In the first lot of discussions of Super Rugby squad contenders for 2015, we discuss 2 positions in seperate Articles (Props & Hookers) and also seperate the Articles of the 5 SA Super Rugby participating franchises.
That means 10 Super Rugby Articles to start with, followed by the rest of the Articles, as and how time allows, from now on.
The basic idea is to discuss the players IN the Super Rugby Group, and not all the options beyond that.
In this Article we look at the contenders for PROPS in the DHL Stormers 2015 Super Rugby group, and whether they could force their way into Bok contention.
Similar to the situation at the Toyota Cheetahs, the Stormers have had some departures, with Brok Harris and pat Cillies having left the Franchise.
The Contenders:
Name: Steven Kitshoff:
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Kitshoff was a member of the Junior Springboks Under 20 team that won the 2012 IRB Junior World Championship. In addition, Kitshoff was part of the Western Province team that won the 2012 Currie Cup as well as the premier loosehead prop for the Stormers in Super Rugby and Currie Cup in 2013 .
Kitshoff attended Hendrik Louw Primary School and Paul Roos Gymnasium.
Kitshoff came onto the rugby scene as a very young talent. 2013 Was however not his best season, as he seemed to fade away towards the end of the season.
For Steven 2014 was a year of frustration as he succumbed to a season-ending injury towards the back-end of the Super Rugby season and this ruled him out of Western Province’s successful Currie Cup campaign in which they lifted the title for the second time in three years.
Rugby Career:
- 2005: Investec Western Province (Under 13 Coca-Cola Craven Week)
- 2009: WP (Under 18 Coca-Cola Craven Week)
- 2010: WP (Under 18 Coca-Cola Craven Week), South Africa (SA Under 18 High Performance)
- 2011: DHL Western Province (Vodacom Cup), DHL Stormers (Vodacom Super Rugby), DHL Western Province (ABSA Currie Cup Premier Division), Western Province (ABSA Under 21 Competition)
- 2012: DHL Stormers (Vodacom Super Rugby), South Africa (IRB Junior World Championship), DHL Western Province (ABSA Currie Cup Premier Division), Western Province (ABSA Under 21 Competition)
- 2013: DHL Stormers (Vodacom Super Rugby), DHL Western Province (ABSA Currie Cup Premier Division)
- 2014: DHL Stormers (Vodacom Super Rugby)
Name: Jozua Francois “Frans” Malherbe:
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Malherbe made both his senior Western Province and Stormers debuts in 2011, however it was the following year when he fully cemented his place in both sides. He played in every Stormers match during the 2012 Super Rugby season and only missed one match in Western Province’s successful 2012 Currie Cup Premier Division campaign when he provided injury cover for South Africa squad on their tour of Australasia. He was a starter as Province upset the Natal Sharks 25-18 in Durban to become a Currie Cup winner at the age of 21.
2013 Saw his reputation grow and he retained his position as the Stormers first-choice tighthead ahead of the more experienced Patric Cilliers who had joined the franchise from the Lions. He made 11 appearances during the 2013 Super Rugby season before an injury ended his campaign and forced him to miss the majority of the 2013 Currie Cup season. He made his comeback towards the back end of the campaign making 4 appearances from the bench and helping Province reach their second successive Currie Cup final.
Malherbe had been involved in several South Africa squads since the appointment of Heyneke Meyer as head coach in 2012 without making any appearances. An injury to Jannie du Plessis meant he finally made his Test debut on 9 November 2013 against Wales in Cardiff. He aquitted himself well despite facing the hugely experienced Gethin Jenkins on the other side of the scrum. He retained his place for the following week’s match against Scotland in Edinburgh, however an injury just before halftime saw him withdrawn and his tour ended prematurely. In 2014 Frans played in 2 more Tests befor again suffering a long term injury.
With the rise of various tighthead props in South Africa (Marcel van der Merwe, Julian Redelinghuys & Ruan Dreyer) Frans will have his work cut out to regain a Springbok berth for the Rugby World Cup in 2015. He seems to be an injury liability.
