Chiefs backlash buries Stormers
14 May 2011
JON CARDINELLI watched the Chiefs overturn a 17-point deficit to win 30-23 against the Stormers in Hamilton.
The Stormers lacked intensity in the second stanza, and the absence of killer instinct and composure cost them yet again. They led 20-3 at half-time after an impressive all-round display, but failed to put a sub-standard Chiefs side away.
The backs combined beautifully to unleash Gio Aplon in the 20th minute; the Stormers’ winger running a beautiful line and swerving past a series of tackle-attempts in his 50m surge for the tryline. The Stormers’ lineout was also in dominant mood, and a powerful maul set up a simple try for captain Schalk Burger.
Heading to the shed at 20-3 ahead, they would have been expected to ram the advantage home. Perhaps they were overconfident and expected to cruise in the last 40, as they were completely outplayed thereafter.
A controversial incident right after the break resulted in a dramatic swing in momentum. Centre Richard Kahui grubbered the ball in behind the Stormers and looked to have out-sprinted the cover defence before Aplon tugged on his jersey. Television replays suggested that the ball had bounced away from Kahui and so a try was not guaranteed, but the TMO saw the incident differently.
A penalty try was awarded and Aplon was yellow carded for the offence. It was a tough break for the visitors, but the manner in which they capitulated from there was a gross indictment on their composure and ultimately their ability to go all the way in this tournament.
The Chiefs struck again when Stephen Donald chipped the Stormers’ defence, and an unkind bounce wrong-footed Stormers fullback Conrad Jantjes. Sitiveni Sivivatu collected the ball and dotted down right under the posts, and Donald completed the goal with a well-taken conversion.
Aplon returned, but the damage was done. The Stormers battled to control possession, dropping the ball cold and struggling to kick their way out of their own half. They also continued to impede at the breakdown, and Donald, in a rare display of goal-kicking accuracy, made them pay.
The visitors spent a lot of time on defence, and were uncharacteristically generous in their tendency to slip first-time tackles. A number of senior players looked tired, and it was easily one of their flattest performances of the season. On the basis of their second half showing, they didn’t deserve to win.
There will be some gripes about the referee, but closer analysis will reveal that Stu Dickinson was consistent. The penalty try was a tough call, as was the ejection of Aplon, but the way that the Stormers responded was always going to be telling. They slumped to defeat and learned something about their composure, or lack thereof, in the process.
490 Comments
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14 May 2011, 15:13 pm
Well written, unbiased report Jon. …which is more than can be said of the general comments by users
14 May 2011, 15:16 pm
Why does Schalk play at 12 all the time. Does he not rate Jean? He lost us this game. Let me say this in a langauge he can understand. Schalk, jy is ‘n domb **** en jy moet vok of.
14 May 2011, 15:24 pm
Disappointed in the Stormers, this was one of the away games that i thought would be a sure win for them, the only highlight was Aplons try and it was super magnificent, must be one of my favorite trys of all time, well in the top 5, he was running like a cockaroach across the floor and impossible to whack, brilliant brilliant try.
14 May 2011, 15:37 pm
@Hop Hop Spinnekop(Hop Hop Spinnekop)-448: Haha strangely enough he has always rated Jantjies…guess he has a soft spot for him (must be the hairstyle…;))
14 May 2011, 16:26 pm
Yes, yes. My prediction of a few weeks back to my buddies who support the briesies is coming true.
Told them they have no BMT and will be playing for survival when they face a resurgent Bulls team above them or just below them on the log come 11June.
Sharks and Bulls to top the SA conference.
Go Bulle S15 Champs
14 May 2011, 16:31 pm
So anyone else got delusions oozing out the-**** thinking Schalk the Hulksmash is a consummate captain like our JW ra ra cheerleader Bryce the schmyce in Oz?
The day Stormers tossed Schalk Burger the armband is the day they went belly up.
