Du Toit move to Stormers confirmed; Planet Rugby

Western Province have confirmed that Springbok lock Pieter-Steph du Toit will be furthering his career with the Stormers and Western Province from November.

Having recently announced the signings of props JC Janse van Rensburg and JP Smith, as well as capturing the signature of Springbok winger Cornal Hendricks, the confirmation of Du Toit's signing is a huge boost for both the Stormers and Western Province.

Du Toit, who recently turned 23, was a member of the triumphant SA U20 team of 2012, before making his Test debut for the Springboks in Cardiff in November 2013.

To date he has played four Tests, the most recent being against Argentina in Buenos Aires earlier this month when he featured as a replacement flanker.

"We want Western Province to continue to attract the biggest names in South Africa and someone like Pieter-Steph du Toit certainly fits the bill," said WP director of rugby Gert Smal.

"We have our eye on a few more players, along with some re-signings that we will announce very soon, whilst we will also be concluding our search for a new Super Rugby coach shortly."

Based on the last quarter beating the WP took against the Blue Bulls they could do with some help. There are still strong rumours that Eddie Jones will coach the wee Stormers.
Are we in from more chest-beating from Beeno? It might be a change from the raucous crowing

Nah Blik, that would've been a dumb move ..... anyway the boy's going home & I want to see him develop in tandem with Etsebeth into undoubtedly the world's top locking duo, like Nonu & Smith have done for so many years . Get that sorted & WP can get somewhere ( probably after we get a backline ) .

Agree with you on Jones plus a foreigner needs to get his head around our politics & colour coordination, although I suppose he had an insight in '07 .

Welcome home Syeph. Smart mivr. Janse van Rensberg was test quality when he left. In the backs Allende and van Wyk will come back and possibly Jean. I have said for sime time the Stormers backs were too small. Eddie Jonez will address this as nibody could posdibly dumb enough to continue in this absurd fashion. The Mighty Stormers will take a step up next year it seems dispite loosing Vermuelen and Kitshof. Ou Jw like ou brycy is still wondering how the bulle ran through a non ecidtrnt wing. Neither does hr or ou brycy take into account the missing class players.BWHAHAHAHAHA these kbbs sre superb comics!!!!

 Stormers need to find a 6 as neither wee carror Kolisi cut it. Hope Smal can pick on merit. WP must abandin race based selctions which are costing them dear.

 The real problem WP/the Stormers has is not among the forwards - it is backs they need badly.  The situation is what do they have - what can be expected from the present players and what do they really need.
Scrummies
They have Groom, Schreuder and Vermaak on contract>   Although they are not test quality scrummies Groom and Schreuder are adequate on Super 18 level.  Vermaak was contracted recently and only played from the bench thus far.  From what he has produced it looks like he is old and tired and it is no wonder that his Club did not renew his contract.   WP could have done better with their money than contract him.
However, in essence the scrummie situation is not as bad as the other backline problems of the franchise.
Flyhalfs
There is a real problem here - Catrakilis is leaving and what Coleman does in playing any rugby above club level is a serious mystery to me.   He must certainly be  one of the weakest links in the franchise.  
So where to now.  The first endeavour was to approach Racing Metro to get Goosen released from his contract - but the latest information is that RM is not interested in releasing him.  So that approach is unlikely to bear any fruit.  The latest rumour is that they are negotiating with the Lions to release Boshoff - but they are barking up the wrong tree there - they should try and get Van der Walt released.  However - they may again be hunting a dream that will not materialize.
That means they have to start looking at their juniors and here the player with real talent is Jean-Luc du Plessis.   Du Plessis was the back-up flyhalf for Pollard in the 2013 WC and in the game against the Junior AB's he initiated one of the best tries in the tournament.  He is now playing Under 21 Rugby for the WP and is certainly making hay.   He may be a very good understudy - but may end up as the future starting flyhalf.
They are very thin on the ground here and the franchise looks for a top flyhalf to assist here.   Problem is that virtually all potential players are contracted already and the franchise may struggle to get any player of substance.  
Centers
Here the situation is that Jean de Villiers will not continue playing - Beeno is barking up the wrong tree here.  De Jongh is a real problem here - especially in both attacking and defensive play, where due to his physical deficiency (he is physically too small to be effective) he is not really of value in the backline.
The situation is consequently that Jones is likely to play De Allende and Kobus van Wyk as his center combination.   For back-up consideration needs to be given to look at Johnny Kotze, Huw Jones or Daniel du Plessis.   The likely longer term solution would be Du Plessis.
Wings
This seems to be a mess and one has to look at the situation at full back as well.  Although Senatla and Kolbe  looks good in attacking play they are poor in defense and the impression is that both are really Sevens players and not suited to the 15 man game.
Leyds is one of the worst defending wings in SA - he was too poor to be contracted by the Force and sent back to SA after a year with that franchise.  Definitely a player on much lower level than Superrugby or CC level.   
WP has contracted Cornal Hendricks  and he is bound to be the first choice wing for them.  Hendricks is an extremely poor defender and he should never be regarded as a solution to the problem.   They may be well-advised to move De Jongh to the wing and look at him as a future option - he has speed - and his defense will benefit if he has the sideline to assist him.   I think that the answer will in future be Grant Herman us - a really good prospect   
Back-us on the wing could also be Kotze and Jones with outside chances being  Senatla and Kolbe.
Full Back 
A lot of people will differ from me here - but I think Taute should move back to full back - a center he is not.   His backup could come from Herman us and the real future star in the making EW Viljoen.

I do not think that Jones will go with most of the present backline players in their present positions. Players like De Jongh has been at 13 for years and has never improved to a level where he is really of value.   Jones will like physically stronger centers and the solution is to move him to the wing.   The same applies to players like Kolbe and Senatla because of their defense deficiencies.   As an expert in backline play - Jones is not going to accept the present scenario - so changes in th backline is on the cards.