Canadian loosie joins Stormers

Ex Keo

Canadian Test loose forward Jebb Sinclair has been drafted into the Stormers squad and will play off the bench against the Cheetahs this Saturday.

Coach Allister Coetzee said on Monday that plans to bring Francois Louw to Cape Town had failed, but promised that the search for another experienced loose forward would continue.

The Stormers have struggled with injuries in the loose forward department, and desperately needed somebody to offset the losses of Schalk Burger, Duane Vermeulen and Nick Koster.

Coetzee revealed that it was initially hoped that both Sinclair and Louw would join the Stormers, but he is nevertheless happy to have secured Sinclair’s services for the remainder of the Super Rugby league stage.

Sinclair won’t be available for the play-offs, as the tournament rules stipulate that players need to have registered with a team before 1 April in order to be eligible for knockout games.

The 1.93m, 111kg forward will travel back to Canada to play for the Canucks during the June Test window, and then link up with the Stormers again for their three remaining league matches. By this time, players like Koster and Burger should also be back from injury.

‘We’ve lost two No 8 options, and I wanted to find an experienced replacement,’ said Coetzee when asked why he didn’t promote one of the Vodacom Cup players. ‘I had to look around and I’m happy that Jebb is the kind of guy that will do a good job.

‘That has always been the issue, we were always looking for an experienced No 8 once we knew Duane and Nick would be unavailable. Nizaam Carr has done a good job but he is still inexperienced, and there is a tough set of matches coming up, we want to be well covered.

‘A guy like Nick Fenton-Wells has played No 8 in the Vodacom Cup, but at Super Rugby level you need more of a specialist, and Jebb has also played rugby at the highest level.’

Apart from playing 25 Tests for Canada, the 25-year-old loose forward has enjoyed a stint at English club London Irish.

Sinclair arrived in Cape Town on Wednesday morning, and will wear the No 19 jersey in Saturday’s match against the Cheetahs. Coetzee doesn’t believe Sinclair will struggle to adapt to the Stormers’ structures in such a short time.

‘It’s been done before. We did it a couple of seasons ago when Matt Toomua joined us a couple of days before a Currie Cup game. Tamati Ellison also did it earlier in the season when he played for the Highlanders a couple of days after returning from Japan.’

Meanwhile, Eben Etzebeth’s return could be the most timely ahead of physical clash against the Cheetahs.

Etzebeth missed the Stormers’ last tour fixture against the Force with a shoulder injury, but has recovered sufficiently to take his place in the second row for this weekend’s encounter. His return is certain to provide the Stormers pack with more clout, and that lock combination does look more balanced with Etzebeth partnering a specialist No 5 like Andries Bekker.

Other changes to the forwards see Deon Fourie coming in for Tiaan Liebenberg at hooker as Coetzee looks to rotate some players. Brok Harris replaces tighthead Frans Malherbe, who started against the Force two weeks ago.

In the backs, Jean de Villiers has overcome a wrist injury to take his place at No 12 and lead the side. His return sees Juan de Jongh shifting one position out to No 13 and Bryan Habana moving back to the wing. Gio Aplon is also back from injury and will replace Gerhard van den Heever.

I am always weary when Liebenberg doesnt start as Deon is a weak scrummager but very useful otherwise. Also from what I can make out Malherbe is a stronger tighthead than Harris although Brock is better out of the scrum. That said Liebenberg and malherbe are on the bench and I gues Alistair is hoping to give Liebenberg as much rest as possible. It will be interesting to see how they cope with the Cheetahs front row.

Seems that Alistair has picked a very mobile pack. Go MIghty Stormers its time for  a five pointer!!!

Stormers – 15 Joe Pietersen, 14 Gio Aplon, 13 Juan de Jongh, 12 Jean de Villiers, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Peter Grant, 9 Dewaldt Duvenage, 8 Nizaam Carr, 7 Rynhardt Elstadt, 6 Siya Kolisi, 5 Andries Bekker (c), 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Brok Harris, 2 Deon Fourie, 1 Steven Kitshoff.
Subs: 16 Tiaan Liebenberg, 17 Frans Malherbe, 18 De Kock Steenkamp, 19 Jebb Sinclair, 20 Louis Schreuder, 21 Burton Francis, 22 Gerhard van den Heever

Jebb Sinclair factfile:

Full name: Jebb Sinclair
Born: August 4, 1986
Teams: London Irish, Canada
Position: No 8, Flank, Lock
Height: 1.93m
Weight: 111kg
 

He seems to be a big boy, can cover 3 positions. Not a bad choice as a stand in. Can't really remember him from the World cup and I have not seen many London Irish games. Anyones seen him play lately?

