Etzebeth is new Stormers enforcer
22 Feb 2012
Rynhardt Elstadt has failed a late fitness test and will be replaced by Eben Etzebeth for the Stormers’ first Super Rugby match against the Hurricanes.
Earlier this week, the Stormers were confident that Elstadt would recover from an ankle injury to take his place in the second row. But following further testing it’s been decided that the No 4 lock won’t be risked. He will however be ready to play against the Sharks next week.
This leaves the Stormers without an established enforcer option, and coach Allister Coetzee has decided to hand Etzebeth the responsibility in his very first Super Rugby match.
‘Eben is an out-and-out No 4 lock,’ said Coetzee when asked to explain why a more seasoned second rower like De Kock Steenkamp wasn’t preferred. ‘Yes he is a youngster and often youngsters make mistakes, but he has great potential and I have no doubt that he is ready to make the step up at Super Rugby level.’
As reported on Monday, Juan de Jongh will not feature because of a jaw injury. Bryan Habana will partner Jean de Villiers in midfield, and this move opens up a space for Gerhard van den Heever on the wing.
Gary van Aswegen will start at flyhalf in the absence of Peter Grant, who is still playing rugby in Japan, and will be joined by Dewaldt Duvenage in the halfbacks.
Nick Koster will start at No 8 despite the return of regular eighthman Duane Vermeulen. Vermeulen will play blindside flank.
Coetzee added that Deon Carstens, who was recruited from Saracens in the off-season, wasn’t considered because of a lack of game time at tighthead prop. Coetzee feels that the Stormers have the right front row balance in Steven Kitshoff, Brok Harris and reserve prop Frans Malherbe at this stage of the season.
Stormers – 15 Joe Pietersen, 14 Gerhard van den Heever, 13 Bryan Habana, 12 Jean de Villiers, 11 Gio Aplon, 10 Gary van Aswegen, 9 Dewaldt Duvenage, 8 Nick Koster, 7 Duane Vermeulen, 6 Schalk Burger (c), 5 Andries Bekker, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Brok Harris, 2 Tiaan Liebenberg, 1 Steven Kitshoff.
Subs: 16 Siyabonga Ntubeni, 17 Frans Malherbe, 18 De Kock Steenkamp, 19 Siya Kolisi, 20 Louis Schrueder, 21 Burton Francis, 22 Marcel Brache.
107 Comments
22 Feb 2012, 12:29 pm
eben the enforcing dragon…!
22 Feb 2012, 12:33 pm
hell these guys better be up for this game and not take anything for granted against the hurricanes…!
22 Feb 2012, 12:34 pm
If the Canes weren’t so poor, I’d be seriously tempted to pick them for this game.
Heck, I’m still tempted to pick them.
22 Feb 2012, 12:40 pm
@Tacitus(Deucalion)-3:
Do not threaten, please pick them.
And then after the game you can look at the fat round zero behind your name for that round on Superbru.
22 Feb 2012, 12:41 pm
I wonder what happened to Deon Carstens?
22 Feb 2012, 12:41 pm
If he really is family of Cliffie Etzebeth and plays anything like him, I really pity the Stormers’ opponents this year.
22 Feb 2012, 12:44 pm
@WP Till I Die(WP-Forever)-6:
Cliffie is his uncle
22 Feb 2012, 12:46 pm
@WP Till I Die(WP-Forever)-6:
did you see him take on heinrich in the cheetahs game…?
for a young buck it was pretty impressive… physical without losing his cool in the slightest…!!
22 Feb 2012, 12:46 pm
@WP Till I Die(WP-Forever)-6: Cliffie is his uncle.
22 Feb 2012, 12:46 pm
Glad Etsebeth’s been picked ahead of Steenkamp.
Also pleased Brache is on bench ahead of Poolman – provides more options.
Let’s see if Stormers can thrive without the ball-slowing/stealing abilities of Flouw and the defensive organisation skills and quality play of Mossie.
