Stormers’ progression under the spotlight
16 Mar 2011
JON CARDINELLI writes that this Saturday’s showdown at Loftus will reveal whether the Stormers have developed their kicking game to the point where it can trouble the Bulls.
It was the day after the 2010 Super 14 final, and I was checking in at the O.R Tambo Airport. Allister Coetzee struck a forlorn figure, and the constant approach of sympathetic Stormers fans did little to lighten his mood.
I approached him myself and we chatted briefly about the Soweto decider, a match that was won comfortably by the Bulls. Coetzee admitted that certain aspects of the Stormers’ game required development. He intimated that until the Stormers progressed in the kicking department, they would continue to struggle against the Bulls.
Fourie du Preez and Morne Steyn were in masterful form on that occasion. The Bulls had 52% of possession, but it was their option-taking and accuracy that set them apart. Whether it was the kick-and-chase tactic that proved so effective in the 2009 season, or a raking drive for territory, they completely outplayed their halfback counterparts.
The territorial battle proved decisive in the 2010 final, and it should prove decisive in this Saturday’s encounter. We know what to expect from Du Preez, Steyn and Zane Kirchner at fullback, but the big question is how much have the Stormers added to their kicking game in the space of 10 months.
Dewaldt Duvenage and Peter Grant are likely to start, and it’s a smart selection if you consider the alternatives. Ricky Januarie’s lack of speed to the rucks and high-error rate make him a liability at the best of times, and his inaccuracies with the boot preclude him as an option when the Stormers face a tactical team like the Bulls.
Much will depend on the platform provided by the respective foward packs, and while the Stormers have battled with their ball retention, the Bulls have failed to replicate the physical game that made them such a force in 2010. But do Duvenage and Grant have what it takes to outplay Du Preez and Steyn?
Duvenage looked rusty in his first start for the Stormers last week, but remains a key man for the Cape side. It’s his kicks from the base that have the potential to disrupt the Bulls defence, providing those kicks are well chased by Bryan Habana and Danie Poolman.
Grant has been in great goal-kicking form, and has got through a tremendous amount of work on defence. His decision making, however, has been disappointing, and his line-kicking is still a problem. He also seems to lack the confidence, or even the vision, to kick for space, and missed a number of opportunities in this regard when the Stormers’ hosted the Highlanders.
The Stormers need to play a smarter territorial game than they have in recent weeks. They placed themselves under pressure against the Highlanders because they turned over the ball in their own half, and were forced to spend long periods defending a Highlanders assault. If they find themselves in this situation at altitude, their defence will tire and eventually relent.
The media and the public want more tries, and justifiably so as a one from three return is not good enough by any standard. But the Stormers need to ensure they play the game in the right areas of the field, and build the pressure from there. If they attempt to build an attack from deep in their own half, they will only succeed in playing into the Bulls’ hands.
The pressure’s on Duvenage and Grant to deliver. Gio Aplon also has a role to play at fullback, and while he remains a counter-attacking specialist, he needs to be on the look out for tactical kicking opportunities that will result in a net territorial gain.
The Stormers need to anticipate the Bulls’ aerial assault, and then reply in kind. If they repeat the mistakes of 2010 and fail to show an improvement in their kicking game, they will continue to struggle against their arch-rivals.
337 Comments
Pages: « 1 2 3 4 5 6 [7] Show All
17 Mar 2011, 08:47 am
@iori Yagami(iori Yagami)-298: @stormersboy(stormersboy)-297: watched bits and pieces…great result….hope the CT boys can win the title…
17 Mar 2011, 08:49 am
@jawz(jawz)-205:
How about you posting something about the sharks. Give it a go!
17 Mar 2011, 08:55 am
@ET.(ET.)-254:
Best thing for the Boks is if bulle lose. It may lead to a realistical reappraisal of players. It will ensure tha tform is taken mor eseriously..
17 Mar 2011, 08:57 am
@Beeno(Beeno)-299: Ja, we don;t have any trophies, but compared to previous seasons it was a great one for us supporters.
