Stormers are the real deal

Ex Supersport

There may be other aspects of their game that leave something to be desired, but their win over the Bulls in a pulsating Super Rugby derby erased any lingering doubts about the awesome potential of the Stormers’ young pack (Exactly so).

The Cape team left for New Zealand on Sunday and coach Allister Coetzee and skipper Jean de Villiers were taking the wise approach by keeping their feet firmly on the ground. It gets tougher for them from here. They face the inform Highlanders at the start of their tour in Dunedin on Saturday before travelling to play the Crusaders in Christchurch, a venue where a South African team has not won for more than a decade. And the Reds should be heading back to full-strength by the time the Stormers play them in Brisbane. But for now they thoroughly deserve their top position on both the overall log and on the South African conference table.

Their forwards, who dominated the Bulls in the collisions for long periods and looked en route to strangling the visitors in the first half at Newlands before a bizarre passage of play brought the Bulls back into it just after halftime, sent out an ominous warning to future opponents. The pack, with young players who are still officially under-21 such as Eben Etzebeth, Steven Kitshoff, Siya Kolisi and Frans Malherbe playing like they have been part of the Super Rugby firmament for years, impressed in the games before the derby. It was why many critics installed them as favourites to win. But the Bulls match was regarded as their acid test as up to then they had played against mostly depleted packs.

The Bulls though were no more depleted than the Stormers, who will continue to miss regular captain and talisman Schalk Burger until 12 May as he battles with the knee injury sustained in the opening quarter hour of the new season. And their skipper Pierre Spies admitted afterwards that his men had been surprised by the ferocity and strength of the Stormers forward onslaught. So much of the Bulls’ success over the years has revolved over them attaining physical dominance over their opponents, so even though they had smashed the Reds the week before, it was always hard to see them being as assured against a team that knocked them back instead of allowing them to get momentum.

It’s a long time though since we have seen a Bulls team looking as shell-shocked as they did in the first half, and the Stormers could have been further ahead than 14-0 at the break. The one thing that you cannot take away from the Bulls is their temperament and attitude, and in fighting back when all the odds were against them they did confirm in the second half that they retain that championship quality of being able to score when you have to and be competitive when the stats suggest they really shouldn’t be.

PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEKEND They scored 10 points without replay in the time that lock Flip van der Merwe was off the field after being yellow carded following an early second-half infringement which came not long after a general team warning from referee Craig Joubert, who at times had his hands full containing two super-charged and physical teams. The try scored by Bjorn Basson was what ensured the game would be close, and it was a bit of a freak, with the Bulls hacking the ball upfield after the Stormers had been building up impressively.(14 ppint swing that gave the scor erespectability from the bulle point of view and made it a close game)

Still, the Stormers coaches will be well advised to address what is now becoming a regular feature of their game - the third quarter slump. But where the Stormers have grown a lot is in their ability to handle the close games, and in four of their five wins this season they have allowed teams to come back at them in the period between the 40th minute and the 60th minute and then found an extra gear to pull away again. The power of their scrum once Malherbe comes onto the field at the start of the last 20 minutes had a lot to do with that, and it did so again on Saturday.

I suppose given Deon Fourie being a weaker scrummager he wants Malherbe there t ooffset that?

Like t ose Malherbe given a start and Burger added t othe loose trio. Then gentlemen some oaks may begin to gain some idea about wha ta power pack is all about.

I do hope some here are catching the vision and will cease theire blabberings about how great the little guys are to have around and do the show pony stuff. No Keegan Daniels should not play for the Boks unless he moves to scrumhalf where he should always have played.  Why give up your competitive advantage I ask with tears in my eyes!

The Stormer's defence is very good. In terms of power? No. In terms of raw physicality? No. What they do very well is hunt in groups of two or three. They smother the opposition in numbers. They will most likely make the playoffs, but I see nothing about them of Championship material. Their backline is still not firing. The reality is that this was a learning curve for a young Bull's side, they did in fact dominate the majority of the game but lacked the composure to press that advantage home. A learning curve that will serve them well.

