Sloppy Stormers fail to impress
12 Feb 2011
The Stormers bumbled their way to an unconvincing 34-6 win over Boland on Saturday.
Nobody would have predicted that a Boland player, Boena van Rooyen, would leave the field injured before the game had even started. Nobody could have anticipated that this freakish game would be closely contested in the first hour, or that the Kavaliers would warrant the most plaudits during this period.
The Stormers blundered their way through the first half, losing the ball in contact and showcasing a general lack of precision. Flyhalf Elgar Watts was a disappointment, kicking poorly for touch and at goal. Watts made several errors in general play, failed to impose himself on the shaky Boland defence and even struggled with basics like kicking a penalty into touch.
His opposite number was more confident and skillful. Willie le Roux, who attended the WP U18 Academy before enjoying a stint with Racing Metro in 2009, oozed attacking quality. He troubled the Stormers’ defence with his flat running and snappy distribution. He also showed some ability with the boot, chipping the opposition and sending crossfield kicks out to his wings.
Le Roux wasn’t without fault, as it was his overconfidence that led to the Stormers’ second try. After attempting to run himself out of trouble, he was caught by Tim Whitehead and tackled over his own tryline. Whitehead swooped on the loose ball and ensured the Stormers went to a 12-3 half-time lead.
The try was scored as Tiaan Liebenberg was escorted from the field with what looked like a serious injury. If the robust hooker is sidelined for a lengthy period it would be a big blow to the Stormers’ campaign.
Aside from their inconsistent set-piece, the Stormers were punished for an inaccurate display at the breakdown. Boland were successful in turning the much-fancied Stormers over, and from broken field, they enjoyed plenty of momentum in the wider channels.
Had the minnows nailed their kicks, the game may have been far closer. Jacquin Jansen missed two penalty kicks and sent a drop-goal attempt wide.
Jean de Villiers scored early in the second stanza to give the Stormers some breathing room, but the quality of performance failed to improve. They continued to lose ball in contact, and were unable to protect the ball at the breakdown.
The change at flyhalf helped, with Lionel Cronje troubling the Boland defence with some darting runs. His clever chip was ironically fielded by Watts as the Stormers scored their fourth try. A runaway try for the bustling JJ Engelbrecht followed, while Ruan Kitshoff scored from a lineout drive as the Boland effort began to disintegrate.
There’s plenty to ponder in the two weeks leading up to the Stormers’ first match. Unless Peter Grant returns, they’re missing an established flyhalf, their discipline is still a problem and the set-piece is a mess.
Boland may have been the team in pink on this particular occasion, but it was the Stormers that left the field red-faced.
35 Comments
12 Feb 2011, 20:03 pm
sloppy seconds dragons
12 Feb 2011, 20:09 pm
Did not watch the game but from my perspective, quite worrying. though the 6 Nations is just torrid to be fair, the French can stand up, the Galic states, Wales and England are considerably worthless.
12 Feb 2011, 20:11 pm
The northern hemisphere is just awful.
12 Feb 2011, 20:11 pm
Difficult to watch.
12 Feb 2011, 20:16 pm
Super 15 here we come. Proper rugby.
12 Feb 2011, 20:19 pm
Too many unforced errors by the Stormers – there seemed to be a lack of intensity mainly in the first half.
But things improved in the final quarter.
Lionel Cronje settled in quite nicely at fly half when he came on – but the Stormers do not have a reliable goal kicker. van Aswegen seems the better kicker than Cronje and Watts and should start in the first game.
JJ Engelbrecht was full of running and Whitehead also had a decent game.
The laaitie, Steven Kitshoff at 19 years old looked promising when he came on at LH.
Fortunately the Stormers still have 2 weeks before the start of their campaign. There’s still plenty work to be done.
And AC should be naming his squad in the next few days.
12 Feb 2011, 20:20 pm
Why do the northern hemisphere rugby teams not understand the basics of rugby? Why? create and exploit space, to do that you play the game at speed!
