Allister Coetzee
An elated DHL Stormers coach Allister Coetzee heaped the praise on his coaching team and all the players in the aftermath of their excellent 32 / 18 Vodacom Super Rugby win over the defending champion Waratahs earlier today.
The DHL Stormers overturned a 13 / 15 half-time deficit to record their 1st tour win of 2015 against the reigning champs – also scoring 4 tries in the process in Sydney.
I’m really, really happy,” Coetzee told the www.iamastormer.com website from Coogee on Saturday night.
“The players were really determined to register this win and it was a massive performance from everyone… the guys really stepped up to the next level to beat the reigning champions (at home) and to also score 4 tries.
“It was a 23-man squad effort and credit must go to all the players and all the coaches for all the work that went in this past week,” added the DHL Stormers boss.
“All our plans came together on the night, the bench worked well – all the players that came on made an impact. It’s something we needed against a physical Waratahs team and (also) in our 3rd week on tour.”
The DHL Stormers went down 20 / 25 to the table-topping Hurricanes last weekend and Coetzee believes the confidence from their 2nd-half showing in Wellington helped the team pull it through against the ‘Tahs.
He said: “I said last week we were heading in the right direction and the belief in this team, despite having 1 Log point to show for our efforts until tonight, has always been there.
“I thought our balance was spot on today – our kicking game was excellent and we put in a huge defensive effort. We also capitalised on that defensive effort and utilised any turnover possession in scoring our 4 tries.”
Flanker Michael Rhodes (hamstring) is the major injury worry for the DHL Stormers after limping off in the 33rd minute against the ‘Tahs, whilst flyhalf Demetri Catrakilis took a blow to the head and was replaced at the start of the 2nd half.
“Demetri was a bit uncomfortable, so we didn’t want to risk him,” said Coetzee. “But the big worry for us, after a very physical match, is Mike Rhodes who has done his hamstring – he might be on his way home.”
Coetzee continued: “Like I said, we backed our bench during this match – it was our intention all week – and it worked well for us.
“We will have some sore bodies after this match, so our 1st intention is to field a strong and fit team against the Force next week. We need to continue improving, as we have on this tour, and will keep our feet on the ground and keep working hard in our final week.”
The DHL Stormers will finish their 4-match tour of Australasia against the Western Force at Perth’s nib Stadium next Saturday (kick-off 19:45 AWST, 13:45 SA Time).
@ IAAS: you were likely one of the few. But well predicted.
@ robzim:
Carel was in a class of his own – the prince of wings.
Who were the other wings in 1980 against the Lions. Gerrie Germishuys. And 1981 Gerrie and Darius Botha – Naas’s brother. 😯
Cheeky would’ve been better than both of them. Imho.
Arghhhh Cheeky Watson was’nt that good…
Pietman knows him well and I think even played against him..
Pietman will clearly tell you Cheeky was never close to Springbok colours anyway… but already then had that overinflated sense of entitlement shining right through him.
62 @ IAAS:
Gerrie wasn’t too bad, scored some good tries for the Boks.
Darius wasn’t one of the best wings though….
@ grootblousmile:
Just your opinion.
I have mine!
Gerrie was good, very fast and a good defender.
Not Carel, but then who is??
65 @ IAAS:
Yeah, opinions are like poephols, everyone has one…
@ grootblousmile:
Did you see him play? Yes or no?
Form your own opinion.
Not on someone else’s “I told you so.’
@ grootblousmile:
Why then did the selectors choose him for the Junior Boks/Gazelles to play against the AB in 1976? That’s just one step away from the Bok side.
If he didn’t refuse to play, he would’ve been a Bok for sure. His competition was Edrich Krants and Gerrie Germishuys. Not the best wings to ever play for the Boks.
I was joking about Alastair earlier. Of course he’s to going to turn down his opportunity. He will be able to buy his wine from with his Yen. 🙄
But seriously, he hasn’t done an overall bad job considering. An airy trophy cabinet maybe but then which of the recent generation Stormers coaches did better. That said; I think Gert will(is) making a difference. He’s an oke who brooks no shit(from anyone).
@ IAAS: we’ll never know mate but he certainly had some cheerleaders. Carel was the best we’ve produced IMO(my poepal says so too), followed by Ray and Habs.
@ IAAS: I did. Often. Ditto Ray(but less often). Habs plenty. My opinion count? 😀
@ Stormersboy: Hi SB. Carel was pure genius. Didn’t need to defend. After all, what are the other 14 team-mates there for?
@ Tassies:
Hi Tassies. Long time.
I’m specifically referring to Cheeky’s competition as a left wing at that time. I saw him play as a schoolboy. And for Eastern Province. He was a serious player. I enjoyed watching him play.
@ IAAS: they would have been world-beaters I’m absolutely certain of that (opinion). Born at the wrong time.