Not a bad size - but in Mighty Stormers terms he and Burger are our smallest first choice forwards. Seems a useful addition although I have not seen him play  - we shall see.

So, that is that then. Picked locals in their S15 squad, bit then brush them aside and still "buy" a foreigner. Where are they now suddemly getting the money from?

I don't think this is a case of snubbing the locals. I think it is more of a reflection on how serious the Province guys are of actually winning something this year. The Vodacom Cup side are unbeaten so far and they are playing the Semi's on saturday. with a possible final to come. All indications point more in the direction thatthey don't want to disrubt Dobbo's team. The second argument is that the only person they can bring in if you look at the type of player they seem to have brought in is Hilton Lobberts. He might be dissapointed at the snub, however if he can help to actually win a trophy i don't think he will be too unhappy about that.

A bit of hypocricy if you ask me. I seem to recal an article where Coetzee said that they are happy with the players who did not leave and that they are perfectly "well equiped" with players from within the franchise to cover for any eventuality.

With Koster, Vermuelen and Schalk out it seems like a wise move by Alistair. Carr and Kolisi are starting but if we need more grunt bring on the Canadian.

Time to win the comp. Hardly hypocritical just a change of thinking. Who would have believed three top loosies would all be injured at the same time.

Oh Baby!!! I'm loving this!!!

Jebb is a solid player. He may not have the speed, or skill some of you are so accustom to for super rugby, but he is a very physical player and  He will bring the Canadian rugby mentality of never giving up, and always working hard. He will always give 100% no matter what. I really think he won't disappoint you guys.

This is so huge for Canadian rugby. I hope he really proves himself and does well. It may pave the way for more canadians to play in the best league in the world.  :D

Beeny you guys need all the help you can get. How come your forwards are so soft that they keep getting injured though ? Another pitiful excuse for you when you lose again- the canadian was kak lol

Here's what Jebb had to say. It's great timing as the Canadian team will be playing test matches against Georgia, USA, and Italy in June during the Super Rugby break.

"This opportunity came around quite last minute. I sort of showed up for training in London and was given word that the arrangements had all gone through with The Stormers. They wanted me on the plane straight away.  
Eight hours later I was on my way to South Africa.  

With the timing of the summer tests in Canada, it works out well. I haven't gotten as much time as I would have liked in previous weeks at London Irish because of the import / English qualified rule, so this came up as a great opportunity to play some amazing rugby for a great club, and I am so grateful London Irish have given me this opportunity.  

The Stormers have three weeks off for South Africa's summer internationals, so this won't affect my Canadian commitments at all.  With luck, this should see me playing good rugby right into a Canada jersey.  I know all of the boys are looking forward to suiting up in from of three different home crowds across the country this summer."

"Beeny you guys need all the help you can get. How come your forwards are so soft that they keep getting injured though ? Another pitiful excuse for you when you lose again- the canadian was kak lol" -so opines the black udder.

Black udder you are clearly fairly new to the gme so allow me to explain by way of an illustration. Bakkies Botha was a hard man in the Bok pack. A great lock by any standards. Very physical player. As a complete contrast he was partnered by wee matfield probably the most unphysical lock in the world. Guess who got injured more - Bakkies. Not because wee matfield was more of a  hard man but simply because he shunned the hard stuff like a plague.

We play a more physical game than the kiwis.   So now you go and put 2 and 2 together and try to make 4!

Sometimes black udder its also simply a csae of misfortune. All our current injuries are loose forwards. As far as I know we currently only have three injuries but unfortunately all in the same area and two of these palyers being world class and the other a very good back up. So naturally we need additional cover at loose forward.

Would you care to comment on Dan and Ritchie's many injuries. Is Ritchie a soft player. Bwahahahaha now ou black udder has to put his lonely brain cell to work!