12 Feb 2011, 20:22 pm
@I am a stormer(I am a stormer)-6: Flyhalf is really worrying. Maybe we should have bought Dan Carter…..Johan Rupert.
12 Feb 2011, 20:26 pm
@mpundulu(mpundulu)-7: the boks don’t do it either..
12 Feb 2011, 20:30 pm
@mpundulu(mpundulu)-7:
I know you missed the game but the English backs were very quick and very slick – superb handling with some great running off the ball.
Just the way i want to see the Bokke play.
And everything to be done at pace and not from a standing start like we always seem to do.
12 Feb 2011, 20:32 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-9: Perhaps young man but I’ve seen a greater rugby product in the Trinations than the 6 Nations, the type of rugby they produce scares me. It’s just scary, quite torrid actually, I’ll take the boks and puffy any day of the week! Outside of Scotland, which northern hemisphere team would you put forward?
12 Feb 2011, 20:33 pm
The try was scored as Tiaan Liebenberg was escorted from the field with what looked like a serious injury. If the robust hooker is sidelined for a lengthy period it would be a big blow to the Stormers’ campaign.
AC said in the post match interview that he is a goner – now Shimage can start pulling those splinters out again.
12 Feb 2011, 20:34 pm
@I am a stormer(I am a stormer)-10: Fair point but England was sorting out Italy. I want to see what you assert against France.
12 Feb 2011, 20:36 pm
@MTN RedLion Roars…(RL)-12: Love Shimange he is an absolutely love lad, but right now, he’s not on the level. I wish he was, solid man.
12 Feb 2011, 20:37 pm
Cronje gets more than 10 minutes at the end of the match and he ends up playing well… Shocker.
Flyhalf issue is a real concern, management really effed up there. Van Aswegen’s the best goal kicker out of the 3 but easily the worst in general play otherwise imo. I think Watts may end up being the one to get the nod, based just one age really.
I thought Engelbrecht looked good at wing. Always liked him and I was happy to see Groom get 40 minutes. Much better than Schreuder. Also noticeable that the distribution was far quicker when he replaced Januarie.
Kolisi again looked good for the minutes he was. Strong oke who I rate highly.
12 Feb 2011, 20:42 pm
@mpundulu(mpundulu)-14: I guess Fourie will be the replacement.
and what’s up with Kaplan, all bald and fat looking. That shorts that he was wearing was 3 sizes too big.
12 Feb 2011, 20:52 pm
I love the Stormers, they are my team, but with no flyhalf, we are totally buggered. These guys, it’s nice to see them but at Super 15 level are you serious?
12 Feb 2011, 21:17 pm
Having considered developments up to date, I don’t rate the Stormers as a force in this year’s competition.
If Liebenberg is indeed out that’s a huge loss. There goes a significant part of their tight five.
And the flyhalf issue has now taken on disastrous proportions.
Does anyone seriously think they are going to be able to hit the ground running in their first couple of games if Grant only gets here in time for one practice session prior to kick off?
And what’s the deal with scrumhalf? Is Dewald Duvenage still around, or is January now the number one choice?
And then you have the ageing Schalk, who is getting further and further behind the pace each year.
I don’t think the upward curve will continue from last year. I think last year was the top end of their curve, and this year will be a step down from the dizzy Orlando Stadium heights.
12 Feb 2011, 21:59 pm
Stormers reached their potential last season. They need a new coach if they are to win any Championships.
Tiaan Liebenberg best hooker in SA. Big loss if he’s out the entire season.
12 Feb 2011, 22:07 pm
@Tacitus(Tacitus)-18:
Yeah, this is going to be the year of the Shark – Bullies and Stormpies will fight for the “wildcard spot”
12 Feb 2011, 22:13 pm
@Robzim(Robzim)-20:
I’m not venturing any predictions on the Bulls’ season just yet.
There are indeed some unanswered questions surrounding the aging of some of their top stars, and their depth in one or two key positions.
That said, if those stars are able to retain the form they had in last year’s competition, and if we have a favourable injury run, then the Bulls should be the favourites for the title along with the Crusaders.