Honestly If you count the Bulls hickup in the physical dept as  a learning curve on the weekend. What do you say the stormers had with such a large amount of players in the forwards only 20 years old. Experience?

The Stormers didn't lose the three best locks in South African rugby. Lets be honest, were it not for Bakkies, danie would have been without equal. So that's three of the best locks in Bok rugby, the world's best loosehead, one of the best hookers in SA for many years in Gary Botha (important leadership figure). That's a massive loss. What have the Stormers lost by comparison? In fact, Etzebeth has been a key find and Kolisi has outgunned Burger easily. Some perspective.

I don't disagree, I agree wholeheartedly, But My argument was that you can't downplay the stormers Physicality on Saturday to a learning curve against a team that has about the same maybe a bit more S15 experence than them. This was a clash, and you do not do it justice by downplaying the Bulls performance as a learning curve. As they were not less experienced than the Stormers.

In terms of leadership and cohesion this is very much the issue for the Bulls. They are busy establishing a new spine for the team. On Saturday, they were not outgunned as much by physicality as by a committed team effort on defence. They did not press home their dominance early on and instead were picked off slowly. That is the experience they will take away from this, composure, decision making and patience.

OK then i will take your comment as such meaning that they shall learn with regards to their decision making etc. From that point of view, yes i agree, Spies is learning, however he is learning very fast, Honestly i am very surprised by his captaincy. I was one of the one's shocked when they picked him As i was expecting Chilliboy to be captain. However Spies is really doing well and for an inexperienced captain gaining confidence all over the show. His game has improved siginificantly because of it I think. The reponsibility has made him maybe made him play a tighter more physical game and the boks can only gain from that. With regards to as a unit, I think the bulls are very experinced and sly in that regard, eith this i am refering to all the little plans that a guy like Juandre kruger makes in the linout to make up for the lack they had in the lentgh department. weither that is a Matfield influence or himself I rate him as a very intelligent rugby player, that has loads of experience that he has brought back with him from Europe. So in a starting pack with 5 Springboks they are learning very fast. (just joking) However I understand where you are coming from if you are referring to the leadership, however if you are referring to the pack itself. 5 Springboks were outplayed by a pack with only one bok....food for thought.

Stormers backs were flat, especially in the 2nd half. They were catching the ball standing still. De Jhong, and Aplon had some nice runs, but that was about it in the 2nd half. They need to be better.

Forwards were very good all over the field for the whole game.

Second half was dominated by the Bulls, and with 14 men the Bulls took it to the Stormers.

It was a good win, and the Stormers deserved it, and found a way to win, but they still need to find their stride. They were up 14 buzz at the half, and then had their opponents down to 14 men at the start of the 2nd half, and they were out scored 17-6 at home. Not good enough Imo.

I often wonder what is going on at their training sessions. Last year it was too deep, now too flat? With muddle Jean at the helm you will never be able to operate with a flat attack. Hell, Grant doesn't have the skills for that either. Here's a disturbing stat for the Stormers:

Linebreaks
02.Cheetahs (43)
03.Sharks (39)
06.Bulls (36)
13.Lions (28)
15.Stormers (16)

Something is very wrong with that. Even second from bottom Blues are comfortably ahead with 21. Coetzee and Fleck need a good kick up the backside.

 

Something IS wrong with that. Correct me if I'm wrong but I see that only 1 Stormer Back has more then 1 line break this season. JP with 3.

A good sign of a good team is finding ways to win, but like you said in an earlier post. I just don't see championship material from them.....yet anyways.

Bit premature there Beany , Whats the saying pride before a fall - Stormers are yet to be tested by a real rugby team my friend . Bulls lost to an Auckland side ranked somewhere near the bottom of the table so hardly anything to crow about beating the Bulls - until they've beaten the top Kiwi sides they are still abit of an unknown quantity as far as i can see mate but you keep talking them up buddy...

