Coetzee: Ugly win will suffice
13 Mar 2009
The trademark running style has been shelved as the Stormers look to limit the Lions by playing a smarter territory-based game at Newlands.
The Willem de Waal selection would have given as much away, as the Stormers flyhalf played a conservative brand up at Loftus Versfeld last week. Backline coach Allister Coetzee told keo.co.za to expect more of the same at Newlands as the Stormers strive for a win by suffocation.
“We have to play the game in the right areas and territory is going to be all important,” Coetzee said. “I think in last year’s Super 14 match, we made the mistake of trying to play too much rugby in the first half and so ran out of steam in the second.
“This Saturday will be about building an innings. The first priority is to win, even if it means winning ugly. The four tries is very much a secondary concern and something we will only consider if the opportunity arises.”
Coetzee praised De Waal for his performance at Loftus and believes the former Cheetahs sharpshooter will have a telling say in this week’s bout. The kicking games of Ricky Januarie and Percy Montgomery are just as important to the Stormers’ success.
“It helps that Willem gets such good distance on his punts, especially if you are playing for territory,” Coetzee said. “Monty’s left boot will help in our quest to dominate territory, and Ricky has been kicking well too.
“We have to make sure we are accurate this week and that the kicks are contestable. We’ve worked a lot on our kick chase, and our defence has to be very sharp.”
Much will depend on the performance of the Stormers pack in the tight-phases, but the hosts need to curb Baywatch Grobbelaar at the breakdown. The Lions will look to frustrate the Stormers in this area and are capable of counterattacking once their loosies have effected the steal.
Their decision-makers will also have to be shut down, their two flyhalves in particular.
“Both Andre Pretorius and Earl Rose are gamebreakers that we need to keep a close eye on,” said Coetzee. “You’re never quite sure if they’re going to run, pass or chip the line. Our defence has been good, as we realise the threat these players present.”
By Jon Cardinelli
38 Comments
13 Mar 2009, 05:41 am
Did AC say whether WatBeBrits would still be stealing quality ball off their own speedsters?
13 Mar 2009, 05:44 am
What would Allister do with an ugly defeat?
13 Mar 2009, 05:48 am
Backline coach
forward coack
kicking coach
head coach
Overstaffed and overpaid, I’d say
13 Mar 2009, 06:08 am
I cannot wait for the Lions to beat the Stormers! Then it’s humble pie for Keo, the man calling for the Lions to be replaced by the Spears. Funny how the Cheetahs looks by far the kakkest SA team but Keo still gunning for the Lions to be removed!
If the Lions lose…o well, something our Lions fans are used to.
13 Mar 2009, 06:52 am
#1 money_man:
Instead of the usual “Britz/Bekker/Watson steal the ball off their own players” nonsense why don’t you not put your money where youre mouth is and call the game.
Who do you think will win, by how much and why (a one liner would be sufficient)?
I will check your response later this morning.
13 Mar 2009, 07:07 am
How does Lions 14 Stormers 6 sound?
13 Mar 2009, 07:10 am
#6 TheTackler:
On Friday the 13th?
How about 13/3…..
13 Mar 2009, 07:22 am
That’s the attitude Allister – aim high. Aim for an ugly win.
Loser.
13 Mar 2009, 07:22 am
Oooh!
That’s even better! Thirteen to three it is!
13 Mar 2009, 07:27 am
Good morning bloggers.
Must honestly say that AC is imo utterly useless as a coach……how the hell this man ever got to be in this position…..Bok- Stormer- & Wp- coach is beyond me…….
Spoke to a few of the 2007 guys……they thinks he is filing a gap………..in the air.
This guy was sideswiped by an 18 wheeler……..
Honestly don’t let him open his mouth…..regarding coaching…….
13 Mar 2009, 07:40 am
Allister is an affirmative action quota appointee, of course.
13 Mar 2009, 07:41 am
If the Stormers can not win this game at home…..
Oh well nothing new in the last 5 years is it?
13 Mar 2009, 08:15 am
FYI JC – a trademark denotes exclusivity or monopoly in use, I think the term you are looking for is ‘signature’. Unless of course your opinion is that the Blues or the ‘Canes do not play a ‘running brand’ of rugby…or that that Stormers somehow have the right to exclude others from doing so.
13 Mar 2009, 08:18 am
Good news for Stormers fans…..
According to Christian Stewart on the radio this morning, who repoted on his recent discussion with Gary Gold,
- the losses thus far have not been an entirely bad thing because now the team feels less pressure (and will presumeably play better now) and
- Gold has wworked out that even if lose this game they can still make the playoffs.
Whoppeee.
13 Mar 2009, 08:20 am
On the rugby side – I will piss myself if the Lions win this game…I don’t think it should happen, but then again I didn’t think the Blues should have a chance at Newlands. On quality this game should be the low point of the weekend, but on sheer entertainment value it will not be beaten!
13 Mar 2009, 08:22 am
#14 BobZimmerman: Once again…isn’t Gold the Springbok assistant coach? Can’t his commenting on the Stormers be misconstrued…a bit like **** Muir talking about ‘us’ and ‘our team’ on East Coast radio in reference to the Sharks.
Unless I missed something somewhere?
