Sometimes it is hard to tell which is worse? Finding out that the cute chick that you just played tonsil hockey with, is actually a dude, or coming to the end of yet another rugby season, with no trophies, no honour and still maintaining that the Stormers is the best team in SA.
Even the most die-hard Stormer supporter will tell you, (in confidence, and never on a game day), that it takes balls to support probably the most disappointing franchise in world rugby history. To re-visit the past glory of our southern-most rugby province, is useless, because little of what has made province great is left to brag about, and frankly, it is a horse that has been flogged to death.
No-one wants to hear that WP holds the record for the most Currie Cups, or that the Stormers is the only SA franchise, never to end in last place in super rugby, because honestly it means nothing. The Stormers won shite, and if you don’t end first, and you don’t end last, it means you are average, and personally I’d rather be a plonker than being just average.
Professionalism has not been kind to the Stormers/WP. As the bastion of amateur rugby, following in the hallowed steps of ‘Doc’, the amateur WP swept up all before them, as opposed to the professional team that regularly gets swept up. A major part of the problem seems to be the inability of the WPRU in admitting that they make mistakes, and even worse, is the fact that they seem to believe that great publicity can somehow make up for poor performance.
Without delving into boardroom issues, I will prove my point using only one well publicized fact. Props. Yes, props, they are not glamorous, they are rarely attractive, they do not own any skincare or haircare products, and they are never used on billboards to sell your brand or your franchise to the female gender, or to any gender at all for that matter. But they seem to quite integral to successful rugby.
For the past 8 years, there hasn’t been a prop anywhere near the Cape of Good Hope, the last one leaving for Europe when the Rand was still considered currency outside of SA.
Players that were brought in were guys like Joe van Niekerk, Willem de Waal, Sireli Naqelevuki, Conrad Jantjes, Enrico January, Gcobani Bobo, Jaque Fourie, Brian Habana, Schalk Brits, Duane Vermeulen, Percy Montgomery and Brian Mujati to name but a few, all high profile, all selling the brand, all icons in their own right, but, all useless when it comes to scrumming, (Yes I know Mujati is part of my list, what of it?).
Being murdered at scrum-time became the province modus operandi, the mere fact that they were never whitewashed in a single competition, clearly proves that there is enough talent to go around, but playing a 15-man game with 10 men (7 Backs + 3 Loosies) will never bring forward any trophies. Their whole game being built on helter-skelter rugby, meant that there was shit to pay, should even a moderately structured team visit Newlands.
Rassie Erasmus has yet to deliver on his promises regarding the boys from the Cape, however, a slight return to structure, as well as a decent Currie Cup performance in 2009 (albeit with Coetzee and Proudfoot at the helm), sparked some excitement amongst long suffering province supporters. Still no signings of props are to be found anywhere, but at least the guy teaching the other guys to scrum now, has been doing some scrumming himself.
It became clear in 2009 why Jake White hung onto Alistair Coetzee for dear life during his campaigns, it was not what Coetzee brought to the field in a coaching capacity, it was his ability to manage people. Alistair Coetzee is a people-person, and nowhere can evidence of this be clearer than the 2009 WP team, under the leadership of Luke Watson, a man described by John Smit as a cancer, he managed to forge a brotherhood of sorts, for the first time in eons, WP looked like they actually wanted to win.
If this form continues into the S14? Who knows…
The Team
The Stormers tight 5 has been together now for quite a while, in the past they were considered pansies, but Werner Kruger will tell you that that is now something of the past, hopefully.
Blaauw, Harris, Liebenberg, Moller, Fourie and Kritzinger have proven themselves in the CC. Now it is time to step up, Super Rugby has never been about the scrum, but it sure helps if you have one. The only concern might be Kritzinger and Moller being played out of position, but that is nothing that can’t be sorted out as the season progresses.
In the second row Bekker and Van Zyl will probably be given the grunt of the work, however, should Fondse return, it will be hard to deny him, his work ethic is incredible, and the season might just play out with Fondse and Van Zyl competing for the same Springbok jersey. As backup De Kock Steenkamp was more than adequate in the games he played, in fact he played very much like a loose-forward, while Martin Muller could be some quality fresh legs on the bench.
