Stormers retain tunnel vision
5 Feb 2009
The Stormers are focused on beating the Sharks as opposed to making any statements in the broader Super 14 context.
The Cape franchise host the Sharks next Saturday, a team that has made the Super Rugby play-offs for two-years running and captured the 2008 Absa Currie Cup title. To beat the Sharks in their opening game would seem a momentous boost to the Stormers’ campaign, but coach Rassie Erasmus says they can’t afford to adopt that viewpoint.
According to Erasmus, losing won’t be the end of the world. It is for these reasons that there is no extra pressure on the Stormers to perform in the opening clash on 14 February.
“There will be plenty of media hype because it’s the first game of the season and because it’s on our home ground,” he told keo.co.za. “I’m not making excuses, because I will be very disappointed if we lose, I’m just saying it’s not the end of the world if we do.
“We proved that last season when we lost the first three matches and still came close to making the play-offs.
“All our focus is on the next game, because it is the next game. For now, the Sharks match is the priority. After that game, the Reds will be the priority. And so on.”
The game should be a cracker given both sides boast a number of Springboks. The Sharks won the previous bout 12-10 in Durban, but Erasmus believes that showing has no bearing on the upcoming encounter and that WP’s fifth place finish in the domestic competition also counts for very little.
“There’s a massive difference between the Currie Cup and the Super 14. We were only two log points behind them last year, and I don’t know how much you can read into last year’s Super 14 game between the two teams.
“There were only a couple of points in it and there were a few other factors like two yellow cards that influenced the outcome. It was also very early in the season with the new ELVs.”
Erasmus said he felt his charges were better prepared than last year, even though prominent senior players Schalk Burger and Conrad Jantjes have missed the friendlies against Saracens and Boland through injury.
“I’d say we’re more contact-fit than last year. We’ve had two matches and two controlled practice sessions where we’ve manipulated set-pieces, so apart from the injured guys we should be ready.”
Captain Jean de Villiers gave a confident answer when asked about the Stormers’ preparations ahead of the 2009 season.
“Last year the coach was still getting used to the players and vice versa,” said De Villiers. “We were also a bunch of individuals with a little bit of talent, and this year we’re a team that truly believe we can do well in this competition.”
The 28-man Stormers squad will be announced on Saturday.
By Jon Cardinelli
32 Comments
5 Feb 2009, 05:09 am
One game at a time.
5 Feb 2009, 05:51 am
one cliche at at a time?
5 Feb 2009, 06:00 am
Getting bored now, time for the S14 to start.
5 Feb 2009, 06:54 am
Surely Rassie should be saying things like, we are prepared for the game, we are up for the Sharks, if we play according to our potential and trust in our game plan then we will klap the Sharks? And not things like: if [or should that read when] we lose to the Sharks it is not the end of the world.
5 Feb 2009, 06:55 am
#4 Loosehead: Yep that was a kak statement. Dont fill me with confidence at all
5 Feb 2009, 06:55 am
when it comes to journalism keo’s scribes retain tunnel vision!
5 Feb 2009, 07:10 am
#5 Disa:
ja no look hey. He tried to keep the trend of the topic, which is that they are not gonna be putting pressure on themselves beyond this game, but he SHOULD have been more positive.
Ai Rassie…
5 Feb 2009, 07:15 am
#7 Greenpoint-Gunner: He is probably running out of things to say, dont think i can wait till next Saturday. The suspense is killing me
5 Feb 2009, 07:38 am
same here; wish i can fall into a deep sleep and wake up friday morning….nogals friday the 13th….
5 Feb 2009, 07:40 am
#8 Disa: i agree, rassie can’t be expected to always juicy soundbytes and tidbits everytime jon cardinelli saunters into the stormers training camp…
5 Feb 2009, 07:47 am
I like the way Rassie do things…not big mouth in the pre season on how we will kick *** and win the comp before it even started.
