Sharks, Stormers tipped for S14 success
19 Jan 2009
Former Springbok assistant coach Alan Solomons believes the Sharks or Stormers could become the second South African winners of the Super 14 while his outlook for New Zealand’s franchises is bleak.
Solomons, who currently works as a high performance consultant for the IRB, coached the Stormers to a semi-final in 1999 and was also the assistant to Nick Mallett during a golden period for the Springboks when they went 17 Tests undefeated. In addition, he has also coached Ulster to the Celtic Cup title.
Speaking to keo.co.za from Belfast, Solomons predicted that the quality of the Sharks’ squad and their coaching staff meant they had the best chance of winning the tournament, but he noted that the Stormers were an emerging force who would build on their improvement in 2008, and challenge for the title this season.
“My money is on the Sharks and Stormers to make the play-offs and then for one of them to kick on from there and win the whole thing,” he told this website.
“South Africa are currently in a golden cycle in terms of the calibre of players we’re producing or currently have playing the game at Super 14 level, and the Sharks in particular have the bulk of those elite players. They have the depth in talent, and in [John] Plumtree they have an outstanding coach. Their strength lies in the fact that they can rotate their squad and still field an unbelievable unit.
“The Stormers did well under Rassie [Erasmus - head coach] in 2008. I liked the brand of rugby they played and they’ve made some good signings between now and then. They’ll build on what they achieved last year and if they can get into the semi-final anything can happen on the day.”
Solomons noted that it would be a defining season for Bulls coach Frans Ludeke, who last year failed to mount a successful title defence with the Pretoria franchise.
“Last year was tough for Frans. He had just taken over the defending champions and replaced Heyneke Meyer, who had built that squad of players over a number of years,” he said.
“He struggled to put his unique mark on that side, which makes 2009 a defining year for him. He did well in the Currie Cup, but the measure of the man will come in the Super 14. He’ll be helped tremendously by the return of [Victor] Matfield though. I think people underestimate his impact from a playing and leadership perspective. It’ll be huge.
“There’s a question mark about how they’ll go, but I certainly think they’ll finish in the top half of the table. That said, if they play to their potential consistently they have the ability to win the tournament.”
His outlook for the Lions and Cheetahs was less optimistic however. Solomons identified a lack of depth as the primary challenges they would have to overcome if they hoped to be involved at the business end of the tournament, but he didn’t foresee them finishing in the top half of the table.
Meanwhile, Solomons noted the mass exodus of players from New Zealand to Europe would continue to hurt them.
“You could probably pick a very strong All Blacks side from the New Zealanders playing in Europe,” he said. “Their franchises have suffered with some top players deciding to move north and [Dan] Carter’s and [Robbie] Deans’s departures will certainly make the Crusaders vulnerable.
“Neither they nor Australia have the depth of talent we have to combat an exodus like that. When I was coach of the Stormers [between 1997 and 2000] the New Zealand blokes would often tell me that a fifth New Zealand franchise is not sustainable because they simply didn’t have the quality of players to fill five.
“This all points to a successful year for the Sharks and Stormers. I’m very positive about their chances. In fact, if they manage to keep their core of their sides together over the next four or five years, they could well dominate in the manner the Crusaders have.”
By Ryan Vrede
415 Comments
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19 Jan 2009, 07:19 am
wise dragon, solomon. not
19 Jan 2009, 07:20 am
well, maybe the sharks
19 Jan 2009, 07:30 am
Much too early to predict this kind of stuff. Writing off the Kiwi teams is a fatal mistake.
19 Jan 2009, 07:32 am
Yeah, yeah. Sharks might have a chance, but the Stormers? Puhleeze!!!
We all know the Stormers enjoys coming in a little behind.
19 Jan 2009, 07:33 am
“In addition, he has also coached Western Province to the Absa Currie Cup title in 1998 ”
This is not true!!
WP won the CC in 1997 with Harry Viljoen as coach and in 1998 lost in the final at Loftus ….
19 Jan 2009, 07:34 am
Tis is the season for being jolly and hopeful.
Hope springs eternal for us SA punters so I say the Mighty Lions will be in the top half of the log this year.
19 Jan 2009, 07:40 am
#5 koosisdoning:
Koos, what’s with that nick.
Was that a typo ?
Should it be Koosisdoring, Koosishoring, koosiskoring or perhaps koosiskoning ?
19 Jan 2009, 07:45 am
Stormers for semi’s along with Sharks. Bulls mid table, with maybe the Lions. Cheetahs to prop up the whole flipping table.
19 Jan 2009, 07:49 am
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19 Jan 2009, 07:50 am
#7 Boelie:
I think you are suppose to swap the k and the d, anyway sitting in thailand and the news from the bulls are that they are looking ”fit”?
