Jaco storms into Super 14
16 Mar 2006
Jaco van der Westhuyzen wants to play for the Stormers in the Vodacom Super 14.
Keo.co.za reported a week ago that Van der Westhuyzen, the Bok flyhalf, would join the Stormers. This came after an interview with Bok coach Jake White.
The next day White did an interview with Die Beeld and threw the Cats name into the mix because of their home draw. White then said it was Van der Westhuyzen’s decision. The player said it came down to the coach.
Well, common sense has prevailed and Van der Westhuyzen will slot into a No 10 jersey with Bolla Conradie and Jean de Villiers (two of his national teammates) on his inside and outside.
Superrugby’s Gavin Rich wrote on Thursday morning that Van der Westhuyzen told White he wanted to play for the Stormers, provided he played flyhalf. Apparently, this is still under discussion because of the Stormers problems at fullback. First choice fullback Werner Greeff is out for the remainder of the competition and Van der Westhuyzen, who has played fullback for the Boks, would be an ideal replacement.
Western Province director of rugby Nick Mallett said he wanted Van der Westhuyzen to join the squad as soon as possible.
“Jake wants him to play flyhalf and he wants to know if he will get opportunities to play there,” Mallett told Rich. “My view is that he is an experienced player and I’d like to see him arrive down here as soon as possible. It just depends if Kobus (van der Merwe) can accomodate him at flyhalf or not. Obviously we have a pressing need right now for cover at fullback. It would be ideal if Jaco is adaptable.”
228 Comments
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16 Mar 2006, 16:51 pm
By the way Cheetas 36 Stormers 10
16 Mar 2006, 16:53 pm
All Stormer
You speak sense bro, the bulls could even use Jaco and Hougaard on rotation. Horses for courses. Then he can be rested for the WC. My point in an earlier post.
16 Mar 2006, 16:58 pm
Xkreni,
ek het dieselfde ondervinding van die kolonie en ek ken ook ‘n klomp mense wat dieselfde siening deel.
sterkte vir jou daar. wanneer kom jy terug?
16 Mar 2006, 16:59 pm
Xkreni-Wp
Yep funny how we can see it but the coaches can’t – Stormers should rather bring in some new blood and train them up (ok they were doing this with Rose before he took the money and ran) The Stormers season is over so build for next year now.
16 Mar 2006, 17:05 pm
frenchie (post 129)
They will use Neil De Kok to kick for posts – he has done so in the past – there is a few other options but their season is over and all the fans know this. Pity coz will be in Cape town over the W/end they play the C’saders – will go to the game but already know what the result will be.
16 Mar 2006, 17:13 pm
Xkreni-WP
Fokkit broer, ek is in dieselfde boot as jy. Het ook grootgeword in jou omgewing en bly nou al 7 jaar in die Kaap. Mis Loftus vreeslik. Nou sit ek hier opgeskeep met BIGG se kaliber tipe mense.
16 Mar 2006, 17:22 pm
Ek onthou baie goed hoe iemand(n kleurling) verlede jaar hier op die site genoem het dat die kapenaar baie groter rassiste is as enige iemand noord van die vaalrivier. Hulle steek dit net beter weg.
16 Mar 2006, 17:28 pm
All Stormers
Rose brothers did not take the cash and run.
It was WP management style and especially the famous Nic Mallet temper that made the mind up of their Dad who is their manager. He wouldn’t allow anyone to speak to his boys with the disrespect Mallet shows them.
Also, Both Roses are more flyhalf / centres than flyhalves and Lions promised both they’d get game time in their preferred positions.
Which they are getting.
16 Mar 2006, 17:31 pm
davidSp,
Unless you know the Roses personally, i believe that the Rose brothers are paying the price for their fathers greed.
16 Mar 2006, 17:32 pm
Stan
I wont argue with you on that one. Its all about perception. Many a time the Bulls team has more black players in their team than Province/Stompies, who you’d expect would have the most given the demography. One of the things I can definately credit the Bulls for.
16 Mar 2006, 17:34 pm
Jaco should play flyhalf..
We scored proper tries when he was flyhalf for the boks. He’s a good out-of hand kicker but
he started to kick everything & thats part of how how andre pretorius came back into the springbok picture.
16 Mar 2006, 17:35 pm
Stan
I’ve chatted with a few of the Province/Stormers guys about this issue and similar ones. They all confirm that Mallett, like Gert Smal used to, have their favourites. Moreover, he does not take kindly to any questioning from players or the slightest display of insubordination. Players who have strong personalities are very likely to get shafted (love that word.)
16 Mar 2006, 17:38 pm
DavidS,
what you been up to? i see the east rand is getting a bit of stick today. little do they know the rand produced some of the finest boxers in SA history: mitchell, coetzee, toweel, volbregt, etc, etc.
16 Mar 2006, 17:42 pm
Guys.
