Who will join me in toasting the Mighty Stormers topping the log

It is only fitting that we drink a round in appreciation.

To all posters please feel free to post here your sincere admiration of this magnificent efffort.

 Well done Stormers for winning the log. If the Sharks can pull of win overseas against the reds it will be a Stormers/Sharks semi- I think?

However beating a Reds team that is getting back into the form of last year will not be easy.

The Sharks could beat the Stormers- like the last game- even at Newlands but it may be harder to beat the Reds in their current form with all the key players back.

..haha... Moonbean the Chiefs will toast you.... grill then roast you... slice and dice and carve you up... haha

Thanks sharkbok. However after a good begining you decend into the wild speculations of an oveheated brain.

Sitting bool did I not warn you chiefies were not a warrior tribe. Please go and look at log carefully and then come back and say Mr Beeno I sitting bool smoke too many strong pipes and lost way in thick cloud! Mocking birds right  - I wrong again!

...Moonbean laughing in the face of certain death as Crusaders are about to spoil rain puddle teams little party.....get back to sitting bull once you've crossed that river.....although sitting bull predicts Moonbeans team drowns before meeting the Mighty Chiefs in the final....

sitting bool my only concern, as I have said, is that we are missing tow perhaps three key loose forwards. Schalk and Vermulen are the best in their positions in the world and take away a lot from our pack. Given a full strength pack we would have blown away the crusties. Now it becomes more of a challenge.

Now sitting bool will you join me in toasting the Mighty Stormers and stop being side tracked by vain imaginings. Remember  whatever happens its theStormers who topped the log. Should be a trophy for this!

...in nz they say kaplan should be congratulated too Moonbean for conveniently handing rain puddle team top dog but sitting bull thinks its lame even if TMO was from Wellington no excuses from sitting bull........Mighty Chiefs unlucky two contentious tries in a row but third time lucky is paleface proverb Moonbean...Mighty Chiefs still got the faith....Mix that with some Mooloo Magic...recipe for success and sitting bull will drink to that...haha

lets put it this way if the stormers dont take it this year then they will never win it. the 2 teams that travel the best the reds and saders that cracked there defence wide open last year are in the mix again this year. all shall be revealed this following couple of weeks

Beeno

Definitely not me.   I think they played very poor attacking rugby and very unattractive rugby as well.   They can have the top position - but I do not think they can pull the cup win off.

Save some strong drink till after the game to drown pain of loss - Beeno advice to friend sitting bull as Storm Clouds gather.

Mike very generous of you to allow us to have  top position. If the Stormers played poor rugby how about the rest.

I saw some nice congrats on Keo and perhaps I should copy one or two here so you can have an idea of what you should be saying. Hahahahahahaha its like water from a stone.

Well Done Stormers, not the best attacking rugby but hell it is effective. Remember the Bulls did not play the most attacking rugby but they did win it three times, and what i've seen so far this year from the men from Cape Town is BMT!!!

Their BMT will be put to the test next week and only time will tell............ But be sure come semi final time and you guys don't make it, there are going be alot of "I told you so" and "choke" comments.

when the bulls won it the first time they were not very flash but still they managed a lot more bonus points than the stormers did this year. the bulls last super 15 win was offcourse that amazing destruction of the chiefs by 60 odd points in the final.

the stormers on the other hand have not had a great showing in the semi's or final they played against the bulls. so that is a massive monkey on there back still. we will see in 2 weeks time if they can pull it off. if not as i said then they will never take it. this is a perfect situation for them to get rid of the choker tag.

Carpet muncher can you please tell me who have looked good against the Stormers.

Thanks.

your right the stormers tend to suck the opposing team into the trench style game plan. apart from the sharks that took them to the cleaners at kings park no other team managed to crack the defence. baring the saders and reds which i feel has the correct tactics against the defence of the stormers.

 The Stormers defence will allways have them near the top of the table. However when playing against a top team like the Crusaders, Reds- and the last game against the Sharks-  It is clear the defence can be broken. 

If the Reds beat the Sharks- it is the Reds vs Stormers Semi.

If the Crusaders beet the Chiefs in the semi(forget about the bules who are allready out)- then it would be a Stormers vs Crusaders final(if the stormers beat the Reds in the scenario above)

So the toast maybe premature. The Crusaders and Reds have had more injuries than the Stormers this year- Carter and Cooper. 

Can the Stormers defence hold out for 2 weeks against the 2 best attacking teams in the tournament?

Last years results would say no- The Reds and Crusaders beat the Stormers.

The point being- that the Stormers need to up their attacking game to win the tournament. Also to top the log next year again I think it is the same story. If the Stormers could score more tries they could beat any team in the tournament- and possibally even an away game vs the Crusaders and Reds(both at full strength)

Sharkbok

You are wrong I believe.   If the Sharks beat the Reds - the semis will be as follows:-

The Crusaders will play the Chiefs

The Sharks against the Stormers.

If the Sharks get beaten  (the Bulls will lose) the semis will be as follows:-

The Reds vs the Chiefs

The Crusaders vs the Stormers.

I give the Sharks an 70% chance against the Reds and i think the first scenario will apply.   However, I think the Stormers have reached the semi - and that is where their role in the Super 15 will end - they cannot beat either of the two potential opponents mentioned - their game is too unimganitve and dull.

