Bok veteran backs young flyhalf

Bok veteran backs young flyhalf

9 Feb 2012

Jean de Villiers believes that Gary van Aswegen has ‘unbelievable potential’ and looks forward to playing alongside the 21-year-old pivot in Super Rugby.

While regular flyhalf Peter Grant will feature for the Stormers, he is unlikely to be available until early March. As was the case last year, Grant’s commitments to the Japanese club Kobe Steelers precludes him from the Stormers’ pre-season and impacts on his involvement in the Cape side’s initial Super Rugby games. It’s for this reason that the Stormers have had to search for a more dependable, and potentially a greater, longer-term option.

Van Aswegen held his own during the first few games of the 2011 competition, but it is in the 2012 installment that he will be expected to exercise more control and authority. While Coetzee has expressed his disappointment with the Stormers’ flyhalf group as a collective in the pre-season, he has maintained his faith in Van Aswegen as a player the Cape team can build their game around. And as a senior Springbok and leader within the Stormers set-up, De Villiers has also handed Van Aswegen a ringing endorsement.

‘We’re basically preparing as if Bash [Grant] isn’t going to be here,’ said De Villiers. ‘Gary has done well with the few opportunities that he’s had, and I think we’re in a better position now than we were at the same time last year with regards to the flyhalf situation.

‘Gary is maturing as a player, he has unbelievable potential. I have a role to play in mentoring young players like Gary, but at the same time I’m excited to be playing next to him.’

Van Aswegen has started one game thus far during the pre-season, and will start his second match against the Kings in Port Elizabeth this Saturday. While he will have De Villiers on his outside at No 12, he won’t have the Stormers’ best scrumhalf, Dewaldt Duvenage, on his inside.

If the Stormers feel confident about starting the Super Rugby season with a talented yet inexperienced flyhalf, they should be nervous about fielding two inexperienced players in the key decision-making positions of 9 and 10.

Because of injury, Duvenage hasn’t been considered for the hit-out in PE which would suggest that Louis Schreuder is the favourite to partner Van Aswegen in the halfbacks when the Stormers host the Hurricanes in their opening Super Rugby game.

Schreuder battled to handle the pressure at the base of the ruck when he last started against the Lions. That match also highlighted some concerns around his tactical game, and whether he has the aptitude to fill the void left by Duvenage. He struggled against the Lions and that in turn had an adverse effect on Van Aswegen’s game. The Stormers will hope that this match against the Kings gives the young pair a chance to get things right before they confront the real thing on 25 February.

Meanwhile, Coetzee has confirmed that while Van Aswegen will start the season as the first-choice flyhalf, fullback Joe Pietersen would be taking the goal-kicks.

By Jon Cardinelli


67 Comments

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  • 51.hendrikp: Reply to this comment
    9 Feb 2012, 12:51 pm

    @Sasuke-50:

    Yup he probably would be an alright bet. He didn’t score too great when he was coming off the bench for the Stormers, but will probably see more ball this season & doesn’t miss too many tackles.

    I’ll drop Johan Goosen in Week 2, because he’s going to get pulled off a lot of the time for Sias Ebersohn…

  • 52.mshiniwami: Reply to this comment
    9 Feb 2012, 12:53 pm

    @hendrikp-48:

    Benson Stanley or Ben Smith in mdifield

  • 53.hendrikp: Reply to this comment
    9 Feb 2012, 12:53 pm

    @hendrikp-51:

    Only got Johan Goosen in Week 1 because they’re playing the Lions. Good opportunity to put up BIG numbers, if they hit their stride from the very start.

    But Sadie, Cruden & O’Connor are the ones I’m ‘banking on’.

  • 54.mshiniwami: Reply to this comment
    9 Feb 2012, 12:54 pm

    Where do u play?

  • 55.hendrikp: Reply to this comment
    9 Feb 2012, 12:55 pm

    @mshiniwami-52:

    Ben Smith would be alright. Benson Stanley isn’t going to be starting IMO. The likely centre combination will be Ma’a Nonu & Rene Ranger.