Hope Habana goes well.
Bottom line – Stormers have been given too hard a time for a team who has been consistently one of the top performers in SA conference and in Super Rugby over the last few years.
I also reckon, by the end of the competition, all other SA franchises may be envious of the Stormers’ second row stocks (Elstadt, Roux, Bekker, Etsebeth).
Then again, Sharks have Marais, Du Toit and Bresler.
Bulls have Van Der Merwe, Kruger, Steenkamp.
Lions have Greef and Botha.
Still would rather have those four Stormers players ahead of the others as tall timber though.
22 Feb 2012, 12:47 pm
@Robzim(Robzim)-5:
very good question… thought he was gonna cover both sides…?
22 Feb 2012, 12:47 pm
Eben is a very solid prospect, not just for the Stormers no 4 jersey but in time for the Springboks.
Keep an eye on this guy.
22 Feb 2012, 12:48 pm
etzebeth has big shoes to fill as elstadt showed his mongrel last year manhandling bakkies with ease at loftus. at a reported 117 kg, 5kgs more than mouritz botha he is a mountain.
22 Feb 2012, 12:48 pm
Ah, ok. I have it now.
Cliffie Etzebeth is Eben Etzebeth’s uncle – Cliffie is Harry Etzebeth’s son.
Went to school at Tygerberg Hoërskool.
22 Feb 2012, 12:49 pm
Yes, it’s interesting that Ntubeni and Mahlerbe were preferred to Lewis and Carstens.
It’s pleasing to see that all SA franchises seem to be embracing youth – makes a refreshing change.
A tough worried about Stormers front row technique, but that young Kitshoff is a beast… er…ox…er…
22 Feb 2012, 12:49 pm
@Robzim(Robzim)-7:
Cliffie still wrestles, in the “Masters” division.
Him and Skattie were notorious in the 70s and 80s around Goodwood/Epping/Ruyterwacht.
Just ask TheTackler
22 Feb 2012, 12:50 pm
How did the Kiwis lose that one?
See I’ve always maintained that arrogance is but a mask; as one Kiwi commentator remarked: They’re running out of ideas, the South Africans
So in the end the Proteas snatch victory from the jaws…
2 – 1 to South Africa!
Well done South Africa, again
22 Feb 2012, 12:54 pm
@WP Till I Die(WP-Forever)-16:
Apparently the Tackler played Darts for UCT’s 4th team and one evening after a match against Epping he bumped into Cliffie outside the hall.
He is still running, was last seen in Wellington, NZ.
22 Feb 2012, 12:56 pm
@stormersboy(stormersboy)-12:
that he certainly is… at least we signed this young gun up… gonna serve us well in years to come…
think he will become a fan favorite too… and not just with wp fans…!
22 Feb 2012, 12:56 pm
@WP Till I Die(WP-Forever)-16: Cliffe won the world title a few years back I believe.
22 Feb 2012, 12:57 pm
@puff(puff)-15:
quite a few question marks over the stormers at this point…
hopefully they become exclamation marks on saturday…!!!!
22 Feb 2012, 12:57 pm
@stormersboy(stormersboy)-12:
I agree, I reckon in two or three years’ time the Springbok locks will consistently be Etzebeth at 4 and Bekker at 5.
22 Feb 2012, 12:58 pm
@Robzim(Robzim)-18: LOL you can run but you can’t hide…..
@ufo(ufo)-19: I hope so!!
22 Feb 2012, 12:59 pm
What’s with all the Cliffie love?
22 Feb 2012, 13:00 pm
Who was the stormers last enforcer?
Robbie K?
22 Feb 2012, 13:01 pm
@WP Till I Die(WP-Forever)-22:
stem saam…
@stormersboy(stormersboy)-23:
he has all the requisite attributes… it’s up to him to go and grab ‘it’ with both hands by the scruff of the next and not let go…!
