Burger blow for Stormers
26 Apr 2008
Talismanic flanker Schalk Burger has been ruled out of the Super 14 due to a knee injury.
Stormers coach Rassie Erasmus confirmed Burger damaged knee ligaments in Saturday’s win over the Highlanders and will be sidelined for at least six weeks. Flyhalf Tony Brown will also undergo scans to assess a rib injury that caused him to leave the field after 26 minutes.
“It’s very sad, but it’s something we’ll have to deal with,” said Erasmus. “I have massive faith in our depth. A guy like Pieter Myburgh played his first game against the Crusaders a few weeks ago and he’ll now come into the mix.”
Erasmus is hopeful that Brown will be cleared of broken ribs to feature in next week’s game against the Brumbies.
The Stormers recently lost Tonderai Chavhanga and JD Moller to injury after the win to the Hurricanes. Erasmus also elected to make four other changes for the Highlanders fixture which effected the team’s rhythm, especially in the first half.
“This was a game where we looked to rest a few guys, and we expected a few hiccups in the first half,” Erasmus said. “When Tony and Schalk left the field that disrupted our plans.”
The Stormers beat the Highlanders 26-16, but a last-minute try flattered the visitors. The Stormers regret not scoring four tries, which coupled with the win would have seen them sitting in third place on the Super 14 log.
“A win is always first prize and in that respect, we’re satisfied. We had a good second half and it was encouraging to see how we upped our game.
“But we are disappointed to miss out on the four tries. We weren’t accurate enough in the first half. It wasn’t for lack of enthusiasm, it was more small technical issues. They contested well, and weren’t direct enough on attack. We shifted it from side to side which suited them pretty well.”
Erasmus was reluctant to say a bad word about referee James Leckie’s performance. The Stormers have two wins after two games with Leckie at the helm, but there have been some dubious calls, particularly at the tackle point.
Highlanders captain Craig Newby refrained from attacking Leckie directly, but did express his concern over the officiating.
“Should I put my head out and pay my fine now?” he quipped. “We tried to maintain our discipline, and it was pretty frustrating when he stopped communicating with us towards the end.
“To be fair, every ref is under pressure in those big games. We were just on the wrong side of the penalty and free-kick count.”
By Jon Cardinelli
44 Comments
26 Apr 2008, 20:24 pm
Dragons!
26 Apr 2008, 20:31 pm
****, not good for stormers or boks
26 Apr 2008, 20:38 pm
Noooooo!
26 Apr 2008, 20:40 pm
Was bound to happen sooner or later, now lets see who’ll put their hand up, we certainly got enough cover at 6, could be someone really gets to shine through in his absence unlike last time he was out and we persisted with a lock at loose forward and got thumped 49-0, ****, there I said it again.
26 Apr 2008, 20:55 pm
oops, burger was the catalist in the team, he was like having an extra 3 loosies on the field.
watson will probably go back to 6, he will have to play like the luke of 06 again.
this is very very bad for the boks
26 Apr 2008, 20:55 pm
This is terrible news. It has to be either Myburgh in his place at flank or Diack coming in at No 8 and Luke moving to the flank.
Let’s hope Skopskiet is right and one of them manage to shine in his absense. This is a very big ask, though!
26 Apr 2008, 20:59 pm
Burger will recover quickly. Remember when he got a neck injury and they said he would never play again? He’ll be back soon. Moenie warrie nie.
26 Apr 2008, 22:53 pm
The Incredible Schalk will be sorely missed!! Hope you right BlueBlood!!
26 Apr 2008, 22:57 pm
Look, I know I’m an anal blowhard, but seriously, JC, please, it’s “affected”, not “effected”.
I’ve seen this at least three times recently. It’s working on my nerves.
Rest is great, though.
27 Apr 2008, 00:21 am
Bugger!
27 Apr 2008, 01:33 am
Thought so , looked bad the minute I saw the reply.
27 Apr 2008, 04:43 am
GOOD JOB GAVIN COWLEY FOR JINXING THE STORMERS ABOUT INJURIES WAY TO GO….SNOB
27 Apr 2008, 05:39 am
#10 whatever:
you mean Burger…
27 Apr 2008, 06:20 am
EVERYBODY.
I know the whole season we have been saying, the lions and cheeahs just need a bit more luck, a bit more time together, they were real unlucky with losing plyers. You feel for the coaches becuase you can see they try hard and take hits. All I will say about the Bulls is that you could feel for the players and the fans, not the coach. Idiot.
But lets look where, “ag its ok” and “dammit thats unlucky”, has brought SA in the S14 this year.
Ok, so out of 5 teams you have two in contention for the semis. Last weak 2 of the top 4 were SA with merely 4 weaks before play-offs. Thats better than the Mighty Blacks and irretating Aussies could say. But whats going on after that…?
Well, Aus has 2 in the run for semis, same a SA, but the other 2 are strong in the mid-table. Even the Reds, who sucked so bad last year, not even the holy Eddie could help them, are at tenth place now. Till 2 weaks ago, the Force was also in contention for the semis. That was not helped by a badly timed by.
