Three try flurry saves Stormers
21 Apr 2006
Three tries in four minutes midway through the second half propelled the Stormers to their third away victory of the Vodacom Super 14 when they downed the Reds 24-20 in Brisbane.
The dance of the desperates never promised much, and errors plagued both side’s attempts to play constructively. The Stormers were further hamstrung by poor decision making – particularly at halfback – and a defensively frail back three. But for their four minute purple match, they did not threaten the Reds line with any conviction.
Credit, however, has to go to under-fire Stormers coach Kobus van der Merwe. His tactical decisions have been questionable this season, but tonight in Brisbane he got it right.
Last week the substitution of Naas Olivier after 50 minutes was a major contibuting factor to the defeat to the Chiefs. Now the same move was the catalyst to victory.
Olivier endured a disappointing first half, and the simulatenous injection of Peter Grant at flyhalf and Joe Pietersen at fullback sparked the Stormers, and 13-3 became 13-24 in minutes.
The momentum, so convincingly wrenched from the Reds, was never going to be conceded and a late score through veteran centre Ben Tune was a shade less than consolation.
The performance, coming after two consecutive defeats, was vital in the context of the Cape side’s season. The quality of the opposition was not great, but with the Crusaders, Sharks and Bulls to come, the Stormers knew that a win was crucial.
The confidence boost and familiar surroundings could well prove the cocktail that lifts the Stormers to a late season charge, ensuring respectability and – more importantly – time for the existing coaching staff and management.
Van der Merwe is a realist, and will know that the victory does not camouflage some home truths. Tonderai Chavhanga is not a fullback, he possesses neither the defensive ability or positional sense to inspire the most brittle confidence. His place is on the wing.
Jongi Nokwe, who later atoned through an 80 metre try, produced another wobbly with ball in hand and Rayno Benjamin was just plain appalling.
De Wet Barry, slated for the defeat against the Chiefs and caught up in the captaincy storm that followed, was immense in his return to jersey 12. Barry is not a 13 and if Van der Merwe cannot accomodate him as a 12 then he cannot accomodate him in the starting side.
Jean de Villiers underlined his split rugby personality further by again providing flashes of genius on attack, before fading to a ghost on defence. It was his awful attempt at a first-time tackle on Drew Mitchell that saw the Reds out to their convincing half time lead.
The Stormers return to Cape Town with renewed hope, but it is vital that perspective is maintained. The Reds in Brisbane are an entirely different prospect to the Crusaders in Cape Town, and it is the fixtures with the champions, semi-final chasing Sharks and arch enemies the Bulls that will decide whether the Cape side’s campaign will be deemed acceptable.
At this stage of the season, however, the Stormers will take what they get. Victory, no matter the opposition or the circumstance, is good enough for now.
THE MOMENTS THAT MATTER
78 mins: Consolation for the Reds through Ben Tune. Huxley converts. (Huxley 2/5)
60 mins: De Villiers inches from an intercept score. He knocks on unfortunately and it’s a Reds scrum.
58 mins: Stormers on fire! They score their try of the season with awesome work from De Villiers, Benjamin and Barry. Great support lines and handling sees Gerrie Britz under the poles. Grant converts. (Grant 3/3)
56 mins: Nokwe atones for a poor game with an 80m try. His control in dribbling from his own line is impressive and he has the pace and composure to score. Grant converts from in front , and the Stormers snatch the lead. (Grant 2/2)
54 mins: Stormers coach Kobus van der Merwe introduces Peter Grant and Joe Pietersen and it has an immediate impact. Strength in contact from Grant and fine touches from Pietersen see Brits make the scoring pass to Van Niekerk. Grant converts. (Grant 1/1)
51 mins: Andries Bekker is penalised for mountaineering, a call captain Barry and Bekker contest to no avail. Huxley to push the Reds out further … he’s missed an absolute sitter. (Huxley 1/4)
48 mins: Benjamin having a shocker. He knocks on again after a well worked Watson/Brits blindside move.
