Stormers address problems with pressure
15 Jun 2011
JON CARDINELLI speaks to assistant coach Matt Proudfoot about the Stormers’ struggles at the lineout and how they plan to improve ahead of their meeting with the Cheetahs.
Head coach Allister Coetzee has described last Saturday’s performance as the worst of the season. While accuracy and intensity were sadly lacking, the most disappointing aspect of that defeat was the Stormers’ failure to handle the pressure.
The Bulls kicked relentlessly on the Stormers’ back three, hassled the home side at the breakdown and contested strongly at the lineouts. It was in the latter facet of play where Victor Matfield showed his experience, effecting some telling steals and infiltrating the minds of the Stormers’ decision makers. As Matfield and the Bulls increased the pressure, the Stormers eventually cracked.
‘We used a new lineout system for that Bulls match and we had done our homework, but unfortunately our execution just wasn’t good enough,’ Proudfoot told keo.co.za. ‘We began to feel the pressure and obviously didn’t do a good job of dealing with it.
‘It’s something we spoke about at length when we got together at training on Tuesday. Hopefully that Bulls game will act as a learning experience. In the big games, you have to be able to handle the pressure.’
Proudfoot is confident that the Stormers will be up for the Cheetahs’ challenge in Bloemfontein this week. The central franchise has always had a reputation for their lineout prowess, and may fancy themselves after seeing the Stormers outplayed by the Bulls.
‘They’re a team that loves to mix it up. On attack they vary their play very well, and on defence they look to disrupt the opposition throw and then attack from the turnvovers.
‘It will be a very different challenge to the one we experienced at Newlands last week. The Bulls are more structured and you more or less know what to expect, but the Cheetahs are an entirely different prospect. If we don’t improve our accuracy, they will kill us with those turnovers.
‘The Cheetahs try to pressure you at the set-piece and force you to concede possession, and then that’s when a guy like [scrumhalf] Sarel Pretorius comes into play. He’s very good at getting in behind the defence and then their ball carriers are difficult to stop.’
Proudfoot said he was pleased with Stormers’ scrummaging effort in last week’s match but expects something different from the Cheetahs. The Bloemfontein side boast some impressive players in Coenie Oosthuizen, Adriaan Strauss and WP Nel, and the scrum is coached by Bok front-row legend Os du Randt.
‘We will take some momentum into this game after that solid showing against the Bulls,’ Proudfoot said. ‘It’s crucial that we do well against the Cheetahs, who are a very well coached side. I’m sure they’ll have a few tricks up their sleeve, so once again, we’ve got to handle that pressure.’
50 Comments
14 Jun 2011, 18:46 pm
wake up boys!
14 Jun 2011, 18:46 pm
why change the tried and tested lineout concept for such an important game?besides that the stormers implosion in big games at newlands is of a great concern and securing a home semi might mean nothing at the end of the day.
14 Jun 2011, 18:55 pm
Fact is. Deon Fourie, while he’s been a much improved player this year and thankfully filled the gap very well, is a terrible lineout thrower. Tiaan by contrast is a much better all round player.
Deon makes a great sub. Tiaan must come back. Anton Van Zyl in at 4 and your Lineout woes dissapear.
14 Jun 2011, 19:03 pm
Well, the only team that struggled more during lineouts against the Bulls than the Stormers, are the Cheetahs. Every Cheetah lineout felt like inevitable Bulls possession. Will be interesting to see the Stormers’ and Cheetahs’ lineouts, both struggling, going against each other.
We need someone who can keep up with Ashley Johnson’s speed – pick Koster at 8 or 7.
We need a decent back 3 – bring Aplon to fullback and try JdV or Johan Sadie at one of the wings.
We need Peter Grant to not get injured again and be able to settle in after weeks of no game time – start another fly half and bring Grant on after 30 minutes or start Grant replace Grant at half time. That’s a tough one, but we can’t afford Grant being unavailable during finals.
If the Reds lose, we need to score 4 tries so guys like JdJ, Jaque Fourie, Aplon, Sadie and Koster have to be used!
Come on, Allistair Coetzee, impress me!
14 Jun 2011, 19:12 pm
Bulls have got the psychological edge over the Stormers if these two teams meet again.
Coming top of the log means nothing, ask any Sharks fan.
