Coetzee denies BMT concerns
3 Jul 2011
Allister Coetzee says the Stormers don’t suffer from ‘stage fright’, despite them losing a home semi-final and three other big matches at Newlands this season.
It was the same old, same old disappointment from the Stormers. After the Super 14 final and the Currie Cup semi-final defeats to the Bulls last year, they blew another play-off tie as they delivered a dismal display against the Crusaders that saw them lose 29-10.
Realistically, the Cape side were favourites for the win. The game was played in their own back yard and had the previous week off while the Crusaders had to travel from New Zealand immediately after their qualifier triumph over the Sharks the Saturday before. Despite this advantage, Coetzee’s men imploded. The hosts looked like they were the ones who travelled around the world for the match as they were outplayed and beaten convincingly.
In retrospect, the semi-final hiding against the Crusaders was the Stormers’ fourth big defeat at Newlands in 2011. They lost against the Reds, Crusaders (again) and Bulls during the league stage at home – all pressure fixtures. After the loss against the Bulls, Coetzee defended his team by saying they won more close games this year, even with a flyhalf injury crisis. After Saturday’s semi-final loss, Coetzee lamented the performance but argued that the players didn’t falter because of the pressure.
‘We didn’t suffer from stage fright. We were beaten by a better Crusaders side,’ Coetzee told keo.co.za. ‘There is reason to be critical. We were poor in the scrums, we made elementary errors and the Crusaders capitalised on turnover ball.
‘We also let ourselves down tactically. By half-time, the Crusades made 70 tackles while we only made 20. We had more ball but we were playing it in the wrong areas of the field. We played with two inexperienced scrummies too and they did well. The loss of Dewaldt Duvenage was huge though as he’s been in these type of situations before and he’s been instrumental for us.
‘But I don’t think we lost because of stage fright. We just need to take this defeat on the chin and move on. This has still been a successful season.’
Inside centre Jean de Villiers said the Stormers’ early missed try opportunity had an effect on the game.
‘We scored the first points of the match, but we should’ve scored a try,’ De Villiers said. ‘We ran about four or five phases near the try line and decided to go with the short options. The Crusaders would’ve been happy with only conceding three points in that situation. After that, they scored an intercept try and from then the momentum swung their way.
‘I think these play-off defeats will help us in future seasons. The Bulls lost play-off games before they won their first Super Rugby title. It’s flipping tough but we just need to keep our chins up.’
Coetzee added that he believes silverware will come soon as he plans to bolster his squad, especially now that flanker Francois Louw (Bath) and lock Anton van Zyl (Stade Francais) will head for Europe.
‘We want to win trophies but we will need to create depth in certain positions,’ said Coetzee. ‘The Crusaders had Matt Berquist and Brent Ward to depend on when they had injuries. Both of those players had Super Rugby experience. The Bulls also have depth as they always have quality players coming off their bench.
‘We need to build a squad of 40 players. There’s plenty of character here but we need to get it right. The trophies will come.’
By Gareth Duncan
175 Comments
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3 Jul 2011, 13:47 pm
@Tacitus(Deucalion)-47:
ja, i second that…
3 Jul 2011, 13:49 pm
@Tacitus(Deucalion)-47: I would like to take credits for your conversion but I presume that common sense must have been barking at your door for quite a while now.. enjoy the sunshine
@Hondo(Hondo)-46: Tacitus has just left laager.. I think its all yours now.. put out the fire when finished with the sausages.. gates close at 5
3 Jul 2011, 13:52 pm
Catch you all later
3 Jul 2011, 13:59 pm
Maybe the Stormers don’t have BMT, considering that was possibly the worst i have seen them play the whole season yesterday.
Even Bekker who I rate highly was very poor, they just didn’t seem to have any rhythm or something.
3 Jul 2011, 14:04 pm
I am with Tacticus on this. The Stormers are likely to be weaker next year than they were this year. They will lose players – Louw is a big loss already as is van Zyl, who should have received plenty more game time this year, and yesterday’s game is the kind of demoralising loss which causes some players to jump ship.
