Good Greeff
3 Feb 2006
Stormers fans may be spared the sight of Gus Theron running out in jersey 13 against the Cats next Saturday. Innovative thinking by the Stormers coaching staff could see a reworked backline, with Werner Greeff slotting alongside Jean de Villiers in the midfield.
Dependant on the fitness of captain De Wet Barry, at this stage likely to miss the opening encounter of the competition, Keo.co.za has learnt that Greeff is likely to be reborn as outside centre – albeit temporarily.
Barry is expected to make the second clash of the year, the home meeting with the Waratahs, and Marius Joubert should be available after the first three rounds.
The implications of relegation and the importance of making a good start mean that Greeff’s ability to adapt to yet another position is vital. An away win, followed by a run of home matches, could ensure ‘relegation’ becomes a punchline rather than a reason for concern in Cape Town.
If necessitated, the decision by Kobus van der Merwe, Gary Gold and the coaching staff to shift Greeff to 13 has to be applauded both for its innovation and solid reasoning.
Theron does not grasp the defensive requirements of outside centre. His inability to maintain composure and hands that fumble with regularity outweigh his natural pace. Pre-season games have shown that nothing has changed.
The other option is Bolander Piet van Zyl, who was given two starts (the only player in the squad who was given two opportunities) against the Spears and Bulls to allow him to settle into the role.
Ineffective distribution in both fixtures, however, seem set to consign Van Zyl to a season on the sidelines. Simply put, he was overawed and out of his depth.
The decision to move Greeff to 13 exhibits the coaching team’s determination to allow De Villiers to settle at 12, a policy that stands in complete contrast to that of Gert Smal’s last year.
It means that Joe Pietersen is the likely candidate to slot in at fullback. Defensively frail, Pietersen is in the mould of Brent Russell, and counter-attacks effectively.
Cynics will identify Greeff’s lack of pace as a reason for criticism, but ultimately the alternatives of either Theron or Van Zyl are not any more encouraging.
PROBABLE STARTING BACKLINE
9. Bolla Conradie
10. Peter Grant
11. Jongi Nokwe
12. Jean de Villiers
13. Werner Greeff
14. Rayno Benjamin
15. Joe Pietersen
126 Comments
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3 Feb 2006, 13:30 pm
hobo – i assume they move onto something like most wins, most tries or play a relegation fixture
3 Feb 2006, 13:30 pm
“If necessitated, the decision by Kobus van der Merwe, Gary Gold and the coaching staff to shift Greeff to 13 has to be applauded both for its innovation and solid reasoning.”
*****, Chris. The WP coaching staff have big enough egos as it is. No need for you to fellate them at every opportunity. Whatever happened to journalistic integrity?
3 Feb 2006, 13:32 pm
IG
And if that is also the same, will probably go for most point for and most point against?
3 Feb 2006, 13:32 pm
horrible imagery rd. Just horrible. Good point though
3 Feb 2006, 13:33 pm
You’d think it’s come down to who won the match between the two, but then home ground advantage makes that a little unfair
3 Feb 2006, 13:35 pm
robd – while i agree with your sentiment ever read a sharks press release ?
3 Feb 2006, 13:36 pm
Stormers have problems at 9 and 10. Bolla is nippy like January but lacks Rickies pass (and Rickies pass sucks).
Grant is a plonker imo.
And yes-the sharks have problems from 1-15-blah blah blah
3 Feb 2006, 13:38 pm
Yip Stormer – i suspect we will get a missive from SARU the week before a decsion needs to be made, saying due to confusion we will think about it……..
3 Feb 2006, 13:40 pm
DavidS
Yip a whole lot of bitterness. These okes should be in Gim and working to get stronger etc when they are more a hairdresser nad mirror than any thing else.
As for the same points thing:
Probably the losing team between the 2 in their previous fixture.
Don’t want to see a play off. The’ll donner each other to death in that game.