14 Jun 2011, 19:13 pm
@Caper(Caper)-4: do you think koster will be able to stop aj?……..ok
14 Jun 2011, 19:13 pm
Januarie has to go: whenever the Stormers got hold of the hall (which was so infrequent maintaining possession was crucial), he fluffed it. He knocked on, dropped the ball or passed badly, which meant that possession became even more infrequent and players outside him tried to force play’s as a result. He wasn’t the link between forwards and backs, nor did he drive anything tactically – he simply got in the way.
14 Jun 2011, 19:17 pm
@Willy(willyzn)-5: after both teams won away the bulls suddenly have the psychological edge.i seriously hope that you are not a psychologist by professionhow will the bulls have a psychological edge when they will be preparing on sunday for the start of the currie cup.
14 Jun 2011, 19:26 pm
@gunther is nazi-loving german rent-boy(Valkyrie)-8:
Saturday was a chance for the stormers to stamp their authority and show the team lying 6th (or 7th) who’s boss, they couldn’t do it . That’s why i say the Bulls have the Psychological edge.
BTW i’m not a psychologist, it’s just an opinion.
14 Jun 2011, 19:29 pm
Januarie out with a hand injury….
14 Jun 2011, 19:33 pm
@Willy(willyzn)-9: no problem bud.honestly i think newlands have a psychological edge over the stormers.they had three chances at home against top team to have shown their mettle but they flunked it spectacularly.
14 Jun 2011, 19:35 pm
Good news – who replaces him Grant10?
14 Jun 2011, 19:42 pm
@BigScrum(BigScrum)-12: earl rose
14 Jun 2011, 19:42 pm
@gunther is nazi-loving german rent-boy(Valkyrie)-11:
I wish i had your confidence in the Sharks beating the Bulls this week, our midfield ia revolving door, but i take heart from the imagination that came into the back line when Michalak came on.
14 Jun 2011, 19:44 pm
@grant10(grant10)-10:
Just read that same thing. Find it funny how it’s written like it’s a bad thing.
The only good Januarie brought, IMO, was the complete change in playing style when he came on.
14 Jun 2011, 19:51 pm
@Willy(willyzn)-14: sharks are always up for a scrap at loftus and they have alberts and deysel back as well…..it’s gonna be war!!
14 Jun 2011, 20:00 pm
@gunther is nazi-loving german rent-boy(Valkyrie)-16: Both teams will treat it as a final and nobody will stand back. Deysel and Alberts both very destructive, but i think too predictable, they need to pass the ball once in a while to mix things up and confuse the defence.
14 Jun 2011, 20:06 pm
@gunther is nazi-loving german rent-boy(Valkyrie)-6: He’s the only Stormers loosie who could match his pace and effectiveness in loose play. Vermeulen and Flo are big guys, not the fastest blokes on the field. I rate Johnson very highly. One of the best loose forwards in SA and unique in his style of play. Koster is young and not as great as AJ, but also good. The Stormers need someone to keep up with AJ. Koster is the best man for the job.
14 Jun 2011, 20:13 pm
Cape trophy drought set to end
2011-06-14 19:56
Cape Town – SANZAR has unveiled the trophies that will be presented to the respective Super Rugby Conference Winners in Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.
The South African trophy will make its first appearance on Boots ‘n All on SuperSport on Thursday this week.
ai ai ai…..the stormers will be the butt of all sharks and bulls jokes if they win the saffa conference.
14 Jun 2011, 20:21 pm
The lineout was not the reason they lost, but the stormers were trying to execute a particular tactic, which was they kept throwing long to the back of the lineout, presumably for their backrow and backs to peel quickly and attack off of, but its always a riskier throw and a big gamble in that sort of game, especially close to one’s own 22, which is where i believe liebenberg (not fourie) chucked the long ball which hougaard gobbled up on his way tryline toe.
14 Jun 2011, 20:24 pm
@cab(cab)-20: Bekker was making the calls so he didn’t want to go up against Matfield.
14 Jun 2011, 20:29 pm
“Beligerent Bulls” … “Errant Sharks” …” Stormers address problems” ha ha ha gotta love this biased journalism.
14 Jun 2011, 20:32 pm
@kevin w(kevin w)-21:
he took quite a few himself, dunno what the lineout stats were, but i dont think there’s much to choose between them, matfield is brilliant at picking off balls, but bekker did it to him last time out, so i dont think it was bekker that was woriied, the article above talks about a new lineout system, i think there was a pre-planned strategy to try attack off the back of the lineout.
14 Jun 2011, 20:37 pm
@cab(cab)-23: It was a joke, but I’m glad to see Matfield back and owning the lineouts once again.