Can see the sharks making it and maybe the bulls and stormers fighting for last semi spot.
19 Jan 2009, 07:55 am
#5 koosisdoning: My apologies, got my facts mixed up there. Forgive me koos – it’s Monday morning man!
19 Jan 2009, 08:12 am
Mr Solomons – you write the Kiwi sides off at your peril.
Still – nothing like a bit of wishful thinking before the season starts, eh?
19 Jan 2009, 08:28 am
Hmmm , don’t forget about the Bulls. Believe they will play much beter than last year. But lets see how things go the first half of the S14. Aslong as a south african team wins it i will be happy , question ? is carter going to play for the crusaders this year ?
19 Jan 2009, 08:32 am
I reckon the Bulls shows a hell of a lot of depth. I think they will be right up there.
More faith in them making it than the Stormers to be honest who seems to lack quality depth, and with a coach that plays guys out of position again.
Maybe someone should put a video of Frans Steyn’s Baabaa game in Rassies postbox so he can see what happens to talent when you screw around with it.
Bulls/Sharks for SA (not in any specific order).
Tahs will always be tough but they have a new coach, and Force will be damn hard in Perth.
Saders will always be there and there about, but watch out for the Chiefs this year.
Top 6 teams for me just going on what is on paper right now (in no particular order):
Saders
Chiefs
Force
Tahs
Sharks
Bulls
with the Stormers, Canes and Blues not too far off.
19 Jan 2009, 08:48 am
#13 Andre_WP: Carter wont be there for the super14, he’s only coming back for the trinations.
19 Jan 2009, 08:51 am
thing about NZ sides as well is their 14 team domestic competition is crapola. the standard of rugby is horrific and then depth is spread too thin. with all the experienced players having left the s14 sides these guys now need to step up without the older players around them.
I am with Solomons. NZ is going to start struggling in this competition and they’re gonna need to eventually cut their NPC to 8 teams. they just wont realize it for another years. funny thing is, you mention it to a kiwi and they get really angry coz they think that the 14 team NPC played in front of empty stadiums is great. there is no strength versus strength. watch the blues this eyar – they will probably finnish bottom 3.
anyways thats my opinion.
19 Jan 2009, 09:00 am
man my typing is bad. i should read before i post.
19 Jan 2009, 09:06 am
#14 PissAnt:
I agree with you wholeheartedly.
The Stormers play too many players out of position.
The Stormers don’t have the package to really scare anyone. Especially 4 top class props that know a thing or two about a thing or two and who can dominate the competition in that department. Until we have a front row with at least the power of a Faan Rautenbach, Toks, Robbie K and Charl Marais, Daan Human etc in the mix we will be perceived as a light 5.
Mid table at best.
I hope I’m wrong.
I think Alan Solomons is trying to be rosy and cute.
19 Jan 2009, 09:15 am
#14 PissAnt: #18 I know nothing:
Agreed, Bulls/Sharks.
But I suspect the Bulls.
Stormers won’t be nowhere near with that tight five of theirs, sorry.
19 Jan 2009, 09:22 am
Happy new year to everyone – just returned from an extensive break!
I for one is more optimistic about the SA teams this year. The Sharks and Bulls are front runners and if the Stormers can build on last year, they should do well. Even the Lions and Cheethas will pereform better but lack the quality players of the other three. My prediction for the SA teams are: 1) Sharks; 2) Bulls; 3) Stormers; 4) Lions; 5) Cheethas with the top two making the play-offs. A lot will depend on injuries but I like to beleive that we can do better.
19 Jan 2009, 09:28 am
Morning Guys / Gals!
Another year of Super 14 action! Can’t wait! Think the Sharks will have a good one, and with the “rumor” of Heyneke being the assistant/tatical/something coach, it should (hopefully) be a great year for the Bulls. Stormers should have a good year if they performed like they did last year.
19 Jan 2009, 09:36 am
#14 PissAnt: You are right there PissAnt someone should give Rassie the video of Steyn playing that game against the Baa Baas. That does happen to talent when messed about. Just pleased we have Plum as the coach at the Sharks now. Steyn will play inside centre for the whole of the S14 and with him in a settled position think he will show the class he has again.
My prediction for the S14 probably the same. Not in any order either.
Sharks
Saders
Tahs
Bulls
Force
Stormers
Hurricanes
Chiefs
Its early days yet anything could change.
19 Jan 2009, 09:47 am
Talk about being delusional.
Since when does WP suddenly have the same player resources like the Sharks and Bulls? Please name these players that have added to the WP? Maybe these players can explain why they failed in the CC.
Folks don’t fall for WP and keo.co.za spin. Nothing has changed they still suffer from ADD – Acute Depth Disorder.
