Surprise promotions to abrasive hooker James Hanson and powerhouse forward Radike Samo have signalled that the Reds will muscle up and throw everything at the Stormers’ defence at Newlands.
Reds coach Ewen McKenzie has rewarded Hanson and Samo for their impact off the bench with their first run-on starts of the Vodacom Super Rugby season in Saturday’s top-of-the-table clash which is all the talk of Cape Town.
The Reds have woken up to successive back page headlines in the Cape Times newspaper, firstly with former coach Eddie Jones backing the Stormers to smash them in the set pieces and then on Thursday with accusations of cheating.
Stormers coach Allister Coetzee sent a transparent message to rookie referee Jaco Peyper by accusing the Reds of obstructing defenders, allowing Wallabies playmaker Quade Cooper more time and space to create line breaks.
“They’re a streetwise side, using tactics like illegal blocking and subtle holding,” Coetzee told the newspaper. “Quade Cooper loves to throw the inside pass, which is highly effective, especially if defenders are being held back.
“I won’t be talking to the referee about it though.”
Jones, who coached the Reds to the wooden-spoon in 2007, was quoted saying the Stormers would win the battle up front to keep their unbeaten record intact.
“The Stormers will outscrum the Reds and (Springbok lock) Andries Bekker will dominate the lineout,” said the former Wallabies coach.
The more this clown speaks the more i hope they win all their games and the bubble burst in the 1st playoff. That would be special. He always have something to say to the refs, but his team is o so clean. Man i get so he dinges in i wish that the WP bloggers had a spine to come talk here with us.(off course i coached them over the years to do the talking on the field)
@ superBul:
ok so what do you have to say then?
This is not the first time a coach has highlighted an issue through the media surely???
Who’s saying our team is clean by the way? Don’t read too much into it fella, just the normal team talk before a game.
Really don;t understand all the anti WP stuff from certain circles.
maybe you can explain it to me?
@ Stormersboy:
dont tell me you dont see any “anti blue stuff”, the fact is for years now everyone picks any other team if they play against the Bulls. The provincial rivalry they call it. So Dont for one moment think i like that clown that you have as a coach. He ruined the Springbok backs until Jake saw light and got EJ to help.
The reason why things are going well in Stormers land is not because of him but because they bought a bloody good and almost complete team.
@ superBul:
I Disagree. I think most people respect the Blue Bulls immensely. Their track record speaks for themselves. Sometimes their supporters are a bit perplexing, but you get that from all provinces. To suggest that we want the Bulls to lose for any other reason than that it helps us who are usually below them on the log is reading too much into it however.
Still surprised by your anger towards Alistair, your comments seem a bit exaggerated.
“they bought a bloody good and almost complete team.”
Doesn’t make sense.
Fourie, Habanna, are the most recent acqusitions really.
Others have been contracted over the years from other provinces, but out of the starting team most of the players are local grown and developed. Probably more than in most teams, possibly even the Bulls.
You’re entitled to your anti WP stance, it’s a free country (mostly), I’m just always curious why. It seems like more of an anti Alistair stance, but then you are looking forward to some WP crash in the playoffs.
Someone else’s success isn’t nescessarily your failure, I was very happy for the Bulls when they won the competition, they deserved it. Just like the stormers deserve their current success. They’ve managed to outscore their opponents each game (obviously), but without any obviously biased reffing or controversial decisions on the field. Won the battle fair and square.
No one is seriously proclaiming us the new unbeaten team or the champions, or anything. We are just enjoying our results and the committment of the players on the field.
As we should.
@ Stormersboy:
you enjoyed preaching to the preacher, the guys who know me better know that i can stir the pot to get a reaction. We here has become so “gentle” with each other there is no real debating and a bit of mudslinging left. That is why the place is so quiet lately.
Look i like the fact that the Stormers are now a real challenge to the Bulls, for years and years SA rugby was the North vs South rivalry.
What we need is something to talk about , we do sometimes discuss in depth scrum rules but mostly there is not enough technical analyses of a player or game. So it boils down to my man your man.
Take the 4 top centers in SA, lets first try and pick the 4, then discus their good points and bad points.
@ superBul:
ok, fair comment.
Best 4 centres?
JF (13)
JDJ (13)
JDV (12)
WO (12)
Agree/disagree?
Fringe:
Doppies
Murray
Eberson
Adi(pains me to say it)
Our current 2 of JDV and JF are class all the way for me, although JDV does go through times when he looks a little one dimensional. Then he produces something brilliant and I have to eat my words. JF is seldom off form, as an athlete is amazing, good hands, has a direct running style but that’s not a bad thing IMO.
JDJ has everything except good distribution, WO is a guy who does very little wrong and I like his physicality. Seems to struggle on the international stage (I know he comes on mostly off the bench, I get that.)
Those 4 i would take to the WC based on current and past form IMO. They won’t let us down.
@ Stormersboy:
i would stick to those 4 to, what i would have loved is for WO to get a better partner. JdV and JF plays great off each other, the combination works. Poor JDJ should have moved to another province where he could have build a partnership with another player. Mabe with WO or Adri. But on his own JDV does not inspire me.
I wish that FL gives the 2 Stefans in the Bulls team more chances with WO. Jaco Pretoruis wont get better, of that i am almost certain. Hope he shows me up and play a blinder against SBW. Would that be a treat.
#8 wens dat FL vir Hougie op Senter in Jaco Pretorius se plek speel en dan nog steeds van der Heever hou as die ander vleuel, vir my isd it baie sterker span, vandat Jaco Pretorius vir die Bulle speel het hy nie veel vir my gedoen nie, en sy verdediging is maar suspect jong, laat jou net dink dat Jacques Fourie hom baie beter laat lyk het as wat hy is toe hulle saam vir die Leeus gespeel het
@ superBul:
I hear you. I have been a bit puzzled by Jaco. he showed great potential initially, played for the boks at 14 where I liked his pace and size.
Really thought his move to the Bulls would be the beginning of great things for him. Hasn’t been so.
Combo’s have always been valuable to me.
For example, the current bok setup should still be
Sharks fron row (sorry Gurthrom good player but struggles in that combo)
Bulls second row
Bulls halfbacks
Stormers centres
The rest made up with experienced international combos, names we know with the odd newcomer to add some spice. Not Earl Rose type of spice, Pat lambie and Willem Alberts type of spice.
super @ 1
soes 1 van my tjommies di wiek gesê het:
hy lag f*kkol die wiekie
want
hy willie al sy lagge oplag voor saa’rag se game vannie bulle tienie crusaders nie!!
..
😀
..
stiek yt jou bang ding!! 😆
liefling, kan ons nie maar vergeet en ver …
o fok, kyk hoe k*ts ek nou in my eie mond!! 😀
..
stiek yt!!
fight! fight! fight! fight! fight!
😀
Hey SB – the Bulls suck! 🙂
pam @ 14
😀
@ Pam Anderson: 😀
@ Pam Anderson:
ja the front tit , not like you
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