12 Feb 2011, 22:44 pm
Make a deal with the Sharks. They have the best hooker in the country sitting on the bench.
12 Feb 2011, 22:47 pm
Where is Sydney Tobias. I thought he was the next rising star. Are there any other youngsters that can be blooded this season?
13 Feb 2011, 00:37 am
@Tacitus(Tacitus)-18: How is Schalk off the pace? Him, Bekker and Vermeulen ripped teams apart in last years comp. Schalk had his best year since he won world player of the year. If you want to see players that are off the pace, look to those old men further north.
13 Feb 2011, 01:14 am
I don’t think the Stormers AND the Bulls will reach the same heady heights they did last year.
13 Feb 2011, 01:25 am
Biggest problem with Stormpies is the captain who is no captain, Schalk just like Smit and FdP are the biggest red herrings on the Boks’ Stormers, Sharks and Bulls setups this year, let the 3 stooges go and we may get onto a winning wicket.
Schalk is a has been, just like Smit, and I’m ready to bet so too will the halo have slipped off of FdP’s head.
Rest of the aging stars, Matfield, Botha, JdV, Fourie, Habana, Vd Linde, et al following fast
time for the Kitschoff’s etc to stand up and shove those prima donnas right off their fanciful mantelpieces.
13 Feb 2011, 03:37 am
@skopiskoobidoo(ilanjo)-26:
The only aging Prima Donna is you ou doos!
13 Feb 2011, 06:28 am
Not a word about Januarie’s performance.
Is it possible The Keos are under a gag order?
And what about Jantjes, is he the guy you go to Super15 with?
13 Feb 2011, 06:46 am
Stirling Mortlock is 32 and is still one of the dangermen for the Wannabes.
Brutal Bakkies is 32 and still playing the best rugby of his career. He will be and always has been an integral part of the Bulls and Bumbling Boks team dynamic.
Fourie (The King) du Preez is 29 and still the best scrummie in world rugby. No contest. Only the morons on this blog with a hidden agenda and no rugby sense will argue.
Master Matfield is 34 and has enough gas in the tank to still outclass anyone in the lineout. He will retire gracefully at the end of this year. He still has plenty to do in the RWC.
de Villiers and Habana are stagnating in a team that perhaps has too many egos. At 30 de Villiers is far from over. At 28 Habana is far from over.
vd Linde I have never rated. BJ Botha is a has-been.
Schalk has slipped backwards since his injuries. Unfortunately he is no longer world class..but a very good and loyal provincial player.
13 Feb 2011, 06:58 am
@Great White Shark(Predawn)-29:
Interesting,
The Vic, Bakkie, JdV and Hab whom we saw at the TriNations were players their age was telling badly because the opposition had a gameplan designed to expose their age.
They won ONE test by a whisker at altitude against the Wallabies, that must be the one which impressed you?
13 Feb 2011, 07:07 am
Their coach is your hero not mine. He is the problem, not the players…but then you know that already..if of course, you were a student of the game.
The exact same players beat the same All Blacks in the Super 14 under a real coach..but then you knew that…if of course, you were a student of the game.
It’s all common sense really.
13 Feb 2011, 19:25 pm
Missed the game last night, but it seems that the Stormers still have more questions than answers.
Completely unacceptable with 2 weeks until the first game. If this season is a backward step instead of a consolidation of last year, AC and Rassie must step down.
13 Feb 2011, 23:34 pm
Some interesting “new” laws were being blown by Kaplan in this game yesterday.
Schalk was penalised for not releasing the ball when he was “grounded” but not held in the tackle. Mark Lawrence was also heard talking about some new scrum laws during the stormers/sharks game last week.
So it appears from Kaplan’s reffing that even if a player is not held in a tackle, the ball must be released when a player is grounded.
What’s with these new laws? I haven’t seen anything in the media about any new laws.
13 Feb 2011, 23:48 pm
There is and article on rt bout the adjustments, and have a look on on rugbyworld they normaly up2date on anything of importance on rugby.
14 Feb 2011, 12:16 pm
??
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