DHL Stormers coach Allister Coetzee has named a much-changed line-up for Saturday’s Super Rugby encounter against the Reds at DHL Newlands (kick-off 17h05).
The Stormers suffered a spate of injuries on their recently-completed four-match tour of Australasia, with five players from last week’s line-up – against the Rebels – missing because of injury this weekend.
Centre Juan de Jongh (fractured finger), flank-cum-hooker Deon Fourie (ribs), lock Andries Bekker (back) and props Frans Malherbe and Pat Cilliers (both ankles) are the injury-victims from Melbourne. A sixth player, hooker Scarra Ntubeni, withdrew from last week’s match at the 11th hour with a hamstring injury and is still not available for selection.
Fourie, Ntubeni and De Jongh should all be back on deck after the June Test break – along with lock De Kock Steenkamp, who left the tour early with a chest injury – but Bekker, Malherbe and Cilliers will be out for some time.
As a result of these injuries, Damian de Allende (inside centre), Don Armand (No.7 flank), Gerbrandt Grobler (No.4 lock), Brok Harris (tighthead prop) and Tiaan Liebenberg (hooker) all come into the starting XV this week. In other changes, skipper Jean de Villiers will move from inside centre to outside centre, Siya Kolisi shifts across from No.7 to No.6 and Eben Etzebeth will call the line-outs in the absence of Bekker in the No.5 shirt.
De Allende will make his first start since the Stormers’ 22-15 win over the Sharks on April 13, Armand and Harris will make their first starts of 2013, Grobler will make his first-ever Super Rugby start and Liebenberg (having recovered from an elbow injury) is back in the mix for the first time since March 23 (against the Brumbies).
On the bench, meanwhile, prop Chris Heiberg and flanker Rohan Kitshoff – both DHL WP Vodacom Cup stars – await their Super Rugby debuts for the DHL Stormers, whilst lock Marius Coetzer – another new face in the selection frame this week – has played five Super Rugby games for the Lions but will be on debut for the Stormers.
“We’ve been hit really hard by injuries, but we’re looking forward to (new) players bringing in new energy this weekend,” said DHL Stormers boss Allister Coetzee.
“As a coach you make do with what you have and remain positive about the (next) fixture, but the reality is that we’re currently sitting with 15 players that are unavailable. Having said that, I’m excited about the new players in our team – all of whom have a chance to lay down a marker and all of whom brought plenty of energy and enthusiasm to training this week.”
Speaking about facing the Reds, the 2011 Super Rugby champions, Coetzee added: “The Reds are a challenging team. They beat us at DHL Newlands last time (two years ago) and I expect the same (from them) from a tactical point of view.
“They’re probably disappointed at losing (to the Cheetahs) last week and they’ll probably be chasing a four-try bonus point. We’re confident in our defence, however, and hopefully we can make our opportunities on attack count.”
Meanwhile, Saturday’s match will also be used as a vehicle to raise funds for former WP centre Tinus Linee who has been diagnosed with Motor Neuron Disease (MND).
There will be bucket collections at DHL Newlands during the day, whilst you can also SMS ‘Tinus’ to 38208 to make a one-off R10 donation to Tinus Linee. Email tinus@wprugby.co.za for more information.
Tickets are still available for Saturday’s match and can be purchased at the DHL Newlands ticket office, PostNet outlets and online at wprugby.ticketpros.co.za.
The DHL Stormers team to take on the Reds is as follows:
15. Joe Pietersen
14. Gio Aplon
13. Jean de Villiers (Captain)
12. Damian de Allende
11. Bryan Habana
10. Elton Jantjies
9. Louis Schreuder
8. Nizaam Carr
7. Don Armand
6. Siya Kolisi
5. Eben Etzebeth
4. Gerbrandt Grobler*
3. Brok Harris
2. Tiaan Liebenberg
1. Steven Kitshoff
Replacements:
16. Martin Bezuidenhout
17. Chris Heiberg**
18. Marius Coetzer**
19. Rohan Kitshoff**
20. Dewaldt Duvenage
21. Gary van Aswegen
22. Gerhard van den Heever
* Starting debut for the DHL Stormers
** On debut for the DHL Stormers
Referee: Jaco Peyper (South Africa)
Looks weak.
@ Loosehead:
You reap what you sow. DILLIGAF.
Toetie for SA Head Coach!
Does look decidedly weak… does’nt it…. eina….
weak is a touch of a understatement
4 @ Gena_ZA:
Stormers not scraping the barrel, they’ve started digging under the barrel…. hehehe
Flok, I see the Stormers have called up more Lions ammo… Dreyer!