5 Feb 2009, 07:55 am
#2 munkiboi: We can take lots of positives out of it.
5 Feb 2009, 09:35 am
**** I’m so excited I could pee myself…
Can’t wait for the comp to start!!!
5 Feb 2009, 09:59 am
Aaaaag JC!! Stop being such a part-pooper!!
What’s that saying?? Focus on process rather than outcome…. If you look to the stars you stumble over a log etc etc… One game at a time!
5 Feb 2009, 10:38 am
Jeesh , stormers the only team around here ? leave the stormers now and lets see how they perform first. Sick and tired of everybody bragging about the stormers how good they are etc etc . Play the game first , hmmmm we are going to beat the sharks
5 Feb 2009, 11:46 am
“The 28-man Stormers squad will be announced on Saturday”
Stormers will surely need 28 men if they want to beat the Sharks
5 Feb 2009, 11:54 am
“Focused on beating the Sharks rather than making statements” !! Give me a break – the ONLY thing the Stormers seem to be good at lately is beating everybody to the Press/headlines !! You’d think they were the only – and best SA Super 14 side around – and not the likely 4th best SA side and likely 9th place finisher in this year’s Super 14.
Come on Rassie and Co (and the CPT based national rugby Press) – Give us some real news about the better sides….not drivel about Koster playing on the wing, Sirelli injured etc etc….Who gives a **** about all that ??
5 Feb 2009, 13:41 pm
Some other classics we hope to hear in the coming weeks:
1. We are a young team;
2. We are in a building phase;
3. The game is not played on paper;
4. We ARE the underdogs;
5. We learnt a lot out of that loss…
6. I think the team performed well (usually after a loss);
7. Luke is one of the leaders (watch this one, will be a cliché before the season ends);
8. The Bulls are NOT dirty (more a myth than a cliché);
Some more pearls of wisdom you see coming?
5 Feb 2009, 14:10 pm
“According to Erasmus, losing won’t be the end of the world.”
Rassie is 100% correct. Losing is a bad habbit easily picked up. Just like FL will continue with his losing habit this season.
5 Feb 2009, 14:40 pm
#17 yank: yank (or should that be “jerk”?), why don’t you give us all a break and go post on some other site? You’re clearly not happy here, so if you leave you’ll be happier. We will be happier too. It’s a win-win situation.
5 Feb 2009, 14:58 pm
21 windhoek:everyone is entitled to their opinion in a democracy,oh i forgot ,you don’t understand the concept of democracy.
5 Feb 2009, 15:15 pm
rassie,if you go on further with that ****, you will reach the end of the rope very quickly.
5 Feb 2009, 15:28 pm
And it was over, before it began. Rassie has money on the Sharks. Smart man.
5 Feb 2009, 15:38 pm
Strange thing tunnel vision. Very easy for someone to outflank you!
5 Feb 2009, 18:25 pm
one week at a time… I need to take it one second at a time…
5 Feb 2009, 19:50 pm
# TheTackler: stormers fan?
5 Feb 2009, 21:02 pm
#26 Big Hit: Please say yes
5 Feb 2009, 21:52 pm
#21 khoisanking: And if it’s my opinion that your opinion is stupid is that still allowed?
If yes, then why are you bitching about me expressing my opinion?
If no, then your democracy ain’t everything it’s cracked up to be.
I’d suggest that you’re the one who has difficulty understanding the concept of democracy. It is also my opinion you’re not the shiniest crystal in the chandelier.
Viva democracy.
6 Feb 2009, 04:43 am
“We made too many mistakes”…
6 Feb 2009, 04:59 am
Same Stormers pre-season hype … hopefully they can take the positives from 2009 failure and carry that into 2010 again. Stormers are like that “Groundhog day movie” … every year the same.
6 Feb 2009, 09:21 am
I hope the Sharks take those gaylords apart
6 Feb 2009, 10:53 am
What was he actually saying? Looked more like a statement of inpending defeat than any thing positive about his side???
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