tests for the Boks and is still the best in the world, so I will have to be patient. I am still young enough.”

Meanwhile, Springbok centre Jean de Villiers has also indicated that he would like to stay with WP rather than go and play overseas again after the World Cup.

“Yes, definitely. I’m busy with negotiations,” De Villiers said when asked whether he was considering staying in the Cape after this year.

De Villiers doubts whether there will be a major exodus of top players from South Africa at the end of this year.

“I think people are under the impression that a lot more players will head overseas than what will ultimately be the case. If WP want me, I will definitely stay. That is my first option,” he said.

“All the guys are enjoying it here and want to stay at WP to be part of the brand. We spoke among one another as players and would all like to be part of it.”

 

[PaarlBok]

The Maties team for mondays clash against Pukke

Maties vs. Puk: Ruan Combrinck (Michaelhouse); Ryan Nel, Stokkies Hanekom, Louis Jordaan (almal Paarl Gim), Tytan Adams (Paul Roos); Jody Rose (Paul Roos), Donald Stevens (Grey Kollege); Tertius Daniller (Paarl Gim), Meyer Swanepoel (Paul Roos), Helmut Lehman (Paarl Gim), Reniel Hugo (Paul Roos), Hugo Klopper (Worcester Gim), Buhle Mxunyelwa, Callie Visagie © (Boishaai), Johan Roets. Reserwes: Gareth Light, Os Hamman (Paul Roos), Suan Havenga, Andrew Prior (St. Andrews), Sam Mabombo (Hilton), James Alexander, André Kemp (Paarl Gim), Tsotso Mbovane (Paul Roos).

Reniel Hugo , son of old Bok Niel Hugo will make his debut in the same position as his dad , following the Bekkers foot steps.

The youngest player in the competition , 18 year old Tsotso Mbovane will start from the bench.

 

[PaarlBok]

The Stormers beating the Sharks 17-16 in a suppose to be warm up match on Newlands. Well you dont get this in SA and the amount of hand bags handed out during the game (Stormers had three yellows during the match) it sure was a physical match for a warm up. The Sharks lost their nr2 early and Battleship came up and made a immediate differense to their pack. The led 16-3 going in the final stanza when the Stormers started their fight back. Up came the Duvenhage/Watts/Sadie 9/10/12 combio and it made an immediate impact to the match. The Stormers scored two tries from their to snatch the win in the end.

Video highlights from the match[video]http://www.supersport.com/video/play.aspx?id=13647[/video]

 

[Lee Grant]

From Sport 24

Coetzee not a happy man
2011-02-07 10:17

Stephen Nell

Cape Town - Allister Coetzee was hardly in a jubilant mood after his Stormers team bashed down the back door to beat the Sharks 17-16 in Saturday’s final match of this year’s Neo Africa Tri-series at Newlands.

“Generally I was very disappointed with the performance. I am particularly unhappy with our discipline. It was shocking,” said Coetzee.

The Stormers struggled at the breakdowns and three of them - De Kock Steenkamp (repeated infringements), Paul Bosch (late tackle) and Bryan Habana (high tackle) - were sin-binned.

There were some discussions about the strict application of the laws, but ultimately Coetzee was clear about where the fault lay.

“Our discipline was shocking and that is never something we will be proud of. We spoke about the number of penalties last week. We’ll have a hard look at the performances of individuals and we will make sure that we get it right. You can’t concede so many penalties in Super Rugby,” said Coetzee.

“The referees have to make split-second decisions and it does not help to throw your hands in the air or shake your head. You just have to adapt. We showed character. The guys were focused in the second half and it paid off.”

However, Coetzee wants his team to adapt quicker in Super Rugby so that they do not get blown off the park by referees.

“I don’t know whether it has been prescribed to referees that they need to take out the yellow card if teams don’t adapt. We have to find out. They will always lay down the law at the beginning of the competition and there is a message in that for all of us,” he said.

“The referee has to act if your behaviour does not change. We did not roll away at the breakdown. If you don’t get that right after you have been warned, the referee probably has to take out the yellow card.”

The Stormers clinched the match with converted tries inside the last 10 minutes - by Elgar Watts and Rynhardt Elstadt. The shift in momentum in the game only came after the changes had been rung on both sides and that is why Coetzee is keeping a healthy perspective.

Even so, the Stormers can take numerous positives from the pre-season friendly.