22 Feb 2012, 13:01 pm
Why am I getting the distinct feeling that the Proteas are playing against New Zealand in India?
Is Eden Park in India?
22 Feb 2012, 13:02 pm
scruff of the neck…
22 Feb 2012, 13:05 pm
@WP Till I Die(WP-Forever)-22:
Elstadt at 4 and Bekker at 5 with Etzebeth on bench to cover both slots.
With Van Der Merwe, Kruger, Mostert and Du Toit – SA is well-stocked again in the lock department moving forward.
22 Feb 2012, 13:07 pm
@Robzim(Robzim)-18:
Quite a bit of tragedy involved there.
Skattie was of course shot dead (he was a debt collector at the time) and one of the other brothers, Kallie, shot his wife and then himself last year.
22 Feb 2012, 13:07 pm
@ufo(ufo)-21:
Ja, is Kitshoff the real deal?
Will Liebenberg regain form he had before spate of injuries?
Will the young locks deliver consistently?
Will the loose trio manage without Flouw?
Will Van Aswegen dominate and remain injury-free?
Will Habana go well in the midfield?
Will the back three be defensively sound?
Keen to see the players provide a resounding YES to all those questions!
22 Feb 2012, 13:10 pm
@the artist formerly known as gunther(gunther)-25:
No, Robbie K was a (relative) softy – the last real enforcers were the winefarmers Schalk B senior, Boland Coetzee and Hempies du Toit. Oh yes, Gert Smal and Theuns Stoffberg too.
TV refs and red cards spoiled it all.
22 Feb 2012, 13:11 pm
Maybe he’s got the temperament of an enforcer but I don’t know about the bulk. Even on the temperament side, I don’t think he would have the street smarts yet at his age. Sounds a bit like wishful thinking to me.
22 Feb 2012, 13:12 pm
@Robzim(Robzim)-32:
Don’t forget Morné.
22 Feb 2012, 13:12 pm
@Tacitus(Deucalion)-24:
huh..?..
ek dog jy hou graag van n man wie sy man kan staan…?
van arms wat n slag kan slaan…
22 Feb 2012, 13:12 pm
@puff(puff)-29:
Yes that is one good unintended consequence of crime in this country – we develop locks
22 Feb 2012, 13:15 pm
@WP Till I Die(WP-Forever)-30:
That is tragic. I knew about Skattie (real name was Chris) but not about Kallie. I think there were about 6 brothers but Cliffie and Skattie were the most notorious, specially Skattie who was the real troublemaker.
One can probably write a book about their (mis)adventures.
22 Feb 2012, 13:16 pm
@welcome to my life, hugh…(i_love_u_bakkiesbotha)-35:
Ek hou van ‘n man wat sy man kan staan,
ek hou van ‘n arm wat ‘n slag kan slaan,
‘n oog wat nie wyk, wat ‘n bars kan kyk
en ‘n wil wat so vas soos ‘n klipsteen staan!
22 Feb 2012, 13:16 pm
Man… this makes me excited for the S15. Every year we Stormers fans say “Maybe this year…” and it’s so nice for a change to be able to admit that we have no chance this year and with the pressure off it’s all about looking ahead and with guys like Etsebeth, Carr, Kolisi, Kitshoff, Van Aswegan and Schreuder in the Match 22 I’m feeling good. For the first time in a while Stormers selections are looking beyond the 80 minutes.
22 Feb 2012, 13:20 pm
Goodness me, that is a mediocre bench.
22 Feb 2012, 13:21 pm
@WP Till I Die(WP-Forever)-38:
Ek sien CJ van der Linde se gediggie maak ‘n heavy come-back
22 Feb 2012, 13:23 pm
@puff(puff)-31:
and that’s not all of them…
but yeah… let’s hope the guys stand up and front up on saturday…!!