Black udder, its all part of the fun talking up your side. However you should understand we come from a background of having the Stormers trashed for many a year so its nice to be able to turn the tables especially after having the team trashed by some oaks even this year. Our coming second on the table for two years running has received scant acknowledgment. Hence my delight in rubbing some noses in it.

I have even been told winning the Currie Cup is better than winning the SA Confernce trophy by some loonies!!!!!!

As for the hapless nz sides they are going to be feeling the Storm shortly and there will be wailing and nashing of teeth. I do trust sitting bull has friends who will help him through these dark times and apply moolie magis and a strong pipe t otide him over.

Bye the way what real rugby team are you referring to? The crusties are on the slide. Man a severely injury hit Lions side almost drew with them and ditto the Cheethas. Wait till the bulle pulverise them this Saturday - ouch!  My only concern for the bulle is how much the hammering they took at forward has taken it out of them. hahhahahahahahaha

Ek is correct -( Ek not Beeno in this instance). The Stormers. had more inexperience in the forwards, younger players and yet were more physical. End of Story

I would however totally agree that this Stormers backline is not firing as yet. I seriously question whether Alistair or Fleckie have the nous for the job. Alistair couldn't do it for the Boks and Fleckie, the man directly in charge - well what are his coaching credentials? They need to bring in Brendon Venter to sort out the problem

Till then Jean needs to do this job and get them going. By now he should know backline play backwards. So Alistair and Fleckie just get out of the way please and allow Jean to be the creative, thinking planner.

Canned rugby the Stormers have not yet lost a match! ALL other sides have. At worst you should say they are in with a shout. To rule them out like that smacks of bias?

First off, it's Canrugby. Not canned. The Can is short for Canada. My country.

Second, I'm a Stormers fan. I can like a team and be critical at the same time. I think the fact that the Stormers are finding ways to win is fantastic, and shows they are a top team. In no way am I ruling them out. But there are some points to there game that are not firing on all cylinders. That's all I'm saying. Could you imagine if the backs were playing at a higher level right now?(which they could be) We would be destroying teams.

CR is a man of perspective; take notes Beeno ;)

canrugby, in 95 Christian Stewart played for Canada in the RWC. The game against the boks was brutal and ended in a couple of players from both sides being kicked out of the WC. The Canadians gave the boks a good go. Christan Stewart was also a great servant of WP(Stormers) Rugby. Hope you enjoy the S15 and hope our team can do it this year.

PS: I think the reason for our backline not being up to par this season might be that they are too conservative due to the fear of failure yet again. I think (and hope) that they will step up in crunch games where there is no other alternative (like last year against the Blues on tour)

The Stormers need a 10 and a 12, plain as that. The Stormers haven't been great on attack since the days of Barry and Joubert. Perhaps they can raise the exorbitant fee for $onny Bill and get the ball rolling.

Wow, now that would be a sight to see, an inside centre that can get his outside backs going. Quick hands. Now I haven't seen that inages in a WP/stormers shirt. Well maybe they won't need to pay so much. There are 2 inside centres very underrated in South Africa that do have quick hands and might not be as pricey as SBW, (he does bring the offloading in the tackle to the table as well though) But why not buy either andries Strauss or Doppies Le grange. Oh we have jean forgot. There is an inside centre on the books at WP with quick hands, we saw it in the CC last year. Though i don't really rate him on defence. , he can get the vall to his outside backs. Marcel Brache. So maybe, just maybe SWB is a bit drastic :)

Hey Db.

I do not remember Chris Stewart. But I do remember we had a strong team in the early to mid 90's. We've had some big bumps along the way, but I feel our boys are back. We have a little style, and indentity to our game now. Even if we are getting our lunch handed to us by the AB's, we still play the same way, and keep playing hard, and physical. We did score two tries against them. That was nice. :)