“We definitely benefited from the intensity and physicality. We could also be tested under pressure in terms of the application of the laws.”

The Stormers’ improved in the set phases and captain Andries Bekker put his hand up for a missed lineout.

“We only lost one lineout ball and it was through a stupid call I made. The scrums were also much better,” he said.

 

[Ruggo]

Sounds like the Stormers are in for a good year. A great sign when teams can be so honest about their own game rather than pissing and moaning, making exuses. I like the attitude and accountability they have shown.

 

[PaarlBok]

For some reason Mark Lawrense decided he is going to be strict at scrum time and the breakdowns and a lot of penalties. The Stormers defense was pretty solid and I thought all three yellows was a bit harch, Steenkamp not rolling away, Habana and Bosch for high tackles. Coetzee is right tho, the players need to play the way the ref whistle and not complaining about the ref with videos and kak.

Anyway great wins last night for Maties (a complete need look youngsters but most of them put up their hands) over Pukke and Ikeys over Shimlas.

 

[PaarlBok]

Some Varsity Cup action from last nights matches

Maties vs Pukke (capasity 10,000 Maroon supporters at Danie Craven Stadium)[video]http://bb.supersport.co.za/saru_video.asp?play=13688[/video]

Shimlas vs Ikeys [video]http://bb.supersport.co.za/saru_video.asp?play=13687[/video]

 

[whatty]

PB none of the footage is available outside SAF. It's IP addy blocked.

Cheers though.

 

[PaarlBok]

PB none of the footage is available outside SAF. It's IP addy blocked.

Cheers though.

Dankie Boet, did not know that. The Varsity Cup official site also have some videos

http://www.varsitycup.co.za/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=78

The Stormers will play their final warmup against Boland on saturday. Nothing will give me more pleasure then see Boland beating their big brothers. Boland will wear pink jerseys for this match.

Team:
15. Conrad Jantjes
14. Danie Poolman
13. Tim Whitehead
12. Jean De Villiers
11. JJ Engelbrecht
10. Elgar Watts
9. Ricky Januarie
8. Nick Koster
7. Pieter Louw
6. Schalk Burger (C)
5. De Kock Steenkamp
4. Ryhnardt Elstadt
3. CJ Van Der Linde
2. Tiaan Liebenberg
1. Wicus Blaauw

Reserves:
16. Siyabonga Ntubeni
17. Steven Kitshoff
18. Frans Malherbe
19. Adriaan Fondse
20. Quinn Roux
21. Francois Louw
22. Ruan Kitshoff
23. Siya Kolisi
24. Nic Groom
25. Lionel Cronje
26. Paul Bosch
27. Johann Sadie

Like the look of the fatties for this one, Watts starting in 10 against his team mates and good to see the two youngsters quicks on the wing, aswell as the two fatties from the bench. Duvenhage absent and think he may have injured himself last week against the Sharks. Fat Arse Januarie starting again. Hopefull Lionel Cronje will get a decent run, van Aswegen came up short last week.

The Stormers will also play their cricket match against the Cape Cobras on sunday. Nothing beats to see Schalk Burger hitting a six from the Cricket Stadium into the rugby Stadion next door.

@Whatty: Have we posted each other right somewhere before, not many Stormer fans in Auckland?

 

[PaarlBok]

The Stormers will also play their cricket match against the Cape Cobras on sunday. Nothing beats to see Schalk Burger hitting a six from the Cricket Stadium into the rugby Stadion next door.

Had to go on sunday for this one, KleinGims U13A cricket and rugby teams have to attend this as a group in their schools sportwear provided by Puma. One of the cricket kids dad is a DHL director and organise the U13s to visit both the Stormers and Cape Cobras cloakrooms after the match to meet them, talk with them, get signatures, exct. Show me any 13 year old that want to miss such a oppertunity.

Boland switch their jersey now to pink, look like French jerseys and their team
Janro van Niekerk, Clemen Lewis, Rossouw Kruger, Grant le Roux, Hottie Louw (k), Jerry Sefoko/Franzil September, Junior Bester, Zandré Jordaan, Bolla Conradie, Willie le Roux, Brandon April, Alex Kock, PJ Vermeulen, Cornal Hendricks, Jacquin Jansen.
PLAASVERVANGERS: Charl van Rensburg, Ashton Constant, Eugene Butterworth, Lehan Koekemoer, Franzil September/Jerry Sefoko, Thor Halvorsen, PJ van Zyl, Japie Wessels, Marnus Hugo, Braam Gerber, Jonathan Francke, Allister Kettledas, Manie Adams en Boena van Rooyen.

