Burger back for the Stormers and more egg for snapster re Taute!

Ex Keo

Stormers head coach Allister Coetzee says Schalk Burger will be fit for the 2013 Super Rugby season.

The veteran flank missed the entire 2012 season after injuring his knee during the Stormers’ Super Rugby opener against the Hurricanes.

The 29-year-old is currently busy with his rehab, but will rejoin the team at training on 7 January and is expected to play in the first pre-season match on 2 February. (Ou snapste regardless of how well burger has recovered wants this legendary Bok gone! No doubt wee kolisi or daniel would do better. Hahahahahahaha)

Meanwhile, Coetzee told Heart 104.9FM’s Sportswrap that Elton Jantjies won’t be promised any game time while Jaco Taute will play fullback during Super Rugby next year.

The Springbok flyhalf is likely to start for the Stormers at the start of Super Rugby, because of 2012 incumbent Peter Grant’s commitments with Japanese club the Kobe Steelers until late February and Currie Cup-winning flyhalf Demetri Catrakilis’s departure to the Southern Kings.

This will please the Lions, who want their players to get a good amount of game time during their respective loans, especially ahead of the Super Rugby promotion-relegation play-offs in July and August.

However, Coetzee stressed that no set amount of playing time has been agreed. It’s also believed that Grant will return to the Stormers starting line-up once he’s settled in Cape Town. (We shall see how Jantjes goes he has a big chance here to grab the jersey)

‘No, [Jantjies' game time] has nothing to do with anyone,’ said Coetzee. ‘We’ve experienced in Super Rugby that you need to have enough depth in your team’s spine, that includes your hooker, No 8, your 9 and 10 and your 15. Also tighthead prop. We’ll have that at flyhalf with Peter and Elton there, and with youngsters like Kurt Coleman and Gary van Aswegen.’

When speaking about Taute, Coetzee confirmed that the utility back will compete for the No 15 jersey with Joe Pietersen.

Taute has played mostly at centre in 2012. He featured prominently in the midfield for the Lions, while he’s played three Tests at outside centre for the Springboks.

‘Jaco’s best position – and he’ll tell you that – is 15,’ said Coetzee (Hahahhahahahaha wondr how ou snapster will try to spin this one. These layers!!!). ‘From his provincial U21 and SA U20 days, he’s been a talented fullback. He joins the line well and has great running skills. He’s a big strong lad in the last line of defence. And he’s got a good boot on him – he kicks for poles and puts in long-range kicks. He’ll give the team a bit of punch from the back.’ (As he would the Boks. Meyer please keep a close watch on Taute. Kirchner has been okay but we want more and taute looks like he could add more value))

Good news for the Stormers is that Taute will consider signing a permanent deal with the Stormers if all goes well during his loan. The player confirmed his interest of extending his stay with this site in October.

Well nothing at all wrong with Coetzee's comments.

I saw a disturbing billboard the other day re Habana going overseas. I can only hope that is not going to happen. 2013 is the year we want to win the Super 15. Losses like that are severe blows which must not happen. Everyting also must be done by the conditioning staff to ensure Bekker stays fit

One also hopes snaspter will throw in the towell and admit he got it wrong yet again re Taute!

 I thought Burger had retired!

One would swear Coetzee was a good coach and an authority on players. He is the same fool who played de Kock Steenkamp over Quinn Roux, need I go any further

Beeno

I think the Stormers can do well this year - but for their "dead" center combination.   Taute to my mind always was a better ful back than center.   Taute joining the line from the full back position can provide the overlap - but that would only happen if De Jongh does not vanish - like he did so successfully in the POMS test.    

I would prefer another center combiation - something like De Villiers and De  Allende or De Allende and Du Plesis or Howard.   That woould give the backline that urgent "punch" they lacked badly in Super 15 in 2012.

As for Burger - he must like any other player "earn" his position in the team and cannot get in on reputation only. .  

with such a squad the stormers still somehow dotn quite get it right. but if they pull the same game pattern as they played last year one can only see them being losing semi finalist of if they sneak it in for the final then maybe they can be count themselves lucky. if they get there pattern right maybe then they can go all the way but from what i heard already it seems ofl AC is still content on trying to bore and grind the opposing teams into boredom.

there defence is world class as we know but there iinablity to score more tha 4 tries on a regular basis will kill them at the end.

in terms of burger the poor bloke is a great player but when brussouw was not injured he was benched and it seems like with the type of talent around at the moment he cant really be considered a first choice anymore. unless he gets paired with fourie as the opensider but burger is not really a full on ball carrier nor a fetcher so he is a bit in between. not really a great captain either so i dont know to be honest.

muncher as you dont know this might help:

After playing for the Under 21 Springbok side that won the U21 Rugby World Cup in 2002 and then captaining it in 2003, Burger was selected for the senior Springbok squad. He made his debut against Georgia in 2003 at the Rugby World Cup and has since carved out a name as one of the best flankers in the world with solid performances in the Super 12, Tri-Nations and Currie Cup. Burger plays club rugby for the Stormers and Western Province.

