Stormers
I thought I would start to post titbits picked up during the week, but probably don’t deserve a full article.
Former Springbok prop Robbie Kempson is worried that the Stormers’ front row doesn’t instil enough fear into opponents ahead of the Super Rugby tournament.
Hooker Deon Fourie broke a bone in his hand in the Stormers’ pre-season warm-up fixture against the Southern Kings in Port Elizabeth and will be out for longer than it was initially expected.
South Africa’s five Super Rugby franchises have threatened to boycott the 2013 Super Rugby season if any of the current five teams are excluded from the competition.
Golden Lions Rugby Union president Kevin De Klerk has made it clear that no South African Super Rugby franchises would be prepared to merge ahead of the Southern Kings’ involvement in the tournament in 2013.
In the past, some South Africans may have lamented an uneven balance of power, perhaps suggesting that their Conference was a drie perdewedren (three horse race), but on evidence of the last two months there will be a brutal dogfight amongst the five teams from the Republic this year.
Allister Coetzee has surprised somewhat by naming Bryan Habana to play at outside centre for the DHL Stormers against the Kings this weekend in the compulsory friendly games against the Kings as well as in preparation for Super Rugby 2012.
Jean de Villiers will captain the side in the absense of Schalk Burger, who attended the Laureus Awards in Europe.
All in all not the strongest Stormers side and there should still be a few tweaks before Super Rugby proper starts. Players who should make the final Super Rugby squad still missing includes the likes of Dewaldt Duvenage, Schalk Burger and Juan de Jongh.
There is continuing speculation that he will be part of Heyneke Meyer’s new management team, but Rassie Erasmus would still be involved with Western Province were it not for the interference from elected officials that eventually prompted him to quit as director of rugby in an attempt to ease the pressure on the other coaches.
SuperSport
Stormers 14 / Cheetahs 22 (Final Score)
The DHL Stormers and Toyota Cheetahs did battle in a warm-up game in preparation for the impending Super Rugby competition of 2012 at Newlands, Cape Town at 17:00 SA Time.
This was the live match discussion Article, our man in the Press Box for the match was Just For Kicks.
(The match was NOT BROADCAST on TV)
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The Stormers and Cheetahs will enter the next, crucial phase of their Super Rugby pre-season build-up when they meet at Newlands on Saturday.
Allister Coetzee has named the Stormers team to face Toyota Cheetahs on Saturday at Newlands:
The last in the Stormers squad instalments, these two make up the back line.
The Speedsters, and this is where the Bully boys have helped the Stormers out a bit.
Not a shabby bunch of wingers to boot.
The main centre pairing for the Stormers have heaps of experience, but thereafter it wears a bit thin pretty quickly.
This is where I expect the debate to really get down and dirty, c’mon fella’s, give it your best shot!
Aaah, the scrummies. Those sniping, yapping little chuahuas amongst the pack of hounds. Potential here? I think so.
This is where the debate starts to get interesting. So much conjecture around Burger, his role and where he should play. With Flo gone, is the fetching role going to be an area of contention?
This section deals with the locks for the Stormers. As with the Hookers, I think this is one of the stronger areas of the Stormers team, and when Bekker is back, it will make for one of the better lock combinations in the competition.
The second instalment of the ‘Series de Stormers’, this section deals with the men in the middle.
The Halftime score between the Stormers and the Lions at Newlands was 13 / 6 in favour of the Stormers.
Full time could also not come quick enough for the Lions, the Stormers having raced ahead to 28 / 6 through tries by Gio Aplon.
The Final Score was Stormers (13) 28 / (6) 6 MTN Lions
2012 is the year that the Stormers will try to one further than the semi-finals for the 3rd time in a row. If the last two years are anything to go by, and the squad build up that Rassie Erasmus and Allister Coetzee have been trying to achieve, than going all the way should be a given.
The MTN Lions will be playing the DHL Stormers in their first warm up match of the 2012 season on Friday, 27 January 2012 at DHL Newlands Stadium in Cape Town. Kick off is at 7pm.
Stormers coach Allister Coetzee says he wants Gio Aplon to establish himself at wing this season with Joe Pietersen playing fullback.
Stormers (28) 45 / Boland (7) 14 (Final Score)
The Stormers and Boland Cavaliers did battle in a Super Rugby warm-up match for the Stormers at 15:45 SA Time.
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 6 & on CSN on TV in SA.
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What are the things that Super Rugby fans are anticipating ahead of the new 2012 season?
Stormers coach Allister Coetzee has hinted at using the services of their former Springbok scrumhalf Bolla Conradie in the Super Rugby tournament.
The Stormers duo of Andries Bekker and Duane Vermeulen are in a race against time to be fit for the upcoming Super Rugby season which starts next month.
Cape Town – Rassie Erasmus has shocked the Western Province Rugby Union (WPRU) by resigning from his position as director of coaching.
Rob Houwing imagines what the country’s five Super Rugby Franchises may wish for as main presents in their stockings on December 25 …
Add your wish list in the comments.
Dear Santa,
Well, another year has nearly come and gone since you last heard from me, and as you know, I am not usually one to complain about what you send down my chimney, but, I was hoping that this year we could perhaps re-look at my list a little closer.
News from Newlands is that the WP / Stormers have signed U21 centre JP du Plessis.
Former Springbok & Sharks centre Adrian Jacobs is unlikely to play Super Rugby for the Stormers in 2012 after he snubbed an offer to train with them.
The Stormers pre-season training squad for the 2012 Super Rugby season has finally been named and is listed below, noting that the squad is not finalised for the 2012 season and players may be added at any time. Continue reading
Former Lions, Stormers, and Western Province star center, Jaque Fourie, has reportedly been offered R22 million for the next two years to stay with his Japanese club Panasonic.
Stormers coach Allister Coetzee says centre Adrian Jacobs is welcome to join his squad in their pre-season preparations.