Alistair sticks to bulle whipping formulae

DHL Western Province have made three changes for Saturday’s Absa Currie Cup clash with the Free State Cheetahs in Bloemonftein, but two of those were forced by injury so coach Allister Coetzee has stuck to the mantra that you don’t change winning combinations.

The two injured players out are wing Ederies Arendse and scrumhalf Dewaldt Duvenage, with Damian de Allende coming in for his first start at No 11 in Arendse’s place. Nic Groom, who was excellent when he replaced Duvenage for most of last week’s game, gets to wear the No 9 jersey for the first time this season.

The only unforced change comes at tighthead prop, where Brok Harris returns for the younger Frans Malherbe.

“The recall of Brok is part of our rotational policy in the front row,” explained Coetzee.

“We are also aware of the extra need for experience when you play away. Bloemfontein is always a difficult place to go and play and the Cheetahs, as we all know, have some really good and clever scrummagers. They are an experienced unit and it played a role in our selections this week.”

There is still no sign of Gary van Aswegen in the group, even though Coetzee spoke last week of the need to give him Currie Cup game time ahead of his probable role as part of the Stormers team in next season’s Super Rugby. With Demetri Catrakilis set to link up with the Southern Kings in Super Rugby, it means the flyhalf they may use in next year’s competition is not getting a chance to progress.

However, Coetzee explained it away by referring to the continuity argument.

“We already have two forced changes at the back, so we felt we would stick with Kurt Coleman and Demetri as the flyhalves,” he said.

With the WP management placing a big emphasis this year on a youth policy, the selection of young national under-20 star Pat Howard into the match day group for the first time is exciting.(Look forward to see him playing - h emust be good as snapster rates him highly)

“Pat is a really exciting prospect. He weighs over 100 kilograms and covers both wing and centre. We are looking forward to seeing how he goes in Bloemfontein,” said the coach. (Thankfully no size problem here - all the credentials - so lets see him go)

DHL WP team: Gio Aplon, Gerhard van den Heever, JP du Plessis, Marcel Brache, Damian Allende, Demetri Catrakilis, Nic Groom, Jebb Sinclair, Rynhardt Elstadt, Deon Fourie (capt), De Kock Steenkamp, Don Armand, Brok Harris, Siyabonga Ntubeni, Deon Carstens.

Replacements: Steven Kitshoff, Frans Malherbe, Wilhelm van der Sluys, Helmut Lehmann, Louis Schreuder, Patrick Howard, Kurt Coleman.

I think we will prove too much for the Cheetahs!  It should be a very entertaining game.

Bulle trying hard to put  a side on the park this week as most have realised rugby is not really their game!! Hahahahahahahahahaha - legends are burning!!!  Bwhahahahahahahaha

It seems to me that Groom, JP Dup and Howard are significant additions to the 2013 Stormers backline resources.

Brache looks like he has talent too but needs to get stronger for Super 15. I also have some hope for Gary van Aswegen as he looked good before getting injured.  Katrikillis looks a decent player but the queens have signed him.

Get in Taute and we have some very nice backline players old and new to add to our awesome pack that is shaping up.

Ouch bulle and sharkies you are in for a hard time next year!!!

IMO Brache was the main spark in the backline on Saturday and he was also good in the Super game/s? he played for the Stormers this year. Nothing wrong with him, but a few extra kg's might help. Is he not larger than De Jongh anyway?

Province should have changed their backline combinations earlier - as a matter of fact they should have done that during the Super 15 competition already.   I have a high opinion of Brache - but not of De Jongh.    It seems to me that the Stormers backline was really ineffective and the main reason was the presence of Grant, De Villiers and De Jongh in that backline.   One of them would have been OK - the combination fatal.

After watching the Super 15 and tests this year - I have to agree  with Saffex that De Villiers is not what he used to be and should be replaced.   Dr Jong showed nothing at all this year in Super 15 and although his defence was sound - his attacking skills can best be described as zero.   Grant was 50:50 - his main advantage being kicking at goal.

The Stormers should try to contract Taute as well,   

Based on performances thus far this year in the CC and Under 21 performances - I would like to see the following Stormer backline combinations in next years Super 15 competition:-

15   -    Aplon

14  -     Howard

13  -    Taute or  Du Plessis - if they can get Taute

12  -     Du Plessis or Brache 

11 -      Habana

10 -      Van Aswegen. Jordaan - they signed a contract with the latter already

  9  -     Groom

Interestingly - Jordaan is the younger brother of the star Sharks center - and is reported tp be even a better player than the elder one.   We will have to see how he develops in the Vodacom Cup next year  - he may well be in the Stormers team later in the Super 15 competition.

The above backline combinations will never happen - since the view of the coach would be we need experienced players - but in this case experience was detrimental and proved to be sterile.   We really need a crop of younger players to develop into a formidable international backline and now is the time to really start with that.