@iori Yagami(iori Yagami)-300: I hope so too. It’s great for sport in the Cape. We need more than just one team in the PSL
17 Mar 2011, 08:59 am
Everyone got their superbru picks in??
17 Mar 2011, 09:07 am
@grant10(grant10)-301: My mate played for CT spurs in the year that they won the title back in the ’90s.
A year or so before they were taken over by Ajax.
Legends.
17 Mar 2011, 09:14 am
superbru in
I feel my yellow cap will be hortlived
17 Mar 2011, 09:14 am
shortlived
17 Mar 2011, 09:20 am
nerves going to be shot by Saturday.
May need some sustenance to get me through the day!
17 Mar 2011, 09:23 am
@grant10(grant10)-309: I dunno hey? I mean all the stats and logic is in favour of the Bulls, we’ve got a shot for sure, but really, it’s more like 40-60 than 50-50.
17 Mar 2011, 09:26 am
@stormersboy(stormersboy)-310: agreed…
I have Bulls by 14
Its there bench that rattles me big time.
17 Mar 2011, 09:27 am
work to dpo
have a good one
outta here
ps go the windies!
17 Mar 2011, 09:27 am
@grant10(grant10)-311: Yeah i picked them by 10 on Superbru. If the Stormers win it’ll be a pleasure to give the points up.
17 Mar 2011, 09:27 am
@stormersboy(stormersboy)-305: Yip. Stormers to take it by 3.
17 Mar 2011, 09:30 am
Glad to see Mbovane make the sevens squad. This kid has a wicked step.
17 Mar 2011, 12:26 pm
@stormersboy(stormersboy)-310: More like 25-75 I’d say.
We’ve fielded stronger teams and not come close to winning at the fortress. I doubt Saturday will be any different, especially with 5 springboks on the bench
17 Mar 2011, 12:38 pm
@grant10(grant10)-296:
Great result there for my Ajax(CT) boytjies with that always good Holland connection.
Been with the original Spurs from day one when they were the best in the country and had the likes of B. Hartze, Rashid Khan, Boebie Solomons, George and Bernie van Niekerk, Abass brothers, W.George etc. etc. etc.
This neans Ajax back on top.
G10 you are the enemy here though as you and JR are Vasco guys , right?
17 Mar 2011, 12:46 pm
@Frankly speaking(Frankly speaking)-316: I dunno. It’s not that we are stronger, more like the Bulls being more vulnerable.
They are clear favourites though. No doubt.
17 Mar 2011, 13:08 pm
@stormersboy(stormersboy)-318: Bulls are never vulnerable when North meets South
Will be tough and ugly. I just think we lack some physicality, with Liebies, Schalla and Anton v Zyl/Fondse injured.
Let’s hope for the best
17 Mar 2011, 13:12 pm
@Frankly speaking(Frankly speaking)-319: No i agree with you there. We don’t have any proper “hardmen” a-la Bakkies, Danie, Deysel or Alberts.
Our guys are wannabees in that dept.
17 Mar 2011, 13:35 pm
@stormersboy(stormersboy)-320: We’re gonna find it tough crossing the advantage-line with Blaauw & Brok playing, and Fourie not the physical presence Liebenberg is.
Though it ales me to say this, we could’ve used Naqelivuki this weekend (and only for this game) to add some bulk and go-forward ball.
If I were AC, I’d be targeting Chilli’s line-out throwing and quick-phase play, keeping the ball away from the Bulls heavies
17 Mar 2011, 13:45 pm
@Frankly speaking(Frankly speaking)-321: True. Chilli is the weakest link at the moment.
17 Mar 2011, 13:48 pm
@stormersboy(stormersboy)-322:
chilli and that bulls back row.
need danie in there.
juandre kruger too.
17 Mar 2011, 13:49 pm
Shadow & WO will run circles around Habana …!!! I’d play Shadow opposite habana
17 Mar 2011, 13:52 pm
@The X-factor is staying at home.(gunther)-323: I’ve always been a big Danie fan. Against the Stormers you need to get in their faces. You can rattle them that way, the Sharks proved that.