The loose game has never been a problem in SA rugby, leading from the front is Schalk Burger, followed by Vermeulen, Pieter and Francois Louw, and Alwyn Myburgh, so depth seems ok, but hey this is South Africa, maybe there is one or two unknown loosies that ends the year as superstars.
In Dewald Duvenhage, Enrico Januarie and Bolla Conradie the Stormers have more than enough ammunition to weather any winds, add to that flyhalf convert Conrad Hoffman, and you are looking at an impressive line-up of members from the long-pass tribe, with ironically Hoffman, as probably the pick of the lot.
Apart from the Bulls the Stormers is the only SA franchise who also possess at least a semblance of depth at flyhalf, with Willem de Waal, Peter Grant, Lionel Cronje, Conrad Hoffman and Joe Pietersen all at least better than average in this position. In fact, Grant and Pietersen might be considered elsewhere in the backline on merit alone, quite a versatile bunch this. Lionel Cronje showed some semblance of brilliance in the 40-odd minutes of game time he received in the 2010 season, and he might be more that only WP’s savior, national duty beckons in this young man’s future, Rassie may have made the purchase of the decade.
New acquisition Jacque Fourie obviously heads the centre line-up, but is held in check by probable partner Peter Grant, upcoming superstar Juan de Jongh, Dylan des Fountain, Frikkie Welsch, Morgan Newman and the promising Paul Bosch rounding off the line-up. The midfield will certainly not be a place where many teams will try to pass through in 2010, apart from maybe Newman, all of the other centres are deadly defenders, and pain will probably be dealt, ferociously.
Speed merchants are something that the Cape has never been in short supply of, and now along with Habana, there is even more to go around. JJ Engelbrecht, Fabian Juries, Gio Aplon, Sireli (there goes another Currie Cup) Naqelevuki and probably Frikkie Welsch can deal as good as they get, and with Joe Pietersen and Conrad Jantjes guarding the final frontier, you can be sure to expect running, lots of it.
All in all, there are no obvious shortages in personnel, and as such, no space for error.
2010 promises to be a make or break year for the WP and the Stormers. Never before has either team had so little excuses for failure. A mere superrugby semi-final, might not be enough.
Forwards:
Wicus Blaauw, JC Kritzinger, JD Moller, Brock Harris, Eusibio Guinizau, Tiaan Liebenberg, Deon Fourie, Hanyani Shimange, Andries Bekker, Anton van Zyl, Adriaan Fondse, De Kock Steenkamp, Martin Muller, Schalk Burger (c), Duane Vermeulen, Pieter Louw, Francois Louw, Pieter Myburgh, Conraad Britz.
Backs:
Dewaldt Duvenhage, Ricky Januarie, Bolla Conradie, Conrad Hoffmann, Willem de Waal, Lionel Cronje, Peter Grant, Juan de Jongh, Jaque Fourie, Paul Bosch, Dylan des Fountain, Frikkie Welsch, Fabian Juries, Bryan Habana, Gio Aplon, Sireli Naqelevuki, Nick Koster, JJ Engelbrecht, Joe Pietersen, Conrad Jantjes.
87@ BiDiBiDi – Man vrind, ek is nou nie die duiwel van die kinderbybel nie, so solank die nuwe nick ons nie laat wonder wie dit is nie… is alles OK, ek sal net wil vooraf weet indien mens nie sal weet wie hierdie ongeskikte bogger nou hier is nie… soort van om die orde te kan handhaaf en nie met probleme van die kaliber van Voldy te sit nie.
As jy byvoorbeeld jou NICK sou verander na BiDiBiDi of bendiebul dan’s dit mos gaaf man…. ons ken jou mos so…
Sharks are concistent, but we need to step up and achieve more.
bdb @ 89
Daai rating maak nie sin nie. Die Sharks het nog nooit slegter as 6de geindig in die S14 nie, maar hulle word 7de gerate.
En die Cheetahs was 3 van die 4 jaar beter as die Leeus, maar word 2 posisies onder hulle gerate.