22 Feb 2012, 13:23 pm
@Robzim(Robzim)-32:
spot on rob…
22 Feb 2012, 13:24 pm
@Robzim(Robzim)-37:
There were six brothers – Cliffie, Skattie, Koos, Harry, Jan, Allie and Callie.
Skattie was shot dead in 1993 in Belhar while debt-collecting. Skattie had shortly before become a “born-again” Christian and had apparently stopped drinking and smoking.
22 Feb 2012, 13:26 pm
@WP Till I Die(WP-Forever)-44:
Oops, seven brothers in total.
22 Feb 2012, 13:26 pm
@willievz(willievz)-40:
ja ja ja ja…
mediocre bench… mediocre team… mediocre coach… mediocre jersey…
we get it…!!
22 Feb 2012, 13:28 pm
Robbo Kempson was the real deal.
Ask the boks of his era.
He liked to settle things with an open handed poesklap that would rearrange your plums.
22 Feb 2012, 13:28 pm
@grunk(grunk)-33:
check out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2CgVJu4g4U&feature=context&context=G268a598AUAAAAAAABAA
at the 5:55 minute mark…
22 Feb 2012, 13:32 pm
@Tarlo(Tarlo)-39:
yeah man…
exactly how i feel too…!
22 Feb 2012, 13:33 pm
This is a very strong team. I like the look of that backline. With Bekker, Vermeulen, Burger and Etzebeth in the forwards the Hurricanes dont stand a chance! Stormers by 25!
22 Feb 2012, 13:33 pm
@the artist formerly known as gunther(gunther)-47:
i see he is forwards coach for the kings now…?
has he moved to madiba baai…?
22 Feb 2012, 13:36 pm
@ufo(ufo)-48:
For Stormersboy? What the hell is that about?
Did you film that?
22 Feb 2012, 13:38 pm
@ufo(ufo)-46: No but seriously, that is one of the weakest (if not the weakest) benches the Stormers have ever fielded.
Unestablished backline combos, young enforcer lock, unbalanced backrow…
A sneaky R50 on the Hurricanes is a good bet.
22 Feb 2012, 13:38 pm
@WP Till I Die(WP-Forever)-44:
I remember reading about a court case that involved Skattie.
He first knocked a local farmer out during a fight in some or other dancehall near Stellenbosch – when the farmer got to his senses a few minutes later he stumbled past Skattie who greeted him with a surprised :” O, jy is weer op?” before knocking him out again.
Hectic dances in those days, lol.
22 Feb 2012, 13:42 pm
@WP Till I Die(WP-Forever)-52:
yeah i did…
stormersboy first picked and mentioned eben etzebeth early last year (or couldve even been the year before…) said we should look out for him… so i did… and have watched his career progress with comments to stormersboy every so often…
stormersboy missed this game… so thought he’d enjoy seeing eben getting physical with brussow…
22 Feb 2012, 13:43 pm
@ufo(ufo)-55:
Hang on, Brussouw is like 4 feet tall, and Etsebeth a 7 footer. What’s to be impressed about?
22 Feb 2012, 13:44 pm
@willievz(willievz)-53:
yeah i know man… we’re not too flash this year…
but will get behind our team 100% and skree our lungs out anyway…
because that’s what wp supporters do…
22 Feb 2012, 13:46 pm
HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA HA HA HA HA HA HA…..
22 Feb 2012, 13:46 pm
@the artist formerly known as gunther(gunther)-47:
Pity he usually picked on blokes half his size.
I do have respect for him though- he finished the Cape Epic and although he came last he showed great guts taking into consideration that he had to “carry” about 120 kg’s
Breyten Paulse , Tiaan Strauss and Corne Krige have also done the race but for them it was relative easier – Breyten is a real athlete and Tiaan and Corne are real hardcore.
22 Feb 2012, 13:48 pm
@Robzim(Robzim)-32:
Schalk senior wasn’t a wine farmer at the time. Just a brekker imported from EP. I reckon WP got tired of having him deck their guys in the lineouts and decided to rather have him with them than against.