17 Mar 2011, 14:03 pm
@stormersboy(stormersboy)-325:
also you need to win the collisions.
I just don’t see this bulls back row doing that.
they lack the physical presence.
17 Mar 2011, 14:07 pm
@The X-factor is staying at home.(gunther)-326: Interresting observation
17 Mar 2011, 14:23 pm
@stormersboy(stormersboy)-327:
I think that the stormers back row may have the edge.
One thing is for sure, the Bulls are going to have to sharpen up on attack.
and if they don’t adopt a more committed defensive vibe the stormers might even score some tries.
sshhh
don’t tell grantie that we are having a serious rugby discussion.
he will be very disappointed.
17 Mar 2011, 14:26 pm
@Boo_Habana(suffer_guy)-324:
Wow, what a tactical master stroke. I wonder if Ludeke will ever think of playing the right winger vd Heever against the left winger Habana this weekend?
17 Mar 2011, 14:40 pm
@The X-factor is staying at home.(gunther)-328: In the past, the Stormers have generally had the better backs and loosies.
This, however, means squat when your tight forwards can’t match the oppositions.
Little has changed
17 Mar 2011, 14:48 pm
@Frankly speaking(Frankly speaking)-330:
in the final last year our loosies played yours off the park.
I agree though, impossible to win if your tight 5 is dominated.
should be a tight game though.
as a bulls fan not overly confident.
17 Mar 2011, 14:59 pm
@The X-factor is staying at home.(gunther)-331: Vermullet vs Spies should be a great head-to-head clash. Same for Andries vs Victor
I’m gonna miss not seeing torpedo garry-owens Saturday, but Gio’s great on the counter. I expect a Luke-ish welcome for Habana from the oos-pavillion
And we’ll claim the underdogs tag, thank you very much
17 Mar 2011, 15:03 pm
@Frankly speaking(Frankly speaking)-332:
ol’ connies torpedo bombs.
is there anyone in world rugby who CAN’T catch them
spies looks nowhere so far.
he seemed to be getting it right on tour last year and is now back to zero.
i would have started with danie and bought spies off the bench.
17 Mar 2011, 15:12 pm
@The X-factor is staying at home.(gunther)-328: Well we have to score some sooner or later. It may as well be against the Bulle.
Some of our youngsters will get a baptism of fire though on Saturday.
It’s tough representing povince at Newlands, but it’s a whole different ball game at Loftus.
17 Mar 2011, 15:14 pm
@The X-factor is staying at home.(gunther)-333: For the sake of Springbok rugby, I hope both teams up their game as there’s a couple of Bok key-figures looking badly out of shape.
I have been a big critic of Spies in the past (as you know). I don’t think he’s necessarily been much worse this year than in previously, but it was overlooked and ignored with the success the Bulls had and the dominance of the tight forwards.
Same applies to Mr. Jack-of-all-trades (including a sports blogger) Potgieter.
I’d have Stegman, Kruger, Pakslae
Bjorn’s been almost as (in)effective as Habana in 2011
17 Mar 2011, 15:49 pm
@ET.(ET.)-317:
You can’t mention all those names without mentioning Neville Chadwick!
As a said a few weeks ago, my wish is for Ajax to win the title, with Vasco and Santos to reach the top 8.
Stormers being underdogs at Loftus? Well, that’s not for the first time that it would be like that, not so?
We can maybe spring a surprise on this bullybrekers. I’m waiting for the whoopass that we gonna get on Saturday. Haven’t seen any whoopass comment yet so I presume the Bulls’ supporter are not too confident this time around. I can’t imgine why given the kak play by Stormers the past three weeks.
Bulls to win this one, I believe. Even if it pains me to say that, one has to be realistic.
17 Mar 2011, 15:56 pm
@nama1(nama1)-336:
Last part of my comment not directed at you, ET.
Pages: « 1 2 3 4 5 6 [7] Show All
Have your say
You must be logged in to post a comment.