Lets look at the flyhalf question. Its clear that some of the best flyhalves internationally double as inside centres. eg. Carter, Wilkinson, Mauger, Flatley, Giteau. Both these positions require similar skill sets and the ability to make correct split second decisions. Thus, I still feel that JDV is the answer. Hell, I would argue that Jaco used to play centre at some stage too. This is the problem with the whole “running” or “kicking” flyhalf debate. It shouldn’t be a question of either or. The two skill sets should be one!
16 Mar 2006, 17:50 pm
I heard the that Rose fell out because he was out the night before a game and refused to take a call from the coach …. but this is a rumour.
I firmly believe players should come up thru the ranks and they wanted to have it all in one season. It may seem ok now but let’s see were they are in a few season time. Adrian Jacobs was also one that got pushed into the limelight and paid – a few big knocks an he now does not like to tackle – a weakness that will cost teams a game. Another is Schalk Burger – he is over played and the Stormers are counting the costs – what has he done this season? (not that I ever rated him as high as everyone else does – good player but overrated)
We all know Mallet speaks his mind – you know where you stand with him and speaks the truth (maybe the price of tickets will come down at Newlands as they not with paying good money to go and see anyway). Maybe some player don’t like to know there weakness. If I were one of the players, I would love to know so I could work on them.
16 Mar 2006, 17:55 pm
diesel,
I agree that not all is well in the shadow of brokeback mountain, but if you are 19 years old, you fist become an asset like JDV, John Smit or matfield before you develop an attitude.
Cab, That is the part of the world where the kids at primary schools moered the teachers and not the other way around…
16 Mar 2006, 17:57 pm
ALL STORMERS
Thats the problem with Mallett. The honesty is a good thing, but sometimes his just as much a hothead like the next guy. I think its that Gallic temprament he picked up in France. Case in point was the public shaming he dished ouit to Gaffie and von Hoesslin in Dunedin. And I think it was more a question of personality clash than whether those players had weaknesses or not. At the end of the day, every coach has “his boys.” I suppose its the same in other sporting codes, and other professions.
16 Mar 2006, 18:00 pm
Stan
The fact that the Stompies are now without adequate cover for fullback shows that Rose was an asset. And I dont refer to Rose as having a strong personality, in fact I’ve been told he’s a very likeable bloke, I meant other players in the past and present. inside and outside of the current Stompies squad.
16 Mar 2006, 18:04 pm
diesel,
I agree and he should never let rip into any player in public – leave that for behind closed doors. As for him having his ‘his boys’ we all do you just have to read half the posts. I also like some players and will try and ‘push’ those – you also just need to listen to the commentors during a game – they push players on knowledge who is going to make a Boks setup – I can now almost give a Boks team just by what Joel and co say a few weeks before selection. It’s like a record making no 1 – who in the right minds buys a sond that only has the words ‘Star trekking across the universe’ – about 50 million poms in 1987 did just by air play.
16 Mar 2006, 18:06 pm
That why i blame their father for being greedy.
They should have taken a years contract(even at VC level) and if it didnt work out, leave at the end of the year.
16 Mar 2006, 18:10 pm
Stormers
Agreed. thats why Prozone doesn’t lie. So easy to get emotional and have loyalties to certain players.
16 Mar 2006, 18:13 pm
Stan
Probably had more to do with securing a long term future for his kids at a lucrative (not for long) union like the Lions/Cats. Thats what a father does. I think they used the personality clash/Mallett thing as a legitimating factor to easily extricate themselves. Benefit of hindsight hey bud?
16 Mar 2006, 18:27 pm
No, they should have stuck it out at WP.
parents usually screw up when they interfere.
If they are really good, they would have made it at WP.
16 Mar 2006, 18:47 pm
Jaco is probably the only rugby player in the world that has got the coach of the national team as his agent. Jake’s efforts to sign him for the Stormers was the ultimate in unethical behaviour. On the other hand, this is South Africa.
Jaco recently expressed his wish to play with Bolla and Jean. Well Jaco, they are yours.
16 Mar 2006, 19:00 pm
Why is everyone so upset that Jaco is at the Stompies? Where should he have gone? Giel, Jake obviously had the Boks in mind when he intervened here. Whats wrong with that?
16 Mar 2006, 20:28 pm
Does Sven Goran Erikson tell David Beckham or Stephen Gerrard for which club to play? No.
Why not? Because Erikson was not a schoolmaster in his previous life!
16 Mar 2006, 23:42 pm
if we are in a profesional era, why don’t they draft players like overseas profesional codes like…soccer, nba , etc….gone are the days of provicialism……if south africans are prepared to throw out traditions??????? do south africans really care where someone learnt the playing skills or do they want a winning team!!!!!as much as i love WP and traditions times change ….for example……would n’t a team like bulls benefit from a back-up like paul delport in their system, in return one of their locks be playing for the stormers……or trading one of 6 wings to lions for back-up loose head
17 Mar 2006, 00:32 am
Spot on Stormers 64.
Giel, Ericksson may not tell them exactly where to play. But he does expect them to play for a top flight team and be in the starting lineup, or no place for them in the national team.
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