I actually think it was John Smit, Bryan Habana and Pierre Spies’s fault that the Stormers lost those lineouts. I mean everything is their fault. In fact, I think they may even have been consultants for Lehman brothers before the crash of the US economy.
14 Jun 2011, 23:04 pm
Head coach Allister Coetzee has described last Saturday’s performance as the worst of the season….
They should rather get Dr. Phil to sort out their heads
14 Jun 2011, 23:21 pm
Breezers do not have a problem with pressure.
Breezers have shot their bolt.
A successful defensive game plan for most of the season has now been found out and taken on board by teams other than the Reds and Crusaders who worked them out ages ago…
Get the ball behind their defensive line and its half the game won.
Read my lips – its the gameplan, stoopid!
14 Jun 2011, 23:24 pm
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-26: The Blues also worked out the Stormers in the first half of their game against them and then changed tack in the second half by trying to keep possession. Never have I seen such stupidity by a team so firmly in control despite what the other team was doing…
Its all over Breezer boytjies. QF knockout looming. Sorrry for yooou!
14 Jun 2011, 23:43 pm
useless bunch of nincompoop idiots
they got the brainiest 2nd rower in the country sitting on the bench who is now gatvol and going back to Jo’burg who should be captain, they got the wrong captain playing out of position at open side flank which is the furthest position from his true playing style, and who actually prefers to play 1st center because that is where he is deployed all game every game, they got the full back playing wing, they got the best line break center in the country sitting on the bench waiting for a chance to show his stuff, they got the most exciting 2nd center in the country not even in the 22, they got the best blind side flank in the country playing No.4 lock, they got the quickest lightweight hooker in the country starting when he should be playing impact off bench when the more robust hooker should start if up against a heavy weight robust pack. They got arguably one of the best roving line break No.8′s with speed, rugby brains and hands way beyond the qualities of the dunce captain sitting on the bench coming on for little last ditch cameo 10 minute stints when all is lost in advance, they got their entire loose trio all arse about face playing wrong positions, the fetcher playing blind side, the ball carrying 1st center playing open side, the best blind side flank in the team playing lock, the best captain brains in the team and able lock sitting on the bench twiddling his thumbs while watching Rome burn before his eyes while the flank plays in his position and the other lock is busy playing out on the wing. They got a has been deadbeat wing who has opted to rather put on muscles in the gym than hone his hand eye coordination and develop his ailing speed work, and who is likely half blind and needs a new set of contact lenses otherwise he would at least see the ball in the air above his head before he misses it completely through his gaping hands.
A comedy of errors from a management side that don’t know squat f’all about how to put a team together while boasting the best set of players available.
And then they wonder why they lose these games.
Get shot of the useless captain, and play him either at his best position which is not open side flank and remove the captaincy armband from his non captains sleeve. Get shot of the ailing scrum half and the ailing useless wing and ailing full back. Introduce the 2 best center prospects in the country sitting around waiting for Godot to fall off his pedestal, move the blind side flank out of 2nd row which is not his proper position and play him where he should be played at No.7. switch the fetcher from blind side to open side. get the non fetching captain out of open side who thinks he is a 1st center out the back line altogether or better still bring in the proper gain line breaking No.8 sitting on the bench to take his place. start the appropriate hooker for the appropriate opposition, if its grunt you want play the grunt hooker, if its mobility you are after play the mobile hooker. Play the proper leaders in the team as captain, either the senior long standing brains of the back line or else the composite brains in the forwards who don’t even get a game while the mugs ruin the show.
And maybe… just maybe they start winning those games they throw away like dirty dish water down the plug hole just like they did last Saturday gone.
15 Jun 2011, 00:23 am
@ashampoopaloo(joel1yahoo)-28: “Get shot of the ailing scrum half and the ailing useless wing and ailing full back. ”
Skop, thank you for calling it the way it is. Respect.
15 Jun 2011, 00:50 am
@ashampoopaloo(joel1yahoo)-28:
Skop,
Sound your great expectations of AC went south?
Which is indicative of your great faith in mankind, dare not say you might be admiring PdV too?
They only lost by 3 points, if they got rid of Januarie, Coleman, Jantjes and Haban earlier, the game would have beed won
So much so for the mighty Blue Bulls
15 Jun 2011, 04:29 am
@ashampoopaloo(joel1yahoo)-28:
Sjoe! To come so close with ALL those things wrong they must be an incredible team…
15 Jun 2011, 04:49 am
@gunther is nazi-loving german rent-boy(Valkyrie)-19:
Another prime example of Godwin’s Law…
15 Jun 2011, 05:31 am
AC will have to make some bold moves for this next game. I shudder when I say this, but right now starting with Earl Rose may be our only option *more shudders*
15 Jun 2011, 08:32 am
@gunther is nazi-loving german rent-boy(Valkyrie)-16: Oh boy! herein lies the Sharks problem.They have this obssession with Deysel and Alberts!