43 mins: 5m scrum sees Van Niekerk carry the ball strongly. It comes back to Olivier but he takes the wrong option and knocks on in heavy traffic.
42 mins: Stormers make a few metres through one-off runners, and the Reds concede the penalty. Barry instructs Olivier to go for the lineout, which is knocked on by the Reds. 5m scrum.
39 mins: Luke Watson makes a scrambling cover tackle that saves a certain score. Stormers’ line again broken with ease.
38 mins: Benjamin with an appalling clearance. The back three continue to struggle.
30 mins: Jean de Villiers AGAIN misses a routine tackle, he makes a pathetic attempt on Mitchell and the Wallaby flyer is through. Appalling, unacceptable defence. Huxley misses the conversion. (Huxley 1/3)
29 mins: Benjamin knocks the rolling ball. It’s not getting any better for those wearing 11,14 and 15.
26 mins: Great chase by Barry and fierce contesting by Burger wins the Stormers a vital penalty against the run of play. Big moments from the two Boks. Olivier has the chance to reduce the lead to two. He pushes it. (Olivier 1/2)
23 mins: Stormers back three on the ropes. Probing kicks behind Benjamin are also finding acres of space. Reds unlucky not to score from a maul when they’re pinged for accidental offside.
19 mins: Back three again appear shaky. Chavhanga takes the ball back into his 22 before clearing, thus the lineout is from where he kicked it. Reds showing a willingness to exploit Chavhanga and Nokwe’s brittle defence
18 mins: Reds not helping their cause by terrible tactical kicking. Second kick out on the full in 4 minutes.
16 mins: Simple high ball spilled by Nokwe.
14 mins: Good incisive attack by the Stormers. Barry and Chavhanga make good ground, but Nokwe is crowded out.
11 mins: Stormers retain possession well and get it within a metre. Reds pinged and this time Barry opts for the three. No problem for Olivier. (Olivier 1/1)
9 mins: Kickable penlty, and the Stormers opt for the lineout. Brave play.
7 mins: Naas Olivier’s attempted clearance is charged down, and from the resultant scrambling ruck De Wet Barry is pinged for hands. Gives Huxley the simplest chance to extend the lead, and he does. (Huxley 1/2)
6 mins: Reds inches away from another linebreak, this time in the Stormers 22. It’s tips of the fingers stuff for Drew Mitchell, and he just can’t hold on. Again, Stormers seem defensively frail out wide.
3 mins: Stormers start badly, as is now routine. They kick away a lot of possession early and concede a soft try to the rampaging Rodney Blake from close out.Julian Huxley has the chance to convert, but he pulls it. (Huxley 0/1)
SCORERS
Reds
Tries: Rodney Blake, Drew Mitchell and Ben Tune
Con: Julian Huxley
Pen: Huxley
Stormers
Tries: Joe van Niekerk, Jongi Nokwe and Gerrie Britz
Cons: Peter Grant 3
Pen: Naas Olivier
By Chris Hewitt
423 Comments
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22 Apr 2006, 00:24 am
WOW OCO, you’ve been to a private box! At Newlands!
22 Apr 2006, 01:13 am
On a different subject completely,
The Bok squad will have an AJ, a BJ and a CJ. I was wondering when DJ would be added |-)
22 Apr 2006, 06:13 am
This is what’s wrong with our Super 14 rugby:
1.The super 14 is equivalent to the Premier league in football.There must be title chasers, mid-table teams and wooden spoon contenders.Teams that establish themselves as mid tablesides can evolve in two or three seasons to be challengers.This is however a medium to long term challenge.It seems we approach the competition as an annual event,much like a world cup etc.The SA mentality has been one of attempting a fresh start each year and if you can’t win in two sack the coach,pick a new team and start again.This is a hangover from the early qualification days of Super 10 perhaps.As the Crusaders have shown long-term investment breeds long-term success.
