DHL Stormers
In preparation of the 2014 Super Rugby season, the pre-season is underway before the Christmas / New Year break later in December.
So, what happens to the remaining Southern Kings players, who now have to sit out of Super Rugby again? Whilst a lot have already found franchises like the Bulls, Sharks, Cheetahs to sign for and others are available on loan to these other franchises, there is still a number of players who want to find a spot to play Super Rugby in 2014. Sergeal Petersen, young wing sensation of the EP Kings and Southern Kings is one such player.
Then we move over to up-and-coming youngsters who have now played Currie Cup rugby and questions are asked whether they will step up and rock Super Rugby the way they did the Currie Cup. We specifically look at Cheslin Kolbe, who set the world alight at Western Province in the Currie Cup.
Springbok lock Eben Etzebeth is unlikely to feature much for the Stormers next year.
The young star revealed on Thursday that he will undergo surgery for an ankle injury sustained in South Africa’s 19-10 win over France last weekend.
“Going for operation on Monday,” Etzebeth tweeted, adding: “Plus-minus six months out of action.”
Back Cheslin Kolbe, who is currently on SA Sevens duty, and flanker Schalk Burger, who will play for the Barbarians in London this weekend, will join the WP Rugby training squad at a later stage.
Springbok tourists Jean de Villiers, Frans Malherbe, Eben Etzebeth, Duane Vermeulen and Gio Aplon will join the squad in January 2014 only. However, hooker Scarra Ntubeni, flanker Siya Kolisi and scrumhalf Louis Schreuder – all of whom also toured Europe with the Boks this month – will join squad training on Monday 2 December.
The Stormers’ Bok trio of Jean de Villiers, Eben Etzebeth and Duane Vermuelen will only be required to join pre-season training in January.
News out of the Stormers camp is that coach Allister Coetzee says Wallaby wing Cooper Vuna has not signed and will not join them for the 2014 Super Rugby season.
Wallaby wing Cooper Vuna has reportedly agreed to join the Stormers for next year’s Super Rugby competition.
It is not exactly a state secret, but the Stormers confirmed on Saturday that Argentinean lock Manuel Carizza will move to Cape Town after his country’s November tour.
The Stormers could have two Argentine players in their squad for next year’s Super Rugby competition.
Western Province and the Stormer are looking to add depth to their scrumhalf, lock and wing positions with the eye on next year’s Super Rugby competition.
Not only were WP Rugby’s professional players awarded individual trophies based on their performances throughout the 2013 season, but the Western Province Rugby Football Union also recognised all club, junior, female and referees’ performances within the union this past year.
The event was well attended on the night with the DHL WP Absa Currie Cup team present – ahead of this weekend’s semifinal against the Golden Lions – along with other key sponsors, players (seniors, juniors and club players), administrators and the local rugby media.
South Africa will be kicking off the the 2014 Super Rugby season with 4 of their 5 teams playing in the first weekend.
The Toyota Cheetahs will be hosting MTN Lions on Saturday 15 February at 17:05 whilst The Sharks will host the Vodacom Bulls at 19:10. The Stormers find themselves with a bye in the first week.
The Stormers are looking to bolster their second row stocks by signing Argentine lock Manuel Carizza for next year’s Super Rugby competition.
Apparently the Capetonians are busy negotiating a deal with the 29-year-old.
Flyhalf Demetri Catrakilis has reportedly signed a two-year deal with Western Province.
It is the time of the year I always dread the most. This is the time where every Player Agent licks his lips and rubs his grubby little hands at the prospect of selling his wares to the highest bidder, with no regard to the welfare of the rugby of any Player, Country, Club, Union or Franchise.
It is the time of the year that the greedy pigs grin!
It is reported that the Stormers are chasing the signature of the mercenary called Lionel Mapoe, who’s been about everywhere now, Cheetahs, Sharks, Lions, Bulls… and possibly now heading for his 5th SA Super Rugby Franchise.
The Western Force announced today that they have signed 2 more South Africans, WP’s Marcel Brache and Chris Heiberg.
The Bulls seem to be investing, or rather re-investing in another ton of Young Guns, to replace the loss of 8 Springboks in one heap but seemingly giving no heed to the warning sirens that seriously flawed players like Dean Greyling and Werner Kruger now seem to be their most experienced players! The Blue Bulls have re-signed players like Paul Willemse (lock) and Under 20 SA star, Jacques du Plessis (looseforward) as well as a host of others… and the name Lood de Jager jumped at me, with me initially thinking that it might be the Cheetahs Super Rugby lock but alas it is the junior Blue Bulls centre who has suffered quite an injury run. See the details below on the rest of the Blue Bulls signings. In the last 3 years the Bulls have lost the services of 18 Senior Springbok players, whilst purchasing only 4 senior players from elsewhere.