Both good players and are strong ball carriers but they have no variation at all. You know exactly what’s coming!
Johnson tore up Albert’s bus ticket in grand style in Bloem. And the Bulls can counter Alberts/Deysel by playing Rossouw. Danie has been a monster this year!
15 Jun 2011, 09:21 am
Go Cheaters, beat these fudge packers by plenty!!!!! The Bulls will take care of the Sharks. Wipe out that points dif.
15 Jun 2011, 09:29 am
‘It’s something we spoke about at length when we got together at training on Tuesday. Hopefully that Bulls game will act as a learning experience. In the big games, you have to be able to handle the pressure.’ -
No ******* wonder the Stormers are not winning any major silverware – a ******* LEARNING EXPERIENCE THIS LATE IN THE COMPETITION from so-called ‘professionals’?!?!?! WTF!!!! I am now seriously gatvol of coaches falling back on the ‘learning experience’ excuse. FFS man grow a pair and say you were outplayed and that you never bothered to prepare properly. Surely its time you IMPLEMENT all this learning on the field THIS SEASON…..I’m sure they will use the Super 15 as a ‘LEARNING EXPERIENCE’ for the Currie Cup and the Currie Cup mistakes as a ‘LEARNING EXPERIENCE’ for next season…Are they just stupid??? How much more must they learn!?!?!?!?!??!?
15 Jun 2011, 09:34 am
And to all those Bulls supporters out there, please don’t get so bloody carried away…the Stormers played hondkak and your team probably played at 95% potential and YET they only won by 3 points…A half decent team like the Sharks may just beat you at Loftus. So please stop crowing over one win at Newlands and rather concentrate on the Sharks game this weekend.
15 Jun 2011, 09:41 am
@Xkreni-WP(Xkreni-WP)-35:
You really seem to have major issues with homosexuality, are you by any chance a homosexual and are too scared to admit it?
You dont seem to be capable of posting anything that doesn’t have a derogatory dig at WP or the Stormers.
And I will ask you again, where were you for the rest of the S15 while the Bulls were playing badly?
15 Jun 2011, 09:42 am
@gunther is nazi-loving german rent-boy(Valkyrie)-19:
Uhm..not IF they win..they HAVE won the conference…and why would they be the butt of jokes?!?!?! As the log shows, they have been the most consistent team in South Africa this season, and arguably the best team in South Africa…why would that be the butt of a joke?!?!?!? In any competition worldwide conference winners are awarded a trophy for topping their log…why would this be a joke?!?!?!?
15 Jun 2011, 09:43 am
@Golden Boy(Golden Boy)-37:
your team probably played at 95% potential.
aren’t you a little old to be sucking your thumb?
15 Jun 2011, 09:52 am
@gunther is feeling bullish(gunther)-40:
Sure Gunther….you believe that…I believe the Bulls, as good as you think they are have shot their bolt and even IF they beat the Sharks, travelling to New Zealand will be a bridge to far, so you believe what you want, but this Bulls team is not championship material and the travel factor alone will kill their hopes.
Now please don’t resort to name-calling as this is quite predictable for this site, but rather try and formulate a half-decent argument so that we could have a proper debate.
I look forward to your reply.
15 Jun 2011, 09:58 am
@Golden Boy(Golden Boy)-37:
Yeah, I said something to that effect on Monday. The Bulls are seriously impotent on attack and are one dimensionality epitomized. I know that saying this just reinforces the reality of how poor the Stormers were on Saturday, but the Bulls, if they are close to being what their supporters believe they are, should have put at least 15 points past the Stormers on Saturday.
I am thinking the Sharks are going to surprise the Bulls on Saturday. At least the ineptness of Spies will be canceled out by the mediocrity of Smit. So fourteen decent players agains fourteen – tough call.
15 Jun 2011, 09:58 am
@Golden Boy(Golden Boy)-41:
I doubt the bulls will pull it off. Bulls came out tops in an arm wrestle of a game. the fact is that a team plays as well as their opposition allows them to play.
But that doesn’t mean we have listen to you talking out your hiney about 95% potential yadda yadda yadda.