NZ: The Highlanders has lost 30 players (yes) in the last 2 years. And still they are not bottem of the log and giving some other teams real scares. The other worst placed NZ team is the Blues, but their position on the log has not been helped by a off weekend and then the Saders game… While the Crusdars absolutely just dominates the competition, the Canes has scored two 28-point winnig margins IN SA, and the Chiefs are still strongly challanging the semis. Also expect the Blues to pick themselves up and finish two positions higher on the log.
Now for SA…..ag fok, here we go. Lets start from the top: Sharks, despite being3rnd on the log, they WERE unbeaten, AT HOME! Big deal! In rugby you are suppose to win all your home games. You are expected to. Many said they were never out if 3rd gear, and now it shows. On tour, 3 games, one draw, two losses. Stormers. They had a real tough start, but bounced back real good. Someone said a while back on this site “why are we talking about the stormers, the Sharks are SA’s top team?”. This is why you numb-nut. Even when they were far behind the sharks, they were playing better rugby.
Now for the rest.
THEY BLERRIE SUCK. I am sorry, but why are we against the Spears again? Becuase they will lose all their games? So what, isn’t that basically what two SA teams are donig anyway? And not just ANY teams, the two CC-finalists from last year. Well, at leats we won the S14 last year. BTW, where are those champs now..? O-yes, part of PDV three out of four. Bottom of the log. The past few seasons the Stormers where not in contention, but at least they won a game here and there, and being mid-tablers HELPED the Sharks and Bulls last year, didn’t it?
It does not help SA rugby, or the two semis contenders in any way that 3 SA teams are constantly, consistantly occupying the bottom of the table. Example, Stormers are 6th, not 5th becuase of points dif. To the Canes. Who gained a + 56 points dif in TWO games IN SA. Thanks you cats-useless dip-*****.
I dont care what you do, remerge the Cats, relagetion system. Whatever, but ****, someone do someting. We should not be saying, oooo, go stormers, go sharks. The BIG talk should be how BAD we actually are and stop ignoring the obvious. Please… thank you.
27 Apr 2008, 06:42 am
#14 Steph:
Sorry Steph, I stopped reading when you could not spell ‘week’…hope I did not miss anything!
27 Apr 2008, 06:58 am
This year will be remembered as the year of the refs and the ELvs, if you go back to all the match reports you will find that about 15 games outcome was influenced by Refs. Some teams were lucky and got only 1 against them others had up to 3 bad decisions againt them. The Log could have a total different look if we had profesional REFS, yes i say Profesional because this we all agree on , that refereeing must be jacked up.
27 Apr 2008, 07:04 am
#16 superBul:
I agree with part of what you say, the refs are poor. I am not talking about the odd bad call with the odd good one you get, but the obvious errors made by them, I am sure you mean the same.
But blaming the ELV’s is not part of it, if anything it showed the incompetence of some of the refs, not knowing the difference between a short arm and full penalty for starters. We can expand on that…
But yes, to err is human but to miss obvious errors I am not sure…
27 Apr 2008, 07:05 am
Sorry superB, wou nog vra, kon jy darem bietjie rugby kyk gister?
27 Apr 2008, 07:13 am
Ja Koos het so 3 uur terug gewees en het die laaste 2 games gekyk. Die Sharks se 2de helfte daar in die bos gesien by iemand waar ek gewerk het.
Jis die Sharks se wiele kom af.
Die ding met die ELVs , (miskien moet ek dit nie noem nie want party dink as jy teen die ELVs praat klink jy soos FdP), is dat Refs nie cosistent blaas nie, gister het daai ref een strafskop teen die Stormers gegee oor nie wehrol nie maar die arme speler het nog nie eers die grond behoorlik getref nie.
27 Apr 2008, 07:29 am
Nee ek **** jou superB, wat ek ook se. Die ELV’s wys die swakhede van hulle eie beslissings…die idee van die ELV’s was altyd om die game makliker te maak, dit gebeur maar wys die tekortkominge van die refs!
Wat my gat verder krap is die beslissings van die tv refs, met verskeie replays gee hulle steeds nie consistant replies nie. Nee vet, ek weet nie meer nie en op die ou einde voel dit steeds of sekere spanne maar aandie agterste speen suig!
27 Apr 2008, 07:56 am
Ek het dit al voorheen gese en se dit maar weer, ek is bereid om 100 minute na die game te kyk solank ek nie n week moet sulk oor verkeerde beslisings nie. Hiermee se ek dus bring meer beamptes in om die regte beslisings te kan kry.
Een van die grootste invloede op hierdie jaar se Rugby was die geel kaarte, en as mens mooi kyk was meer as die helfte onnodig uitgedeel. Op die replays kon die dinge uitgesort word.
27 Apr 2008, 08:06 am
More Koos en Superbul
Julle sê wat vanoggend? Sien julle kla lekker hehehe
27 Apr 2008, 08:20 am
K9 ek kla nie maar is jy tevrede met ie gehalte van die Refs, ek weet ons praat al jare hieroor maar dit word nie better nie inteendeel ek dink dit is horibaal die jaar.