Bolla vs Januarie should be a good match.

 

[whatty]

@Whatty: Have we posted each other right somewhere before, not many Stormer fans in Auckland?

You may have corrected me in the past but I doubt I have of you, far more informed than the sout piel I am.

A few closet Stormers fans in Auck but far more Sharks supporters probably because few want to leave the great City of cape Town....

 

[PaarlBok]

You may have corrected me in the past but I doubt I have of you, far more informed than the sout piel I am.

A few closet Stormers fans in Auck but far more Sharks supporters probably because few want to leave the great City of cape Town....

Natal, the last outpost sort of.


The Saffer squads will be announced over the weekend, no limits in the squads like in the past only 26 allowed to tour. Will be interesting to see the split in the Stormers and WP Vodacom squads and the amount of youngsters going back in Varsity Cup. WP have a huge advantage with two strong Varsities, Maties obvious the biggest club in world rugby.

 

[Blue]

Massive loss for the Stormers with hooker Tiaan Liebenberg gone for three months.

With that a big dent to their title hopes in my book.

 

[Hartman]

Massive loss for the Stormers with hooker Tiaan Liebenberg gone for three months.

With that a big dent to their title hopes in my book.

Liebenberg is a big loss but Deon Fourie is definitely a capable replacement.

For some reason this season I get a terrible gut feeling the Stormers will have a very mediocre season and finish somewhere around the middle of the table. Before last season I had a gut feeling they'd win it, so hopefully I'm a bit further off the mark this time.

 

[Blue]

Liebenberg is a big loss but Deon Fourie is definitely a capable replacement.

For some reason this season I get a terrible gut feeling the Stormers will have a very mediocre season and finish somewhere around the middle of the table. Before last season I had a gut feeling they'd win it, so hopefully I'm a bit further off the mark this time.

Fourie is a bit of a lightweights and a poor man's Schalk Brits in my opinion. The odd flash run coming on with ten to go vs starting at hooker against the comp's strongest packs are world's apart and I think this is going to hurt them. They need to sign a bigger hooker with some grunt.

Tell you what they could do worse than get Brits on loan from Saracens once the season up North is over.

 

[PaarlBok]

Tiaan's loss is huge but I always thought Callie Visagie should have been there in the first place
Sport24

Fourie’s involvement in the pre-season was very limited due to him having had blood in his urine over the past few weeks. It is believed that he took a blow to the kidneys after also undergoing shoulder surgery in the off-season.

Siyabonga Ntubeni, who still played for the Western Province under-19 side last year, performed well enough as a substitute against Boland.

“Skarra (Ntubeni) used his chance and we know Deon’s capabilities. We’re always concerned about potential injuries, but have to trust our depth. Callie Visagie (Maties captain) is also in the province,” said Coetzee.

Visagie, however, is focusing on his studies and has not signed a contract with WP for this year. Sidney Tobias, son of former Springbok Errol, is the other possibility after playing for the WP under-21 side last year.

When asked whether the Stormers may look outside the province for a hooker, Coetzee answered: “We’ll consider all possibilities.”

The Stormers now find themselves in a difficult position. The official word is that Fourie is recovering well, but it leaves them one injury short of a major crisis.

It’s one thing to trust your young players, but quite another for a 20-year-old to mix it as a tight forward in Super Rugby. The Vodacom Cup probably offers a sensible career path for Ntubeni and Tobias this year.

There is obviously the danger of a knock-on effect from the scrums and lineouts if a team’s hooker struggles.

Liebenberg is the Stormers’ third serious pre-season injury. Lock Anton van Zyl (dislocated shoulder) and wing Gio Aplon (he went for a scope on his right knee) are the others.

I would thought if they look outside WP and Boland they would look at the SA hookers available first. Hannes Franklin from the Kings probably the best one around outside S15 squads.

 

[Nusadan]

Hey PB, thanks for all the inside info on the Stormers, wonder though if you can recruit a fan or two from each of other Saffies teams to here to provide the same with their own teams to help us with our fantasy/tipping competitions?

Of course, in return, these lucky fans' lives will be much enriched by the outstanding efforts of the scribes we have on here...

By the way I have a sneaky feeling that Cheetahs might spring a surprise on the Sharks this weekend...