Rugby Career:
- 2007: Western province (Under 16 Coca-Cola Grant Khomo Week)
- 2008: South Africa (Under 18 Elite Squads), Western Province (Under 18 Coca-Cola Craven Week)
- 2009: WP (Under 18 Coca-Cola Craven Week), SA Schools (SA Under 18 High Performance), South Africa (SA Schools Under 18)
- 2010: Western Province (ABSA Under 19 Competition)
- 2011: DHL Western Province (Vodacom Cup), DHL Stormers (Vodacom Super Rugby), Western Province (ABSA Under 21 Competition), DHL Western Province (ABSA Currie Cup Premier Division)
- 2012: DHL Stormers (Vodacom Super Rugby), Western Province (ABSA Under 21 Competition), DHL Western Province (ABSA Currie Cup Premier Division), Springboks (The Rugby Championship), Springboks (Castle Outgoing Tours)
- 2013: DHL Stormers (Vodacom Super Rugby), DHL Western Province (ABSA Currie Cup Premier Division), Springboks (Castle Lager Outgoing Tour)
- 2014: DHL Stormers (Vodacom Super Rugby), DHL Western Province (ABSA Currie Cup Premier Division), Springboks (The Rugby Championship)
Name: Alistair Fernando Vermaak:
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At youth level, he played for Eastern Province at the 2005 Under 16 Grant Khomo Week and for Griffons at the Under 18 Academy Week in 2006, as well as the 2007 Craven Week. He also played for Griffons Under 19 in the 2007 Under 19 Provincial Championship competition.
In 2008, he moved to Cape Town to join Western Province. He played for them in the 2008 Under 19 Provincial Championship and 2010 Under 21 Provincial Championship competitions.
In 2011, he was included in the Western Province squad for the 2011 Vodacom Cup competition and made his first class debut in that competition, coming on as a substitute in their match against the Welwitschias and promptly scored a try within a minute of coming on. He made five appearances in total in the competition. One more appearance followed in the 2012 Vodacom Cup competition.
His Currie Cup debut came in 2013, when he was included in the Western Province team to face the Blue Bulls in the opening match of the 2013 Currie Cup Premier Division season.
After further appearances in the 2014 Vodacom Cup, Vermaak was included in the Stormers squad and named on the bench for their 2014 Super Rugby clash with the Bulls in Pretoria.
He had a short loan spell at the Boland Cavaliers during the 2013 Vodacom Cup competition, making three appearances in total.
He also represented the Maties in the Varsity Cup competition in 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014.
Rugby Career:
- 2005: Eastern Province (Under 16 Coca-Cola Grant Khomo Week)
- 2006: Griffons (Under 18 Academy Week)
- 2007: Griffons (Under 18 Coca-Cola Craven Week), Griffons (ABSA Under 19 Competition)
- 2008: Western Province (ABSA Under 19 Competition)
- 2010: Western Province (ABSA Under 21 Competition)
- 2011: Maties (FNB Varsity Cup), DHL Western Province (Vodacom Cup)
- 2012: Maties (FNB Varsity Cup), DHL Western Province (Vodacom Cup)
- 2013: Maties (FNB Varsity Cup), Regent Boland Cavaliers (Vodacom Cup), DHL Western Province (Vodacom Cup), DHL Western Province (ABSA Currie Cup Premier Division)
- 2014: Maties (FNB Varsity Cup), DHL Stormers (Vodacom Super Rugby), DHL Western Province (Vodacom Cup), DHL Western Province (ABSA Currie Cup Premier Division)
Name: Vincent Philip Koch:
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Vincent Koch is a product of Hugenote High School and regularly plays as a loosehead prop and has previously represented the Blue Bulls, UP Tuks and the Pumas.
In 2013, he was included in a South Africa President’s XV team that played in the 2013 IRB Tbilisi Cup and won the tournament after winning all three matches.
He joined the Stormers for the 2015 Super Rugby season, but will return to the Steval Pumas for the Currie Cup.
He is a no-nonsense player and might usurp the likes of Steven Kitshoff and Alistair Vermaak for the loosehead berth.
