Following their horror start to the season at Ellis Park last week, Stormers captain Jean de Villiers is expecting a major response from his side at Newlands on Friday.
De Villiers was furious with the way his charges capitulated against the Lions last week, and he admitted that their were some harsh words said behind closed doors when they reflected on what went wrong against the Lions.
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“We had a bit of a heart-to-heart yesterday, and we were hard with the video session and the guys took responsibility. It was nice to see how the guys responded because it is a short week and a short turnaround,” he said.
The Stormers skipper revealed that watching the replay of their 34-10 defeat made the team realise just how many chances they let slip as they tried to fight their way back into the game after an opening blitz from the Lions and their dead-eye kicker Marnitz Boshoff.
“It was frustrating playing on Saturday, but going through the replay and seeing how many opportunities we did have and how many turnovers we gave them that might have actually been more disappointing and frustrating.
“Add to that the handling errors that we made, the turnovers that we gave them and that caused the result, the worst result in seven years for this team,” he said.
The Cape side are viewing their clash with the Hurricanes this weekend as a chance to redeem themselves and show that they have learned from their experience in Johannesburg before they go on a demanding Australasian tour.
“It is nice to play at Newlands, we find comfort in the fact that we play there, but by no means do we think that the stadium will win us the game. If you don’t rock up, like we did on Saturday, then you will get punished again and that is just the brutality of this competition.
“It is time to redeem ourselves and the only way to do that is by putting up a good performance, we are excited about the challenge and we also know where we went wrong on Saturday,” he said.
The experienced centre said that the key will be to put the disappointment of last week behind them and focus on approaching the game against the Hurricanes with the right attitude.
“In professional sport things happen, at certain times the cohesion and synergy is there and other times you feel like 15 strangers playing together and you won’t know why.
“All we can do is prepare well as we have been, go into the game with the right attitude and mindset and hopefully get it right.
“It is a learning curve as much as a pressure game and I am sure that the guys will stand up and be counted,” he said.
GO STORMERS.GETTING MY ENCOURAGEMENT IN EARLY AND WITH CAPS NOGAL
I really like Jean, I rate him highly as a player and a captain, but in all honesty, he, or any captain of any professional team, should not have to be placed in a position where he should be disgusted with his team’s performance.
These are highly paid athletes who played their first game of a season, so the drive and passion to do well should have been a given. If you must get scolded after your first game already, then something is amiss.
Losing is not the biggest shame, even the best sides lose games as well, the manner in which they lost is the problem.
I am worried that the biggest drive this weekend to get the win is to redeem themselves and to make amends. That type of win is usually only good for one or two games, then once the redemption is complete, what will drive them from there on in?
1 @ Ryecatcher:
hahahaha. I am the same Rye, always support the saffa sides against the overseas side. So I am behind the Stormers here as well. Stormers to win this one by 10 or less but they will win.
GO STORMERS!
Day one tomorrow of SR.
Saders by 8
Cheetahs by 7 or less
Stormers by 7
That will be my picks on bru. For Saturday still have to think about the Lions/Bulls game as I see Lions have lost two great players for this weeks game. So still thinking about that one.
Saders by 7
Cheetahs by 7
Stormers by 7
Chiefs by 5
Tahs by 5
Brumbies by 5
Just have not picked the Bulls/Lions game still thinking about that one. Though last week got just about all my picks wrong so who knows it might be like that again….
@ Puma:
Hi pal.Hope that you are well.Will respond as follows.
Always support Stormers except when they play against The Sharks.
Always support the Sharks.
Rationale is as follows.1.What limited education I have was received at a good Cape School.
2.Played club rugby in Cape.
3.And yes,lost something in the Cape.
4.Most importantly,I have made some very decent and knowledgeable cyber
friends.Fair minded too.And the are Stormer supporters
Will alaborate at some future date on how I bacame a Sharks supporter.
Keep well friend
The are = they are
aloborate = elaborate
Quod erat etc limited education
6 @ Ryecatcher:
The same here Rye. I support all the saffa sides against the overseas sides, just never ever when they are playing the Sharks. Sharks are my team and I am a loyal supporter. Sharks forever for me bud.
Yes tell us how you came to support the Sharks Rye?
7 @ Ryecatcher:
hahahaha Rye, you have caught my typo bug…. 🙂 I make the most out of anyone ever.
10 @ Puma:
The Typo Disease is a fatal one, I’m sure… hehehe
11 @ grootblousmile:
Puma wrote:
What if Lambie moved to the cape?
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