Net die bulle en Stormers kan gelukkig wees met hulle rating 😉
Ok, ek het nou nie lekker gelees wat die res van julle manne geskryf het nie. Maar nou ja, wat meer kan gese word as wat die afgelope 4 seisoene nie al gese is?
Die een ding wat my nou al joue rillings gee is daai laaste sinnetjie “A mere superrugby semi-final, might not be enough.”… die ding is, dis waar. As hulle dit nie vanjaar maak nie moet hulle maar flippen plekke omruil met die Kings. Die Sharks en die Bulle was albei lank onder, ja, maar hulle het dit omgedraai… nou is dit die Stormers se flippen beurt. Dit voel my of ons die Hurricanes van SA Rugrby is. Altyd ‘n gevaar, altyd daar (of net net) maar nooit rerig in die game nie.
C’MON STORMERS!!!
Ek dink hulle moet net begin speel soos in die ameteur era, waar wen als was, maak nie saak wat nie.
Maar nou ja, laat ons wag en sien…
94 GG ek dink ons almal weet dat die jaar ‘n baie goeie jaar vir id estormpies gaan wees, ek het net so gevoel dat hulle even beter as die sharks gaan doen…..
87 Verseker bidibid 🙂
95 vir id estormpies = vir die stormpies 😳
94 @ GG
Wel die wiel moet een of ander tyd draai. Dit sal kom. Maar ek dink dit voel erger om ‘n S14 finaal in die doodsnikke te verloor as om 10de te eindig.
BDB,
Dink jy nie hulle het hul geld spandeer op Heyneke Meyer nie? Ek dink sou hul nie die CC finaal op loftus gehad het sou hulle nie vir HM kon bekostig.
Nou dat hulle kon het hul vodacom, u21 en 019 spelers wat weer mooi deur die stelsel gaan kom, en dit verseker dat hulle nie supersterre hoef te koop nie.
My predictions vir ons spanne
Sharks top 7
Stormers top 7
Bulls semis
Lions bottom 4
Cheetahs bottom 4
94@ Greenpoint-Tailgunner – Daai uitkykpunt van jou is heel korrek, stem saam… dis hul geleentheid die, hulle moet hom gryp, daar’s nie nou verskonings nie.
ID 61
I think if England sort out their lock problems (and get a new captain in the process), they will be more competitive. In November the pack played very individual, especially in the collusions and tight exchanges. They also need harder working props, not necessarily better scrummaging ones (an interesting point to ponder).
There are a lot of talent in the loose trio – Croft, Rees and Haskell – but I will only play two of those 3 in the starting lineup.
Personally I think it is fairly easy to beat Ireland and Wales, they have severe weaknesses that are not always conspicuous to the naked eye…
Sharks het ‘n slegte draw hierdie jaar, worry oor die results. Sal maar sien hoe gaan dinge vanaand. GBS, het ons iemand by die game vanaand?
91: dankie !
93: ja, ook gedink die sharkies se ratings klink nie heeltemal akkuraat nie, maar ek dink hulle straf julle omdat julle so baie choke. 😉
94: ongelukkig vir julle is die grootste druk op die Stormers, daar is geen meer verskonings nie. Bulle gaan weer 10de eindig, en dan die jaar daarna weer wen !
98: baie bly oor HM weer by die Bulle is, en dat Nico Serfontein nog daar is. Bulle lê nou al weer fondamente vir die post-Matfield/Bakkies/FDP era na 2011.
101 – Willie
Gaan Engeland weer hierdie jaar vir Wilkinson speel? Hy was nie te sleg op die jaar eind toer nie.
102@ Stinkvis – Yip, ons Slaapstad vrind en korrespondent, Isigidi sal in die Press Box wees, daar gratis kos en drank verorber EN ons sal ‘n game thread hê met live updates.
103 – Wel jy moet in ‘n posisie van wen wees om te kan choke. So baie ander spanne kan dit nie eens doen nie.
105 – Lekker man, hoe laat begin die game?