Luke Watson would never have allowed his team to sink beneath the waves of mediocrity second half and still have the temerity to smile and joke about it afterwards.
Bottom line Schalk is good for one thing and one thing only… making hard arsed cover tackles in defense and thats about IT. He ain’t a captains behind and never will be. He fcks up momentum more than anyone by disrupting back line fluidity and when game got out of hand then Grant went into his shell because Stormers played the wrong game … again.
Chiefs seek and destroy mission in second half was to kick and chase and kick and chase some more. The penalty try turned the game around because we were fully on front foot till then and was a breakaway try against run of play. Second Chiefs try also came from a cross kick type up n under that bounced across Jantjes line of trajectory and was all over from then.
Burger got absolutely no clue how to pull a game out the fire as he’s proved every time they gone into a loss position. Stormers can only win from the front when things go well from kick off. Can never pull it back from defeat which shows Burger is not a captains backside. And AC loses the plot too often with poor replacement strategy… stuffed it up last week and stuffed it up again today.
AC is responsible for stuffing players like JdJ into a quandary and playing Habana out of form and not selecting Sadie off bench. Making Burger captain is the biggest fckup of all fckups and anyone still dreaming he can do anything about Stormers potential from here is living in Disneyland day dream world.
Van Zyl should come into reckoning as a starting 2nd row option, Bekker gonna need a rest soon and Van Zyl should captain the team if JdV don’t do it. Elstadt must play 7 and Burger must switch with Louw or Elstadt either as run on or off bench but he gotta lose the captaincy else we going nowhere and fast.
Sadie and Koster were the two outright stars vs Saders and neither were anywhere near this game.. From 20-3 up should have been a doddle even with a cruel twist of fate like the kick through and penalty try through Kahui’s fly hack and chase, but at that very point is when Burger should have stepped in and stopped the rot which he couldn’t do and didn’t… like many times before.
14 May 2011, 16:36 pm
The Bulle gets their Ballas back and everything is blue. I pity the poor uphill gardeners when they get to face the Bulle on 11 June.
A beating at Newlands on the cards.
14 May 2011, 18:57 pm
@Xkreni-WP(Xkreni-WP)-457: look at this doos
14 May 2011, 19:02 pm
REF backlash buries Stormers
14 May 2011, 21:39 pm
Where did the Stormers get their coach from? ANC? Another embarrassment like Peter Div. But hey it was loekker to see the Cheetahs ko the Saders- McCraw et all
14 May 2011, 21:49 pm
First half was like Tyson v Micheal Spinks, Chiefs had the look of fear in their eyes, then for some reason it morphed in the second half into Clay v Liston, second fight. Bordering close to criminal.
14 May 2011, 22:03 pm
@Ex(Ex)-460:
For sure, it never been in doubt
Nama1 eagerly awaited response will clarify the Party Line stand on today’s performance, but in the end, only the like such as Jonker, Joubert and Legota carried the Stormers through so far,
Next week they drew the Blues at Auckland under a Kiwi referee, not promising at all,,,,
14 May 2011, 22:12 pm
Sivivatu beginning to hit straps. Offers the Abs another go to man.
14 May 2011, 22:40 pm
Stu ******** 30 Stormers 23
14 May 2011, 22:41 pm
Stu Dickinson 30 Stormers 23
14 May 2011, 22:45 pm
@CoachPete(CoachPete)-465: Ag no man. Stormers imploded. Yellow card and taking the general (JF) off the field cost your team. Not old Stu’s fault…… this time.
14 May 2011, 22:53 pm
@Tuna(Tuna)-466:
Stu Dickinson is horrible
I disagree here
It was a big momentum swing
Firstly both were going for the ball There is alway contact when that happens Defender has just as much right to jossel for the ball as attacker.
The bounce of the ball suggests the Chiefs player would not have grounded it
So no clear reason to award a penalty try at all
And then the yellow card ???????????????????
