Stormers’ defensive weakness exposed
17 May 2011
JON CARDINELLI writes that the smartest teams have kicked over the Stormers’ defensive line rather than expose themselves to a prolonged confrontation at the coalface.
The Stormers have won eight matches this season, and aggressive defence has been central to that success. They’ve conceded five tries over the course of those eight matches, and as much as they’ve got it right in those games, opposition teams have got it tactically wrong.
The Stormers’ three defeats reveal as much. There is one chink in their defensive armour, and while it was exposed on the odd occasion in 2010, it’s been regularly exposed in 2011.
When they provide the physical intensity up front, they’re tough to match, but draw them into a tactical kicking battle and watch them struggle. Put a grubber or chip in behind their defensive line, and watch a well-organised defensive unit go to pieces.
The most recent defeat is a case in point. Poor tactical kicking ranks high on the list of reasons for defeat in Hamilton. The Stormers battled to play the game outside of their own half, and although they finished the match only seven points behind, they never threatened to close that gap.
The Chiefs did well to keep the Stormers pinned in their own territory, and it was through attacking kicks that they scored their first two tries. Richard Kahui kicked through the Stormers, and while the decision to award a penalty try was questionable, it can’t be denied that the kick opened up the visitors’ defence.
Shortly after, Stephen Donald spotted some space behind the Stormers’ defensive line and produced a deft chip that was regathered by Sitiveni Sivivatu. The Stormers may have cursed a dodgy call for the penalty try and then the bounce of the ball for Sivivatu’s, but they must realise the attacking kick it’s a tactic that’s worked against them before.
Against the Bulls at Loftus Versfeld, Bryan Habana failed to gather a Bjorn Basson chip and was duly punished. It was a key moment in the match and Basson’s try gave the Bulls an important score right before half-time. The Stormers went on to win, but it was an incident that highlighted a weakness.
The Stormers’ coaches have dismissed the call for a contingency with the explanation that you can’t plan for every eventuality. They say that if the grubber or chip is put into space, you have to back your scramble defence to get back and recover.
The Stormers are good scrambling defenders, but the kick into space is a tactic that’s always going to place them under pressure. They could use the scrumhalf to sweep behind the defensive line and thus fill that open space, but the coaches argue that they don’t want to forgo that extra defender at the ruck base.
It will be interesting to see how the Blues approach the situation this Friday. They’ve already scored some fantastic tries through well-weighted grubbers and chips (who could forget Luke McAlister’s gentle dab for prop John Afoa to chase and score in the game against the Waratahs). Stephen Brett and McAlister both have the potential to create in this manner, and will be the danger men if they are selected this week.
The Blues are a fearsome side when they keep ball in hand, but they will know that the Stormers’ defence is not easily breached. The Cape side is susceptible when you pin them in their own half and force them to defend for extended periods, and they are vulnerable to that little kick into space.
What will also help the decision to kick is that the Stormers are not known for their counter-attack. Bryan Habana is a knife that needs sharpening while Conrad Jantjes has been more solid that spectacular since returning from a serious leg injury in 2010. He lacks pace and attacking penetration.
If the Stormers want to give themselves more attacking options, Gio Aplon must play fullback. This will give them counter-attacking options should the opposition kick on their back three, and will also prevent the opposition from chipping and grubbering behind the defensive line.
With Aplon capable of punishing poor kicks, it would be a risky tactic. He needs to be shifted from wing to fullback if the Stormers want to extract full value from the individual and plug the hole in their defensive game.
39 Comments
17 May 2011, 06:40 am
These dragons need some BMT!
17 May 2011, 07:28 am
Aplon is fine where he is. The Cape team should be:
1. Blaauw
2. Liebenberg
3. CJ
4. Eldstadt
5. Bekker
6. Flo
7. Vermeulen
8. Koster (vc)
9. Duvenhage
10.Gary
11. Sadie
12. Jean (c)
13. Jacques
14. Aplon
15. Cronje
17 May 2011, 07:29 am
In this new format of the competition you don’t need to set the house on fire, just need to be consistent………..sadly they’re not
17 May 2011, 08:07 am
@Lumberpunch(Lumberpunch)-3: The Stormers have won there first 6 of the season….is that not consistent? Compare them to other teams in the competition. They are just going through a mid season slump and are facing a tough tour but I am sure they will get back to winning ways this weekend.
17 May 2011, 08:21 am
“while Conrad Jantjes has been more solid that spectacular since returning from a serious leg injury in 2010. He lacks pace and attacking penetration.”
that description has applied to conrad j for many years – even before his leg injury.
17 May 2011, 08:27 am
@the peanut gallery(peanut)-5: True its just now it is even more evident. I think his strength use to be his running lines from fullback. He has lost that skill it seems.
If AC has to accomodate Conrad then use him at wing and move Aplon to fullback.
