Allister Coetzee
An elated DHL Stormers coach Allister Coetzee heaped the praise on his coaching team and all the players in the aftermath of their excellent 32 / 18 Vodacom Super Rugby win over the defending champion Waratahs earlier today.
The DHL Stormers overturned a 13 / 15 half-time deficit to record their 1st tour win of 2015 against the reigning champs – also scoring 4 tries in the process in Sydney.
I’m really, really happy,” Coetzee told the www.iamastormer.com website from Coogee on Saturday night.
“The players were really determined to register this win and it was a massive performance from everyone… the guys really stepped up to the next level to beat the reigning champions (at home) and to also score 4 tries.
“It was a 23-man squad effort and credit must go to all the players and all the coaches for all the work that went in this past week,” added the DHL Stormers boss.
“All our plans came together on the night, the bench worked well – all the players that came on made an impact. It’s something we needed against a physical Waratahs team and (also) in our 3rd week on tour.”
The DHL Stormers went down 20 / 25 to the table-topping Hurricanes last weekend and Coetzee believes the confidence from their 2nd-half showing in Wellington helped the team pull it through against the ‘Tahs.
He said: “I said last week we were heading in the right direction and the belief in this team, despite having 1 Log point to show for our efforts until tonight, has always been there.
“I thought our balance was spot on today – our kicking game was excellent and we put in a huge defensive effort. We also capitalised on that defensive effort and utilised any turnover possession in scoring our 4 tries.”
Flanker Michael Rhodes (hamstring) is the major injury worry for the DHL Stormers after limping off in the 33rd minute against the ‘Tahs, whilst flyhalf Demetri Catrakilis took a blow to the head and was replaced at the start of the 2nd half.
“Demetri was a bit uncomfortable, so we didn’t want to risk him,” said Coetzee. “But the big worry for us, after a very physical match, is Mike Rhodes who has done his hamstring – he might be on his way home.”
Coetzee continued: “Like I said, we backed our bench during this match – it was our intention all week – and it worked well for us.
“We will have some sore bodies after this match, so our 1st intention is to field a strong and fit team against the Force next week. We need to continue improving, as we have on this tour, and will keep our feet on the ground and keep working hard in our final week.”
The DHL Stormers will finish their 4-match tour of Australasia against the Western Force at Perth’s nib Stadium next Saturday (kick-off 19:45 AWST, 13:45 SA Time).
And massive it was, to beat the Champs with a 4 try bonus point and without Duanne. If (holding thumbs) we can do the same next week against the lowly Force, we can walk away with 11 points from our tour, and that will be a success in many supporters’ eyes.
We then have Duanne back for the remainder of the season, which is massive, especially with the injuries to players like Elstadt and Rhodes.
Well done on your team’s win Stormersboy. The ‘Champs’ are not doing as well this year but they were still a point ahead of you guys on the log going into this game and they had a game in hand.
@ Bullscot:
Thanks and yes, it’s still a long way top go.
Not counting any chickens yet, but unlike last year we are in the top 6 after 8 rounds, and almost finished our tour, so lots to be positive about.
@ Stormersboy:
Yes not too many points behind us and we still have to tour. I suppose the one concern for yourselves will be the injury situation, didn’t watch the game – what happened to Catrakillis? Just concerned that they are talking about him as only being a bit uncomfortable after getting the blow to his head and seem to be more concerned about Rhodes, hopefully Catrakillis didn’t take a knock that he should really be resting from.
@ Bullscot:
The rest was perecautionary, but Coleman is a good enough sub, and as you say Rhodes is more important.
We have Kolisi, Burger and Carr as first team players at the moment but will struggle on the bench.
1 @ Stormersboy:
Was a very good win, and agree re the possible 10 or 11 points from the tour….didn’t think we would get a haul like that.
Still need to get the win over the Force…which if we play like we did against the Canes in the 2nd half and against the Tahs, we should hopefully manage to pull it off.
If we can win our remaining home games then we might be set for a possible play off spot.
We play the Sharks and Cheetahs away, last two years the Cheetahs have beaten us in Bloem, but maybe, like last year, we can surprise the Sharks in Durban again.
Yes the Force may be bottom half but they will also want the win badly after the Cheeters beat them at home.
I am very happy that AC proved me wrong as I never really gave this team much of a chance to win in Sydney.
It seems that a “defence first with a keen eye on the counter-punch” strategy is the way forward for this Stormer team.