102: Bulle het laasjaar dieselfde spanne oorsee gespeel en kon darem 2/5 wen, wat nie te goed is nie. In twee van die ander wedstryde het hul darem bonuspunte gekry, en toe kom hul huistoe met 11 punte, wat darem nie te sleg is nie.
So, as die Sharks met 10 punte terugkom, en hul tuiswedstryde wen, kan hul die semi’s maak. Bulle het dit reggekry, sal moet sien of die Sharks dit kan doen. Losskakel is julle groot probleem, met of sonder RP.
Lies, Damn Lies, and Statistics:
Statistically the Free State were on average better than both NTVL/Bulls and Natal/Sharks in the SUPER 12.
They only played once as Free State in 1997, and ended 7th. The Bulls on average ended in position 8,4 and the Sharks on average 7,2.
Interestingly, in the SUPER 12, the best performing side on average was WP/Stormers whose average position was 6,8.
In the Super14, the Sharks average position is 3,75, and the Bulls 4,25 with the other SA franchises VERY far behind. Pity an average can’t win you a trophy!
Oh, Good afternoon all.
GBS, ek het nou die dag die foto van my familie gesien wat jy op die blog gesit het. Bliksem. 😆
107@ Stinkvis – Flok, ek het netnou op mail daai selfde vraag vir Isigidi gevra…. sal laat weet sodra ek self ook weet.
109@ Scrumdown – Helloooooooooo
Hey scrummie, i left the S14 stats out with a purpose. 😆
109: Scrumdown, jy moet mooi lees my vriend, daardie ratings is volgens S14 statistiek, nie alles saam nie.
Maar jy is reg, dit help nie om ‘average’ te wees nie, jy moet koud of witwarm wees. As ek moes kies, gee my eerder twee laaste posisies en twee trofees, as 4 vyfde plekke.
113 – Mean S12.
January 26th, 2010 at 12:49 pm
Brenden Nel
Johannesburg – Springbok number 8 Pierre Spies has been ruled out of the Vodacom Bulls Super 14 squad for Saturday’s warm-up match against the Lions in Polokwane.
Spies, who is struggling with a hamstring strain, has been withdrawn as a precautionary measure, and will watch his team-mates from the sidelines as they finalise their preparations for the defence of their Vodacom Super 14 title.
The Bulls will also be without Springbok utility back Francois Hougaard, who is recovering from a knee injury, and has also been sidelined as a precautionary measure.
Both Hougaard and Spies will be ready for the first match in the Super 14, against the Vodacom Cheetahs in Bloemfontein on February 12.
“Pierre and Francois have both been withdrawn as a precautionary measure,” Team doctor Org Strauss told Supersport.com, “But we’re not really worried about them being ready for the first game.
“Pierre’s hamstring injury was a bit more serious than we initially thought, but we have been treating it, and with any hamstring injury, we are a lot more conservative when treating it.”
Dr Strauss gives flanker Dewald Potgieter, who also has a medial ligament tear in his knee, “an outside chance” of being ready for the start of the competition, but adds that this “is unlikely.”
The long term injury players such as Bakkies Botha, Chiliboy Ralepelle and Akona Ndungane were also not considered for the match.
“Springbok number 8 Pierre Spies has been ruled out of the Vodacom Bulls Super 14 squad for Saturday’s warm-up match against the Lions in Polokwane.
Spies, who is struggling with a hamstring strain, has been withdrawn as a precautionary measure, and will watch his team-mates from the sidelines as they finalise their preparations for the defence of their Vodacom Super 14 title.
The Bulls will also be without Springbok utility back Francois Hougaard, who is recovering from a knee injury, and has also been sidelined as a precautionary measure.
Both Hougaard and Spies will be ready for the first match in the Super 14, against the Vodacom Cheetahs in Bloemfontein on February 12.”
O ja…helloooooooo Scrummie
105, GrootBruinSkoene, wie gaan vir ons live updates gee vanaf Pietersburg vir die wedstryd tussen die Bulle en die Leeus ?
116 / 117
Is julle getroud?
Aaaag sorry julle, ek dink ek en blouste het dit op dieselle tyd gepost hehehehe
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