THE Stormers are not only playing dreamy rugby, but have also uncovered a coaching “dream team”.
By Ashfak Mohamed
Head coach Allister Coetzee, forwards boss Matthew Proudfoot and backline innovator Robbie Fleck are not people who seek the limelight. And that is what has been a key ingredient for the Stormers this season.
Coetzee has been lauded in the past by Western Province senior professional coach Rassie Erasmus for his “man-management skills”, and it is clearly rubbing off on the players. He has a calm demeanour, seldom gets flustered when the pressure is on, and thinks before he speaks.
He was the butt of jokes when Eddie Jones was roped in as a consultant for the Springboks ahead of the 2007 World Cup. The Boks’ backline play was dramatically changed once Jones had worked with the team, and fingers were pointed at Coetzee for not being able to achieve the same success in his four years as the Bok backline coach.
But it didn’t bother Coetzee, who left for the Stormers at the end of 2007 and hasn’t looked back since. Despite Erasmus’s reluctance to embrace a balanced attacking style of play when he was Stormers head coach, Coetzee continued with his vision as the backline mentor.
It came as a shock when Erasmus decided to concentrate on the various structures of WP rugby instead of being the head coach at the end of last year, with Coetzee taking over as Stormers coach in 2010 after heading up the WP Currie Cup team for two years, where pleasing progress had been made.
Coetzee was a feared rugby player in his heyday as Saru captain and scrumhalf, and now his Stormers team are quickly becoming as feared a unit in the Super 14. One could almost say that the Stormers are playing the same type of rugby that Saru teams of yesteryear were playing – huge physicality in the forwards, sharp halfbacks who can run and kick and dangerous runners at the back.
And it is Proudfoot who has turned this Stormers pack around, with good input from Erasmus. Proudfoot was plucked from relative obscurity as the Pukke coach. He was successful when Pukke won the national club championships in 2006 and 2008, and then suddenly appeared in Cape Town in 2009 as a forwards consultant.
He has stayed on and transformed the Stormers pack into a ruthless, efficient machine that likes nothing more than to climb into rucks, steal lineout balls and provide a solid scrum. The lack of fire from Stormers and WP packs in the last decade has been one of the major reasons for shortage of silverware in the Newlands trophy cabinet, but Proudfoot has fixed that shortcoming.
Fleck was known for his attacking mindset as a player in the late 1990s and 2000s, so it is no surprise that he pushes his backs to try things. He was also a surprise appointment last year for the Currie Cup, being the UCT backline coach, but his positive nature is evident in the Stormers’ backline.
Coetzee’s willingness to give his players licence to attack, and the way he handles players off the field, has been a revelation. He made mention after the Chiefs game about Bryan Habana’s try, which started inside the Stormers’ 22, saying that he “encouraged that kind of rugby” and that it was “great to see”.
Many players interviewed have spoken about how approachable Coetzee is, and how well he listens to any issue they may have.
He is like a father figure for the team, and that is exactly what this young bunch of players require.
The contributions of defence coach Jacques Nienaber (the Stormers have conceded only 11 tries in nine games) and kicking coach Greg Hechter must not forgotten, as well as Erasmus’s behind-the-scenes efforts.
The players are rightly getting all the plaudits for the Stormers’ rousing play this season, but just remember who is equipping them with the necessary knowledge and assurance.
The Stormers coaching “dream team” have made a great impact so far, and now that the team are in the final strait to the Super 14 playoffs, a home semi-final (no, the title!) would be an ideal gift from the players to their coaches.
They are playing vintage Stormers rugby. The magic is back, so there is no reason why they can’t do it!
Jake also rated Coetzee, but note that Fleck is the backline coach of the Stormers and not Coetzee. Rassie is the mastermind behind the Stormers success. Can’t wait for the epic north vs south battle. Just a pity it is at Newlands. a Loss to the Stormers won’t be that a bitter pill to swollow bacause Luke is not playing there anyore.
Hahaha, nice try
We will see in 3 weeks
My bloed is blou that day 🙂
Coetzee knows how to man manage, he even did a reasonable job with Luke Watson there…as for the brains and technical side one would have to go with Rassie.
4@ Vuurtjie – Rassie technical or brainy…. I don’t know about that one…. for the Stormers sake I’m glad Alistair Coetzee is at the helm, with Rassie in the background.
maybe Jaque Fourie did it all, remember what he said last year, he is the best.
You have to give him credit for believing in himself Super 🙂
Jaque Fourie is good, that’s for sure…
Reds devising new tactics to stun Stormers
GREG GROWDEN
April 19, 2010
Following one of the best Super matches in recent times when the Reds overhauled the tournament favourites at Suncorp Stadium, Queensland must now devise a plan to beat the Stormers – a team described by All Blacks coach Graham Henry as the standout line-up in the tournament – in Brisbane on Friday night.
Reds coach Ewen McKenzie had only a short time to savour Saturday night’s triumph before working on his next conquest.
”The Stormers have clearly the best defensive record in the tournament, and putting nearly 50 points against the Chiefs in Hamilton in their last game is a pretty good effort,” McKenzie said yesterday. ”They are looking pretty complete at the moment. We do have a few thoughts about how to counter them, but they are certainly a different style to the Bulls. So we will have to go back to the drawing board.”
The Stormers have conceded just 11 tries in nine matches, and have also been consistent scorers through clever variations of play. Nonetheless, the Reds will gain great confidence from the fact their tactics against the Bulls worked perfectly.
The Reds stayed away from the sidelines, limiting the Bulls’ chances to use the lineout as an attacking springboard. This also nullified the Bulls’ driving-maul game, while the Reds attempted to tire their large pack with a fast, expressive style.
The Reds’ fitness levels came to the fore and they peaked in the final quarter – an impressive effort, considering they returned from a long trip through South Africa only last Monday.
A key factor, McKenzie said, was telling his players that jet lag was a figment of their imagination. ”We wanted to take them out of their [head] space,” he said.
”Also, it goes to show that you can come back from South Africa and play well. It is just a mindset. I said to the players that no matter what, fatigue will not be used as an excuse. We didn’t have a day off from training, and had 40-minute grabs same time each day. I said to them, ‘You have 23 hours to sleep, and be awake for an hour to train.”’
Bulls coach Frans Ludeke admitted the Reds out-thought his side. ”Hats off to the Reds. They played some of the best continuity rugby I’ve seen for a long time and we couldn’t get our strengths into the game,” Ludeke said.
The Reds’ only casualty was lock Van Humphries, who damaged his ankle and is likely to be replaced by Adam Byrne for the Stormers match.
So funny hearing ‘Webmonster’ being so positive about the Stormers….Nearly impartial these days!! 😆
@ 10 BB.
HAHAHAHAHAHA, well said.
I cant WAIT for the Bulls Stormers game… If we lose all 3 other games but win that one, and miss out on the semi’s, I will be a very very happy chappy!
Btw, whatever is being done right at the Stormers and Bulls, is not being done at the Lions.
12@ Greenpoint-Gunner – EVERYTHING!
10@ BB – I’ve always been objective but neverrrrrrrrrrrr impartial……
The biggest compliment I can offer Asfak is that his style, approach and level headedness reminds me of JJ Harmse.
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