My theory on why the Stormers lack penetration

and fail to score tries. Its simple, there are far too many little guys in their backs who rely on beating the man instead of physically impossing themselves. The modern game requires skill and physicality......all these little backs playing for the Stormers have plenty of skill but no clout at all in the physical stakes.

If you can't beat your man by stepping or rounding him then you need to run through him or at least take contact, create go forward and offload.

The Stormers have too many small guys in their backline - Joe, Aplon, Duvenhage and de Jongh.....thats more than 50% and with the big guys they do have on board, none are in their prime, all are past their best days evidenced by the performances of Jean and Habana this season. Grant has been solid but is hardly a spring chicken.

The Stormers backs are too small or too old - therein lies the problem. They have the forwards mix spot on, youth and physicality and this is where they dominate and are winning their contests

I am glad you have been reading my posts more carefully sapster. You could also add that kicking the ball away aimlessly and inadequate creativity is a problem. There can be no denying there is a problem.  

Nice insight Saff. I have been an advocate for size not being everything, because some great backline players have been small guys (Sahne Williams, Gitteau, etcetc) ...but you may actually be onto something here. Big backs often create go-forward momentum, even when they have been tackled. A guy that is stopped in his tracks automatically puts his team under pressure. I am not saying there is no space in the modern game for smaller guys, but too many of them it seems, may be a weakness. Having said that, Beans is also right, I think the Stormers lack creativity, and it is probably a combination of these two things that is making their backline as impotent as a 90 year old's tottie. If they were able to create openings a smaller player may still be able to find a gap and do damage to the opposition, but that is not happening, because Jean, there only big backline player, is not effective at off-loading and is fast becoming the most predictable runner in Super Rugby. And no, Grant and Habana are not big...before someone tries to imply that they are.

Which is of course why the Cheetahs with the Ebersohn brothers have so much penetration.....hahahaha.

Nicely put Moz.

True, but the Cheetahs don't lack creativity....that is the big difference.

Correct and they have backs that can get the line going for a start.

What penetration is that Moz, last I checked the Cheetahs were languishing at the bottom of the table and hardly scoring tries against the big sides. But more importantly bright spark, Sias has hardly started a game - why, because he has been exposed defensivley. Goosen has gone and he still cant even make the starting line-up.........but good call there old man, the Ebersohn twins.............bwahaaaaaaaaaa!!!

Keep it coming - good back-up there Ek well done - next time try back the right horse - I bit of advice, if it comes from Moz, think twice before putting finger to keyboard - glad to be of service!!

What penetration is that Moz, last I checked the Cheetahs were languishing at the bottom of the table and hardly scoring tries against the big sides. But more importantly bright spark, Sias has hardly started a game - why, because he has been exposed defensivley. Goosen has gone and he still cant even make the starting line-up.........but good call there old man, the Ebersohn twins.............bwahaaaaaaaaaa!!!

Keep it coming - good back-up there Ek well done - next time try back the right horse - I bit of advice, if it comes from Moz, think twice before putting finger to keyboard - glad to be of service!!

:)

Don't you hate it when you are trying to make a point mockingly about thinking twice before putting finger to keyboard....and then you post the same thing twice because of incorrectly putting finger to keyboard??? LOL

Ps. Just messing with you man.

Saffex - Saffex

I have a problem - I agree whole-heartedly with you about De Jong - far too small to be effective.   I watched him carefully and he tried some stunts - get tackled backwards and his side loses the ball or there is a penalty against them.    However, both Aplon and Habana are classy wings and they have proved it over and over.   I am a Monty supporter.  He is small - but extremely muscular.   I see a lot of Monty in Pieterse.    Also a small guy - but with a massive amo8unt of ball sense.

However, it is you comments about the Cheetahs scoring ability that really is very-very unscientific and amateurish.    Do you know that Cheetahs scored 2 more tries than the Crusdaers did so far in Super 15?   Do you know that of the 26 tries scored by the Cheetahs -  16 was scored ny their back line players -  2 by the full Back, 5 by their wings, 4 by their centers, and 5 by their half backs.   Please be a professional - make yourself aware of facts before you write gibberish

Actually no.......the Lions with your boy Taute are languishing at the bottom of the table.

I hate to do this snort snort.....but " I bit of advice, if it comes from Moz, think twice before putting finger to keyboard"

Waaaaaahahahahahaha.....game,set and match.

Nope Mozzie, you miss the point, you are banging on about size and pointed out that the Ebersohn twins were the measure, just a pity one of them is so good he currently stands as the Cheetahs third choice flyhalf!!!!

Lions are at the bottom and by boy Taute is a big boy, all 100kg's of him.

So what was that about the Cheetahs and size and all those tries they are scoring - good one old man, easy pickings as always

 The Cheetahs backs are small chappies and they have scored 25 tries. The Lions are behemoths like Taute and Hollenbach and they have scored 15 tries.....so what exactly is your point Fattie?

My point old fart is that neither the Cheetahs or the Lions are the measure given how average their S15 records are. The Lions are a poor side, we all know that. They only have 2 or 3 class acts in Strauss, Jantjies and Taute.............the Cheetahs are a better side, we know that.

So of these tries scored, how many by backs, how many by forwards.

Now my real point dumb arse is the fact that you used the small Ebersohn twins as the measure, when one of them cant even smell the starting side - you feeling a bit stupid or what - but keep digging old man, you should be used to it.