Bekker on the mend
11 Jan 2012
Allister Coetzee is confident that lineout kingpin Andries Bekker will be ready for the Stormers’ first Super Rugby clash against the Hurricanes next month.
Last July, Bekker wasn’t selected for the Springboks’ Tri-Nations squad because of an ankle injury, and was later advised by medical personnel to proceed with surgery and miss the subsequent World Cup in New Zealand.
The Stormers lock has been working hard to rehabilitate his damaged ankle, and according to the head coach of the Cape franchise, he could be ready to start against the Hurricanes.
Coetzee added that other injured players like No 8 Duane Vermeulen and lock Rynhardt Elstadt, who are both recovering from knee injuries, have also made encouraging progress.
‘All three have started running although they are yet to participate in the full-on field sessions,’ Coetzee said. ‘I’d say that at this stage they look 70% likely to play against the Hurricanes.
‘They are medically fit, but I’d like to see them getting some game time in the pre-season games, at least 40 minutes, before I consider them for the Super Rugby competition.’
Coetzee said that the four scheduled warm-up matches will allow his extended squad some good opportunities before the competition proper commences. The Stormers coach plans to ensure that each player receives 120 minutes over the four matches against Boland, the Lions, the Cheetahs and the Kings.
Presently, the squad is 47 in number, but will be trimmed to 36 at a later date. This large group of players trained at the Hermanus Primary School on Wednesday as part of five-day training camp in the coastal town.
‘I’ve been satisfied with what we’ve accomplished over the past few days,’ said Coetzee. ‘It’s been a tough conditioning phase and we are now in the transition between conditioning and technical training.’
The Stormers’ new recruits, fullback Joe Pietersen, flyhalf Burton Francis, prop Deon Carstens and wing Gerhard van den Heever, all took part in Wednesday’s session, as did several others. Boland’s Clemen Lewis and Bolla Conradie, as well as SK Walmers winger Ederies Arendse have impressed Coetzee with their commitment and work rate.
The Stormers’ management is yet to decide whether the Boland pair will represent their home union or the Stormers when the first warm-up is staged in Wellington next week. Coetzee added that Arendse’s assessment is ongoing, and that he may be tested in the pre-season in order to see whether he is ready to make the step up to Super Rugby.
By Jon Cardinelli, in Hermanus
33 Comments
11 Jan 2012, 13:40 pm
Take your time, Allister. Don’t break these dragons.
11 Jan 2012, 13:46 pm
Bekker is crucial to the Stormers hopes of doing ok in the tournament. That said, he will almost certainly not last the entire tournament. He is just too injury prone.
11 Jan 2012, 13:55 pm
@Tacitus-2: His playing style puts his body on the line too much. He hasn’t learned to manage that properly.
I fear you may be right.
11 Jan 2012, 14:03 pm
bekker will be crucial to Boks and stormers going forward
11 Jan 2012, 14:09 pm
@Tacitus-2: at least he is putting his body on the line instead of meisiekind who is more interested in protecting his permed blond locks.
11 Jan 2012, 14:10 pm
It is a fact that AC played Bekker into the ground, not allowing him the time to rest and recover from an ankle injury – which later needed surgery!
Now I have feeling that Bekker will be played until he drops again this season and it is not because he is a ******. It’s because he has no choice and no Super rugby quality locks in reserve, fact.
So you can expect two former flankers locking the Stormers scrum if sick-notes hurts something.
11 Jan 2012, 14:12 pm
Just in time for the stormers to play him into the ground again.
11 Jan 2012, 14:17 pm
@RL-6: That’s partly true, losing Anton Van Zyl was very disappointing.
11 Jan 2012, 14:21 pm
@the artist formerly known as gunther-7: you reckon so pink artist?
11 Jan 2012, 14:22 pm
why is s adist considered a naughty word and blocked?
11 Jan 2012, 14:24 pm
Meisiekind would fold the poodlesniffer like a Markhams t-shirt.
Without messing his hair.
A service to the canine population who have been living in fear.
11 Jan 2012, 14:25 pm
@Tacitus-2:
@stormersboy-3:
he got a lot of criticism for not being physical enough when he first played for province… and still does from some people…
11 Jan 2012, 14:27 pm
bekker is a great player….if he can stay fit the bok engine room can be built around him…
11 Jan 2012, 14:28 pm
@mvk-9: *toffie*
11 Jan 2012, 14:35 pm
Interested to see how Elstadt performs this year.
Had a great first year of Super Rugby.
Lets see if second season syndrome kicks in.
11 Jan 2012, 14:36 pm
The lineout isn’t the problem, it’s their powder puff scrum.
11 Jan 2012, 14:46 pm
Fcking Biff edges Malinga to the keeper. Out for 6. Good riddance – get a proper batsman in.
11 Jan 2012, 14:48 pm
@>^..^< katman-17:
Smith must be a level 99 at sucking dong.
That’s the only reason i can think off why he still part of the ODI setup.
11 Jan 2012, 14:53 pm
11 Jan 2012, 14:56 pm
@HHS-18:
that guy is like kryptonite between me and a tv.
minute i see him on screen i just lose the will to live let alone keep on watching.
11 Jan 2012, 14:57 pm
Biff is kak, yoh!
11 Jan 2012, 15:02 pm
@NZINCHINA-16:
I larfed when the Saders reversed the guppies last year – but when the Stormers were badly reversed I cried. I don’t know why, maybe it was because of all those CapeSaders who were jumping up and down with glee in their faces.
11 Jan 2012, 15:15 pm
@RL-22: and everyone here accuses me of not liking the Sharks
11 Jan 2012, 15:24 pm
@Transformation-23:
I like some of guppies, like the flashers, Bissie, hugger, Alberts and even Lambie (a little) … the rest of them, especially their suits can burn in hell
11 Jan 2012, 15:36 pm
@RL-24: tl tl tl
12 Jan 2012, 08:36 am
Great News. Bekker, Vermeulen, Elstadt vital to the Stormers pack without them we will struggle. It is because of this trio (plus Schalk Burger) that we outmuscled every other S.A pack. I think we can do it again this year. If only the backs could click this year and score some tries.
12 Jan 2012, 08:51 am
@Transformation-25:
tl tl tl?
Is that the sound your mouth makes when you suck RL’s D……k?
12 Jan 2012, 08:56 am
@Mr Black-27: you would know a lot about c_cok sucking wouldn’t you?
12 Jan 2012, 09:07 am
@Transformation-28:
Thats exactly what you asked me when we last met, and i told you then that i’m not into that ****. So go find a Lion
12 Jan 2012, 09:09 am
26 unfortuantely you have to outmuscle the aus and nz packs as well, your scrum was an embarassment last year
12 Jan 2012, 10:57 am
@NZINCHINA-30: Aus and NZ packs Stormers can handle except Crusaders and Reds. Hopefully a year’s experience can help us gain parity at scrum time versus crusaders? #wishfulthinking
12 Jan 2012, 11:15 am
I love the way Bekker plays, he puts everything into when on the field, I think he was very badly managed and overplayed big time, thats why the injuries, dont think he is naturally injury prone, he will be sorely needed at the Boks.
12 Jan 2012, 11:17 am
@RL-24:
, 99.9% of all us Sharkies are utterly divine.
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