  • 56.hendrikp: Reply to this comment
    9 Feb 2012, 12:56 pm

    @mshiniwami-54:

    http://superrugbyfantasy.foxsports.com.au/

    When you’ve signed up and picked your team, join the league called “keo.co.za”. The code is 150-3348.

    Sasuke, what is your team name? Mine being pretty obvious :lol:

  • 57.mshiniwami: Reply to this comment
    9 Feb 2012, 13:06 pm

    1.Wyatt Crockett
    2.Dan Coles
    3.Charlie Famuiana
    4.Sam Wykes
    5.Bekker
    6.Alcock
    7.Thompson
    8.Lee

    9.Pretorius
    10.Carter
    11.Poki
    12.SBW
    13.De Jongh
    14.Maitland
    15.Ben Smith

  • 58.hendrikp: Reply to this comment
    9 Feb 2012, 13:11 pm

    @mshiniwami-57:

    Crockett will get pulled off the field lots, remembering they have 3 very good props.

    Alcock won’t be starting I don’t think. Word is McCutcheon is the starter, or am I wrong?

    Carter is out for the first few rounds. If you want a cheap player to start with, maybe take Bleyendaal who will be starting in his place, and only costs $75k?

    Poki is injured.

  • 59.Sasuke: Reply to this comment
    9 Feb 2012, 13:21 pm

    @hendrikp-56: Konoha FC! lol I am use to playing soccer fantasy leagues I even called this one FC!

  • 60.hendrikp: Reply to this comment
    9 Feb 2012, 13:23 pm

    @Sasuke-59:

    Cool! No idea who any of the others are :lol: I’m sure we’ll find out if they do alright in the scoring though.

  • 61.Sasuke: Reply to this comment
    9 Feb 2012, 13:27 pm

    @hendrikp-60: I just recognise Sasori from the Blog. Our names are from the same Anime.

  • 62.mshiniwami: Reply to this comment
    9 Feb 2012, 14:11 pm

    @hendrikp-58: @mshiniwami-57:

    I hadnt submitted team. Here is my submitted one

    1.Coenie
    2.Dan Coles
    3.Charlie Famuiana
    Reserve: CJ

    4.Bekker
    5.Whitelock
    Reserve: Clarke

    6.Alcock
    7.Thompson
    8.Lee
    Reserve: Kolisi

    9.Pretorius
    Reverse:Kingi

    10.Carter
    12.SBW
    13.De Jongh
    Reserve:Sadie

    11.Aplon
    14.Maitland
    15.Dagg
    Reserve:Morahan

  • 63.>^..^< katman: Reply to this comment
    9 Feb 2012, 14:27 pm

    Who broke the bloody website?

  • 64.>^..^< katman: Reply to this comment
    9 Feb 2012, 14:29 pm

    Shall we just have our conversation in the “Recent Comments” column? At least over there you can say moerskont.

  • 65.stormer in a teacup: Reply to this comment
    9 Feb 2012, 14:32 pm

    Moderation in all things I’m told. Even my comments.

  • 66.hendrikp: Reply to this comment
    9 Feb 2012, 15:01 pm

    @mshiniwami-62:

    Nice, only advice I can give you, besides player advice, would be…

    You’ve got both Maitland and Dagg. Problem is when the Crusaders have a bye, you will more then likely run into trouble with not having enough transfers, especially as your team already has many players who aren’t starting for their respective teams.

  • 67.Gtown: Reply to this comment
    9 Feb 2012, 16:15 pm

    I’m in.

    C&P’d mshini’s format.

    1. Coenie
    2. Chili
    3. JC
    Reserve: CJ

    4. Bekker
    5. Sykes
    Reserve: Juandre Kruger

    6. Brussow
    7. Alberts
    8. Vermeulen
    Reserve: Kolisi

    9. Hougaard
    Reserve: Kerr-Barlow

    10. Jantjies
    12. O’Connor
    13. SBW
    Reserve: Goosen

    11. Aplon
    14. JPP
    15. Dagg
    Reserve: Kamana

Pages: « 1 [2] Show All

Keo.co.za has always promoted uncensored views, but has never tolerated racist or crass outbursts. Come on guys and girls. If you can't moderate yourselves or each other then I am going to be forced to regulate the posts and enforce a registration process for comments. The choice is yours.

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