If you want to talk kak be prepared for someone to call you on it.
15 Jun 2011, 10:08 am
@gunther is feeling bullish(gunther)-43:
Buddy, based on what I have seen of the Bulls ALL SEASON, that was probably their best performance, barring the Sharks game…hence the 95% and for the Stormers based on THE SEASON, that was probably their worst performance and here I include the implosion in New Zealand and the poor Reds game, so I am in fact not talking kak as you so eloquently put it…but then again you seem unable to formulate an argument without resorting to playground bully tactics, so my debate is pointless really….
And please man…”a team plays as well as their opposition allows them to play” for the line outs yes but for players to knock-on without any pressure and to kick a ball out on the full without any pressure thats all down to poor execution and poor conditioning…??? watch the game without your blinkers next time.
Personally I think the Bulls should beat the Sharks, but the Antipodean teams have worked out the Bulls’ game plan and as has been shown this season, have easily outplayed them…so this could be the last big game of the season for the Bulls at Loftus I’m afraid.
15 Jun 2011, 10:13 am
@ashampoopaloo(joel1yahoo)-28:
Wow, could not have said it better myself. To add to your little rant, Schalk playing in the backline was orchestrated and planned because they had no confidence in the Coleman. How is he supposed to hone his skills and make an impact if he never receives the ball at first receiver? He is surely clever enough to realize that the presence of his captain in his position is a vote of no confidence in him? No wonder the poor oke crumbled under the pressure.
The Stormers were so hell bent on spoiling the Bulls lineout that they forgot what to do on their own throw-ins. I suspect that it had to do with the tallest wing in world rugby trying to assert himself against the best lineout lock in the world. Too many ego’s in this team if you ask me. Bekker thinks he is the cat’s cahoonas and openly shouts at the hooker when he does not jump high enough to take the ball. Again, sigh, another indication that the coach does not crack the whip enough and does not show enough courage to go out there and play the game that they are capable of. Always safety first. No team will win any competition if their first priority is not to lose it – it never works because players creep into their shells out of fear of losing. You will not achieve success if you do not take risks and you are too scared to face the reality that you may lose.
Get the selections right – play the guys who want to play: Sadie, Koster, JDJ, Duvenhage and get rid of the dead wood: Jantjes, Januarie, Habana. Come on AC – show some pears boet!
15 Jun 2011, 10:15 am
@Couchcoach(GI POT)-42:
Totally agree Coach…for people to be crowing over a 3 point win (and so nearly a loss) against a poor team is a bit over the top really..to be honest I was expecting a 15-20 point loss at half time but the ineptness of both teams due to the numerous turn-overs and handling errors, etc spoiled what could have been a good spectacle..all this stuff about it being a ‘test match’ is rubbish since the number of errors in that game would probably put Georgia to shame…if the Boks play like that we should not be surprised if we get humiliated this season if that is what a ‘test match’ is like.
15 Jun 2011, 10:28 am
@Couchcoach(GI POT)-45:
Jantjes has been **** since he broke his leg…he seems to avoid contact and spends the game walking around the pitch. I suspect he is incapable of running at full pace or he is protecting his leg…Januarie (what more can I say that hasn’t been said before) but STILL AC persists with him. Like you said, it just highlights AC’s conservatism and inability to think further than the so-called name players (perhaps he is being pressurised by Rassie? Pure speculation, but still…) If Sadie, De Jong, Koster and Aplon had been Australians, they would have been superstars by now. Instead they are getting splints up their arse by being benched week in and week out in place of has beens.
15 Jun 2011, 11:00 am
@Golden Boy(Golden Boy)-44:
play ground bully?
sniff.
you are so cruel.
In your opinion the bulls played at 95% of their potential and the stomers had their worst game of the year.
awesome.
let’s see how the season turns out.
15 Jun 2011, 11:04 am
@Golden Boy(Golden Boy)-47:
jantjes has NO confidence at all.
he is standing in the way of the best 15 in SA (aplon) and Coetzee’s loyalty to him is costing the stormers dearly.
15 Jun 2011, 13:22 pm
@gunther is feeling bullish(gunther)-49:
You are right….so is AC’s loyalty to Habana, Januarie….the list is endless…AC shows a clear lack of ambition….but hopefully this changes with his squad for this weekend…
….would be good to see the Bulls have a play-off game at Loftus…hopefully then SA could have two teams in the semis…As much as I like the Sharks, they just seem devoid of a decent game plan and they are carrying to many passengers to have a realistic chance this season.
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