Looking at the future I would recommend a Springbok backline comprising the following:-

15   -    Lambie

14   -    Pietersen

13  -     Jordaan

12  -     Serfonetin/J P Du Plessis

11  -     Hougaard

10  -     Goosen 

  9  -     Groom

I have been very disappointed in Francois Steyn this year - and am still unsure about Serfonetin as inside center - the better alternative could be Du Plessis - but a number of other young candidates can come through to cover that position.

The problem is the issue of the scrummie - the cupboard is nearly empty - but Groom may be the answer in this case if he continues to play the way he did last Saturday. 

Some of the above players are bound to play on Saturday - in the case of Lambie and Goosen - they may get some game time from the bench in Perth on Saturday.    All of the rest - with the possible exception of Serfontein will play in the CC teams - so lets wait and see what happens.   Serfontein had no chance last Saturday in a poor backline display initiated by a kicking flyhalf - but he was good in defence.    He should get more chances to prove himself on attack as well.    This guy should eally move to another franchise  - he is wasted by the Bulls. 

Draad, Brache is 25 years old and weighs in at 92 kg - 1.90 metres tall. He has some flair and a few kilos will help him make his mark at Super 15. 

De Jong's attacking skills are not zero to me. Its his distribtion skills that are not up to it. I would like to see De Jong operating in a Cheetahs backline then we would see. Again how would he have fared last Saturday when we saw a completely different approach by Province in a return to their old running ways.

Scrummies are still in abundant supply. Hougaard, Pienaar, McCleod, Vermark, Sarel and that Cheetahs youngster Van Zyl. I quite likes the look of the baby Bok sscrummie as well. Groom played well also.

Jan Serfontein can play but not in a vacuum. Jean De Villiers ditto. Hougaard, Morne and Frans do zip and Jean must work the magic!

Have not seen the youger Jordaan but hope he is as good as his boet. Oh please, pretty please try and keep the talent here! Losing Deon Fourie is about the last straw! No more!

Shks skooled crap WP in CT. Shks pwn WP in CC.

You sound like a dorkie dumbo!!! Bwahahahahhaha

Plumtree to stick with WP whippng formula!

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!

Beeno

I agree with you about some issues - but insofar as scrummies are concerned you are dead wrong.   Hougaard will never play at scrumhalf again - there are too many negatives in his game.   Pienaar will be way past it come the next WC.  McCleod is not a scrummies ass - or perhaps he is - he knows how to pass a ball over the dead ball line - his passing is groslly inaccurate.   Vermaak played th same game as Hougaard and his service is slow and not effective.   Van Zyl I belive is a touch above the rest.

By the way - when I see a scrummie standing behind a maul waving his arms - I write him off immediately and state that he is not a scrummie's ass - or perhaps he is one.   That trick by Joost and further developed by Du Preez is the death knell of effective backline play and the opposition loves it.   They line up their defences and normally gain ground 

Jordaan is a real prospect and likely to be in the Springbok Under 20 team in the next WC.   Like his brother - he was the captain of the Grey College team - and WP would not have signed him up if he was not really outstanding.

Jordaan's brother missed out on SA u20 selection. Didn't even make the enlarged group of 50.

WP's future fly-half star is Tim Swiel who is starting for the u21s at the moment and doing very well. Has flare and skill like Kurtley Beale. After Patrick Howard & Damian De Allende joining the ranks I can see Swiel next in line with possibly Ruan Botha (lock who joins from the Lions) & Prop Oliver Kebble as the youngsters to be given a go. Full-back Craig Barry has also been doing well.

I just hope Coetzee & Fleck don't carry on too long with Van Aswegen & Coleman next year and let Swiel feed off Grant next season. Sure they are different sorts of player but just feeding off his knowledge will be good.

wpxv

Nice to see you on site.   Jordaan played out of his nomral position as flyhalf for the Free State Craven Weel team and consquently come into the picture as a flyhalf.   We will see how he develops and can hope for the did not really showed enough for selection guy - oherwise why the contract?   Incidentally Grey College does not mak poor players captain - so they must also know something we don't,

Thanks for the info on Swiel - I would like to see some new players coming threough and will watch this guy carefully in the Under 21 set-up.   I must say - I think the Stormer backline was wicked - no penetration - nothing.  

The backline playing on Saturday was an eye-opener and they seem to be a sound basis to build on

its very very important for junior players to have proper mentors and that there is a clear process of skills transfer. it help mature those players and helps them develop at a much quicker rate. i am very very happy to see this massive influx of junior skillfull backline players coming through the system. i can quite happyly say the morne steyn style backline players are something of the past but they are all at a level so i just hope they play in a team that plays dynamicly enough for them to develop in all the aspects of the game.

the players coming through arent massive but they make up for it in speed and skills so the game plans need to change to suite there styles.

i have heard of swiel and he is rated by many. just hope these players are not butcherd by the likes of no cups and the silver fox aka i cant coach a backline out a paper bag robbie fleck

carpet, Coetzee has been the coach for 2 years now. Rassie also did not cover himself in glory at WP, so I think it unfair to label Coetzee like that. Agreed that the Stormers haven't won anything during his tenure, but they still did better than all but the Reds last year and the Chiefs and the Sharks this year. Not that bad for the most grueling rugby competition in the world I'd say.