13 Mar 2009, 08:31 am
AGreed, a win’s a win and we’ll take what we can get
13 Mar 2009, 08:32 am
#16 Kerneels:
As far as I know they are both still attached to the Boks. I dont think Muir is actively coaching but Gold is the offiial Stormers forward coach. I know Muir is going to be heading up a new academy so I presume his time with the Boks may be cut short. Who knows maybe Allistar can retake his old job with the Boks.
I dont think that the Bok coaches should be associated with any one team.
13 Mar 2009, 08:33 am
#11 Than what do you call the previous WP coach “Butthead”
13 Mar 2009, 09:23 am
This why Rassie doesnt want the press vultures hovering around his team getting and twisting **** quotes out of shape from the staff – I mean what else can a guy say when asked these questions.
Then keo gets his panties in a knot, feels all insecure and starts bad-mouthing the Stormers etc
I dont even watch the Stormers games anymore, I pvr them, and if its said they played well then I watch it.
I also stopped going to Newlands about 2 years ago. My time is more valuable.
Win first Stormers, play decent rugby first, then talk.
13 Mar 2009, 09:23 am
I think currently Newlands is actually an obstacle for the Stormers. The fear of facing the reaction of the Capies when loosing is quite daunting, and it adds pressure, which the Stormers are battling to handle especially when the game is tight. I think they are actually looking forward to the trip overseas where they can just focus on the game.
13 Mar 2009, 09:27 am
#21 Horing:
I agree, and this entire false hype is created by the press.
13 Mar 2009, 09:41 am
#20 Stawm: Rassie is just paranoid.
I suppose he doesn’t want to answer questions why he as a coach can’t get the show ponies to fire.
13 Mar 2009, 09:42 am
#18 BobZimmerman: I agree 100% – I would prever it if the Bok coaching staff can rotate between the S14 teams as consultants – or stay out of their business entirely.
It is one of those all or nothing things.
Obviously there will be the conspiracy theorists out there who believe that the Bok coaches will be bias and share information about other teams (my guess is that my fellow Bulls fans will be in the front of that particular bleating line) but if you believe that the Bok coaches have SA rugby’s best interest at heart, then there should be nothing that prevents them from visiting all the teams and sharing their experience.
Having said that…I don’t know if I want Gold consulting on the Bulls forwards…
13 Mar 2009, 10:50 am
#19 adi: The previous Stormers coach? Kobus? The bald white guy?
He’s way, way better than Rassie. And a million times better than Allister — good grief, Allister would never (on pure merit) ever get to coach any top rugby school’s 1st XV!
13 Mar 2009, 11:05 am
#25 TheTackler: You obviously do not know what you are talking about!! Kobus van der Merwe is not even worth being called a coach!
13 Mar 2009, 12:43 pm
What is an ugly win??? I will always take a win, no matter how it is achieved over a loss. History never tells us how the team played, but that the team won. So log points make any win good.
How Rassie can work with AC is beyond me. No wonder the little breezes are struggling.
13 Mar 2009, 12:51 pm
Keo and co…before you start knocking the Lions, please don’t over hype the Stormers by placing them above the Reds on your log. You can swap them and by tommorrow they will be nicely placed at the bottom of the log!!!
13 Mar 2009, 13:03 pm
#5 Robzim: Stormers by 14 if I listen to my head. The other way around if I listen to my heart.
13 Mar 2009, 13:23 pm
With the aim of ‘winning ugly’ against the ‘limp Lions’, it shows how far the Stormers heirarchy and their sychphantic media and fans have plummeted in the four short weeks since the 2009 Super 14 began.
I’m sure I’ve read this book before.
Aaah, that’s right, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008…
And doubtless we’ll be fed the same euphoric though wholly unrealistic garbage before the 2010 campaign opens.
13 Mar 2009, 13:36 pm
Robzim, my heart and head say the Lions will take this one. Stormers are a side under pressure at the moment. In fighting etc,over hyped publicity, Luke Watson, while the Lions only have the pressure of producing another win
13 Mar 2009, 13:44 pm
You’ve got to love the wording of keo’s latest poll.
Can the Lions ‘upset’ the Stormers?
You’d think this was Manchester United against Lamontville Arrows, not a titanic struggle between two cellar dwellers with a win apiece.
And some still claim this site does not a WP bias have…
13 Mar 2009, 14:20 pm
Hey Joe Maher,
True, I felt like answering no, because a Lions win is hardly an upset given the log standings right now. On paper the Stormers are a pretty strong side, given the number of current Springboks they can boast. The problem with them is that they are all prima donnas. Lions have a team of unfancied players, who given a different coach could reach serious hights. Not that Loffie is bad, but he may not be a S14 standard coach. As much as I hate to admit it Ludicrous has done something to improve his coaching levels.
13 Mar 2009, 14:51 pm
The heat is ON, the heat is O On.
13 Mar 2009, 15:31 pm
#32 Joe Maher: IMO this is the closest you are going te get to a WP website. Look at the way the predictions was done regarding the other teams, but the limp Lions…..shocking!!!!
13 Mar 2009, 15:50 pm
I don’t think Rassie perform well with so many assistant coaches. He needs to be on his own with the disco lights….
If the Stormers don’t start performing soon Rassie will be on his way out and forgotten, just like Kobus and Carel.
13 Mar 2009, 23:25 pm
I really don’t want the Rooibontes to beat the Streeptruie. But Rassie isn’t a genuine Streeptrui. He’s only a Blikoor.
A pretender to the throne.
14 Mar 2009, 05:07 am
This is going to be a great game
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