17 May 2011, 08:34 am
Mr. Cardinelli, royalties would be nice for a tactical decomposition resembling that coming from this “kenner”. I am honoured
Howzabout a coupla thousand Keo Dollars?
17 May 2011, 08:34 am
@Sasuke(Sasuke)-6: i disagree. his strength has always been under the high ball. as an attacker he has never bothered defences.
17 May 2011, 08:36 am
Has John been spying on my and a few others’ posts over the past day or so?
Cos he just wrote an article on what we’ve been saying.
The one thing he left out was Grant’s contribution to the mess. His line kicks lack distance, he puts his line under undue pressure and cannot control the game tactically with the boot,.
He is one of the main reasons that the Stormers play the game in their own half all the time. he simply cannot get his team downfield consistantly and effectively.
The answer you may ask?
Grant to come on as a substitute at 12 (or 10 if required), JDJ to cover the other positions.
Lionel to 10.
Aplon to 15.
Brain is OK, if not spectacular,
Another big wing, either JJ or Danie, perhaps Sadie.
The balance of that line is much better.
Lionel may make the odd mistake, but given time that will decrease to the point where his physicality, booming boot and good option taking will put him in the running as one of the best 10′s in SA.
Grant is OK, but not great,
His failings unfortunately eclipse his strong points, something that has been shown up this year under pressure.
17 May 2011, 08:37 am
“If the Stormers want to give themselves more attacking options, Gio Aplon must play fullback.”… Nail on head.
17 May 2011, 08:41 am
@Stormersboy(stormersboy)-9: Totally agree.
17 May 2011, 08:42 am
Just heard on the radio Grant might be hurt again. Could be a blessing in disguise.
17 May 2011, 08:48 am
@oscarthedawg(oscarthedawg)-12: LOL that was my immediate thought as well…..
17 May 2011, 08:51 am
@Stormersboy(stormersboy)-13: It’s just so obvious (says he sitting comfortably in front of his Mac) that the Stormers look more dangerous with Cronje at ten.
17 May 2011, 08:55 am
@oscarthedawg(oscarthedawg)-14: Yip. don’t get the obsession with him. I can dig up countless posts from last year where I was saying the same thing as I was above, but I just can’t be bothered. i man, what do we know? We are just the fans who keep coming back for more each year, in spite of all the “almosts”
17 May 2011, 08:59 am
Blues by 15 – the Stormers have been breached !!!!! Should be a classic game – both sides must win
17 May 2011, 09:06 am
I am a fan of Grant, but have to admit, in several games in the past, the Stormers was stuck in their own half because of Grant. A very good player, but his weakness out weighs his strengths.
17 May 2011, 09:13 am
@Stormersboy(stormersboy)-15: Ja boet. (Sigh). To be honest, it’s starting to bore me a bit. Lots of other things to so, do I really want to watch the Stormers eking out another boring win or suffering another narrow defeat? Cutting my toenails is more exciting.
17 May 2011, 09:28 am
Don’t be ridiculous boys. Especially you stormers fans now. Go back a couple of weeks Grant was the best thing since sliced bread, and most of you thought he should be Bok number 10. His kicking wasn’t great, but he seemed to have improved a bit.
Now 2 games later and you are ready to drop him for a youngster (albeit talented). Just be a bit consistent for goodness sake!
I am not a fanboy, but Grant is really pretty good. He had a shocker second half saturday, but show me a Stormer that didn’t. He needs more work on his kicks for sure, nobody is denying that. I think he is definitely already better than a year or so ago, he should just keep working on it. But the Stormers could also find some back-up for that in the back 3. Maybe someone else can take the kicks to clear from their 22?
17 May 2011, 09:30 am
Bjorn Basson is a MUST for the boks this year.
17 May 2011, 09:34 am
One esteemed blogger highlighted this weakness before the game. Just chip behind the defence he said. Jantjies is hopless at positional play.
17 May 2011, 09:43 am
@brains_trust(brains_trust)-20: Yessir. That first try he created for Kirchner was magic. The way he changed direction and then found a boost before offloading to Kirchner was unbelievebale.
17 May 2011, 09:52 am
Grant’s just a journeyman. He’ll never be a real general.
17 May 2011, 09:58 am
Grant’s kicking out of hand is pretty piss poor. But surely the worst kick of the weekend belonged to Jean de Villiers. That 90 degree slice to the right must have had some of you weekend golfing hackers shouting “Fore!” at the top of your lungs out of sheer panicky habit.
17 May 2011, 10:31 am
@>^..^< katman(katman)-24: I would have been proud of that slice.
That’s my “extra effort” tee shot right there……
Except mine goes further.
17 May 2011, 10:47 am
@>^..^< katman(katman)-24: As I said in the beginning of the year. The problem with Grant is that he is never that bad for a string of matches that he gets dropped. And even once he is dropped, they always pick him after one or two matches on the bench as his replacements have been mediocre so far. Hopefully Lionel or Gary can be given some more gametime and start shining.