The Stormers’ game plan has also been figured out, and found wanting. This will have to change next year. The question for the Stormers is, who do they buy, and what type of players do they buy?
Short term purchases such as CJ, Habana and Fourie haven’t delivered a trophy, and in some ways, has slowed down the development of players such as de Jongh.
A major point of difference that the Stormers have is the huge amount of young talent in the region. They need to start doing something with that talent, rather than trying to buy success.
3 Jul 2011, 14:09 pm
@WOLFMAN21(WOLFMAN21)-55:
please refer to post #48
3 Jul 2011, 14:19 pm
@WOLFMAN21(WOLFMAN21)-55: If Fourie sticks around he should be made Captain. He runs defence and was the best back on the field yesterday. Hopefully he won’t run off to France quite yet.
3 Jul 2011, 14:24 pm
@he’s not the messiah. he’s a very naughty boy!(i_love_u_bakkiesbotha)-56: Crusaders are a different team to the Stormers, with a different situation, and a different developmental pattern.
Their current success helped by the fact that they have had world class players such as McCaw, Thorne and Carter for a number of years now, and they have recruited wisely, something which is made possible by the Kiwi system. Guildford and Dagg have made a massive difference.
Their youngsters have also been able to step up when they have lost players. Their number 13 is better than Lualua, Franks has outperformed a guy like Somerville, Wyatt Crockett has been great, and getting Sonny Bill has off set the loss of Bowden, and Todd performs when McCaw can’t play. Read has also really come into his own, and is still young, plus they have another 9 Whitelock brothers who are waiting for a chance to play.
If they manage to keep the team together, and depending on players such as Carter, the Crusaders could be better next year than they were this year, and possibly even better the year after.
As for the Stormers, their forward pack needs perhaps 3 or 4 new players (front-row, a lock and a backrower). Their flyhalf is mediocre, Habana doesn’t offer much, and they need a new fullback. Depending on JDV and Fourie, they might also need a new centre.
Do they buy older players such as Viljoen, younger players such as the Ebersohns, or develop the players already in their systems, realising that they might take a couple of seasons to gain experience.
3 Jul 2011, 14:28 pm
@he’s not the messiah. he’s a very naughty boy!(i_love_u_bakkiesbotha)-48:
Really?
Who won the title in 2008 then – one of Blackadder’s first season’s in charge?
3 Jul 2011, 14:31 pm
@WOLFMAN21(WOLFMAN21)-58:
your analysis is pretty much there or there about i agree but would you really have said any of this about the crusaders last season or the season before? and to top it off, if you did say it and they then lost the next three seasons (albeit closely) would you then write them off as having possibly squandered their ‘cyclical peak opportunity’ as tac seems to think the stormers have?
3 Jul 2011, 14:33 pm
In my view the Sharks peaked in 2007, the Bulls in 2009 and the Stormers in 2010.
It just so happens that the Bulls achieved a lot more in the buildup to their peak, and retained enough good form after moving past their zenith to still win the trophy in 2010 even though they were already on a downward curve due to ageing stars in their team.
The Bulls peak was simply put much longer and at a much higher level than any other SA team has ever been able to achieve.
3 Jul 2011, 14:35 pm
@Tacitus(Deucalion)-59:
yes your right, sorry, but its still just one in four attempts out of a possible five so far.
i think perspective is important.
3 Jul 2011, 14:40 pm
@he’s not the messiah. he’s a very naughty boy!(i_love_u_bakkiesbotha)-48:
Todd has in fact only been the Crusaders Coach since 2009.
3 Jul 2011, 14:42 pm
@WOLFMAN21(WOLFMAN21)-58:
Another 9 Whitelocks………………………………………….well one anyway Wolfie.
8)
3 Jul 2011, 14:44 pm
@he’s not the messiah. he’s a very naughty boy!(i_love_u_bakkiesbotha)-62: What are you trying to prove? That the WP are not chokers or that Blackadder is an unlucky coach or what?
3 Jul 2011, 14:44 pm
@cane(cane)-64: It feels like there could be 9!
I thought the Crusaders had 5 on their books.
