Nizaam Carr
Nizaam Carr will captain the DHL Stormers in their Super Rugby clash in Durban on Saturday against the Cell C Sharks.
Kick-off is at 19:10 SA Time (17:10 GMT).
It has been reliably learnt that the Springbok loose forward will lead a Stormers ‘B’ team in their final Super Rugby league fixture against the men from Durban before they tackle the playoffs the following weekend.
Stormers coach Allister Coetzee said he has looked at the situation and described his sides chances of ending up in 2nd position on the overall Super Rugby standings as “highly unlikely.”
A 2nd place finish would have secured a home semi-final spot for the Cape franchise – a week’s rest during the “quarter-finals”.
Coetzee will however use the game against the Sharks to bring back a few players who have been sidelined with injuries for a while. Players like Jaco Taute, Kobus van Wyk and Michael Rhodes will be in the starting line-up. It will also be a golden opportunity to test the depth of his squad.
“I am not even worried about the outcome of the games between the Waratahs and Reds as well as the Brumbies and Crusaders,” said Coetzee.
“The only thing that we know is that we are in the quarter-finals. We must just make sure that we prepare well for the Sharks game. It doesn’t matter against who and where we play in the quarter-finals.”
Carr wil most probably be the only player in the starting line-up against the Sharks that started in last week’s stalemate against the Emirates Lions at Newlands. He will form a formidable loose trio combination with Rhodes and the exciting Sikhumbuzo Notshe.
“We will give players a rest this weekend, while others will be given an opportunity to be sharp as well as to shore up our depth,” said Coetzee.
“Cheslin (Kolbe) has played all the games this year, while Dillyn (Leyds) only missed 1 game when he had problems with his AC joint before the bye week.
“After Saturday, there are only 3 weeks left with the quarter-final, semi and final remaining.
“’We have achieved all our goals thus far. We now have a competition within another competition. That is how we see it and we will plan accordingly.”
Coetzee says it does not bother him that they will have to travel for the playoffs.
“The fact that we have to tour, could still count in our favour. We have seen it during the season.
“We were under the cosh and nearly beat the Hurricanes in Wellington. We went on to beat the defending champs, the Waratahs, in Sydney and managed to turn things around. And if that is the path that we have to walk, then so be it. We only focus on what we can control, added Coetzee.
Sport24
This last Open Round of the Competition is ALWAYS, the “Ugly Round”, with teams fielding weakened teams, also-runs going at one another and only really 3 teams to whom the Round has real meaning (Chiefs, Waratahs, Brumbies).
Stormers ‘B’ Team, Bulls ‘B’-Team, injuries galore at the Chiefs, Highlanders… Cheetahs under a new coach, “Dead Rubber” games…
Time to go rest, it’s after midnight and I’m busy getting grumpy… hehehe
Wp looking for the signatures of psdt and marcel coetzee… Man the hipocracy will really hit the fan on emoworld haha
MacroPolo wrote:
It’s only speculation during the “silly” season. WP have already denied that they have approached PSDT so who really knows the truth?
The WPRU mat well have had talks with these players (and others) behind the scenes but they can only go after them officially when rhe transfer window opens in July.
You can be sure that they will be on the look out for one or more quality loose forwards to replace Vermeulen, Kolisi, Rhodes and possibly Burger. Not paying those salaries alone will leave them with extra money to spend…..
@ Stormersboy:
This transfer window makes no sense, or I just do not understand it, why is there so much player movement already before the transfer window? Why can Willie le roux negotiate with the Sharks while Cornal Hendricks couldnt?
@ robzim:
I think we should pretty much take any news with a pinch of salt, in one report you would read psdt is in talks with WP, the next they deny it and now there are more rumours, you can bet both the players and unions participate in this cat and mouse game.
Where there is smoke there is fire though, and like SB says, there are so many big players leaving I am sure Gert Smal will be aiming high for a replacements and a guy like psdt is a hot commodity because he is equally suitable on the flank.
@ Stormersboy:
Where is Kolisi off to?
@ robzim:
The Toulouse rumor starting in January i think… Included frans malherbe.
Closer to a C than a B team.
Sharks by plenty
Stormers: 15 Robert du Preez, 14 Johnny Kotze, 13 Huw Jones, 12 Jaco Taute, 11 Pat Howard, 10 Kurt Coleman, 9 Louis Schreuder, 8 Nizaam Carr (c), 7 Michael Rhodes, 6 Sikhumbuzo Notshe, 5 Ruan Botha, 4 Jean Kleyn, 3 Vincent Koch, 2 Michael Willemse, 1 Oli Kebble.