@ Tassies: @72
Your opinion always counts. Like gold dust around here. 😆
@ IAAS: Hi. Yip indeed. Man has to make a living.
I enjoyed Michael the most, surprisingly enough. He was simply mercurial and gifted, coupled to THAT attitude. But Carel, Willie and Michael will all brilliant and I can’t really comment about Jacques because I can’t recall see him play. Given the pedigree, he was likely up there too.
@ IAAS:
I think Cheeky left “mainstream” rugby in SA in about 1976. During that year Gerrie germinshuys and Chris Pope were the Bok wings…Germinshuys was very good… Cheeky was much better than Chris Pope imo and under different circumstances he would most likely has played for SA.
Chris is nowadays a medical doctor in Canada.. strong wing but not very fast or really skillful.
68 @ IAAS:
Yip, I saw him play and both Edrich Kranz and Gerrie Germishuys was better than he ever was.
He might have been invited to trials, but he was never going to make it anyway… and the impression was he hid behind the fact that he never would have made it anyway, by opting to go play rugby in the townships.
Lukily history and the selectors at the time back my opinion… and he was never part of a Springbok side. He was never chosen to represent the Bokke and only THEN refused, he walked away before that could have happenned.
@ Tassies:
Howzit Tassies.
Carel was a genius
Michael a maverick
Willie a tigerish workhorse
Jacques was fast…..
IMO
@ grootblousmile:
As I said GBS. That is only your opinion.
None of us will ever know whether he would’ve been selected for the Boks or not. We have just enjoyed a bit of pure speculation.
And I was basing my opinion of Cheeky Watson purely on the merits as a rugby player.
You chose to bring the politics into it.
Which I thought was totally unnecessary.
Which is just my opinion. 🙄
I love these ‘opinion’ discussions because they never disappoint in bringing out lively debate. It’s what makes this game beautiful. Nothing is finite as far a Rugby Union is concerned. Not like cricket where the game is built around statistics, individual measurement and record. On only needs to listen to the commentary to define each. The contrast between the games is profound. That’s why I’m passionate about both. In equal measure.
Looks like most of us agree that Michael was “special”, and as Robzim so correctly stated, a maverick.
Like Tassies, I also regard him as my favorite of the DuP brothers.
Makes one think that if he were to play today, how would he have fit in?
Imagine a coach trying to get him to “buy into his game plan” and pigeon hole him.
I wonder if a coach like Heyneke would have picked a bloke like Michael, knowing full well that he wouldn’t conform to a rugby-by-numbers game plan.
@ Nama:
In fact, he actually did play for the Junior Boks against the AB in 1976. He refused an invitation to the Bok trials
“Watson was selected as a wing for the Junior Springboks in 1976. However he declined an invitation to participate in the trails for the 1976 senior Springbok team.” (Wikipedia
@ robzim: Well articulated as one would expect. Could not have put it better. You well? Enjoy the ‘half’ Argus? Its called something else now but then I’m old school and a bit 😈
Rode it for the record (and support) but it was like kissing your sister(thanks Morne).
@ nortie:
If HM was true to his word he would’ve told Michael to play what’s in front of you. Like he has said to Willie le Roux.
Michael was a maverick, totally different.
But he also did the basics right.
81 @ IAAS:
It is my opinion that you now only need to cry to add impetus to your opinion…
I was a regular at Loftus from 1970, saw my 1st Test in 1974… and was a very impressionable 12 years old in 1976… and he did not impress me.
We also had TV from late 1975 and every bit of rugby showed on that 1st Phillips we had, I watched.
I was a student of all things rugby, had my “Plakboeke” and read every available Afrikaans rugby news article in the papers. Cheeky might have been bigger in the “English eyes”, but in the eyes of an Afrikaans lighty, he did not have it.
So, welcome to your opinion… I just do not share it, as is my right to do.
@ IAAS:
True that, but Michael’s own team mates didn’t know what he was planning half of time 😆
But boy could he play….imagine him kneeing a bloke in the face like he did with Giepie Nel in today’s rugby…..the Sharks would be all over him offering him huge contracts 😉
@ Nama:
Thanks for that update.
The All Blacks toured here in 1976.
Could’ve been the time the SA Cabinet became All Blacks selectors. 🙄
And Cheeky said ” I outta here.”
@ nortie:and that is an interesting point you raise Nortie. Would he have been picked for the modern day Bok team? Probably not. Sadly. Because he was a genius(again in my VHO). He did not play by the book. In fact, very far from the book. The real pleasure about watching Michael play was that you never knew what he was going to do next. Neither did the opposition(and often his own players). But that was Michael. The closest another player came to him(IMHO) was Henry(Lem) Honeyball. although Lem could tackle a bit. Michael didn’t bother. Both liked to take it to the opposition. Brilliant stuff to watch. I used to stand most of the time(in expectation of the feast).
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