Stormers-Gheetahs Game

It was only fitting that the Cheetahs won this game.   I was extremely disappointed how the Stormers played this game.   They showed all the bad signs that prevailed in 2012 - namely the dead backline syndrome.

Allow me to deal with the players first:-

*    Habana showed  some individual class and the fact that he was yellow-carded late in the game is just not acceptable.

*    I was really not impressed by Taute playing at full back.   He made a coupe of serious mistakes and was replaced after costing the Stormers a needless penalty in their own 22.  In essence his postional play was acceeptable and him joining the line shoiwed sone promise - but I expected much more from him.

*    The only backline player that really deserved a plus for the game he played was De Allende and it really is no srprise that he scored a try for the Stormers.   

*    De Jongh was given two oppotunities when De Allende put him into space - and he fluffed both.   Still think he is the main reason why the Stormers backline was disfunctional in 2012.

I was favourably imprssed by he Stormers forwards.   They did an acceptable job in scrummaing and line-outs.  

In summary - it is late in the day - but they have to find aa solution to the dead backline syndtome. The Cheetahs performed reasonably well - but their line out performance was bad and their scrummaging not much better.  Juan Smith came on frm he bench - but he showed very little in performance. 

This can't be true not so clever mike. The Stormers have lost to a team recently beaten by the Lions ??

Please confirm.

More information is also needed re;  the score for example

Brycy

The score was 27-26 in favour o the Cheetahs - and the summary by me of deficiencie is in all respects correct.

Sounds like the Stormers are ripe for the picking then .

They will definitely have to lift their game to avoid a bloodbath when they meet the Mighty Chiefs in March.

Perhaps they're resting their best players .

 Cheetahs deserved to win. Because they made inroads when they had territory. You cannot afford to not convert territory to points. 

Goodman

100% correct in that one.   Did I not write that the Stormers suffers from dead backline syndrome?   That is a major reason why they struggle to win games and if their place kicking is not 100% - they will lose games. 

 Sounds like another poor performance from Jaco Taute. How did this guy get into the bok team?

Even back in his preferred position at fullback he was not good. I think it is just because he is big that Meyer selected him. Jantjies and Jaco Taute will be shipped back to the Lions at the end of the SuperXV.

Watch this space.

Another ignorant pathetic post from the Shark

 After Taute flopped at centre, there was an automatic assumption he was the next Bok fullback. Never bought that. As for Jantjies if his goal kicking  fails there is nothing much else.

Moffie would your take on Taute at centre be based on much the same shit you gave us on how poor Fourie was at centre - the player who happens to be our next best Bok 13 after Gerber?

No Taute was uniquely useless.....Fury occasionally did something good. Trouble was he threw a try scoring  pass behind Habana and failed to back up Jeans breaks....effectively ushering us out of the RWC.

Ah yeah of course Fourie got us chucked out the WC, just like Taute lost us the AB's test - I trust you dont take the shit you write seriously - surely?

I do take it seriously Sapp. If Fury had made just an ordinary pass, Habana would have scored. If Fury had kept up on jean's shoulder, instead of falling behind and then falling over, a simple pop pass vs the long speculative pass would have created a try. 

If we score any of those tries, we win.

By contrast his miss of the Welsh number 8 for a try, almost cost us the pool win. The way I see it Fury had a 3 try deficit. These are facts, not opinions.

What complete bullshit, you are the only fool who has fingered Fourie as the reason we exited the WC, no-one else would be that stupid

 But all three things happened....Icare little what the star struck groupies say.

No thats your angle on wha happened, point us to those moments on youtube and no doubt the real picture would be revealed. I dont recall any of that bullshit and you saying something happened involving Fourie is about as believable as elephants on my farm

Not much point.....you would simply lie.

I dont lie thats your forte and it would be availabe for all to see and judge, I just know that you are speaking shit, so prove me wrong - Fourie being the reason we exited the WC is the biggest load of shit I have read in ages about as pathetic as Leeds being a provicial city

Sharkbok

I think people should be fair and not judge Taute at full back based on his showing yesterday only.  He never played a game at full back since early April 2012 and he should be given time to adjust back to his normal performances before coming to any really objective assessment.   