27 Apr 2008, 08:23 am
#17 Koos:
Sorry Koos, maak altyd daai fout. Miskien moet ek maar by afrikaans bly.
27 Apr 2008, 09:29 am
#24 Steph:
Ag nee wat Steph, moenie worry nie, kuk grappie van my kant af!
K9, ons oefen maar vir eendag as ons so oud soos jy is!
27 Apr 2008, 09:59 am
Guys really sorry to hear about Schalk, he brings a whole new dimension to the game and his team and we always know there is going to a ‘game’ when he’s on the field. Hope for a speedy recovery for your boy.
27 Apr 2008, 10:38 am
#17 Koos: The issue that I’ve had with the short arm is that they have moved, significantly with RSA sides, from short arm to yellow cards. I believe strongly that refs should move from short to long arm THEN yellow cards if necessary.
While RSA refs aren’t the best, I was impressed with the way that Joubert (?) reffed the Red’s/Chief’s match – he showed composure.
27 Apr 2008, 11:16 am
#27 WATSENAAM:
I think the problem is that with the new laws, there is no clear cut indication of what you are saying. We see different interpretations from game to game. Easy to fix but the powers to be will rather much up a tournament than change anything in time.
As for the Reds/Chiefs game, I think the Chiefs had by far the better of the calls, but it also include the touchies(I refuse to call them assistant refs until they start acting like ones) and the TV ref…
27 Apr 2008, 11:20 am
The Skulkburger is now goneburger.
Burger it!
27 Apr 2008, 11:20 am
#28 Koos: Do you whether refs analyse their games to determine where they went wrong?
27 Apr 2008, 11:21 am
Do you know…
27 Apr 2008, 11:23 am
#29 TheTackler: Hey Tackler, I have noticed that you are not well liked – why is that?
27 Apr 2008, 11:25 am
Very sad but inevitable that Schalk would get injured, he puts his body on the line like no other. However I don’t predict doom and gloom, in fact looking at the way Diack played early on in the season, it’s going to be good to see him back on the field at 8, giving some height and weight to the position. I agree with Erasmus’s view that he trusts his depth. Rassie is a great people manager as is evident with the Stormers now, they really like one another and play for each other. One door closes and another opens. Lets see what this opportunity breeds for the guys from the bench. I mean look how Tiaan played after having to warm the bench, flipping awesome….
27 Apr 2008, 11:27 am
#30 WATSENAAM:
Frankly the refs should be scrutinized after every game and be fined for utterly poor decisions. That’s my view….then they would actually have to improve! At this rate they are like flippin demi gods with nobody able to touch them or complain.
27 Apr 2008, 11:33 am
#34 eight ball: So what you are saying is that either they don’t analyse their games or nobody analyses their games to provide feedback, etc?
27 Apr 2008, 11:35 am
#35 WATSENAAM:
From what Watson has said previously they do analyse their games. I just want action on the poor decisions and for them to be in front of a panel explaining them too, if you get my drift!
27 Apr 2008, 11:35 am
It’s called Accountability!
27 Apr 2008, 11:37 am
Well, if that is happening, then they must believe that they are doing things correctly because their consistently bad decisions, in the spectators’ opinion, seem to continue.
27 Apr 2008, 11:42 am
#38 WATSENAAM:
Yeah because analyzing a game with no accountability to a panel or the like means that you just look to find ways of justifying your decisions not seeing the error in your ways. IMO
27 Apr 2008, 12:10 pm
Ag my goeie moer. Diack is darem ‘n goeie plaasvervanger met Watson wat 6 toe skuif.
27 Apr 2008, 13:23 pm
#30 WATSENAAM:
Yip there is a review process, the problem is that the review is done inhouse and the results are kept inhouse. A little tranparency will go a long way in us trusting the system a little more. As it is we see glaring mistakes but no apparent action…sometimes you pick it up via a ref been relieved of duties for a while but nothing outside of guesing from our side.
27 Apr 2008, 15:59 pm
Ja – methinks we probably have enough depth – but hell, just the psychological impact that old Skulk must have on his teamates, and possibly the opposition too – that’s always difficult to quantify…
Gotta say – when he stayed down, my heart sank. Skulk never goes down. What was that that they said after his neck injury against Scotland – he came to them on the plane and said “my neck’s sore” – and then they knew something was seriously wrong because he had never ever complained about anything prior to that….
Amazing specimen is Skulk.
Here’s hoping it isn’t too serious.
The one flip side about all of this, is that if ever there was a player who deserved a break after the WC, EOYT, and now practically every S14 game (suspension aside), it was Burger.
Here’s hoping he comes back every bit refreshed when we need him again in the 3N etc…
27 Apr 2008, 21:09 pm
Will he be missed ? I think not – it’s like taking a bucket, fill it to the brim, put your arm in and look at how much water comes out – thats the initial shock on how we are going to miss him – then take arm out and see how much water you really lost – very little and that’s how much he will really be missed!!!
29 Apr 2008, 09:41 am
what has happened to forgotten man justin melck? i see he’s in the squad, must have been a Kobus man
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