22 Feb 2012, 13:49 pm
If they had said Elizabeth is their new half time hair stylist and make-up re-applicator, it would have made more sense.
Which one of you Stormers supporting chops wrote this article ? And have you predicted the Stormers are going to win the Super 15 yet ? And if not – why not ? Are you not feeling well ?
22 Feb 2012, 13:49 pm
@Tacitus(Deucalion)-56:
brussow is one powerful dude… built like a rhino on roids… and with his lower centre of gravity should easily have brought etzebeth down…
just ask martin williams how he liked being tossed around like a sack of mielies…
i saw once on the net that heinrich’s dad is some nutrition scientist and has developed some super-duper supplement stuff that a lot of the boks apparently use… (legally…) and heinrich was weaned on the stuff…
22 Feb 2012, 13:53 pm
@ufo(ufo)-62: It’s just a bit difficult to take Brussouw seriously as a rugby player with that baby face of his. The guy does have power, but he’ll just never carry the stature that someone like AJ Venter or Bakkies Botha do.
22 Feb 2012, 13:53 pm
@David(David)-60:
schalk senior was not imported from ep… he was born in the southern suburbs of cape town…
went to ep for varsity because of their design school… he and one of his brothers wanted to design racing cars…
22 Feb 2012, 13:54 pm
@ufo(ufo)-55: And I certainly did (and do).
He’s the real deal is that fella.
22 Feb 2012, 13:55 pm
@David(David)-60:
He is originally from CT – went to school at Paarl and did B Com at Stellenbosch before he went to play for EP- I think that is where he learnt to become an enforcer (the Human brothers tought him) and , as you said, WP then got him back – i think Jan Pickard offered him a position in one of his companies.
22 Feb 2012, 13:55 pm
@ufo(ufo)-64: I nearly thought you were going to say he wanted to design ladies clothing. That would have made more sense for a WP boy.
22 Feb 2012, 13:55 pm
@ufo(ufo)-55: WTF!! Getting physical……. Oh I forgot we are talking the Cape’s finest here. No explanation needed.
22 Feb 2012, 13:56 pm
@Dusky(Dusky)-63:
hehehe…
his looks do bely his power…
22 Feb 2012, 13:56 pm
@ufo(ufo)-69: The baby faced assassin
22 Feb 2012, 13:57 pm
@Dusky(Dusky)-67: Bags packed yet and feel like braking out in ‘Leaving on a jet plain’?
22 Feb 2012, 13:57 pm
@KWAGGA ROBERTSE(KWAGGA ROBERTSE)-71: Nearly….:-) It’s just around the corner now.
22 Feb 2012, 13:58 pm
@Dusky(Dusky)-63:
Brussow is also a very good actor- ask the Samoans.
22 Feb 2012, 13:59 pm
@stormersboy(stormersboy)-65:
me too…
don’t wanna put the mockers on him… but as wptid said earlier… barring injury of course… i believe he and bekker will be the bok locks in a year or two…
to me he is a cross between bakkies and vic… does great stuff in the line out and gets about the park and puts in the physical stuff too…
22 Feb 2012, 13:59 pm
@KWAGGA ROBERTSE(KWAGGA ROBERTSE)-68: I hear the Stormers like to get quite physical for their weekly oil wrestling session. I wonder if Brussouw flew down to join them ? He was probably missing that kind of training session at the Cheetahs.
22 Feb 2012, 14:02 pm
@ufo(ufo)-74: Actually – all jokes aside. I also think Etzebeth is a bright prospect. When he played for the baby Bokkies, he looked very good. Him and Nizaam Carr (spelling ?)
22 Feb 2012, 14:04 pm
Haven’t seen a lot of Etsebeth, but glad we are giving the youngsters a chance.
How’s his discipline?