I have seen enough of him at center to know he will not make it in that position - and have seen in him some real potential over a long period and a number of matches that he really has the potential to be a top class full back.  He must just be given more opportunities and he will succeed - I am confident of that one. .  

 @Clevermike, 

True, Taute should be given some more games at fullback to get used to the Stormers system. I

do fear though that he could possibally be the next Jorrie Muller. Someone who stands out in the lower levels because he is bigger but at the higher level gets exposed for skills.

Time willl tell. One thing for certain with solid talent coming through at center, his days are over in the mid field

Hhahahahahaha ou brycy clutching at straws and thinking that the Stormers are ripe for the plucking on this performance! Please brycy get real!

The first half attack was poor but picked up in the second half. Once the power pack is on the park the driving maul wil be very effective. Our lineouts will be excellent and the scrum good.

My concerns re De Jongs distribution skills remain. There is no doubt that Allende and Jean are the front line pair. I suspect that Du Plessis is also better than De Jongh. Juans defence and running are good but he displays very little vision and cant seem to get  a pass away. When will he learn? The contrast between him and Ja Serfontein in this regard is stark. Serfontein off loads briliantly and has the vision to creat space and gaps for those around him that is very exciting.

The potential Bok centers  for this year and Jean, Frans, Allende, Jordaan (with Jan a possibility but I dont in principle like 19 year old Bok cenrters - perhaps some time off the bench?). ie the Stormers and sharks center combos.

I agree with Mike re Taute - writing of Taute who had a reasonable game is not wise.

Lets not let bryce lawrence off the hook by saying Jaque lost us the game. We played enough rugby to win it comfortably - at least 20 to 30 point better than oz..

Its being reported one of the Stormers maliciosly kneed someone in the head Bean Brain. 

  Surely this can't be true - eye gouging maybe. Hair pulling i'd beleve but not this.

Bean Brain what actually happened as i know you'll give us a good spin on things.

My guess is it was accidental...

brycy you come of course to the right place for an expert comment. Habana merely leaned his knee on the head of a cheetah twit who had been holding onto him. Stormers men dont like to be messed with aseveryon eshoul dknow and I am sure the oak learnt his lesson.

Nothing in it brycy just a gentle warning from Bryan.

Brycy

Sure it did happen - it was Habana who did so.   Habana was playing the fool the whole match - did one ofr two good things - but was awful in some respects.   He got yellow-carded for the knee incident.   Looking at the incident it may have been accidental - but as I said he was playing the fool and it could have been otherwise. 

With his huge French contract in his pocket - Habana may have to come down to earth - otherwise he may just fail his present team in games.

Beeno

Surprise - surprise.   In essence you do agree with my assessment of the game.   I really feel for Tayute in this case.   He obviously tried too much to impress in his first game at full back and tried too much making two  serious mistakes in the process.    However, that will and can be eliminated and he will bo doubt improve.  

It is likely he would play against the Boland Cavalliers again and it would be interesting to see what happens inthat game.

Poor De Jongh - he messed up badly when he was given an opportunity to play at center in the last two tests last year and his deficiencies was badly exposed n that game.   He failed in his passing game yesterday and was caught and even tackled bak when De Allende put him into space at least twice.

I have a feeling that Coetzee may play De Villiers and De Allende as his center combination this coming weekend since De Jongh has a niggle.  That could give a clearer indication of the way forward insofar as backline play is concerned.    

Insofar as Serfontein is concerned - he is an early developer and may just do what O'Connor did in the Wallaby set-up.   I have always liked him as a center - and he was outstanding on Saturday.   He is a definite future Springbok and so is Jordaan and De Allende.   I think that this may be the last year as a Springbok for De Villiers (due to age factors)  and that it depends of whether Steyn gets over his poor recent performances how soon the changes will be made.  Maybe not already this year - but definitely by next year we will see some real changes in the center pairing.   Serfontein, Jordaan and De Allende - I cannot wait for that to happen.  What a difference they would make to the Springbok "dead" backline.