@ robzim:
“It seems that a “defence first with a keen eye on the counter-punch” strategy is the way forward for this Stormer team.”
I was just about to say something similar when I saw your comment.
Only problem I have with that strategy is that, while it took us to the semi twice in the past, it was not good enough to go all the way. AC should not neglect the vision to play more attacking rugby now that he has “rediscovered” the magic formula that brought him success in the past.
@ Nama:
Poor player management played a much bigger role than anything else in the past IMO.
Players like Burger, Etsebeth, Vermeulen, Koch, Ntubeni that are so crucial to the cause would have been (and have been) played into the ground with no rotation whatsoever in the past.
These days he is being a lot more deliberate with his team selections, with the playoffs in mind.
The defensive minded strategy is effective but it takes a toll on the body.
I believe that our increased depth with play a role this year come the business end of the comp.
Players like Elstadt, Rhodes, Kolisi, all of whom have not seen consistent action for various reasons will be fresher than in the past. Duanne too.
10 @ Stormersboy:
You can throw the names of Bekker and JdV into that list as well.
At this stage I’m still undecided about where the Stormers really are….we have won some games that I really wouldn’t have given us any chance of winning prior to the start of the tournament.
Is it the Stormers who are better or is the opposition teams weaker?
I’m close to believing that it’s the former, but just as soon as one starts thinking that we have what it takes, they drop games.
The game plan we employed against the Tahs is probably the best chance we have to progress to the play offs.
Our forwards are by far our strongest point, our defense was, for a change, on song….and use the backs on counter attack.
@ nortie: Howzit Nortie. Have to agree mate. The more scrums the better for us. I’ve never seen such dominance by a Stormers/WP pack. Ever. Correct me if I’m wrong. Maybe its just because I get so excited and pee in my pants watching this front row, that my memory has slipped a gear. But who’s complaining?
@ Tassies:
Hey boet….how goes the trip?
Yep, looks like we have shed the old “powder puff” moniker, well, for the time being at least.
Boys were seriously up for it yesterday, saw some mongrel on defense for a change.
De Jongh and De Allende were very good as a combination as well. Was really good seeing the Stormers take the champions apart through pressure, nogal at their home ground 😆
@ nortie: trip lekker chilled Nortie thanks. Connectivity(read: speed) is proving to be problematic though. Everywhere.
Very encouraging start to the season. I gave them no hope whatsoever and kyk hoe lyk hulle nou. Do you think Gert can cancel AC’s ticket to Japan?
I need to charge the iphone because I need it as a modem. Hotspot nails the battery. I’m camping so I need to hitch it up to the Toyota.
cheers
chat later
I’ve Updated the Logs, Results & SuperBru Pool table (under our Main Menus), and it cetainly makes for much better reading than just 1 week ago.
The Ozzmob had a terrible weekend, not a single one of their sides won… ZERO and all they managed to get combined as far as Log Points go is 2 Log Points (1 for the Brumbies for losing within 7 and 1 for the Reds for 4 tries)
Both New Zealand & South Africa have 4 sides a piece in the Top 9 whereas Aussie has only 1 in the Top 9.
The SA Conference Log is bloody cluttered at the Top, the 4 Teams there within 4 Log Points of one another, although the 2 lowest of the 4 (Lions & Sharks) have played 1 more game than their counterparts (Bulls & Stormers).
OH, and another thing, we went over 400 000 Published Comments here on Rugby-Talk last night during the Bulls game… off 12 111 published Articles.
Farking amazing!!
14 @ Tassies:
Don’t think Gert will keep AC…..and also it could be good for AC to go somewhere else.
I think, like Plum at the Sharks, he has reached his ceiling and has taken the Stormers as far as he could.
I just hope that, unlike the way the Sharks did when getting rid of Plum, the WPRU allows whoever is the new head coach, to appoint his own assistants.
Jake, and now Gold, were saddled with schoolboy coaches and prima donnas that were already contacted, so they are being made the scape goats without being able to work with assistant coaches of their choice, but the choice of the CEO.
Have a safe trip further
15 @ grootblousmile:
Didn’t we also have a round a short while ago where hardly any of our teams won?
The results this year is so topsy turvy it seems that on any given weekend 3 “favorites” can drop points, even while at home.
Nothing is clear cut at the moment and even after 9 weeks it’s going to take a brave person to say “team A” will win the cup.
Hurricanes sitting very pretty, but as we saw with the Blues that were due a win, they must be due a loss at some stage as well.