I would have to go for a Reds win in this game…. it’s the only logical, yet tragic choice for Superbru…
“Stormers best without the ball”, Allistair Coetzee, News24 Sport, today.
Faaark me McGyver, slaat my met n nat snoek, nou het ek als gehoor!
Wys jou net, mens raak nooit te oud om te leer nie……
@ Loosehead:
Stormers in the dwang for sure!
From 7th to 4th in one round if all goes according to my master plan
That will make next weekend’s match in Bloem a real humdinger!
Gooooooooooooooooooooo Cheeetahs!
8 @ Cheetah4eva:
To me it looks like it is likely that the teams will fare as follows this weekend:
3 Away wins
1 Home win
3 Away wins
So, it’s as follows….
Chiefs / Crusaders – Saders win
Rebels / Waratahs – Waratahs win
Blues / Brumbies – Brumbies win
Force / Highlanders – Force win
Kings / Cheetahs – Cheetahs win
Stormers / Reds – Reds win
Sharks / Bulls – Bulls win
Which means you will get 1 wish in 4 only… sorry!
Bulls to go top of the Combined Log this weekend IF they manage to win against the Sharks, the more likely outcome….
Don’t know why you Cheetahs guys count the future bye points now in an effort to say you are closer to the Bulls than is actually the case (wishful thinking?)… look at it this way, 5 regular game weeks left, Bulls can still harvest a possible 25 Log points with 5 remaining games, whereas the Cheetahs can only harvest a possible 24 Log points with 4 games and the 4 bye points.
So no, your side is in fact 6 to 7 points behind the Bulls, not only 2 and next weekend that gap could likely increase in size!
You guys are at the stage in the season where you need other sides to do your team’s dirty work for you.
In comparison, the Bulls are only running their own race… and that’s the way they’ve looked at it all season!
@ grootblousmile:
Lol, I did say it was a wish. Regarding the bye, look at it this way. 4 guarenteed points are better than a game in hand, which you could still lose.
Pfffft we are still in control of our own destiny. We need to win all our games. Other sides can assist us if the Bulls slack off. Fundamental difference. Now the Sharks require divine intervention.
I’ve said this a few times now, but I honestly believe that we will only have one team in the playoffs, the conference winners, which will almost certainly be the Bulls.
10 @ Cheetah4eva:
If you still only control your own destiny, why all 4 wishes, my friend?
Is 4 guaranteed points better than a 5-point game in hand…. you sure?
So you’ll take 4 points rather than play to win for 5 Log points? Says a lot about the faith you have in your side….
11 @ Stormersboy:
Not necessarily so… the Chiefs and Saders still play each other twice, and on both occasions some side will win and one will lose, so effective that pegs 1 NZ side back 6 to 8 Log points or alternatively it pegs back 2 NZ sides by 4 to 5 Log points each…. in both instances giving other sides like the Cheetahs the chance to surpass them on the Log.
At the same time the Brumbies and / or Blues will peg the other side back a few notches this weekend already… and if the Brumbies win, the Cheetahs should already sneak past the Blues this weekend.
Where it can become interesting is if the Stormers beat the Reds…. then the Cheetahs can pass the Reds too this weekend already….
@ grootblousmile:
Having looked at the most likely outcomes over the next while, the only way the Cheetahs can get in is to beat the Stormers. They will likely lose to the Reds this weekend but will also likely beat the Cheetahs on the 29th of June. They will have guys like Duanne, Grant and Steenkamp back.
@ grootblousmile:
I said 4 points gaurenteed. If you have a match in hand, it’s not gaurenteed that you will win it. Let me rephrase then, seeing you are being painfully pedantic
The Cheetahs control their own destiny, but my wishes are to get them to the best finish possible, even at the expense of the Bulls. Sorry, trench warfare at the moment.
@ Stormersboy:
Popgun Grant? Your best hope is to stick with jantjies I am afraid, playing Grant is regressing.
Will Duanne be back so soon? And with Frans Malherbe out. No bud, don’t see Stormers currently beating Cheetahs. lots of time before we play, so many things can change. Bet you also didn’t think the Cheetahs would hammer the Reds?
15 @ Cheetah4eva:
No problem with trench warfare… that’s what you guys HAVE TO resort to now, whereas the Bulls don’t have to revert to that yet, simply because they’re not so desperate yet.
It could all change in 2 simple weeks….