This was either a penalty to chiefs at best and more like a 22 drop out
A disgraceful decision
14 May 2011, 22:56 pm
@CoachPete(CoachPete)-467: It was the video ref’s call that Aplon interfered. Also if it is a professional foul and it’s a automatic yellow. I agree with you…. Aplon hold his line but his down fall was putting his hand on the Chiefs player.
14 May 2011, 23:00 pm
@Tuna(Tuna)-468:
I dont think it needed to got to Video ref at all. hence Stu ******** saffa teams again
Its so blatantly obvious plus there were other calls which somehow alway seem to go against Saffa sides
He is a kak ref and anti South African
Just my opinion
14 May 2011, 23:02 pm
Also (and the opinion of NZ commentators) the bounce of the ball suggests there was no way he could have gained control or even dotted the ball down
22 drop out
14 May 2011, 23:06 pm
@CoachPete(CoachPete)-470: I agree with you on this one but disagree on Stu. Stormers players are to blame here and maybe you will disagree with me but old Schalk is not a captain. Anyways I’m done for tonight. Cheers.
14 May 2011, 23:11 pm
@Tuna(Tuna)-471:
Nope if you know me you know I am not a huge fan of Skalk right now and I have always said Jdv should be capt.
Skalk bashes and crashes his way around the field.
I would prefer to see koster there or Elstadt and bring in another lock
15 May 2011, 00:01 am
The Stormers — just like the Springboks — only have 60 minutes of petrol in their tank for an 80+ minute game.
15 May 2011, 00:02 am
And Allister Coetzee is clueless. A rubbish coach.
15 May 2011, 00:07 am
@Xkreni-WP(Xkreni-WP)-’
I’ve been waiting for you…. where have you been??? Hahahahhaha, welcome back mate…
2. Xkreni-WP(Xkreni-WP) :
19 Mar 2011, 18:06 pm I’ll say it again:
Aaah, this weekend including the Lions game is like your first beer. It just gets your mouth jags for more.
I have been waiting since the Bulle annihilated the Briesies in last years final for today.
I see old FFFfffffff fikkkaakadilly dipshit has been his histerical self all week (I can image him screaming like Trifina that left her handbag on the taxi) all week. But him and the Campsbay pedophile has been nervous as hell.
The Bulle will kill those poefters van Slaapstad tonight. 32-12.
Methinks Mrs Balls missed a huge opportunity to sponsor the Stormpies. Dhl Stormers… pfft, Mrs Balls Stormers counds much better. Their motto can be ” In die Chutney of gladnie”
Go Bulls.
I will be back tomorrow to gloat.
Paartie, paaartie paartie … hoesa Oh and JockBock you old *** guzzler. it is not full moon, it is SuperMoon….get it right boyo
6. JockBok(JockBok) :
19 Mar 2011, 18:27 pm @Xkreni-WP(Xkreni-WP)-2: I’m of course hoping the Bulls get a right royal shafting. Not only for the obvious reasons of good over evil etc, but then we won’t see your sorry arse on here for another 6 months. We won’t see you tomorrow, you’ll be nursing a branners and coke babelas wondering where it all went wrong.
Hahahahhahahahha, you fanny….
15 May 2011, 05:36 am
Jockc ock (sucker)
If you look at Keo the last 3 years, I spend very little time here.
Unlike most of you sad losers I have a life. Fishing, surfing, enjoying the scenic beauty of the Garden Route on my bike, a beautiful wife, friends (real ones, not cyber ones) and the beach on my doorstep.
I admit, I see no reason to be on here when my team loses (and the have been playing like ****) except when the tail gunners get a hiding. So I suppose I will be here a lot more in the comig weeks.
Bulls on the up Briesies on the down.
But I am happy that I occupy your thoughts day and night. Just keep your hands above the covers.
15 May 2011, 06:25 am
Huh! First the Stormers and now the rubbish Saders and even a few stupid comments from the tackler man this site has it all.Lol.