19 Jan 2009, 09:53 am
The Stormers are being over-hyped again. Nothing new, it happens every year!
19 Jan 2009, 09:54 am
#20
I just luv that nic
19 Jan 2009, 09:56 am
#23 RedLion roars again: To be fair to them, they provided the most players to the Springbok group in the initial weeks of the curriecup. But they are a big union with a big budget – so that is no excuse. Depth will be a problem especially if they loose players like Schalk or Jean. But then which team will be able to recover from that. From that perspective the Sharks are in the better position except for depth at lock maybe? If I had to identify a weakness in the Shark side it would be at lock.
The Bulls on the other hand have more depth all round and I am looking forward to the difference that Jaco Pretorius would make – he is going to set the Bulls backline on fire especially if players like Kirshner, Ndungane and Habana plays according to their potential. If that happens, the Bulls would be in for a great year. Difficult to admit as a Sharks supporter.
19 Jan 2009, 10:14 am
the sharks and the stormers play each other on the first weekend of the s14 and who ever comes out on top will probebly be sa’s best chance of winning the championship
19 Jan 2009, 10:16 am
U guys think Rassie would go for Bobo or Naqalevuki at 13 ?
19 Jan 2009, 10:17 am
Is this the same clown that said the Bokke would also sweep all before them last year, if SA has all this talent that we keep getting told about recently why don’t they win the Tri Nations or the S14? SA came last in the Tri Nations and didn’t have a team in the final of the S14 in 2008, funny for a country with so much rugby player depth.
19 Jan 2009, 10:25 am
More hype from Stormers land. Really now, what’s going to be so different this time around?
19 Jan 2009, 10:25 am
Alan Solomons is a very astute and experienced analyst. He is also not known to be a populist who would just say something to gain favour or to sound cute. He also does not have direct links to any of the teams. For these reasons I would certainly take note of what he is saying.
The Sharks were right up there last year and there is no particular reason why they wont be right up there again this year,
The Stormers are a side on the up under arguably the best coach in the country. They missed the semi’s by a whisker last year after a terrible start and it is naïve to think that Rassie is not aware of the perceived shortcomings at prop and would not have done something about it if the available talent is really so bad.
The Bulls are usually dangerous in Pretoria but have a tendency to fail overseas while many still doubt the coaching staff– They are the dark horses who could surprise.
The Lions and Cheetahs do not belong in this league – they have proved it so many times and there is no reason why it should be any different this year.
19 Jan 2009, 10:33 am
If one of Mujati and Moller get injured then you okes are in kak. Brok Harris looks more like a punching bag filled with lard than a rugby player, and he’s a prop nogal.
19 Jan 2009, 10:42 am
JAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA.
What about a SA final again, Stormers, Sharks and maybe even Bulls (those commin Northern cousins of ours will pick themselves up, I’m sure).
19 Jan 2009, 10:42 am
#26 Watsonsemoer: as well as Muller, Sykes and Albert, Sharks have two good upandcoming locks in Hargreaves and Johan Snyman …. Hargreaves showed he has what it takes in the Currie cup and Snyman did equally well for Hawkes Bay in NZ ….at 22 years of age these two former under19 Boks are ready to step up
19 Jan 2009, 10:43 am
#29 NZINCHINA:
Hopefully they will not forget to play more structured rugby because that was the main excuse last year for coming 3rd in TN.
The crusaders will always be in the leading pack.I predict the new winners ( if there is any) to be the Hurricanes.
19 Jan 2009, 10:46 am
#35 Namblack:
Of course SA has huge talent but we keep hearing about how much more they have than NZ/Aus which clearly from the results is just not true.
Crusaders / Sharks / Hurricanes
19 Jan 2009, 11:01 am
………………….”the New Zealand blokes would often tell me that a fifth New Zealand franchise is not sustainable because they simply didn’t have the quality of players to fill five……….”
Check the bottom rungs of the Super 12 & 14 ladder since the competition was inaugurated.
Us Kiwi’s do alright with our meagre resources.
19 Jan 2009, 11:03 am
WP are weak up front. No depth to speak of there and losing Liebenberg was a killer blow.
They have no centres to speak of except for JdV and if he breaks down trouble!
At flyfalf and lock the same sad story. If Grant gets hurt then that is it.. Burger is no openside flank and lets not forget about that social pariah Watson.
The only good thing that WP did was to get rid of the Pygmies, Pietersen, Aplon and Ryland. Yip I fondly remember Aplon costing WP dearly early last season.
Folks I have my money on the Mighty Lions eating WP meat this year. Oh it is true!.
19 Jan 2009, 11:03 am
#35 Namblack:
Let us ALL hope you are correct Namblack. 8)
19 Jan 2009, 11:05 am
#23 RedLion roars again:
You asked for it.