3 Jul 2011, 14:45 pm
@he’s not the messiah. he’s a very naughty boy!(i_love_u_bakkiesbotha)-62:
I’m afraid it is that ‘perspective’ which leads to the acceptance of the status quo, the repeated unrealistic expectations, and ultimately to the decade and counting long trophy drought in Cape Town.
3 Jul 2011, 14:46 pm
@WOLFMAN21(WOLFMAN21)-58: How are the Stormers to buy all these players when they don’t have any money?
3 Jul 2011, 14:48 pm
No end to the arrogance of the Mountain Goats:
http://www.sport24.co.za/Rugby/Super15/Jean-de-Villiers-Were-where-Bulls-were-20110703
Jean you got a hiding, this is quite a statement
3 Jul 2011, 14:49 pm
First off, what an awesome performance by the Crusaders. And if you think they were awesome on the field, you should see how humble these guys are off the field. Champions in every sense.
I find it interesting on how the Stormers should now go out an buy new players… Why?
For my money, the Stormers are onto something great here and ‘buying’ mercenaries would destroy what has been built towards in the last 2 to 3 years.
The only players confirmed leaving the Stormers at the moment, is Anton van Zyl, Ricky Januarie and Francois Louw.
Of course, question marks are hanging over JDV, Fourie and Habana, but even if they leave the Stormers have manage to groom players in the last 18 months that could easily make the step up albeit not replacing the experience if counted in caps.
Pieter Louw could easily fill the shoes of Francois Louw, and in the wings you still have Koster, Kolisi and Carr.
Duvenhage is not going anywhere, and in Schreuder and Groom who now also received a taste of Super Rugby, why go look for someone else?
Never really quite rated Grant, but with Lionel Cronje, Gary van Aswegen and young Coleman – why shop around? Experience? Who?
The Stormers have unearthed a gem in Sadie and with De Jongh, even if Jean and Mossie leaves – why invest in a high profile player?
So what if Habs leaves? Engelbrecht and Danie Poolman both cut their teeth at Super Rugby level – why go shop?
Anton van Zyl might leave a gap, but how well did Elstadt step up this year partnering with Bekker? Invest in a high profile experienced player? It would be stupid.
There is no doubt the Stormers scrum got destroyed last night, but so did our Springbok front row Sharks team not too long ago. So is the problem the props, front row or their ability, or perhaps technical aspects that need refining or even conditioning? Stormers tried to ‘buy’ experience in the front row in CJ van der Linde, and he has been ****, even worse than the youngsters learning their trade.
There is no point for the Stormers to go an invest in high profile players – that money can be used to find and groom depth for guys stepping into the shoes of high profile players leaving.
Find an alternative for Elstadt and Bekker, and that does not necessarily need to be a high profile player.
So too all the other positions they might be short on depth.
The players the Stormers have now are good enough to step up – they all showed it in various stages of this competition.
Invest in a culture, not mercenaries.
3 Jul 2011, 14:51 pm
Jean DV… : He drew a comparison with the Bulls team of the mid-2000s, who started to show some promise after years of Loftus malaise with successive appearances in Super 12/Super 14 semi-finals in 2005 and 2006.
“They lost each time then (to the Waratahs and then Crusaders) but eventually in their third year they managed to get the tournament win,” De Villiers noted.
____________________________
The ego has not landed
3 Jul 2011, 15:13 pm
I belive the Stormers best buy was Jaque Fourie, he has proved himself a world class centre.
I would look to keep Habana, Fourie and De Villiers. I also belive that post 2011 De Villiers should move to no.14 and Juan De Jongh should be placed at no.12..
15 Gio Aplon / Lionel Cronje
14 Jean De Villiers / Danie Poolman
13 Jaque Fourie / Tim Whitehead
12 Juan De Jongh / Johaan Sadie
11 Bryan Habana / JJ Engelbrecht
10 Peter Grant / Gary Van Aswegen / Kurt Coleman
9 JANO VERMAAK / FRANCOIS HOUGAARD / Dewaldt Duvenhage
8 Duane Vermeulen
7 Nick Koster / Pieter Louw
6 Schalk Burger
5 Andries Bekker
4 Rynhard Elstadt / De Kock Steenkamp
3 CJ Van Der Linde / JC Kritzinger / Brok Harris
2 Tiaan Liebenberg / Deon Fourie / S Ntubeni
1 Steven Kitshoff / Wickus Blaauw / Frans Malherbe (spelling)
3 Jul 2011, 15:16 pm
Jean did his overseas stint, I’ll doubt he will do another. Fourie got recently married, so even if there is still a case for him, it won’t be a straight forward decision.