17 May 2011, 10:56 am
@brains_trust(brains_trust)-20: bjorn basson > bryan habana
17 May 2011, 11:48 am
Watching the Stormers on Saturday it was as if you could see the self belief evaporating in the second half – they sort of reminded me of the South African cricket team of the 90′s. Fatntasic when everything was going going to plan but as soon as something out of the ordinairy happened they were spooked and fell into dissaray……pity that it only took one dodgy penalty try against them…. Champion teams overcome those sort of setbacks
17 May 2011, 11:59 am
Peter Grant’s been good all season. Had one bad game. It happens!
Just interesting to note that the first bad game he has had all season was also the first game January started. Mmmm?
17 May 2011, 12:12 pm
Player tackled without the ball in the atten=mpt to dive on it for a try = Penalty try. Sin bin was the bad call but no the penalty try. You cant interfare with the man before he has the ball in his grasp when he is diving to touch it down. Your talking shet Jon.
Now if Aplon had left Kahui alone the bounce of the ball might have made him knock it on but because he was not given a fair attempt to ground the ball, the penalty try was the only option available.
Had that been a stormers player at Newlands your opinion would be different-
17 May 2011, 13:31 pm
@NZMaori(NZMaori)-30: Good points, and you might be right if the situation was at Newlands.
All I want to reply is that Aplon did not grab or push him, he drifted into Aplon’s channel (in a subtle attempt to obstruct and slow Aplon down) and Aplon could not afford to be slowed down or fall over so he did his best to compete to get ahead.
Its not deliberate jersey tugging to prevent a player from getting to a ball, like say, c u n t-face-Cowan on Bakkies (which, ironically, went unpunished)
I agree that the yellow was totally wrong.
17 May 2011, 13:33 pm
I’m not prepared to write them off just yet. The penalty try should not have been given and the bounce of the ball for the second was just plain ridiculous. So yes the kick behind them worked but in both cases could so easily have been construed as really bad options in the attacking positions they were in. But if my aunt had balls she’d be my uncle! Totally agree on Aplon at fullback.
17 May 2011, 14:38 pm
@Sasuke(Sasuke)-4: They were consistent sure, but they also wasted gilt edged opportunities to make score some bonus points. They were at home, with a full squad to choose from. That lack of bonus points will still bite them in the ***. They could have had a nice cushion to absorb hiccups like the losses to the Reds, Crusaders and Chiefs!
17 May 2011, 15:38 pm
@Stormtrooper(Stormtrooper)-32: Agree with you in a very narrow sense about those 2 tries, but on a larger scale its a problem that Stormers are losing to teams this year that they hammered last year (also in Away games).
They dont seem to have the same temperament as last year and that hard-headedness to put teams away and win.
The 2 home losses (Reds & Saders) are likely to be teams they face in Play-offs. This does not bode well as Stormers have relinquished any psycho or physical advantage they had over those 2 (last year 1 point lose in Brisbane, and hammering the Saders).
While Aplon is good enough to play anywhere in any team, Jantjes is VERY good under high ball, and so if teams are now going to kick over the defensive line, should we not have a FB who is good at fielding kicks? (not saying Palon cant, he is just shorter).
Just saddened me how the team feel apart, and equally so in Saders game when it was theirs to take.
17 May 2011, 15:43 pm
The Stormers dominated the Chiefs from lineout play, their rolling mauls were from the old school books of how rugby’s forgotten trade of rolling mauls should be executed. So why then did the Stormers not go back to that formula when the Chiefs changed the momentum of the game. Kicking for territory and then targeting the Chiefs line out ball would have been the better option. This is the difference between being a good side like the Stormers and being a great side like the Saders. Crusaders always go back to that solid core of fundamentals that is almost a rest button to set the foundatiobs of what they want to do. Stormers have the team, its a matter of smart rugby.
17 May 2011, 16:07 pm
It’s those 70 something kg backs who have let the Stormers’s defence down time and again
17 May 2011, 16:23 pm
@garth(garth)-2: good team
while gary is injured lionel should be 10 and aplon 15
17 May 2011, 16:31 pm
@35CSI:Rugby All the opositons do is run the ball back. The avoid the Stormers maul by not kicking out and keeping the ball in play., that and by kicking over the top where the stormers have probably got the slowest defensive fullback in the league.
Stormers need some venom at the back, back 3 of Sade, Aplon and Habana, (yes I know but eventually he will come to light, hopefully with de Jong at outside centre he might have some more space, that and he is hungry for work). Also 1 of the loosies need to start roaming behind the defensive line in support of the kicks.
18 May 2011, 05:34 am
Stormers can’t deal with banana kicks, like the one Stephen Donald did to Sivivatu. And if Stormers backline drop back, the Blues will break the line. Aplon is a machine on attack, but on defense he is a liability, esp when he is one on one with Ranger and Rokocoko and McAlister.
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