Saffex

I think you better give up on your campaihn to have Taute play at center.   He said he prefers to play at full back and now the following:-

‘Jaco’s best position – and he’ll tell you that – is 15,’ said Coetzee

The wording and especially the phrase "he'll tell you that"  must certainly make Taute's  future ambitions in rugby perfectly clear.  If Taute himself believe his best position is ar full back - then that is where he should play.   He already indicated that he wants to play at full back and that is the position he is going to be used in.  I personally think that if he gets the opportunity in that position he will sign a contract to play for the Stormers in future.

I doubt not we have th future Springbok full back in Taute. 

Beeno

No comments on what i said about the "dead" center situation.   Be a brave man and let us hear your read on the situation.

Incidentally I agree with you about Burger - and also that he has to show that he still qualify for selection.

Spot on Mike.

Snapster its far better to admit the error of your ways than keep saying Beeno is a nutter etc when alI I do is get it right! Hahahahahahahaha

Taute could make a very useful Bok 15 so here is hoping he flourishes at the home of SA rugby!

It is hard to believe that Schalk is only 29 years old, he seems to have been around forever. The big question is, even if he does come back, and is able to play at the same level as when he got injured, does he have the legs to make it to the 2015 World Cup. I say no.

I wont ever give up on my stance regarding Taute at centre. We dont need him at fullback as we will have Lambie at 15, with Goosen at 10. Therefore Taute must play 13. If you cant see this then you are just plain stupid.

Put it differently as you lot are too stupid to comprehend the obvious. We are about to select a Bok side right?

Where would you geniuses play the following players in that side:

Goosen

Lambie

Taute

Take your time!!

bluebok

There are 5 players in the Springbok set up who are 29 years and older - add Burger and the total foes up to 6.

Personally I don't think any of the 6 players will make it through to the nexr WC.   De Villiers is the oldest at 31 and I think he will bow out sooner than many thinks.   Another serious injury - and he is injury-prone - may see him going out.   Kirchner is not really a top class full back and he is likely to be replaced in any event.   Bekker himself is inkury-prone as well - so he may also be going.   The other player on the list is Jannie Du Plessis - also unlikely to continue for much longer.   Habana is the only oine that could make it through - he will be 32 by the yime of the WC - but he is a top class player - so he may make the event.

I cannot see Burger make the 2015 WC either.

Well, with the charitable will in the world, all I can say is:

"Game, set and matchhhhhhhhh"

Ah ok so Coetzee is the authority now and speaks on behalf of Taute - what a joke

Are you asking who I would pick..... Coetzee the CC winning....RWC winning coach.... vs Dave? And versus the player's own words. That my friend is a walk in the park!

Saffex

Sorry - I disagree with you on the issue of Taute, Lambie and Goosen.   I believe it is always necessary to make sure you have cover in the case of injuries etc.   I would say that Goosen and Lambie are the key players insofar as the flyhalf position is concerned - whilst Taute will cover full back.   I won't move players out of position if they compete for the same position - just to try and acommodate another player.

Lambie clearly stated he wantts to continue his career at flyhalf - fuly aware of Goosen's competition insofar as the flyhalf berth is concerned.   Taute said he wants to play ar full back.   To go against the wishes of players as to the position they want to play in is foolish - to put it mildly.   Players perform better in their preferred positions,  There are exceptionally rare cases where players can be moved from one position to another and competes on the same level as they did previously.

As an example I can name two players where it happened recently.   Pietersen was moved from wing to 13 and from a top class wing became a very average center - so much so that he was moved back to wing by Plumtree - after it beame eident that he was under-performing and not living up tto expectations..   After Hougard was not satisfactory at scrummie - he was moved to thw wing - where he used to play whilst Fourie Du Preez was scrummie.   He was extremely poor on the wing and now declares he wants to concentrate on playing as sceummie in future.   