Two of the Stormers regular wings of the last few seasons have confirmed their moves to go play overseas. They are Bryan Habana, who will move to Toulon and Gerhard van den Heever (Shadow), who will be playing for Munster.
Stormers flank Don Armand has become the latest player to leave the Cape side after he confirmed a move to English Premiership club Exeter Chiefs.
The Stormers plan to lodge a complaint with Super Rugby organisers SANZAR about the provisional 2014 Super Rugby draw.
A provisional list of Super Rugby fixtures have been released to the Stormers for 2014 and revealed a a tour from hell for the Stormers.
Stormers (23) 30 / 13 (13) Bulls (Final Score)
The DHL Stormers and Vodacom Bulls did battle in Super Rugby at Newlands, Cape Town at 19:10 SA Time.
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1, SHD & M-Net on TV in SA.
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Springbok fullback Jaco Taute has made his stay in Cape Town a permanent one.
Springbok captain Jean de Villiers has recovered from his sternum injury and will lead the DHL Stormers against the Bulls in Saturday’s final Vodacom Super Rugby clash of the season at DHL Newlands.
The Vodacom Bulls moved to the top of the log and the Toyota Cheetahs made Vodacom Super Rugby history during a weekend where the top six for 2013 was finalised with one round of action left to play.
Kings (9) 12 / 24 (11) Stormers (Final Score)
The Southern Kings and DHL Stormers did battle in Super Rugby at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth at 17:05 SA Time (15:05 GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1, SHD & M-Net on TV in SA.
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Springbok flyhalf Elton Jantjies will play two more matches for the Stormers, before returning to Johannesburg to help the Golden Lions in their bid to regain their Super Rugby status.
Coach Allister Coetzee has made just one change to the DHL Stormers starting line-up for Saturday’s Vodacom Super Rugby clash against the Southern Kings in Port Elizabeth (17h05).
The Vodacom Bulls secured first place in the South African Conference and booked their place in the Vodacom Super Rugby Finals Series with an emphatic win over the Southern Kings at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria on Saturday.
At the same time, The Sharks and the DHL Stormers kept alive their slim mathematical chances of reaching the playoffs when they beat the Blues and the Toyota Cheetahs respectively.
Stormers (10) 28 / 3 (3) Cheetahs (Final Score)
The DHL Stormers and Toyota Cheetahs did battle in Super Rugby at Newlands, Cape Town at 19:15 SA Time (17:15 GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1, SHD & M-Net on TV in SA.
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Deon Fourie, who will once again wear the No.7 jersey, takes over the Stormers captaincy.
Fourie steps in for the injured Springbok skipper Jean de Villiers, who has been ruled out with a sternum problem.
The Western Province Rugby Union has plans to offer flyhalf Elton Jantjies and fullback Jaco Taute permanent deals.
Stormers (6) 19 / 11 (3) Kings (Final Score)
The DHL Stormers and Southern Kings did battle in Super Rugby at Newlands, Cape Town at 17:05 SA Time (15:05 GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1, SHD & M-Net on TV in SA.
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Fit-again forwards De Kock Steenkamp and Deon Fourie have been named in the DHL Stormers starting line-up for Saturday’s Vodacom Super Rugby encounter against the Southern Kings at DHL Newlands (kick-off 17:05).
Stormers (3) 20 / 15 (0) Reds (Final Score)
The DHL Stormers and Reds did battle in Super Rugby at Newlands, Cape Town at 17:05 SA Time (15:05 GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1, SHD & M-Net on TV in SA.
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DHL Stormers coach Allister Coetzee has named a much-changed line-up for Saturday’s Super Rugby encounter against the Reds at DHL Newlands (kick-off 17h05).
Andries Bekker’s career at the Stormers may well have come to a premature end as he joined the Cape franchise’s ever-increasing injury list.
Bekker and fellow Springbok Juan de Jongh were the latest additions to the Stormers’ injury list, ahead of Saturday’s clash with the Reds at Newlands.
Being officially out of the Vodacom Super Rugby race has not exempted the DHL Stormers from further injuries, with several players on the doubtful list for a clash against the Reds at Newlands on Saturday that is of academic interest only to South African fans.
Of course former Springbok coach Jake White and his Brumbies, and the Waratahs that beat them this past weekend, may have different ideas about the irrelevance of the game.
Stormers coach Allister Coetzee on Monday told a high-powered delegation that poor refereeing and a high injury toll were big contributing factors to their struggles this year.