2.The mental block on travelling away is self inflicted.Each game must be approached regardless of home or away.It is an easy excuse to lose away.Rather than move around for 5 weeks find a good base in Aus or NZ and travel to games from there.Returning to “Base Camp” each week and travelling again for the weekend.This allows players to feel more settled and becomes much like a home away from away.Logistically it cannot cost much more and should smooth travel arrangements.Wives and girlfriends could concievably spend some of the mid-weeek with their partners if possible.
3.We need to learn that by leaving a player out this week it is not going to jeopardise their position in the team.A rugby team in this sort os competition is made up of at least 26 quality players not just a match 22.Rotation assists in getting more players used to a teams tactics and developing reserves.Having 2 or 3 internationals on the bench is the best thing that can happen to a team.
4.Fans and management must exercise paience to an extent.I believe that as is the case at the Sharks a coach given a long run and backing together with his players will produce results,unless the coach is patently not up to that particular standard (ie.Frans Ludeke).The coaching staff and players need time to learn and settle.The lenght of this time is the difficult question.
5.Reputation = nothing.No players should be selected on what he can do and rather on what he is doing.It is a long competition and an out of form player can be sent to the Vodacom Cup to get their confidence up.If each franchise put up a dozen Bok contenders there would be healthy competition and a lot more experienced depth.
6.TRANSPARENCY is the fastest way to allay fans fears.If you don’t get buy-in from players,support staff and the FANS,you are heading nowhere.(a’la Cats)
These are a few key issues in my opinion and will jeopardise any chance of an SA champion for years to come.
22 Apr 2006, 07:14 am
An extremely thoughtful post, rastafox, especially for that time of the morning.
22 Apr 2006, 07:21 am
Early start this morning!!!
22 Apr 2006, 07:49 am
Rasta
You’re quite right in what you say. The problem is that our S14 sides seem to be in a permanent state of “building”.
Even the Bulls are claiming that they’ve lost key players. When you consider that the best they’ve done is to sneak a semi last year it doesn’t say much for their “key players”.
What I find dismal is that if they’re aware that the pack has been weakened, why the **** don’t they change their tactics to compensate instead of sticking with the same old 10 man approach.
Most of the time, I think, our coaches suffer from a severe lack of rugby intellect and imagination.
22 Apr 2006, 08:02 am
David
The loss of “key” players highlights the short-sighted approach in SA.In politics etc. there is the process of succesion.A replacement must be groomed and when said “key” player moves on his replacement elect steps up to the plate.The Crusaders didn’t whinge after the loss of Mehrtens and Marshall but had ready replacements available.One just happened to be King Carter,but I am sure he didn’t just pop out of the blue.We seem to hope that we will find the right player ready to beat the world.It is this lack of depth that should be addressed on a long term basis.The correct structures are there to nurture players and correct weakpoints in their game.
22 Apr 2006, 08:04 am
I can in fact remember when there was debate in NZ as to how long Carter would remain in Mehrts’ shadow.It took him the best part of two seasons to beat off the other challengers and stand up as the next best replacement.
22 Apr 2006, 08:48 am
Rasta,
There was an interesting meeting last week of the Bulls Rugy Union. Apparently the amateur union wanted the academy players to be under their control, not the professional association.
They wanted them available to club rugby.
I don’t know the outcome, but they may have pinpointed one of our problems. The move into competitive senior rugby is a massive wakeup call for kids that have been confined to age group competition.
All of a sudden big kids who dominated due to their size are brought down to earth and need to develop other skills to survive.
It also develops the sort of character that we seem to be lacking at senior level.
I get the feeling that our emerging youngsters are too protected by the academy system. It could also explain why our coaches are reluctant to blood them until it’s too late.
Lets face it, the rugby field is, at times, a battle for survival not an intellectual exercise.
22 Apr 2006, 08:49 am
It came as a shock to me that the Stomers came from behind and win the game. It was there best game up to date this year. Looks like there’s light at the end of the tunnel. Now for today , mmmmmm what a upset will it be if the Cats beat the Bulls. Look at ysterday what did the force do with them Saders. Unbelieveble !
22 Apr 2006, 09:07 am
Andre
The difference is that the Force are coached by John Mitchell not Ludeke.