Rugby Career:
- 2006: Boland (Under 16 Coca-Cola Grant Khomo Week)
- 2008: Boland (ABSA Under 19 Promotion / Relegation), Boland (Under 18 Coca-Cola Craven Week), South Africa (Under 18 Elite Squads), Boland (ABSA Under 19 Competition)
- 2009: Vodacom Blue Bulls (ABSA Under 19 Competition), vodacom Blue Bulls (ABSA Under 21 Competition)
- 2010: Vodacom Blue Bulls (ABSA Under 21 Competition)
- 2011: Tuks (FNB Varsity Cup)
- 2012: Tuks (FNB Varsity Cup), Vodacom Blue Bulls (Vodacom Cup), Ford Pumas (ABSA Currie Cup First Division), Vodacom Blue Bulls (ABSA Currie Cup Premier Division)
- 2013: Steval Pumas (Vodacom Cup), South Africa Presidents XV (IRB Tblisis Cup), Steval Pumas (ABSA Currie Cup Premier Division)
- 2014: Steval Pumas (Vodacom Cup), Steval Pumas (ABSA Currie Cup Premier Division)
Name: Oliver Ralph “Oli” Kebble:
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He is the son of Guy Kebble, a rugby union prop that played in four test matches for the Springboks during the 1993 South Africa rugby union tour of Argentina and the 1994 South Africa rugby union tour of New Zealand.
Kebble did his a-levels at Dulwich College in London, England. He played rugby for them and was also part of the London Irish academy, before joining French Pro D2 side Mont-de-Marsan.
In 2012, Kebble returned to South Africa and joined Western Province. He played for the Western Province Under 21 side in 2012, as well as in 2013, when Western Province won the Under 21 Provincial Championship competition in the latter season.
He made his debut for the Western Province senior team during the 2012 Vodacom Cup competition, coming on as a substitute against the SWD Eagles at Outeniqua Park, George.
In 2014, he was named in the Stormers pre-season training squad and was later included in the final squad.
In 2012, he was part of the SA Under 20 side that won the 2012 IRB Junior World Championship held in South Africa. He made a substitute appearances in their opening match against Ireland and started the other pool matches against Italy and England. He also came on as a substitute in the semi-final against Argentina, but was an unused substitute in the final against New Zealand.
Rugby Career:
- 2010: London Irish (Academy)
- 2011: London Irish (Academy), Mont-de-Marsan (French Pro D2)
- 2012: DHL Western Province (Vodacom Cup), South Africa (IRB Junior World Championship), DHL Western Province (ABSA Under 21 Competition)
- 2013: UCT (FNB Varsity Cup), DHL Western Province (Vodacom Cup), DHL Western Province (ABSA Under 21 Competition)
- 2014: DHL Stormers (Vodacom Super Rugby), DHL Western Province (ABSA Currie Cup Premier Division)
Starters:
The Stormers will most probably start with a rejuvenated Steven Kitshoff at loosehead prop as well as a rejuvenated Frans Malherbe at tighthead prop, after injuries kept both off the pitch for long durations in 2014.
Vincent Koch has moved from the Steval Pumas and should see some regular game time, as should Alistair Vermaak and Oli Kebble.
Apart from Frans Malherbe who is a Springbok, one has to come to a reasonable conclusion that the Stormers are at best an unknown quantity in the props department, with neither Alistair Vermaak nor Oli Kebble being deadly props in any of the prop facets of plays, whilst Vincent Koch could bolster their ranks considerably.
Youngish Steven Kitshoff has been out of action so long and before that not the player we thought he would develop into, so 2015 will be a year where he needs to step up and regain form.
The next Article in the range will deal with the Stormers hookers.
Stormers props… not good, not bad… I suppose somwhere in the middle of the Super Rugby spectrum.
More worried about the combination of these average props with their smaller hookers (Scarra & Mbonambi) and how the whole front row will perform as a unit…
Time will tell, but I personally think they are slightly better off in the front row department compared to the Cheetahs, but behind the other 2 SA Super Rugby sides plus the Sharks.
Kitshoff was IMO a “casualty” of being overplayed in the previous seasons. I still believe he has a bright future. He is still a youngster in props’ terms – he’ll be 23 in February but has already played close to 80 matches for the Stormers and WP. Therefore I’ll not discount him
Frans Malherbe has had injuries and the latest was a broken ankle. I can’t recall the previous one but it was serious as well. IMO Frans still has great potential. (It’s not as if he has had hamstrings / calves strains etc like for example CJ vd Linde).
Frans has a solid technique in the scrums and that can’t be taken away from him.