Habs… Well, who knows.
3 Jul 2011, 15:17 pm
Burger cannot be captain anymore. The best games Schalk Burger plays are when he has nothing else to concentrate on than what he is doing. He doesnt play well with the responsibilities of the team and strays away from hitting rucks etc…
Anton Van Zyl is a good leader so it is dissapointing that he is going to Stade Francais
The Stormers do need to make some new signings to the squad, every team has signings so stop this old talk of only building from within because no team should be made to wait for youngsters to develop. The time is now and the time to go out on win tophys is now. The Stormers have won at Loftus, The Shark tank, Bloem and Joburg this season. This bodes well for the Currie Cup. WP need to go one step further this season in the CC than last year. Yesterdays match was so dissapointing. They will be kicking themselves today.
3 Jul 2011, 15:21 pm
@Rhys7(Rhys7)-74:
Who should they buy?
3 Jul 2011, 15:30 pm
@Rhys7(Rhys7)-72: Keep Habana and you won’t win a cup
3 Jul 2011, 15:49 pm
Stormers lost because they were completely complacent, since when do you try and attack the crusaders from basicly everywhere? And when they attacked they were way to deep, all the saders did was fan out and tackle aggresively! Am I the only one did saw gaping wholes close to ruck, if the stormers picked and go a bit then saders would have defended a lot closer to the frnges leaving space outwide. This semi was by far the most dissapointing game I have seen this year. If the stormers want 2b succesfull next year, they need props, openside flanker and fullback
3 Jul 2011, 15:57 pm
1. Identify the problem.
2. Construct a plan.
3. Execute.
4. Goto (1).
The key is to grasp the problem, or problems. Some obvious symptoms:
- scrum disintegration
- lineout failure
- failing to cope with defensive linespeed
- ball retention
- weak kick-return
- terrible tactical kicking
- …
Some of these are clearly personnel issues. #9 was industrious, brave accurate and commendable, but predictable. Consequently the rush defence killed the Stormers back line. Both #9 and #10 should have targeted the Carter channel more, with support from loose forwards. Vermeulen was missed.
3 Jul 2011, 15:58 pm
… Ok, I give up. Can’t type at this interface. You probably get the drift …
3 Jul 2011, 16:49 pm
Simple question: Whats “BMT”? Something to do with Mental Toughess or Intestinal Fortitude?
Can some-one clear this up for me. Ta.
3 Jul 2011, 16:53 pm
@PissAnt(PissAnt)-70: PA, players aside, what is your opinion on the current coaching staff? Because I’m still not convinced Coetzee is the man to take this side forward.
3 Jul 2011, 16:56 pm
@BillTong(BillTong)-80: Mental toughness, the ability to subdue the butterflies and doubts and win the big ones, close them out.
Something the Sharks could not do in 2007 and it hurt them for years after. I still don’t know if we are going to win sometimes, even 20 clear and 10 to go.
3 Jul 2011, 16:57 pm
@Yetirat(Yetirat)-81:
I raised criticism of Allister in the past where I do not believe he backs himself enough to make the tough calls.
I think AC is great for the team, he manages them well and they have huge amounts of respect for one another, I am just concerned that when the crunch comes, he does not back himself enough.
3 Jul 2011, 16:57 pm
@BillTong(BillTong)-80: Big Match Temperament – it’s all the rage right now. It slots in with other hot words like “x-factor” when people think they’re onto something “cool” in modern rugby talk.
3 Jul 2011, 16:59 pm
@Yetirat(Yetirat)-84: Nah, BMT has been around forever. In the old days the Boks had the BMT over the kiwis, then isolation and it’s been reversed since. Except World Cups of course. NZ can’t and won’t win another one.
