Decision time for Stormers coach

Decision time for Stormers coach by Gavin Rich 18 February 2013, 07:27

With the competition kicking off on Friday this could be said to be the first Monday of the working season for the Stormers, and it is decision time for coach Allister Coetzee.

He is set to announce his team for the first match against the Bulls in Pretoria on Friday after a training session at the High Performance centre on Monday afternoon, and he will be holding thumbs that everything runs smoothly so that he can stick to his plans.

At this stage the plan appears to be that he will introduce team captain Schalk Burger off the bench at Loftus, with Elton Jantjies starting in the No 10 jersey even though the Lions pivot hasn’t had a chance to play a game for his new franchise as yet.

Burger ran to test his troublesome calf towards the end of last week and it apparently went well for him, but Coetzee will want to see how the injury stands up now that the flanker is coming back from two days of rest over the weekend before making a final decision on what he will do for Loftus.

Another decision that Coetzee has to make is his choice of No 4 lock to replace the injured Springbok, Eben Etzebeth.

There was talk last week that Rynhardt Elstadt might get the nod to move from the blindside flank as he was a revelation at lock in the 2011 season.

However if Burger is not going to start it seems more likely that Elstadt will continue on the flank in this match, with De Kock Steenkamp joining Andries Bekker in the second row.

There is still a chance that Juan de Jongh might play against the Bulls if he trains on Monday, though that seems unlikely, so Damian de Allende will probably continue at inside centre with Jean de Villiers wearing the No 13 alongside him.

Peter Grant is back in Cape Town as his wife is due to give birth to their first child but contractual obligations will prevent him from playing in Pretoria as his Japanese club Kobe are still in competition.

It does seem likely though that he will be back for the game against the Sharks in Durban the following week.

It’s going to be interesting to see what Coetzee does at scrumhalf, where he has Dewaldt Duvenage, Louis Schreuder and Nic Groom all available.

Possible Stormers team: Jaco Taute, Gio Aplon, Jean de Villiers, Damian de Allende, Bryan Habana, Elton Jantjies, Dewaldt Duvenage, Duane Vermeulen, Rynhardt Elstadt, Siya Kolisi, Andries Bekker, De Kock Steenkamp, Pat Cilliers, Deon Fourie, Steven Kitshoff.

 Burger likely to play off the bench. Hopefully he comes through his injuries fine.

Jantjies has his chance to to prove himself, although it is likely he will make way for Peter Grant after he is available. 

Sharkbok

I like the proposed team - especially the backline - but for Jantjies I still believe he is a one-dimensional player - with manufactured additions to make him look different - bearing in mind the classic remark of Stransky.   Sometimes the manufactured plays goes awry and that can cost th Stormers points

Like the center combination in particular.  De Allende is a really top player in the development stage and he will by season end really knock hard on the selecion door for the Springboks.  The kidis learning fast.

As to the forwards - I think Cilliers is likely to be on th bench and in respect of Burger I am in full agreement with you.  Personally I think Malherbe isw likely to start. 

As to the bench I believe the bench would be as follows:-

16   Bezuidenhout

17   Cilliers

18   Roux

19   Burger

20   Schreuder (to cover flyhalf as well)

21   Howard

22   Pietersen

By the way - I left a message for you on the Fantasy issue - where I said Mozart shoud in fact ignore the thread.   Care to respond on that one? 

What Roux are you referring to Mike? If its Quinton Roux well I wish he was still with us for sure. The lock combo is not great. I can accept Bekker but he needs a mongrel next to him. Bekker is far more physical than matfield ever was but my preference is always the Etzebeth/Bakkies type of lock and two of them. No nonsense about balance please.

I would have Aplon as an impact player and Groom starting. Aplon and Pietersen could be lethal when the bulle start to tire.

Given tha tpat can scrum on both sides he will in all likelihood be on the bench. Ou tight five will miss Etzebeth and Tiaan but the physicality of Elstadt and Vermulen should counteract this.

One hopes and prays Burger will come through unscathed - off the bench one trusts. I hope for a roar of greeting for the great man from the loftus crowd.

Bekker physical ?, I would have to question that logic, or should I call it " Non-logic ", Bekker doesnt have a track record for Physicallity as he is injury prone and cant put a full seasons work in. has he yet ? Physical in one match then off for 5 doesnt speak volumes for his " hard edge ".

Sorry Beeno1 your fooling nobody with that.