Vermaak has actually improved quite a lot during the last season. If he keeps on improving he might surprise us all. He is still a work in progress.
Oli Kebble has been developing slowly but IMO he’ll still get better over time. He should only be picked at loosehead though (he has played a few games on the other side of the scrum but without much success)
If Vincent Koch keeps on developing his game he may become quite a good buy by Gert Smal. I haven’t seen enough of him to comment too much though.
One name that isn’t mentioned, is that of Wilco Louw. The former pupil of Drostdy THS, has played Craven Week for Boland in 2012 and has been at the Bulls for the past 2 years – with limited game time though. He is not the real deal yet and is very much a work in progress but at 120 kg + and with sound technique, he can become a force in a year or two.
All in all the situation of the Stormers are (IMHO of course) much better than that of the Cheetahs
Kitchoff needs only to stick to the scrum and not play flyhalf and he has a bright future. If he sticks it out he could play well over a 100 caps for the stromperpies or even over 150 games.
This group of players are certainly not going to cause the opposition to have many sleepless nights at this stage. The only real top class international level prop in the group is Frans Malherbe. Steven Kitshoff is fairly decent, Koch is a talented very mobile player but unproven at super rugby level while Vermaak is very average imo. The fitness of Malherbe who seems injury prone as well as the quick development of Kebble and Wilco Louw and possibly also Sti Sithole might be key to the Stormers’ success in the front row this season.
2 @ charlesm:
The problem with this type of article, as is mentioned in the first few paragraphs, is where do you draw the line who to focus on, and therefore I did not even attempt to discuss Wilco Louw or Sti Sithole as well.
Look at the detail the article contains about each and every player, it’s a lot of info drawn from and compared at various sources – so imagine the work which goes into it, so adding 2 more players adds at least another 45 minutes to the progress on the article.
@ grootblousmile:
It wasn’t meant as criticism GBS – I merely mentioned his name (Louw).
At this stage he isn’t a real contender for Super Rugby and should hopefully get a run in the Vodacom side. During the 2nd half of the season he may even still “only” play under 21 rugby. I guess time will tell.
What I do know is that Gert Smal feels he needs some time to develop.
Sti Sithole has had lengthy lay-offs due to injuries and should be eased back too IMO
6 @ charlesm:
I did not see it as critisism, friend… was just trying to explain why I did not also mention his name and that of Sti Sithole in the discussion.
I agree with you that Wilco still needs to develop.
I also agree with your sentiments that Kitskos is still young and that’s why I say in the article he needs to step it up in 2015.
Before doing the Stormers props article, my quick thoughts were that they were much in the same boat as the Cheetahs… very THIN… but after doing the article I also think they are better off than the Cheetahs, though I do think they are worse off than the Bulls, Sharks & Lions as far as the props are concerned.
I’m busy doing the Lions props at the moment!
Wow, real monsters there and if you look what their props achieved in Super Rugby in 2014, then you will know that they are really solid there, having lost no props in the meantime. I’m quite excited for the Lions as far as props go.
Well what to comment on my team without sounding too negative………………….Malherbe had 1 good season which feels like ages ago. Kitshoff has not really caught my eye…You read all these things of how much he can dead lift and bench….mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm this means nothing on a rugby field. So yes, I do think the Stormers are going to have a hard time in the scrums. I hope that I am proven wrong, but at this moment I can not see that happen.
The last time the Stormers had a proper prop was wen Cobus Visagie was still playing. And I see mention of development, development of younger players are great, but it does not help to try and develop during a Super Rugby season. And the Stormers have been in this position for quite some time and yet no sign that development is working.
But all in all. GOOOOOOOO Stormers.
8 @ Timothy Bornman:
Thats a bit harsh Tim. As much as we like to have a go at AC and his assistants, Proudfoot made the Stormers real contenders with the work he did at the stormers front row that appeared to be a big weakness before that. The bulls for example can have great depth at prop but simply does not seem to get the best out of the front row as a unit like Proudfoot and Akkers can.
@ MacroBlom:
I agree to an end. The main point I was trying to make is that both Malherbe and Kitshoff came through the ranks but have not really delivered to a sense where we can truly say that they are Bok contenders. I have faith that we will not be over run. I just don’t think there is that………for lack of a better term……X-factor.
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