15 May 2011, 06:40 am
“Luke Watson would never have allowed his team to sink beneath the waves of mediocrity second half and still have the temerity to smile and joke about it afterwards.”
Luke Watson NEVER ever even came within a sniff of a play-off round of any merit as captain!
Stormer’s were WOEFUL under him!
Bath slipped a place under his captaincy and could not even make the play-off’s this year… watch them improve next year…
Stormer’s have had their most successful two years in almost a decade of rugby under Schalk Burger.
If you are going to attempt a rebuttal Skopscat you dribbling old toothless Chiauhau… at least try a little harder!
I rate NEITHER as captain’s…
15 May 2011, 06:55 am
@bryce_in_oz(bryce_in_oz)-478:
Luke polarised the Brokebacks and he caused dissent amongst the players in the Springbok team.
He IS a cancer and Smit and White were spot on the money with their assessments of him. Even Looook has recently come out and admitted that he had been a tosser.
15 May 2011, 07:01 am
@Great White Shark(Predawn)-479:
Andries Bekker agrees!
15 May 2011, 08:14 am
@bryce_in_oz(bryce_in_oz)-478: Did you watch the game. Schalk cost us the game. What the hell is doing running at 10 and 12? He is a loose forward, not a back. I’d definitely drop him after that performance. I would also just like to add that in my view, the senior Boks are the cancer in SA Rugby. Schalk, JS, Matfield, Bakkies, FDP and Habana all have too much say in the team selection and game plan. None of them deserve to be there, I only hope PDV opens his eyes.
15 May 2011, 08:51 am
Hell, its all quiet in here about Grant…
Nobody have anything good to say about Donkey?
Fatty Vermeulen anyone?
Ay yay yay?
15 May 2011, 09:01 am
All Stormer times have come
Here but now they’re gone
Sharks don’t fear the reaper
Nor do the Bulls, Vrystaat or the Lions
(We cant be like they are)
Come on Stormpies
(Don’t fear the Reaper)
Gaylords let Sharks lead
(Don’t fear the Reaper)
You wont be able to fly
(Don’t fear the Reaper)
La, la, la, la, la
La, la, la, la, la
15 May 2011, 09:29 am
@garth(garth)-481:
If you want to appoint any blame and be insular in both your approach and understanding of the game… you need to look no further than Peter Grant… pathetic tactical kicking, poor handling, slow passing…
But that’s only the tip of the Iceberg… I prefer not to approach analysis in that method…
Bekker and a ‘loose-forward’ in the backline is the coach’s ‘game-plan’ pal… in 2009 it was Watson and Bekker, 2010 Burger/Bekker, 2011 Burger/Bekker… perhaps you should ask Coetzee why he persists?
15 May 2011, 09:43 am
@CoachPete(CoachPete)-465:
wow
even CoachPete now blames the ref.
now the ref is a cheat even when theyre neutral
15 May 2011, 09:45 am
@CoachPete(CoachPete)-467:
Aplon took out Kahui
since when is that not a YC/PenTry ?!
15 May 2011, 09:46 am
@CoachPete(CoachPete)-469:
wow, youre truly PATHETIC
poor loser !
15 May 2011, 10:04 am
@Xkreni-WP(Xkreni-WP)-476:
Hahahahahahahahaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
15 May 2011, 10:10 am
Match fixing that’s what I say.
15 May 2011, 21:55 pm
@CoachPete(CoachPete)-469:
are you here now CoachPete ?!
hope so, wouldnt want you NOT to be here.
“Its so blatantly obvious plus there were other calls which somehow alway seem to go against Saffa sides. He (Dickinson) is a kak ref and anti South African”
really, that is really very poor. Tell ya what, Id take ****-o over Joubert/Plonker/Peyper any day. Not because theyre ‘cheats’ – as you clearly believe – but because theyre human and make mistakes, these ones more than others.
Just so you know, this whole ‘anti-SA’ Persecution Complex youve got going there just means a total lack of credibility when it counts.
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