After 2 weekends of Super Rugby warm-ups played and looking at what was achieved and what is still lacking, the Stormers are of the opinion that there is still a lot to work on.
The DHL Stormers have also brought out a Fitness Report today, detailing what they have to deal with, at this stage of the season, before a single Super Rugby game has been played.
Stormers have work to do:
Although satisfied with their win over the Cheetahs, the Stormers still have work to do before they face the Bulls at Loftus Versfeld on 14 February.
The Cape side dominated the first half against the Cheetahs at Newlands on Friday, and held on for a 39 / 31 win after both teams made a number of subsitutions in the second half.
Despite worrying injuries to locks Eben Etzebeth and Manuel Carizza, coach Allister Coetzee said that he was happy with the way his side went about things as they stepped up the intensity in their second warm-up game.
“I think it was a big step up from last weekend’s friendly. In the first half we were very clinical, we exited well and built good momentum and pressure with ball in hand.
“Our breakdown looked good and generated quick ball, we scrummed well and I think the biggest thing about our team is our physicality and that didn’t disappoint,” he said.
However, one worrying aspect for the Stormers coach was that they conceded two maul tries which is something that they will need to focus on before they meet the big Bulls pack in their opening game of the season at Loftus Versfeld.
“The negatives for me were the two maul tries we conceded, we are not a team that concedes maul tries like that so that is something we will work on.
“There is a lot of work to be done still. The mindset of the Bulls pack is about forward dominance which is built on a maul and we conceded two maul tries, so we have got work to do.
“In all other areas of the game there are good signs and good improvement so it is a good platform to build on for our first game,” he added.
Captain Duane Vermeulen echoed his coach’s sentiments, and warned that there is still some fine-tuning to be done before they take on the Bulls.
“I think there is a lot to work on, so we have two weeks to do that. We were happy with how we played in the first half, but you must be able to make that switch from playing just with the forwards to including the backline as well.
“Although we are happy with how it is going so far, we always strive for the perfect game and at the moment we are not there yet,” he said.
Coetzee added that despite rumours he is set to join a Japanese club, his focus remains firmly with the Stormers and their upcoming campaign.
“My future is so predictable, I am still contracted to Western Province, I haven’t signed any contract anywhere else, not even with Western Province.
“To be honest with you my head is in this campaign, it is a massively important campaign for us and that is where I would like to leave any speculation,” he said.
Fitness Report:
DHL Stormers locks Eben Etzebeth and Manuel Carizza could both miss the start of the 2015 Vodacom Super Rugby season.
Etzebeth (chest injury) and Carizza (shoulder) both suffered injuries in Friday’s 39 / 31 pre-season win over the Cheetahs and they will be out of action for 4 and 3 weeks, respectively.
Wing Kobus van Wyk is out for 10 days with a minor calf strain, but could still come into contention for his team’s season-opener in 2 weeks’ time.
The DHL Stormers will complete their pre-season preparations against the Boland Cavaliers at the Cape Town Stadium this Saturday (Kick-Off at 16:00 SA Time), with a DHL WP Emerging XV team also in action beforehand (14:00 SA Time).
The DHL Stormers will open their 2015 Vodacom Super Rugby campaign against the Bulls in Pretoria on Saturday 14 February (Kick-Off at 19:10 SA Time).
DHL Stormers injury report (2 February 2015):
- Lock Eben Etzebeth (chest) will be out of action for 4 weeks.
- Lock Manuel Carizza (shoulder) will be out of action for 3 weeks.
- Wing Kobus van Wyk (minor calf strain) is out for 10 days.
- Wing / fullback EW Viljoen will be out for 7 days after taking a knock to the head against the Cheetahs. He did, however, pass his concussion test after the match and is sitting out as a precaution this weekend.
- Centre Damian de Allende (slight quadriceps tear) is on track in terms of his rehabilitation but he will not be risked this weekend.
- Loose forwards Siya Kolisi (tight hamstring) will again not be risked this weekend but is still making good progress and will continue to step up his conditioning this week.
- Loose Forward Nizaam Carr (viral infection) will again not be risked this weekend but is still making good progress and will continue to step up his conditioning this week.
I see Gerbrandt Grobler, Stormers lock, has been banned for 2 year for testing positive for anabolic steroids.
1 @ grootblousmile:
There’s a twat born every minute.
1 @ grootblousmile:
That was kept VERY quiet.
Stormers second row cupboard would appear to be somewhat bare for the beginning of SR!
3 @ Scrumdown:
Rhodes and Elstadt might have to do lock duty, till Ruan Botha returns from his niggles and till Etzebeth is fully functional again.
As if the Stormers don’t have enough problems already…..
Cape Town – Jaco Peyper will referee the Super Rugby derby between the Bulls and Stormers at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria on Saturday, February 14.
WP confirm coaching shake-up
Cape Town – Long-serving Stormers and Western Province coach Allister Coetzee has chosen not to extend his contract at Western Province Rugby and will, instead, take up an opportunity abroad at the end of this year.
Coetzee, 51, will join Japanese club, Kobe Steel Kobelco Steelers, having decided to put pen to paper this week.
“I have always said that I would make an announcement once I had made a decision about my future and my decision has now been made and communicated properly,” said Coetzee on the official Stormers website.