Cheers
3 Feb 2006, 13:48 pm
If Chavhanga wasn’t injured I’d definately have him in the no. 14 jersey, does any one know how long he’s injured for? For the first game against the Cats I reckon JDV at 13 and Greef at 12 since Greef has played quite a bit there recently and would be better than having JDV with Gus.
3 Feb 2006, 14:03 pm
londonshark
how about you worry about your own ‘****’ team’s woes than the Stormers cos they sure as hell going to need it…
3 Feb 2006, 14:08 pm
ig – last time I checked, this site wasn’t called http://www.wprugby.co.za. One would expect pieces coming from the Sharks’ official PR machines to be biased. Chris is “supposed” to be independant.
3 Feb 2006, 14:34 pm
robd – no one ever accused this blog of being unbiassed. if it pisses you off, find the website run by sharks fans.
3 Feb 2006, 14:35 pm
>>robdylan
Chris doesn’t smaak the Sharks.
Never has…Never will
His writing reflects this
3 Feb 2006, 14:50 pm
you missed the first bit of my comment rob – try read before shooting your mouth into a corner
3 Feb 2006, 14:52 pm
I know it a rugby site
But are’nt you guys just irritated to bits by our cricket performance this morning?
3 Feb 2006, 14:52 pm
rod – it’s got nothing to do with the Sharks, bru. I just find it sickening how everyone here sucks up to the so-called WP “brainstrust” that to date has delivered sweet **** all, even though they have the majority of the current Bok squad to work with.
3 Feb 2006, 14:53 pm
We stopped chacing after 25 overs for crying out loud!!!!!!!!!
3 Feb 2006, 14:54 pm
ig – I read your whole comment, chap. All I’m trying to say is that once shouldn’t compare the **** spewed by the Sharks Media Service to the **** spewed by Chris, as the former has never claimed to be anything other than propaganda whereas the latter masquerades as serious journalism.
3 Feb 2006, 14:55 pm
Boy wre we shite this morning. I am so embarressed by our cricket team.
3 Feb 2006, 14:55 pm
“once” should read “one” above.
3 Feb 2006, 14:56 pm
What is this plonkery going on in SA sports?
3 Feb 2006, 14:58 pm
>>Brickwall
Smurf got a bad call upfront. Lee was on viagra, and the rest of our guys panicked from over no.2! We shoulda gone all out for the win. if we lost that one, we still have another 2 to get us into the final. That’s cricket for you.
I think we’ll take the next one.
3 Feb 2006, 15:00 pm
Face it okes.
The Sharks, Stormers and the Cats are going to kak this year. Ek se vir julle: as julle nou al ooit n paar melkkoeie bymekaar gesien het dan gaan julle dit nou vanjaar sien.
Iggy
Jy kamma hierdie post hou en aan die einde van die S14 vir die muppits wys, hoe reg die Brick was!!
3 Feb 2006, 15:02 pm
brickwall, i think that we are really missing ntini and nel. vd wath went for over 6 an over as well as hall. they are bowling all rounders both of them. Rudolph is not a OD player, AB De Villiers should never have been sent home and Tshabalala shouldve been given a chance. I think that Kemp should start pulling finger too.
But overall it just seems like this team is so freaking scared of these Aussies. They are only human and are not unbeatable…
3 Feb 2006, 15:04 pm
Brick – will be sure to hold on to it.
3 Feb 2006, 15:04 pm
Rod
They way we bent over and let them give it to us from behind, bothers me. No I freakin hate it. It is freakin spineless and sad.
3 Feb 2006, 15:06 pm
>>THE CRICKET MAD OZZIES
ozzie dad-to-be calls ozzie mom-to-be in labour ward, expecting sextuplets [7 kids]:
DAD: “hey honey, how are we doing?”
MOM: “awefull! five out….and the last one was a DUCK!…”
3 Feb 2006, 15:07 pm
wpw
Yip, we are missing Nella and Ntini, I agree. But why on earth did we not go for it. I listened to the radio and those ausie comentators mocket us all day long. What are these okes doing? Why are they not going for it? What is the purpose of this and that? Blah blah
3 Feb 2006, 15:10 pm
>>Brickwall
Ja, i listened to the radio too. jonty was on the commentating panel, and he was equally embaraased!