3 Jul 2011, 17:02 pm
@PissAnt(PissAnt)-83: He reminds me so much of Jake in so many ways – it’s no wonder Jake was suggesting him to be the next Bok coach. He is so unreservedly loyal and risk averse. Conservative in his choices to the point where you start to worry he’s not reacting where he probably should be.
3 Jul 2011, 17:03 pm
@Yetirat(Yetirat)-86:
Cannot disagree with that.
3 Jul 2011, 17:06 pm
So – it’s not Bloody Marvellous Team then !
That, of course, would be the Crusaders….
3 Jul 2011, 17:09 pm
@BillTong(BillTong)-88: Not sure who plays better for the Saders, Ritchie or Bryce Lawrence
3 Jul 2011, 17:14 pm
@goyougoodthing2(goyougoodthing2)-89:
Well, since Bryce wasn’t in Capetown yesterday, I’d have to say that its probably Richie…
But I think there were 8 “Richies” in the Crusaders forward pack yesterday – those guys really stood up. Will be interesting to see whether they can front up again next week. If they can play like that again, and take the space and time away from Genia and Cooper, they’ll win again in my opinion….
I don’t think they’ll kick as much next week either – Quade is no Peter Grant with his goal kicking (which is why I think they kicked as much as they did – they didn’t want to play the game in their own half.
3 Jul 2011, 17:22 pm
@BillTong(BillTong)-90: Well they will have Ritchie and that cheating referee so my money is on them. Unfortunately.
Mind you, might be the only cup NZ wins this year.
3 Jul 2011, 17:22 pm
@PissAnt(PissAnt)-87: Where do you draw the line though? We all understand the value of continuity but its worthless if it’s not accompanied by some level of progress. If the board of Directors hauled AC into the boardroom to evidence his progress over the last 3 years, would he really have anything to show them?
3 Jul 2011, 17:24 pm
@Yetirat(Yetirat)-92: What do you want though, the government has had 17 years and nothing to show for it, what can one man do to a rugby team in 3?
3 Jul 2011, 17:25 pm
@cane(cane)-63:
its actually since july 2008 but that still adds up to 4 seasons and only 1 trophy.
3 Jul 2011, 17:28 pm
@cane(cane)-63:
well he was appointed in july 2008, and, (i’m asking because i’d like to know) did deans see out the whole of the 2008 season? anyway that still adds up to 3 seasons and only 1 trophy (so far) bar next week.
3 Jul 2011, 17:29 pm
@goyougoodthing2(goyougoodthing2)-91:
Don’t think so.
NZ already has won:
- The World Sevens Cup.
- The Junior RWC
Then there’s;
- The TriNations
- The Bledisloe
And of course,
- the wee Gold One in October
3 Jul 2011, 17:32 pm
@goyougoodthing2(goyougoodthing2)-91:
There was a very nice shot of ‘Snor” on TV at the start of the game yesterday – looking very “chipper’ and “jack the lad”.
Then they showed him again towards the end of the match – he more or less had his head in is hands, and was looking away from the pitch. It had probably just stuck him what he’s up against in about 2 months…..
3 Jul 2011, 17:36 pm
@goyougoodthing2(goyougoodthing2)-93: Yeah luckily for us Province/Stormers haven’t been nationalised just yet, so we can keep those types of numbers far away in a dark place for now. That’s a- whole-nother level!!
3 Jul 2011, 17:40 pm
@goyougoodthing2(goyougoodthing2)-65:
that you guys are not putting ac and the stormers performance into proper perspective. the crusaders have been the ones playing ‘all’ the rugby and receiving ‘all’ the coaching but have not done well in the last four years. only 1 trophy out of 4 and a possible 5 attempts. the stormers and ac have also been there or there abouts for the last few years. now, if we all agree that this isnt the special olympics where we can all be winners then how are the stormers any worse than the crusaders comparitively?
3 Jul 2011, 17:42 pm
@BillTong(BillTong)-96: There is, but the one you want, it’s not going to happen.
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