Mike dont be a complete fool, just answer the question. No coach unless he was a complete idiot would select Goosen at 10 and then retain Lambie as his back-up in case Goosen happened to get injured, especially since Lambie has played plenty of rugby at 15, same applies to Taute with regards to playing centre or fullback.

As for JP failing at 13, what complete bullshit, if he was that bad then why was Meyer going to play him there on the EOYT, but had to change his mind when Habana got injured.

As for Lambie playing out of position at 15 or Taute playing out of position at 13, what complete crap, one would swear these players had never played these positions before. Fact is they have played in these positions as much as they have played in their other position. So please stop making it up. If Meyer tells Taute he wants him to play 13 or Lambie to play 15, they would grab that opportunity. Taute is good at 15 and 13, the Boks need him at 13. Lambie is good at 10 and 15, the Boks need him at 15. Its that simple

So try again.......we are selecting a Bok side and want all three in the starting 15, not some stupid theory that we would leave one of these players on the bench to cover in the event of injury etc.

Where would you play Goosen, Lambie and Taute in the starting 15........thats all I want to know, no beating about the bush, just answer the question

Moz, that is the issue, Taute himself has never said he prefers fullback, he has only said he would prefer to be considered there for the Stormers as thats his best chance of securing a starting spot

Saffex

Taute never said  "as thats his best chance of securing a starting post".   He gave a very cogent reason why he wanted to play at full back and that reason was also stated by Coetzee.   The highlighted bit is a lot of blarney you invented to support your argument why he should play at center.

 However, why in the name of anything would he - as Springbok center - not get selected as a center by the Stormers?  They would not have signed him up without consulting him on the issue - and he no boubt said he wants to play at full back. where he was brilliant for the Lions previously.

In any event you cannot juggle players around for the reason that you insist on them to be in the team.    I would rather have one of them on the bench and two in the starting line-up than doing  juggling acts that would not bring out the best insofar as their performances are concerned.

You still fart against thunder on the Pietersen issue.   Please get ist straight - he showed zilch when he played in that position for the Sharks - so much so that Plumtree brought in a rookie (Jordaan) in that position and moved Pietersen  back to wing, whereafter he was again the brilliant wing we are used to.     Just one question - if Jordaan did not perform better than Pietersen did at 13 - would Plumtree not have moved Pietersen back to 13?     Problem is that Jordaan did perform better at 13 than Piertersen did - end of story

Meyer may have said he would use Pietersen at 13 - but he NEVER did.   I think Meyer realized too late that he made a complete foul up with his squad selection insofar as the center position is concerned - and then tried to find a way out of his own mess by saying he could play Pietersen at 13.   He selected Taute as a full back for the squad  and then decided to play him in one test at center+.  Despite his remarks about Taute's performance - he must have been disappointed and never played him again on the tour.  He instead played the useless De Jongh - who awatded him by doing less than Taute did.  The whole sceanrio was a huge mess and actually cost us dearly insofar as the tests are concerned.   We were struggling with a malfunctioning backline as a result. 

 Excellent news to hear that he is fit once more.

One of the greats and always welcome in the Green and Gold.

Will hope to watch him play more than one game. Was very excited about watching him play.

What do the Stormers do with the loosy situation? Do they "manage" Burger and rest him every few games, or bring him off the bench?

Burger

Kolisi

Elstatd

Vermuelen

Koster

 Koster has signed for Bath with Flow. 

Elstatd can play both loose forward and also lock- would like to see if he can fit in somewhere in the bok setup. Does he play number 2 or 4 lock?

Burger is like Mccaw in that he can play in all 3 loose forward positions at international level so should allways be a space for him. Although if he becomes on the top 10 centrally managed players he should get managed.

Like most people - I am delighted that Burger is on the come back trail.   However, he has been out of rugby for a year and no spring chicken either.  He - like all other potential players - will have to proof that he is really still  a candidate for selection.   No players purely playing on reputation, please.

As for Koster, is he not coming back after the premiership season is finished?? I actually didn't read to much into it.

That may open the door for Sinclair to come back. :D

I think even if Burger is not contracted, he will still be managed. Kolisi, and Elstadt should get some decent playing time. Injuries will happen as well.

 For me the question about Burger is what is his speed? He has had a bad Knee injury and has he recovered or will it reduce his speed.

If his knee is ok and he still has his speed I think he will play well regardless of anything else. 

This is within the context that he had recovered from many injuries including a broken neck