Glad the stormers made it and glad they have the BMT needed. But now we wait and see for the semi's as from now on out it's anyone's ballgame. I see everyone writing off the Bulls. Just an afterthought, they might have not impressed that much but mentally they are a strong team. Write them off at your peril. However taking into account i can't remember them ever winning a game in christchurch. 

Stormers are the most unconvincing side ever to top the Super Rugby log! They have not totally dominated any team this whole year. Even the crappy teams pushed them close. I am glad they are on top, as I think topping the log means the trophy is 75% in the bag. Also, even as a Bulls supporter, I will be over the moon if the Stormers go all the way. Bulls have won this thing three times and I would really like another SA team to claim the title.

no cups coetzee and his team has the best chance ever to take the title......lets hope for there sake they can shake off the choker tag and win it....this is there best ever chance to win it..if they fail to win it then i am afraid they will be the laughing stock of super rugby

 even a bigger lauginng stock than the Lions?

Toping the log gives them a good chance, but It's by no means won. Still alot of hard work to be done, and carpet I don't think them falling out now is a laughing stock. Secodnly as they have not been so convincing all season choking would then also not apply if they fall out.

They have done one thing all season and that is Trench warfare. they are good at it. Close games suck in the opposition and play a close physical game. no need to dominate if you win, you only need to win.

if the stormers fail to win this year then they will be the lauging stop of SA rugby......12 odd years since a major cup is by far one of the longest "dry spells" ever.

they also tend to lose the really crunch games that they really need to win. last year in the semis case and point. this spells back to the late 90's when i can recall the semi that had against the highlanders where they went on a player strike over wages ext ext.....

the stormers does have a major choking tag but its up to them to prove to everyone that they can pull of a major cup win and break this vodoo. as i said if they dont win it then they never will

Carpet muncher get a grip please. We have won the SA Conference trophy twice in a row. That tops any other trophy apart from the Super Rugby trophy itself and even here what is more meritorious - to win the Super comp or top the log?    A question worthy of consideration.

Why in the world should we be the laughing stock for topping the log? With knockout rugby anything can happen.  The best team over many months competition was the Stormers - end of story.

 Beeno keeping it real.

since when is the conference win a trophy mate ????? the only cup that matters is the super rugby trophy. you topped the south african part of the super 15 well done yes but its by no means a trophy buddy that is keeping it real. it sanzar email a pic of a cup mate ????...the last time a checked the super cup is the only cup that gets handed to teams in super rugby. so you and the other stormers fan boys can try to read more into this conference thing than any others do....its all about who is winning the final that is the bottomline. the bulls are the only team that has every won it. they are on 3 times now

for the past 12 odd years the stormers has always had a off day then they really need to be on it so that in my book and in the majority of the neutral rugby and sporting public is seen as a choker tag. when the pressure is really on the stormers for some bizarre reason seems toe fade away. currie cup super rugby all the same. the grind out ugly wins that is great for your guys but in real honesty your teams biggest challenge starts from now on in. so i hope they prove everyone wrong and goes and win the final. to be honest they need a major cup more than any other south african team. with the amount of players and money at there disposal they have been under performing for way to long.

they have a golden chance to win it this year and i hope they do really if they choke then they will never take it

"...the last time a checked the super cup is the only cup that gets handed to teams in super rugby. "

Carpet, quite mistaken there. you should revise that i think. 

4 Trophies in super rugby.

SuperRugby Trophy

Aus Conference winner Trophy

NZ Conference Winner Trophy

SA Conference Winner Trophy (Beeno's Avatar)

And yes that trophy was in the Newlands Trophy cabinet last year, if you wanted to know. It will be for another year, with it will be the vodacom Cup and hopefully the Superrugby Trophy. I won't be as bold as to claim any trophy's not there yet. So therefore saying hopefully the Superrugby Trophy. And we shall as always hope for the CC to come back home to Newlands as well :)

Its gonna be extreamly hard for any of the teams to lift the trophy, but I am quite sure the Cheeeefs will stumble again, sorry SB, but your team's wheels seem to be coming off. My picks would be Stormers or Saders with the Reds also in with a shout.

EK  thanks for staightening out our carpet muncher - an unuual profession!

Carpet muncher please do nothink any side will hav easy matches from here on in - except possily the crusties. That depends on whther the bulle pitch up or hav left it all beind at Loftus . We shall see.

Draad it is an act of kindness to let Sitting Bull down gently like this. This hopes were so high. Hahahahahahaha

 Hi Mike,

You are right, that I was wrong about who is playing who in the semi. The whole system is biased to making sure that all 3 counties have home games- and in this I have not understood the system. We do agree though about the Stormers game plan- it will beat many teams- but not the best. The Crusaders - twice at Newlands- and also the Reds at Newlands I believe cracked the defence. 

Other teams get their defences cracked- but score more tries. With the Stormers it is all about their opposition scoring less tries/points than them, than a positive mentality of scoring more points/tries against the opposition. 

With a predictable backline attack- well if the Stormer defence is beaten- their is no plan B. 

This year- the Reds had too many injuries to start the year, the Crusaders too, and the Chiefs lost the league at the end rather than the Stomers winning. 

If the Stormers attacked like they did in 2010(or was in 2009)- and defended like they do in 2012 I would say they will go all the way- even beat the best teams away from home if needed. However come finals time- it is another story. 

As for the Bulls(what ever brains they have is left at Loftus with a few exceptions-). It is just Dumb and Dumber(the 2 potgieters)- and WP, on the plane. It is a lost cause.