22 Apr 2006, 09:10 am
Cats may have won 3 of the last 4 against Bulls in Super rugby,but a win today is like a donkey winning the July Handicap.The Force have shown much more promise this year than the Cats and as a virgin team,I think they can only go from strength to strength.
22 Apr 2006, 10:07 am
Andre – the stormers can be glad to win the game. They played like people forced to be on the field – no commitment, no guts, no will no nothing. I am a big wp/stormers supporter, but it’s like masturbating with a cheese grater, slightly amusing, but mostly painful
22 Apr 2006, 10:31 am
All this miserable season shows for the Stormers is:
1.You cannot employ a coach with little CC experience.In the Super 14 you are measured against the best.Any frailties will be identified and exploited.
2.Playing players out of position does not work at Super 14 level for the same reason as above.
3.Coaches need to make better use of the squad system.13 matches is a long season and against top quality opposition players will struggle at some point.Rotate the players and pick players according to gameplan,that is assuming you have a half decent one.
4.Springboks need to step up to the plate if you are to compete.Great article on rugby365 regarding contracts and comfort zones.
5.Coaches need to work with players at Vodacom cup level in order to iron out weaknesses and build confidence.Then only introduce the players to Super rugby.
6.No player should be played on reputation alone.If Jean de Villiers is out of form drop him.He can always play his way back in.The cream will always rise to the top.
7.There is a lack of quality forwards coming through in the Cape.How is it that a province with some of the finest rugby schools and arguably the best University cannot produce more quality players.
8.There is always room for experience and the Sharks have shown that a few tried and trusted campaigners can make a world of difference.
9.The media is not the place to berate players and rather than excuse after excuse front up identify what’s wrong and work on it.The fans want a plan not excuses.
10.No one man is going to save a franchise.The appointment of Mallett is a step in the right direction,but it will need a team effort at management level to improve the situation.
Possibly the most hard-hitting truth is you can’t win everything all the time.If you want to build then at least have a plan and stick to it. You simply cannot chop and change at a whim.
22 Apr 2006, 10:33 am
I watched the game for the second time this morning!
Bekker and Barry had absolute blinders!! Benjamen was bad bad bad nothing new he cant catch a ball!! Grant did well when he came on for Naas.
22 Apr 2006, 10:36 am
It’s a pitty that the youngsters in the team are not performing at all. They got great speed but there ball handling skills are up to ****. I hope they will sort this out during the CC. I think we going to have a different CC team this year. Hopefully we will do beter in the CC
22 Apr 2006, 10:38 am
De Wet is on form as displayed yesterday the best inside centre in the country.It follows a pattern in world rugby,tough nut at inside centre often equals great team eg Umaga for the Blacks.There is no place at any level for an inside centre that cannot defend strongly.
22 Apr 2006, 10:40 am
Jongi Nokwe will never be a decent CC player let alone at a higher level.Benjamin has heart,but without the pace and skills to match will always dissappoint at CC level.For the sake of these two I hope they proove me wrong,but I have seen nothing that inspires any hope in either player so far.
22 Apr 2006, 10:50 am
I think de wet played very well at inside centre! think jean must be moved to wing and jouba back to outside centre! BEKKER really played awesome did excellent to steal lineouts hit the rucks got all his own lineouts and had a few good runs!! nevermisses a tackle.naas kicking was poor
22 Apr 2006, 11:12 am
Rasta
Umaga plays outside centre. Personally, I don’t think there’s any fixed requirement other than the basics. Any player, at this level, must be able to tackle. Centre pairings are like marriages, they develop their own dynamics. Some work, some don’t.
22 Apr 2006, 11:25 am
David
Umaga has played both inside and outside centre after moving to midfield.He played his first 18 Tests on the wing.It was only against England in the Grand Slam that he moved outside as Conrad Smith was injured.
22 Apr 2006, 11:58 am
rasta
You’re quite right, I realised that just after I’d posted.
22 Apr 2006, 12:14 pm
No stress he did play most of last year outside Aaron Mauger.
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