Burger, De Villiers, Jantjies, Ricky (ja, of jy dit nou like of nie, hy is ‘n top 2 keuse vir die Bokke), o-ja, Percy, Chavanga (dalk nie Habana nie, maar goed genoeg), Koster (JW dink hy is goed genoeg) Andries Bekker, Mujati.
Dan, dalk nie die BESTE nie, maar goed genoeg: Brits (kies hom bo Kuun) Vermeulen, Grant… and Lafitafila (of wat ookal). Gaan check hom uit op Youtube, hellavu goed.
Baie van hierdie ouens was by die Bokke, dis hoekom die WP afgekoek het in die CC, neut!
And to all of those saying “same story, same story, Stormers getting pumped up for nothing.” Ok, maybe in the past this has been the case, but Van der merwe is gone. And how is not delivering the same as 5th place (by ‘n balhaar breedte?) That is better than 60% of the SA teams last year (thus 60% of you should reserve this comment for yourself.) And better than almost 75% of the rest of the competition…
Anyway, i agree with Solomons, the NZ teams will not be so lethal, and neither will the Aussies.
For the kiwis it will be the Hurricanes, Chiefs and Saders (but not as lethal as in the past).
For the Aussies the Brumbies and MAYBE the tahs/force.
For SA Sharks with Bulls and Stormers with an equal chance.
19 Jan 2009, 11:08 am
#34 spykerbaard: I must admit I do not know a lot about Snyman. Hargreaves is promising and I just hope that he bulked up a bit because he looked a bit “thin” in the past. He has the talent though but I thought his future lies in the loosies, but maybe I am to concervative where locks are concened.
19 Jan 2009, 11:10 am
#38 RedLion roars again:
Are you referring to Joe Pietersen? If you want to you can go look on the WP website, him and Aplon (to my dismay) are contracted with the WP as senior players.
Rassie will only make his S14 squad announcement on the 6th of Feb, so if you will, please tell us where you get this insightful info…
19 Jan 2009, 11:12 am
#39 cane: Cane I am with you on this one – I will never write of NZ chances. History tells us that there are almost always two NZ teams challenging for top honours. But I also beleive that the SA teams are better equiped this year. Time will tell whether they can convert potential into consistent performances!
19 Jan 2009, 11:15 am
S14 super seven for 2009 in no particular order….
Waratahs (new coach)
Crusaders (new coach)
Stormers
Sharks
Brumbies (new coach)
Reds
Blues (new coach)
Final four…as a thumb suck (before trial games have been played)
Crusaders
Brumbies
Stormers
waratahs
19 Jan 2009, 11:18 am
#44 Wallabie. – The English always have an excuse after a pomp!!: Sharks also have a new S14 coach.
19 Jan 2009, 11:20 am
And everybody knows that you’re in trouble
Everybody knows what you’ve been through
From the bloody cross on top of calvary
To the beach of malibu
Everybody knows its coming apart
Take one last look at this sacred heart
Before it blows
And everybody knows
Everybody knows, everybody knows
Thats how it goes
Everybody knows
This year of the Canes.
L. Cohen,
19 Jan 2009, 11:21 am
#45 It is just a game: #44 Wallabie. – The English always have an excuse after a pomp!!: The Sharks have all the South African Rugby Talent plus two talented Kiwi Rugby Coaches and the Squad is settled with depth, will definitely be in the top 4!
19 Jan 2009, 11:22 am
#40 Greenpoint-Gunner: Stormers will do well – agree. But I do agree with Red Lion that they are more exposed with regard to depth. They rely a lot on players like Schalk and Jean whilst teams that were successful in the past had more than two superstars. Saders for example had Carter, Brett, McCaw, Somerville, Ellis, Thorne, Ali Williams et al that formed the backbone of their side last year. In SA, maybe the Sharks are the only side that have so many “elite players”. The Stormers have potential stars and will definitely be a force – if not this year, in years to come.
19 Jan 2009, 11:26 am
#44 Wallabie. – The English always have an excuse after a pomp!!: There is no way that the men from OZ will provide two teams in the top 4 – not this year! But the S14 is a great competition and I may eat humble pie for saying this. But I am willing to take the risk…
19 Jan 2009, 11:28 am
Greenpoint. Aplon quit S14 to concentrate on 7′s. And Pietersen is only around because they need a backup for Grant. Can you believe that. Oh and note that De Waal is a walking sick note just like Chavangai
Stormers are a mid table material at best. If they do make the semis can we expect the players to demand a pay increase?
My money in no order is on the Canes, Tahs, Blues, Saders and Sharks. The Bulls, Chiefs, Brumbies all stand an outside chance of making the semis.
As for my team I predict them to claim the grand slam over the other SA teams. Finishing position at 8 on the log is gettable.
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