Bekker to lead in Boland bout
17 Jan 2008
Lock Andries Bekker has been named as Stormers captain for Saturday’s match against Boland.
Jean de Villiers will be unavailable for this fixture due to a bicep injury but will return to lead the Stormers in the second warm-up and in the opening Super 14 game against the Bulls. Bekker has been selected as skipper against Boland over former captain Luke Watson and Springbok flanker Schalk Burger.
Watson led the Cape franchise last season but has since been succeeded by De Villiers, while his favourite No 6 position has also reverted to Burger. Watson is still very much in contention for a starting spot however, even though he could face the Bulls wearing 8 on his back.
Francois Louw is included on the blindside, while Francois van der Merwe gets an opportunity at lock with Ross Skeate still sidelined with injury. Tiaan Liebenberg will start at hooker with Schalk Brits due for a run in the second half.
Bolla Conradie and Peter Grant will start at halfback with Gcobani Bobo set for a return to centre after playing last year’s Currie Cup on the wing for the Sharks. Tonderai Chavhanga will be determined to impress Erasmus after missing most of the 2007 season through injury.
Boland – 15 Justin Peach, 14 Alvin Hugo, 13 Piet van Zyl, 12 Hein Myburgh, 11 Alshaun Bock, 10 Lionel Cornelius, 9 Neil Papier, 8 Francois Prinsloo, 7 Henley du Plessis, 6 Zolani Mofu, 5 Nico Esterhuyse, 4 Coenie Basson, 3 Andries Human, 2 Pieter Wium, 1 Jean Botha.
Replacements (from): Clement Lewis, Tommy Dixon, Frikkie Spies, Milroy Isaacs, Marnus Hugo, Jacquin Jansen, Kobus Meintjes, John Daniels, Monray Liebenberg.
Stormers – 15 Gio Aplon, 14 Tonderai Chavhanga, 13 Dylan Des Fountain, 12 Gcobani Bobo, 11 Sireli Naqelevuki, 10 Peter Grant, 9 Bolla Conradie, 8 Luke Watson, 7 Francois Louw, 6 Schalk Burger, 5 Andries Bekker (c), 4 Francois van der Merwe, 3 Brok Harris, 2 Tiaan Liebenberg, 1 JD Moller.
Replacements (from): Schalk Brits, Schalk Ferreira, Adriaan Fondse, Pieter Myburgh, Dewaldt Duvenage, Isma-eel Dollie, Corné Uys, Ruaan du Preez, Justin Melck, Robbie Diack, Joe Pietersen.
62 Comments
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17 Jan 2008, 23:09 pm
Skopskiet,
Stormers bought 1 prop – Mujati, but it’s not as if he’s the strongest scrummager they could have bought, and that is exactly what the Stormers needed to do, buy 2 mean machine props who would scrum a bull dozer back, problems in the tight 5 starts in the props.
How come you and me and most ardent rugby followers see this very evident problem that the Stormers neglect year after year, yet the coaches / union does not see this glaring omission / shortcoming in the props?
17 Jan 2008, 23:09 pm
Ja Stormers don’t have a tight 5 its true, they got a serious problem in the engine room and expose their soft underbelly, lifes just to easy down here at the sea shore, all the real manne live and breathe and eat their bully beef up there on the high veld.
Rassie should have bought some props, long before he invested in Wylie Human and Ricky January, the rest can maybe hold their own, Grant, JdV, Jantjies and as you say the loosies are all OK, even Bekker and Skeate and Liebenberg are fine, but Moller and Harris are a bridge too damn far, ag man, when will they ever learn?
17 Jan 2008, 23:16 pm
And whats worse its been this way since our strong man Visagie went to Sarries about 6 years ago, we haven’t had any props since then, Engels is from up the road Paarl or thereabouts, yet he’s playing for the Bulls, I can’t quite fathom how come they are so blind, it baffles my brain, we give away all our homegrown talent, (even liefling is from here, though some would argue he’s no loss, so is Adams) and then we buy old has beens like Wylie Human.
Iets is ver verkeerd, maak glad nie sin nie.
17 Jan 2008, 23:21 pm
Skopskiet,
Well, nothing we can do about it except support our respective teams, let’s hope for a bumper season for all SA Super 14 teams.
Ek gaan nou lê want Klaasvakie (The Sandman) roep nou aanhoudend.
18 Jan 2008, 06:14 am
are the 30 man squads for the SA teams out and about yet?
18 Jan 2008, 06:14 am
^^^ released to the public, was what i meant
18 Jan 2008, 07:45 am
Shouldn’t Rassie move Bolla and January to the front-row? I’m sure they’ve picked up enough weigjht on the off season, ala 2007. I bet they are as strong as the currect props, whom are just big fatties.
For f@cksake Rassie! Put Hoffman in the team! Get new props quickly! Put Liebenberg on prop if needed so you can get rid of those two (three if you count Eddie) cry-babies that get their heads smashed through their asses everytime they play the Bulls. I am getting sick of supporting this bunch when their problems are so obvious.
18 Jan 2008, 08:09 am
I think you are all over reacting!!! Look at the stats above and you will see it is not such a light five!
The problem always was coaching and motivation. The thing is they never played well together since there was no plan and no structure to follow! I watched that Hurricane game with my boet and we saw how the forwards was not a close unit! The bulls strenght is not in the grunt of the forward but the way they play together!
In that Hurricane game Eddie is standing behind a ruck and bolla tells him to clear it so that he can get the ball….eddie looks the other way and Schalk has to do it!!!!!!! That is the problem….schalk should be the one hanging back for the tackle and Eddie doing the clearing work! Now before you crucify me……
Rory Duncan and barend pieterse is good cause the coach let them play as a team each with his ability…..that is why Luke WILL perform at 8!!!! It is all about getting 8 forwards to play together…..the old “onder een kombers” thing!
And by the way…look back last year how Brock pushed the Hero Heinke into his own arse!!!! I can show it to you on my PVR!!!!!
18 Jan 2008, 08:13 am
The point I want to make is sometimes one needs to realise that attitude is more than 90% of the players performance! And that is why I have hope!
Even with the same team as last year Rassie would get 2 – 4 places better on the log cause he can get the best out of the players! It is all about coaching and making the players gel as a team! Rassie got this right with the Cheetahs!!!
18 Jan 2008, 08:17 am
I really hope this is the year Bobo revitalises his career. When he first made an impact playing for the Lions he deserved the call up and the accolades. Since then he’s been nowhere despite his obvious talent. The man is a phenomenal tackler and has great skills but is prone to over elaboration and lapses in concentration. I hope this move to the Stormers has the same effect on the team and his career as when **** Muir did the same. Muir opened up a talented backline and received plenty of accolades for doing so in the twilight of his career.
One message to Gcobani though, you are allowed only one of those $#*@ing grubbers every 5 games.
Good luck!
18 Jan 2008, 09:27 am
#
Andries was stable and held his own. He is definitely of international level standard, the question mark was always on his fitness and loose game.
Comment by greatest13gerber : January 17, 2008 @ 5:10 pm
International standard?
How can you make such a statement if he NEVER played at international level?
He is or was never good enough to be a Bok.
19 Jan 2008, 11:49 am
wpw, that’s nonsense, simply because you haven recieved the opportunity to represent your country, doesn mean your not of international standard.. Jano vermaak is of international standard!! the super 14 is an international tournament!!
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