3 Feb 2006, 15:11 pm
Rod
If anything I felt sorry for Jonty. He could not explain what was going on. And the Aussies just kept going at us.
3 Feb 2006, 15:14 pm
>>Brickwall
…well, he did just get off the plane too, so he must have felt he was having a bad dream!! but being jonty, he made the best of it. let’s hope he can be fit for the next match!
3 Feb 2006, 15:14 pm
Bothe the Cricket and bafana looks like they have no pride. Its shocking. I rather loose all my games fighting till the end than win 2 and then loose like we lost today.
Sorry guys, I am a little emotional about this, but hey for fucksakes we should be. Don’t ya think!
3 Feb 2006, 15:15 pm
they are pathetic. i mean they neva even made a game of it. i just dont understand. did you see what rudolph and dippenaar’s strike rates were? Both just below 50 %. They had to send Kemp and Polly in after Gibbs got out so that they could lift the run rate, if it didnt work then fine but to just accept defeat was not on…
3 Feb 2006, 15:17 pm
Eish….they were **** !
3 Feb 2006, 15:18 pm
wpw
Excactly!!!
3 Feb 2006, 15:18 pm
I’m very happy with the selection. Of all the possible options I think the coach has got it spot on.
3 Feb 2006, 15:20 pm
i think they sent botha in, because he can bat a bit and get himself settled at the crease. the problem was that the other guys crumbled around him.
never mind.
we should take the next one… smurf is overdue a big one, and ‘stallone” vd wath is gonna shine.[he's the find of the season]
3 Feb 2006, 15:20 pm
Ig
Praat jy wat tande het, praat jy…
3 Feb 2006, 15:23 pm
Rod
Stallone (LMAO). Boy did he hit a lekke six at the end! I am still bloody mad with them though. You just don’t loose like that. Its a bloody disgrace and shamefull.
3 Feb 2006, 15:23 pm
>>Paulie
yup.we’ve got the personnel, but do they all have the belief that we can actually beat these yellow-skinned bullies?
3 Feb 2006, 15:23 pm
i think they should play dale steyn. And maybe drop langeveldt for zondeki or the other boesman oke. whats his name? Kruger… I reckon they can do well and prove to everyone that they not quotas…
3 Feb 2006, 15:26 pm
Did you guys see AB perform?
His last two games he scored 50 off 28 and 50 off 24. Has he regained his form or is it just the lower standard?
3 Feb 2006, 15:27 pm
>>Brickwall
doesn’t he have that “yo ADRIAAANNN!” look about him?
chill, buddy – it’s still a game. it was yet another bad day at the office. these are all growing pains for our WC squad. the ozzies are reaching their sell-by dates fast. you’ll see.
3 Feb 2006, 15:30 pm
Okay, am I getting another comment deleted?
Eish wpw
The quota brigade’s gonna come looking for your boere thug butt after that line!
3 Feb 2006, 15:30 pm
>>Brickwall
AB’s strike rate is better than the top four in today’s game.
obviously local cricket is different to playing the ozzies in an indoor stadium filled to the roof with home support. but given the chance, he will be devsatating.
Hw will make the home series no doubt.
3 Feb 2006, 15:31 pm
>>DavidSp
i was gonna comment, but am eagerly awaiting the possie
3 Feb 2006, 15:33 pm
brick
in the last game vs the Mondi Lions, he scored 91 not out in the 20/20 game. He hit 4 fours and 7 sixes. 7 flippin sixes!!!
Now that oke can bat. He scored about 1000 runs in tests last yr and they dont have patient with him in the ODI’s. Lorgat is a ************** that needs to be sacked…
3 Feb 2006, 15:34 pm
davidS
So what is garnet kruger then? Is he white? He certainly looks besman to me.
Or what do you say rod? brick?
3 Feb 2006, 15:34 pm
wpw
Wooohoo you asking forr it now you boere thug!
Maak al die Proteas wit?
Is that what you’re saying?
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