“I’ve had eight fantastic years at Western Province Rugby and would like to thank my fellow coaches, players, the leadership of WP Rugby and, of course, the supporters here in Cape Town and across the country. My family and I have always been made to feel very welcome in Cape Town, but we have now been presented with a great opportunity and some exciting times await us in a very new and different environment.
“I will miss the Stormers and some great people that I have come into contact with here, but we still have a very long and challenging Super Rugby campaign ahead of us and that is my only focus at present as it has been during our pre-season build-up.”
Under the guidance of Coetzee, who has been head coach of WP since 2008 and the Stormers since 2010, the Stormers have become one of the most consistent Super Rugby teams on the circuit.
After losing an epic Super Rugby final to the Bulls in Soweto in 2010, Coetzee then coached the Stormers to successive South African Conference titles in 2011 and 2012, the latter tournament seeing the team also top the overall log – to date, the only South African team to achieve that feat.
At Currie Cup level, meanwhile, Western Province have won two titles under Coetzee’s leadership – in 2012 and 2014 – having, in total, contested four finals in the past five seasons, with two of those finals being at home and in succession.
WP Director of Rugby Gert Smal added: “We tried our best to keep Allister. Not only is he a fantastic coach but we have a great relationship – on and off the field.
“I am very sad to be losing him, but I can understand that he is seeking a new challenge – something which is close to my heart as I believe in empowering and constantly challenging coaches.”
Coetzee’s final release date has not been confirmed as yet (he will at least see out the 2015 Super Rugby season), but Smal has also announced that there will be a change in the management group of the Western Province Currie Cup team.
Senior forwards coach Matt Proudfoot and senior backline coach Robbie Fleck, Coetzee’s long-time assistant coaches, will continue in their respective roles with the Stormers at Super Rugby level but Smal will be utilising them elsewhere during the 2015 Currie Cup season.
Proudfoot will head up a brand new project at WP Rugby, the self-explained ‘Tight Five Factory’, whilst Fleck will become the Western Province Under-21 head coach in the second half of the season – all aimed at player development and, importantly, keeping the senior professional coaches fresh and allowing them to develop their own skills too in a different coaching environment.
John Dobson (head coach) and Dawie Snyman (assistant coach – backline) will, in turn, be promoted to Currie Cup level after five successful seasons in charge of both the WP Under-21 and Vodacom Cup sides, all of which falls in line with Smal’s vision to empower all the professional coaches at the union.
Smal explained: “John Dobson and Dawie Snyman have both impressed me with their vision and, of course, their records speak for themselves – having won three trophies in five seasons and produced countless players who have moved into our Super Rugby and Currie Cup teams (and beyond).
“It was always my intention to give John and Dawie an opportunity at a higher level this season and I am positive that they will reward my faith in them and continue their progression as talented coaches. At the same time, Matt and Fleckie can spread their specialised knowledge from the bottom up – and thereby get a first-hand experience of our young talent within the union – and also develop their coaching in a new environment.
Watse strond is die nou? ‘n “Pop up window” wat se, “Bad request…Your browser sent a request that this server could not understand.” Nou sit die ding in die middel van die skerm wat dit baie moeilik maak om te lees op die vensters onder hom. Mens sien net die boonste paar lyntjies en die onderste paar lyntjies.
Vokkit!
7 @ Nama:
Toetie’s revenge?
@ Scrumdown:
Hahaha… very funny.
Great news about Dobson being appointed as coach. It means that his progression to SR will be sooner rather than later.
Old Dawie making a return to the WP coaching set-up. His 5 in a row makes him a legend. Hope he can replicate that along with Dobson.
I see that Eddie Jones’ name is being bandied around as possible SR coach for 2016. I hope not. Let’s keep it local. Maybe use him as a consultant but nothing more. There must be a reason why he is not well liked in his own country.
“Proudfoot will head up a brand new project at WP Rugby, the self-explained ‘Tight Five Factory’,…”
When will SARU implement something similar? Year after year we see how our front row/tight five struggles against the rest of the world. Even lowly teams like Italy boss us around at times. One or two good scrums per game by Jannie and co is not good enough, we need to dominate when it comes to scrum time especially. I mean, we do have the bulk or does that not count for anything anymore? All we need to work on is the technique and for that the country need something like what Gert has envisioned for WP/Stormers.
Another conspiracy theory that went up in smoke. The one that stated that AC will be coach at WP/Stormers for as long as Thelo Wakefield is president and that a guy like Dobson will be better off looking for a job elsewhere if he wants to become a senior coach.
Wonder what the next one will be.
I wonder if AC will be given any credit next year for the platform that he laid for his successor.
Consistently in the top 3 of SR since 2010, bar 2014.
2 CC wins in 3 years.
2 times Conference Cup winners.
A bunch of players in their early 20’s with CC, SR and even international experience.
etc…etc… and so on. 😆
“Smal said that he would look for a replacement coach for Coetzee internally first,…”
I wonder if Nick Mallet would be interested…or Brendan Venter since he does not have a concrete contract with the Sharks. Both of them are living in the Cape, after all.
Good news for Stormers fans is that Snakey is stuck in France and boasted about a new multi year contrack a week or so ago. Thank the heavenly angels for small mercies.
Nama wrote:
FFS, even a “lifetime” contract wouldn’t stop Jake dropping an emplyer like a hot potato if it suited his own agenda.
I have certainly lost my respect for the man, irrespective of his coaching ability or pedigree.
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