Sharks could peg the Bulls back considerably this weekend, whereas the Cheetahs have the ideal opportunity to bag 5 Log points, however, the Bulls will still lead the SA Conference after this weekend, come what may.
@ Cheetah4eva:
He will bring a certain solid aspect to the setup.
18 @ Stormersboy:
I also believe Peter Grant will immediately be better than what Elton Jantjies offers
@ grootblousmile:
Yes Elton has been very disappointing this year, although he’s had a lot of set backs.
I would play Grant and if he wasn’t available the Van Aswegen. Both Grant and Elton will be going away after the Super 15 so makes sense to try and get Gary Van Aswegen into the rhythm of a starting berth which, barring injury he will have during the CC.
20 @ Stormersboy:
Peter Grant knows the Stormers systems, the way they have been playing for a number of seasons, even though he’s been sitting on the sidelines, injured.
He’s been there and done that in the Stormers camp between Jap stints… and therefore he’ll be able to adapt to play the game plan asked and required.
Gary van Aswegen and the rest are no-hopers, 2nd rate players… Vodacom Cuppers!
Elton must go back to a team who play without structures, who simply rely on gut instinct and some flair, and for that purpose the Lions suited him. I hope it’s clear now for all to see that he does not belong close to the Springboks… and I hope Heyneke Meyer comes to that conclusion fast.
It will be bend or bust this weekend for the Stormers, and I recon they are going down against the Reds, even at Newlands!
@ grootblousmile:
Do the Stormers even know what their systems are. seems they have been flitting between game plans of late. That didn’t work, lets try this. Oooops, that also didn’t work etc.
Grant will be a good thing for the Stormers I believe, his direct style of playing is lacked at the moment
and just to mess things up more, Stormers to beat the Reds – why – cause my logic on SuperBru would depict otherwise
22 @ Cheetah4eva:
I still think the Stormers are better than they’ve performed thus far… and they’ll give their all in the 4 SA derbies remaining for them.
I would not be surprised to see them win all 4 SA derbies to come….
Look, they are there for the taking, but if you think they’ll meakly roll over for your Cheetahs or for my Bulls in the last game, then I think you are mistaken.
I’d rather err on the side of caution, than show too much bravado about those upcoming games.
23 @ Gena_ZA:
Hehehehe
OK, it’s off to Midrand for me… then to Pretoria where I’m delivering a Notebook and some stuff… and where I pick up 2 Bulls Jerseys I had signed by the whole Bulls squad…
My son went to go fetch them this afternoon at Loftus, and I’m picking them up from him tonight early.
@ grootblousmile:
Not bravado GBS, nothing in the Stormers setup really gives me the feeling that they are about to explode with victories. Malherbe out for the rest of the season will bring back a fragility in their pack. Then there is also Elstadt and Vermeulen gone from their team.
Maybe they will be back, but I still feel they won’t match the Cheetahs in the scrum.Cheetahs pack destroyed the Reds pack the past weekend. The Stormers barely scraped past the Cheetahs in the two matches in last years S15. I expect more of the same in CT. Still early days, and closer to the time things may look different.
27 @ Cheetah4eva:
The Definition of BRAVADO is as follows:
“If you act with bravado, you are making a bold showy statement. Picture a cowboy bursting through saloon doors in an old western, and you can picture bravado.
The noun bravado is derived from the French and Italian words meaning “bragging and boasting,” and it is related to the word bravo. Today, the word means an almost-over-the-top amount of courage, but it can also be used (often with the word false) to mean a false show of bravery: ‘It was her first day in the classroom and she was almost shaking with fear, but with false bravado — she took a deep breath and turned to face her students — 20 kindergartners.’ ”
Now go measure your cock-sureness that the Cheetahs will beat the Stormers at Newlands against that….
@ grootblousmile:
As I said painfully pedantic! That’s my opinion based on both teams play over this and last years S15. On both occassions, I believe the Stormers barely escaped with a win. The Cheetahs win over the Stormers in Bloem, has been a long time coming, and they have regressed since then. Without Malherbe, and possibly Duanne and elstadt, I don’t see them beating the Cheetahs on current form.
If that is bravado, so be it. You sure are a split personality. On a other thread realting to the Cheetahs bye points, you asked if I don’t back my team to win, and when I do you accuse me of making a bold showy statement!
Pfffft Damned if you do, and damned if don’t!
Cheetahs to dismantle the Kings this weekend, and then I will take it from there. Besides, Chiefs have already ticked my first box of the weekend wish list.
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