All Black and Hurricanes centre Conrad Smith admitted he was surprised by the Stormers’ showing against the Lions in Johannesburg last week.
Sport24
The Capetonians produced one of their worst performances ever to go down 34-10 at Ellis Park in their first Super Rugby game of the season.
“I watched a replay of the game and yes, I was surprised,” Smith said while his side prepares to tackle the Stormers at Newlands on Friday.
He does, however, expect the Stormers to be much better on their home ground.
“As was the case with us, the Stormers played their first game last weekend. The same happened to the Crusaders last year when they lost to the Blues after having a bye in the first round.
“These things happen. I’m sure the Stormers will be a totally different team this week.”
The Hurricanes themselves lost 27-9 to the Sharks in Durban last week and Smith said they must take their chances this time round.
“We struggled in the scrums early in the game. It’s not like set pieces are a weakness for us but it counts as one of the Sharks and Stormers’ strengths.
“It’s easy for the backs to blame the forwards, but we had enough chances to beat the Sharks. We let ourselves down.”
Friday’s clash kicks off at 19:10.
Hopefully the Stormers can give the canes another surprise by beating them convincingly. Need to stay positive.
The Canes must surely see this game as one they could win this weekend, their eyes must have lit up with what the Lions did to the Stormers.
Can’t see that the Stormers can be as diabolical this weekend too, but then again I thought the Bulls would be better in their second game and they were actually worse against the Cheetahs than against the Sharks the week before.
@ Scrumsaam: It is hard to stay positive with AC’s outdated gameplan 🙁
3 @ mikeybrass:
I fully understand how you feel… Bulls & Stormers are both playing game plans which are years outdated, considering the player stock available this season.
There is just no way that the Bulls should be playing the kick and chase style with the kickers they now have available… and the loosies they have to go retrieve ball from the opposition in good attacking areas of the field. Hougaard, Fouché & Jurgen Visser just cannot achieve what Morné Steyn and Zane Kirchner did with Stegmann, CJ Stander, Dewald Potgieter, Jean Cook, Arno Botha and those guys, even with Wepener & Chiliboy added into the mix, on the loose ball.
Neither Jono Ross, nor Jacques du Plessis plays towards the ball as fetcher types and Callie Visagie (who is just poor) and Mbonambi also cannot play towards the ball like good hookers should.
Hougaard & Piet van Zyl needs to play their natural attacking games of sniping and doing the breaks and half-breaks in stead of being instructed to kick the leather off the ball too.
Louis Fouché & Jurgen Visser is just sub-standard, point blank.
I’ve always believed that the NZ sides target at least one game in SA when they tour.
I’m sure the Canes would have looked at both the Sharks and the Stormers and I reckon this weekends game is the one they will be targeting.
I think the Stormers will be better off keeping it tight this game, the hurricanes forwards were terrible vs the sharks and they look vulnerable, worst thing in the world the Stormers can do is to play an attacking game this weekend, I think they need to consolidate first and maybe invite the back line over for a practice or two to join the forwards and not have scarra play 9 and kitskos play 10 in practice drills.
@ MacroBull:
Kitskos is out running flyhalf.
@ mikeybrass:
I don’t even think the Stormers have a game plan at the moment.
Things can’t get worse, can they?
Still, it’s just the start of the season
Stormersboy wrote:
It can get worse SB.
They might scrape through a couple of ugly wins and then as reward they will extend the coaches contracts and keep the same players
He’s not the only one! Think all the supporters were shocked by how absolutley shit they were – I know I was. NEED a MUCH impoved showing, next game.
mmmmm. Was hoping you wouldn’t say that.
The DHL Stormers team for Friday (v the Hurricanes – kick-off 19h10) is as follows:
15. Jaco Taute
14. Kobus van Wyk
13. Jean de Villiers (captain)
12. Damian de Allende
11. Gio Aplon
10. Demetri Catrakilis
9. Louis Schreuder
8. Duane Vermeulen
7. Schalk Burger (vice-captain)
6. Siya Kolisi
5. Manuel Carizza
4. Rynhardt Elstadt
3. Frans Malherbe
2. Scarra Ntubeni
1. Steven Kitshoff
Replacements:
16. Deon Fourie
17. Oliver Kebble
18. Pat Cilliers
19. Michael Rhodes
20. Nizaam Carr
21. Nic Groom
22. Kurt Coleman
23. Ryno Eksteen
Referee: Steve Walsh
Stormers by 20
Kla gepraat
Gena_ZA wrote:
Canes met 30
Mos laas week gese dat as ek die span vroeer gesien het sou ek Leeus gegaan het, maar in my wildte drme sou ek nooit n 24 punt margin geraak het nie
Gena_ZA wrote:
Canes met 30
Mos laas week gese dat as ek die span vroeer gesien het sou ek Leeus gegaan het, maar in my wildste drome sou ek nooit n 24 punt margin geraai het nie
Last week I chose the Canes, Stormers and Bulls.
Kla gepraat.
🙂
Stormersboy wrote:
He he, I didn’t do much better, picked Stormers and Bulls as well.
Won’t be making that mistake too soon again
You will notice that I am now a neutral when it comes to team supported, so I have no affinity and won’t be selecting with my heart because it’s my team anymore
I’ll pick Stormers, nobody going to back them so if they pull it of i get my top spot back.
Scrumsaam wrote:
Majority will pick the Stormers.
There are still plenty who think this is a good squad and team that is on the right path
@ nortierd:
I’ll be one of the majority, we have to be positive my friend believe.
Scrumsaam wrote:
Been believing for 4 decades, last week I just thought that maybe the only way they will bring change is if they don’t have a choice. We all want AC and his cronies to go, we all want to have pro active change like the Sharks did, we all want a decent squad and team, and we won’t get it if they keep hitting a lucky win every now and again.
I doubt that Jake White will even pick one of our starting 15 in his team, that’s the reality of how poor the team is
@ nortierd:
No AC will have a job until Wakefield resigns, does not matter how bad the team plays he will get support. The game plan must change for the Bulls and Stormers they are to predictable. But getting the message through to these coaches will not be an easy job.
Stormers by 20 – gaan vind ‘n groepie vir klakouse of wannabe depressants, maak dit snappy
Met Brok op 10 kan jy mos sien hier is ‘n plan man
@ Gena_ZA:
Wie moet nou n groepie soek? klakouse of die wat brille kort?
lol, dalk die supporters EN die span ou maat, myself included, dalk is daar ‘n hot deurmekaarr girl of twee ook
@ Gena_ZA:
Well as daar n hot girl of twee is, sal ek die groepie ook join..
dis tongue in cheek manne, moenie ernstig vat nie asb
Iemand gese hot girl?
Sal saam sleep
@ Gena_ZA:
Ons weet, vat maar net ons groepie bietjie verder.. wie bring die snacks?
Scrumsaam wrote:
Kyk, AC is n gawe en baie nice ou, maar hy het sy ceiling met die span bereik.
Plumtree het amper beter gedoen met die guppies, en hulle het gesien verandering is nodig, en tot hulle krediet het hulle verander.
Die sukses wat die Sharks gaan he is nie per geluk nie, dis verdiend. So kan mens ook se dat die swak uitslae wat ons en die Bulls kry ook verdiend is, juis omdat ons nie wil verbeter nie.
Dis bitter jammer, maar mens sien dit mos al n rukkie aankom, dis nie asof dit oor ag gebeur het nie
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