Jean DeVilliers has been named as the Stormers captain for Friday’s Super Rugby opener against the Bulls at Loftus.
Coach Allister Coetzee named a strong squad of 22 players in spite of being without the services of Schalk Burger, Tiaan Libenberg, Eben Etsebeth and Juan De Jongh.
Coetzee was satisfied with today’s training session and has picked the strongest squad available to him, with Fly-half Elton Jantjies, Fullback Jaco Taute and Tight-head Prop Pat Cilliers all making their Stormers debuts.
Coetzee emphasised the importance of not playing any player if he was not 100% fit. “It’s a long season and I do not want to risk any player if there is the slightest hint of an injury. I cannot have a player risking making the injury worse and having him out for further games”.
Squad captain Schalk Burger is not yet 100% back to full fitness, and will not be risked before the bye comeback against the Brumbies on March 23 at Newlands. Juan de Jongh’s condition is steadily improving as well. “If it was a semi final Juan would have played, but I won’t risk a long term injury at the beginning of the season” Coetzee said.
The game against 3 times champions The Bulls at Loftus is a challenging opener for last year’s conference champions, and Coetzee is taking no chances: “We know what type of game they will play, they are a very settled side, just in the loose forwards you have 4 Springbok players so they will be a very tough test. Any team that faces the Bulls at Loftus must be the underdogs.”
The DHL Stormers team to take on the Bulls is as follows:
15. Jaco Taute
14. Gio Aplon
13. Jean de Villiers (captain)
12. Damian de Allende
11. Bryan Habana
10. Elton Jantjies
9. Nic Groom
8. Duane Vermeulen
7. Rynhardt Elstadt
6. Siya Kolisi
5. Andries Bekker
4. De Kock Steenkamp
3. Pat Cilliers
2. Deon Fourie
1. Steven Kitshoff
Reserves:
16. Martin Bezuidenhout
17. Frans Malherbe
18. Don Armand
19. Nizaam Carr
20. Dewaldt Duvenage
21. Gerhard van den Heever
22. Joe Pietersen
Referee: Jaco Peyper
Good solid team, going to be interesting to see who the Bulls select to counter.
Groom at 9 shows a fair bit of guts by Alistair, He did say that his 9 position is not a lock-down yet. Still all to play for.
Peter Grant is still playing for his club, they are in the finals, so he isn’t back in SA in a playing capacity yet.
Dammit, now we have to beat them again without Schalkie
Jokes aside, can’t wait for this game, even took Friday off
DIS MOS NOU RUGBY!!!!!!!
2 @ Stormersboy:
It’s Allister, not Alistair…. by the way
@ grootblousmile:
Is it really? All this time I had it wrong. No wonder he checks me skeef sometimes.
6 @ Stormersboy:
Hehehehe
Yip, no wonder…
@ superBul:
Ja that is going to terrify the WP manne.
@ Stormersboy:
He check you skeef because WP okes are skeef, it is their natural look 😆
Man my Sharks team is starting off the season again with a lot of injuries to key players. cant there be just 1 season without this crap.
Do not be surprised if the 2 gay teams stand in the middle singing love songs to each other
môre mense …… en ….. goete!!
@ Ashley:
GM Ashwee,
Sharks @ 14
hello broetsie, how goes?
i see the bulls supporters are already in hiding, lol.
@ Ashley:
Good and you??
Sharky
no problems here boet. cant wait to see grown blue bull supporters cry at fortress loftus … AGAIN!!!
My Sharks team would be as follows taking into account the injuries.
15. Ludick
14. JpP
13. Jordaan
12. Steyn
11. Mvovo
10. Lambie
09. Reinach
08. Kankowski
07. Deysel (VC)
06. Marcell
05. VD Merwe
04. Bresler
03. Jannie
02. Cooper/Burden
01. Beast
Reserves:
16. Burden/Cooper
17. Herbst
18. Dell
19. PSDT
20. Botes
21. Mcleod
22. Viljoen/Bosman
23. Odwa
Thing is Plumtree might opt to play onle 2 backline reserves which would mean Mtembu comes onto the bench
19 @ Sharks_forever:
How’s about an Article on the Sharks injury situation… Willem Alberts going for an operation…. and more?
Stormersboy… how’s about what Toetie says about the Loftus chances… ect?
I will put up the Bulls squad a bit later after my travels this afternoon…. as well as some International Super Rugby news.
Cheetah4eva… if you read this, how’s about some Cheetahs news, leading up to Saturday? Goosen, is he going to be fit or not?
@ Sharks_forever:
Still a strong team bud, but you okes will miss the bruisers(Alberts and Bissie), but luckily Brüssow is not available either. Going by the sounds of things we should line up as follows:
le Roux vs Ludick
Rhule vs JpP
Sadie vs Jordaan
Ebersohn vs Steyn
Benjamin vs Mvovo
Gosen vs Lambie
van Zyl vs Reinach
vd Walt vs Kankowski
Lappies vs Deysel (VC)
Viljoen vs Marcell
Waltie vs VD Merwe
Lood vs Bresler
Nyakane vs Jannie
Strauss vs Cooper/Burden
Coenie vs Beast
Reserves:
Barnes vs Burden/Cooper
Adriaanse vs Herbst
Rossouw vs Dell
Uys vs PSDT
Boom vs Botes
Sarel vs Mcleod
Graaf vs Viljoen/Bosman
Daniller vs Odwa
On paper Sharks all the way, just a pity the game is played on grass
@ Cheetah4eva:
😆 true boet
Excellent Stormers side to face the Bulls. Elton, Groom and Taute will bring a lot extra to this side this year.
Just saw the Bulls team for Friday and I feel they might come short against Stormers. No Serfontein as I was expecting also injuries to Wilhelm Steenkamp and Dean Greyling. Stormers could very well come away with a win from Loftus even without Eben.
19 @ Sharks_forever:
That is the team I am expecting to start as well. Only not too sure about Kanko right now. Is he ready for Super Rugby? If not then I see this loose trio start: 8 Coetzee 7 Deysel 6 Botes. That too is a top class loose trio. If Kanko is ready then he has to start, especially if he can play like he ended off last season.
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