SA log doesn’t look good when comparing our top team’s points to those of NZ, but still a long way to go
nortie wrote:
AC has signed in Japan, remember?
This is his last season.
Except when he is selected for the Bok coach position after the WC that is.
@ Stormersboy:
Yep, I know, was just replying to Tassies asking whether they will try and keep him or not.
Think they will give HM another 4 years after this WC….we stand a better chance in 2019 if he can finish this WC with his ou toppies and start building a young squad for the next 4 years
nortie wrote:
Ah. Sorry.
I would be surprised if Meyer is kept on. He’s the right man for now based on continuity, but he hasn’t impressed the socks off me, and I just don’t see the current bok players picking up the trophy, which is probably the only thing that is good enough to keep him there longer term. I don’t think anyone has survived past 1 World Cup since readmission.
@ Stormersboy:
The AB’s did it with Henry…..and you know how we like to follow their example 😆
I agree that we won’t come close this year with the players we currently utilize….but I do think if he sits down and cuts away the 2007 winners and some other dead wood, identifies the young talent available and backs them for the next 4 years that 2019 we could possibly win.
We won the third and the 6th World Cups, 2019 is the 9th.
The bones has been rolled and it points to the fact that the Bok’s peak in 9 year cycles…..bring on 2019 😉
@ nortie:
@14
Plum might have reached his ceiling at the Sharks but just look at the difference he is making as assistant coach at the Canes.
10 @ Stormersboy:
Fair point.
If you think back to our 1st game of the season against the Bulls, you’ll remember that we were all chuffed about the more attacking play by the Stormers. (Some even accredited that to Gert Smal 🙄 ). We beat them unexpectedly since they were loaded with Bok players (13, I think)
Now we have beaten the Tahs, loaded with Wallaby players, unexpectedly by using a defensive game plan that worked for us in the past. (I wonder who should be credited for this now 😉 ). Remember that we leaked 11 tries in the 3 games prior to yesterday. I think that might have played a role in determining yesterday’s game plan.
My worry is that we will now decide to stick with it because it also brought us a 4 try BP. History has taught us that you can only go that far with a defensive orientated game plan. We need to get the balance right between what we did against the Bulls and what we did yesterday.
23 @ robzim:
Yep, his forte is forwards coach….maybe being head coach took too much focus away from his strong suit?
Fact is, it’s not just the coaches like Plum and AC that can be blamed for not winning the SR title….they can only work with what they have on the field, and sometimes the players are just not up to it either
Any thoughts from you folk who are nearer the action on this:
“André Watson has faced a disciplinary hearing following a list of grievances signed by 24 officials.
According to Sunday Times rugby writer Liam de Carme, the grievances include:
– Verbal abuse
– Victimisation
– His abrasive management style; and
– Financial impropriety
The newspaper says it was Watson’s fallout with senior referee Rasta Rasivhenge that galvanised the disenchanted. Watson allegedly told Rasivhenge last year: ‘I’ll f**k you up, I’ll destroy you.’
Rasivhenge subsequently left South African to pursue a refereeing career in Australia.
He reportedly flew back to South Africa to attend Watson’s disciplinary hearing, at which the country’s No 1-ranked referee Craig Joubert also testified.”
14 @ Tassies:
“Do you think Gert can cancel AC’s ticket to Japan?”
Nja, let him go. 7 years in charge of the SR team. He took us to the brink on a few occasions but could not take us to the end. Give somebody else an opportunity.
@ Bullscot:
The first 3 sound pretty much like he used to be on the field, but the financial impropriety will be interesting to hear about….
@ Stormersboy:
“I don’t think anyone has survived past 1 World Cup since readmission.”
Meyer is only the 3rd coach since readmission to last 4 years after White and PdV.
@ nortie:
“Think they will give HM another 4 years after this WC…”
If the success of a coach is measured by how well the Boks do against the AB, then Meyer should not be reappointed. 1/6 at this stage and even if he were to win the RWC later this year it would only be 2/8 or 3/8 IF we beat them in the RC as well.
@ nortie:
Yes, it’s interesting that the Canes nearly always had great backs ( Cullen, Umaga etc) but never the forwards. Plum seems to have change this… better forward coaching?
Also interesting that they now also have a great defence and score tries of turnovers ( like against the Stormers)?
Perhaps AC and Jake White were right all the time when saying in order to win consistently a team does not always have to ” play the most rugby”.
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