Will the Stormers be playing Super rugby in 2014?

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The Stormers have been hit by news that second-row Andries Bekker and prop Frans Malherbe have suffered injuries, with Bekker having played his last game for the South African team.

The tour had thrown up a number of injuries which have sidelined the likes of hooker Deon Fourie (ribs), prop Pat Cilliers (ankle) and centre Juan de Jongh (finger).

So who is out:

Tiaan Liebenberg, Malherbe and Cilliers

Bekker and  Steenkamp

Burger, Vermuelen, Elstadt and Rhodes

Grant, De Jongh and Taute.

I may have forgotten some injured players.

There is now a possibility that the Stomers may end up in a playoff with the Lions. Injuries just keep mounting - who will be next is the question. Who will be left standing? Can they keep the  Kings at bay is a real issue now.

I cannot but think the conditioning of both the Stormers and Sharks has gone haywire. The situation is so extreme as to be ludicrous. The Bulle and Cheetahs are about at full strength and even the Kings do not have injury concerns. The sharks are getting back players so may still be in with a shout fo rthe playoffs.

Imagine if South Africa's premier rugby region is no longer in the Super 15. Imagine the financial chaos with contracts, sponsors etc. Man will this Kings debacle will come home to bite then!! So will the selection of a quota coach and self interested suits running the show at WP.

Now we may well survive but what a postion to be in!!!! Seldom has a season gone so frot - the best squad in the comp reduced to rubble!!

Stormers are fighting for their rugby lives now.

Two others not available because of injuries are Scurra and Deon Carstens. That makes 14 out and counting. Center Du Plessis I believe left?

Beeno

There are two problems here - some of the injured players were not in top physical condition (eg Steyn) - incidentally I think that may have been the case with Taute as well - he looked overwieght and slower than I have eveseen him before.   Others have been over-played and therewere no rotation. - some carried niggles that turn into more serious injury because it was never attended to because of lack of rotation, etc.   You suggested that this matter be further investigated - and there are ample reasons for that as well.  

I think though the Stormers have another problem and that is a dud coach - absolute dead head.  His selections make aboslutely no sense whatsoever.   That is speicifically so insofar as the backline is concerned.   Coetzee insisted on the contracing Jantjies - who failed more than he suceed and also Taute.

Taute one can underatnd - he was always a very good full back - buit a dud center - but really did well in 2010 and 2011 - in 2012 he aws injured for an extended period and did not do well - but that in the main was a resut of playing him out of position.   Jantjies was so hyped up that Coetzee fell for th hype lock stock and barrell.   In the meantime the Stormeers are leaking top players like it is unbelieveable.    Jantjies was a major flaw in the whole set-up.   He failed more than he delivered and the result is that the Stormers now suuffer from a deficient pivot.

How many players have they lost tto foreign clubs already this year - I am not going to write it doen because this message is long enough already.  Often enough the issue is money - but players have also got to look at their careers and playing opportunities.  Many are given virtually no game time and the coach insist on playing a limited number of players - who does not really perform at all.   Take for isnatnce Du Plessis as an example - last year in CC for a few games  WP played Du Plessis at center - and they did emarkably well in attacking backline play.  However, bck game a player with a really hopeless performance record as from 2011 - De Jongh - and gone is Du Plessis.   The list goes on-and-on.  De Allende is also going to leave sooner rather than later - because he was good at center early in the season - now he gets no game time.   I would not be surprised if he is not looking elsewhere for a better career.

Although the article dealt mostly with injuries - the main problem remains a clueless coach - who prefer lightwieght backline players which at best is a defensive sieve.   You have a defesive sieve in their backline with thrree players with atrocious defensive stats to the effect that they miss more than 30% of attempted tackles and a forth one who is sihghtly better with an average of 25% in missed tackles.   

Despite a very sound deefnsive structure in theory - in practice it breaks down because of player deficiencies.   To start off - they are still stuck with the miserable Jantjies who have the dubious record of 100% miss in goal kicks this year - and is also stuck with a backline consisting of the smallest players one can find in SA.- a collection of players other franchises will never even hae on contract.

I would say fire Coetzee now - he is the main problem in that team - and make sure that for next year they contract players that can deliver the goods - but then you must have a realistic coach that can identify and develop truely talented players - not the dolts the Stormers have now.    

Not much I can disagree with there Mike.  All very annoying really.

Anyhow somehow they have got to avoid relegation. However if that happens will we get a new coach and will that coach be ou pdv!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  On that day I will become a full time Cheetahs fan!