Replacements: 16 Neil Rautenbach, 17 Ali Vermaak, 18 Wilco Louw, 19 Jan de Klerk, 20 Siya Kolisi, 21 Godlen Masimla, 22 Seabelo Senatla, 23 Kobus van Wyk.
@ nortie:
You beat them with what was claimed to be a c team in durban last year as well 😆
Ironically the weakest links in the team are the 2 most experienced players namely Louis Schreuder and Jitters Coleman.
MacroPolo wrote:
Yeah, how can we forget?
That one hurt some bloggers very much….so much in fact that they have stopped blogging here.
Maybe if the Sharks give the Stormers so whoopass this weekend we might see more comments from Shark bloggers
nortie wrote:
Geez I almost completely gave up on rugby after that game as well 😆 was shocking.
MacroPolo wrote:
I was still laughing days after that….it was so funny, and Taute of all people got the winning drop.
It wasn’t amusing down in Durbs, but jeez, that was a joke
nortie wrote:
We know
haha
@ nortie: @9
Don’t think that you will ever surprise me.
You are the most predicable person that I ever met.
There is plenty experience in that Stormers team. No reason at all why the Stormers won’t get past the Sharks. For me, it is the match of the weekend. On TV. But watched at the ground by 2 men and a dog.. oh well ……..can’t please them all 🙄
@ IAAS:
I think realistically, for the stormers to get past the sharks it is going to have to be a pretty poor game like last year and the Sharks would also have to conspire to lose this one, could be close but it is unlikely to be a spectacle compared to other match ups this weekend, the Chiefs vs Hurricanes could possibly be the game of the year.
Not for the faint of heart
@ IAAS:
You also have to consider that some of these players didn’t even play in the “weaker” currie cup final, so it is an even weaker team that is missing, Kolbe, Senatla (bench), JDJ, Greek, Groom, Elstadt and Scarra from the team that played the Currie Cup final.
The Sharks losing will be humiliating 😆
@ MacroPolo:
Actually many of those players brought in, especially in the backline would start in some Super Rugby teams so it’s not as weak as people are making out.
The real problem is one of cohesion, which will be hard to overcome.
Plus some of the forwards. The Sharks heavies like Bismark, Jannie and Willem will be looking forward to going out on a medium note so I expect a very interesting contest.
Many of those players will be playing 1st team next year so lets see what they are made of.
@ Stormersboy:
Who in the backline?
Id contest that more than like the forwards have a few players that would contest for a starting line up in any team, Rhodes, Carr, Botha, Koch… in the backline though? Maybe Pat Howard? we see so little of him though to be sure.
MacroPolo wrote:
Jaco Taute, Johnny Kotze, Robert Du Preez Jnr, Huw Jones.
All excellent players.
Pat and Robert played Jnr Bok, Jaco played Snr Bok and Huw Jones would have made the Sharks backline this year I believe. IMHO
Just an opinion mind you, But on an individual level all of those mentioned are great senior level players. Lacking experience to be sure but still,
@ Stormersboy:
The Stormers back line is mostly there to defend, so it will be interesting to see how the new guys fit into the defense patterns. It’s seldom our back line scores flee flowing running tries, it’s mostly individual brilliance or a nice bounce after a kick chase etc. the lack of 4 try bonus points prove that we are not reliant on our back line to win games.
We rely on our forwards to dominate and win penalties, but no Cat to convert those points.
Of course, they still have 80 minutes to go out and win, they might, but realistically speaking, if we compare the sides on the day, it will be a big ask.
Doesn’t mean I don’t want them to win, I just won’t be betting on them to beat the Sharks in Durban with this team
24 @ nortie:
and Senatla
@ Stormersboy:
and I am not belittling your backline players, but they are still trying to get into the WP team, I feel they are hardly established enough to compete in other teams, not even locally, maybe at the force.
However the forwards are much better and consists of established players, if the Stomers were to upset the sharks it would be the forwards.
@ MacroPolo:
Fair enough.
Still, I have a suspicion that they will acquit themselves better than some expect.
Either way, may the best team on the day win, and not let it be decided by some controversial reffing decision.
That would just suck for everyone.
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