Nothing to blame for Stormers' pains; Rugby 365

Allister Coetzee says his teams susceptibility to injury this season is purely bad luck and that conditioning and other factors cannot be blamed. With five high profile injuries coming out of the Stormers' single point victory over the Highlanders, the Cape side are once again licking their wounds. Players such a Steven Kitshoff and Jean de Villiers, who have been regular faces in the starting line up, are among the wounded. Others who are out of this weekends clash against the Bulls include Louis Schreuder, Kobus van Wyk and potentially Frans Malherbe and Michael Rhodes. However, Coach Coetzee says that you cannot blame internal factors on these injuries. By looking at the types of problems he says it is clear that they are 'freakish accidents'. "You can't say it is because these guys are suffering from malnutrition [or the likes], it's freakish accidents," said the Stormers boss. "It's not soft tissue things which you can attach or relate to conditioning." Indeed, Schreuder (thumb), Van Wyk (wrist), Kitshoff (Knee),Van Vuuren (shoulder), Malherbe (concussion) and De Villiers (shoulder) would all attest to this. "Louis [Schreuder] has had nothing [injury-wise] now it is a broken thumb," Coetzee added. "If you fracture a thumb, what do you put it down to? I mean it is a fracture. "Van Vuuren's shoulder, another knock to the shoulder, its a subluxation, it just comes out like that and it pops out easily. "You don't want to put him at risk, you have got to have it done. "Fran's [Malherbe] concussion - last week he took a knock to the head against the Cheetahs and this week a cut above the lip, "He is subject to passing his test. "Kitshoff got tackled against the touch line on the field and that is his knee gone." Regardless of what the coach puts the injuries down to he still has to deal with these problems by amending his team accordingly. The issue for Coetzee is that injuries have not only rocked the Stormers, but the Vodacom Cup team, where he may have gone scouting, as well. When asked about his shuffling his back line with the likes of promising youngsters Devon Williams and Michael van de Spuy, Coetzee had more bad news. "Devon is in the mix and in the squad, but he also took a knock, so he is not 100 percent," Coetzee said. "Michael van der Spuy, I can't take him, he is out with a broken nose that will be repaired Wednesday. "Like you say again, it's the type of injuries, Michael has a broken nose, Devon has a knock to the hip - they are bumps. "Johnny Kotze has a knock to the knee as well, Gary van Aswegen has a groin strain, he is out for more than three weeks. Pat Howard is nursing a ham string, he has been out for most of the season. "Huw Jones and Robert du Preez have been invited to training." The Stormers take on the Bulls at Loftus this weekend, both of these teams are coming off victories and both of them are in desperate need of some winning momentum.

Allister Coetzee: "You can't say it is because these guys are suffering from malnutrition..."
Well that's for sure, lol But seriously, sometimes teams get hit hard with injuries & there is no logical explanation. Hope stormers beat the bulls (better for kiwi teams ) but it doesn't look good right now.

 JW thanks for an interesting article. 
How bad can your luck be. Remember last year we had 17 squad members out with injury at one point. I dont beleive its all bad luck. Its could also be about technique. If you run straight at your opposition and done step just before you get tackled you are likely to receive a heavier tackle. JW you dont need to be a closet fan of the Stormes mate - just co me out with it  - its very understyandable after all.

 Poor Allister, he has one disadvantage that none of the other coaches have. His players are the only ones that gets injured. No other S15 coach has to deal with injuries. That is so unfair.

I was wondering when there would be a half bake arriving to take a shot. I suspected it would be either rooitwit or windpomp. And guess what it's the renowned hatter windpomp.Listen oak the sharks year had 17 out injured as did we. This year we have more that the sharks.So when you say none what are you talking about? Bwahahahaha how many crash landing can windpomp take. By the way windpomp how many injuries do the bulle have? 
It's a pity we have so many injuries as its clear that we would certainly have blown the blue claves away on Saturday. I do believe we could be sitting at the top or near the top of the Super 15 log barring injuries. The win over the Highlanders and Hurricanes prove this.
windpomp please try and think before babbling away. How many times has Mike needed to correct you?

 Hey windpoimp you run out of pomp! Bwahhahahahaha

 Did you really think that I was going to post something and then wait and see who responds and what is said? Not a chance. I much more interesting things to do than to hang out around here for the entire day. As far as ou Maaikie goes, he is too dof to correct me. I think I have corrected him way more times than he has corrected me. I cannot be bothered what the bumbling mamparra writes any more. I just throw in the odd remark nowadays. Just for the hell of it. It is no use trying to discuss anything with the old fool. Having said that, he a big enough battle with Moz as it is. I do not want to add to his worries.