22 Feb 2012, 14:05 pm
@Dusky(Dusky)-75: Hehehehe. Must say I am a Ratel fan. Klein kak maak die lewe moeilik vir die ander span.
Good memories of him getting McCaw to spit like a farking snake out of frustration.
22 Feb 2012, 14:06 pm
@Dusky(Dusky)-75: Check yourself buddy….
Or you’ll meet me in the parking lot
22 Feb 2012, 14:07 pm
@willievz(willievz)-77: Should do alright next to Parkie Peester.
22 Feb 2012, 14:07 pm
@Dusky(Dusky)-76:
quite right on both accounts…
22 Feb 2012, 14:08 pm
@ufo(ufo)-62:
Nothing like Freestate steaks to build up the farmboy’s strenght.
And milk fresh from the cows’s teat.
22 Feb 2012, 14:10 pm
@willievz(willievz)-77:
actually very good willie…
that was more the point i was trying to make… pushed and shoved with brussow but never got angry… kept cool…
and doesn’t give away penalties either…
22 Feb 2012, 14:12 pm
@Mr Black(Mr Black)-82:
he’s not called ratel for nothing…
may mean nothing outside south africa… but we know no one’s gonna get such a nic for nothing…
22 Feb 2012, 14:13 pm
i’m talking too much…
cheers guys…
later…
22 Feb 2012, 14:14 pm
@ufo(ufo)-83: With a fair bit of backpeddaling from Ratel, no less…..
22 Feb 2012, 14:14 pm
@WP Till I Die(WP-Forever)-38:
tac was singing this gedig just yesterday with regard to tough blokes and their blikseming abilities
22 Feb 2012, 14:23 pm
Guys what’s the KEO Superbru pool?
22 Feb 2012, 14:28 pm
@welcome to my life, hugh…(i_love_u_bakkiesbotha)-87:
Tac sang the following:
Ek like ‘n man wat sy man kan staan
Ek like ‘n Bul met ‘n pienk rokkie aan
22 Feb 2012, 14:46 pm
So Hurdles replaced Habana at two Superrugby franchises now? Get the picture Bryan?
22 Feb 2012, 14:54 pm
@ufo(ufo)-48: Nice vid. Plenty of mistakes, but some good strong carries.
22 Feb 2012, 14:57 pm
Tac, you out there?
From the Stormers Facebook group:
“Did you know: Juan de Jongh and Louis Shreuder can squat 2.7 times their own body weight and Bryan Habana is the fastest Stormer over 40m, running the distance in a blistering 4.77 seconds”
Seems Habana is still faster than Shadow…
22 Feb 2012, 14:58 pm
And Bryan is still a Bok at both of them and Hekkies nie. Get the picture pumpkin?
22 Feb 2012, 15:02 pm
@Taahirah(Taahirah)-92: Aren’t you thinking of an ant?
22 Feb 2012, 15:03 pm
I think Dusky has confused his meds with smarties to no good end.
22 Feb 2012, 15:09 pm
@Taahirah(Taahirah)-92: he knows this already and sulked the whole day when it came out
22 Feb 2012, 15:14 pm
I don’t think its wise to take the Hurricanes lightly, even though everyone is suggesting they will struggle. This however is a very strong looking Stormers team, if Habbana can actually play centre properly it could be a great start to the season for the Stormers. Here’s hoping Brian knows how to pass!!
22 Feb 2012, 15:16 pm
@Taahirah(Taahirah)-92: His argument will be if he was still at the Bulls, this would not be the case!
22 Feb 2012, 15:40 pm
@Mr Black(Mr Black)-89:
tac wont like that
22 Feb 2012, 15:42 pm
hundreds…
22 Feb 2012, 15:50 pm
@>^..^< katman(katman)-91:
shot bud…
yeah… very scrappy game…
shot for the wine tips too… will try them out…!
22 Feb 2012, 17:02 pm
@ufo(ufo)-101:
two guys on a rugby blog sharing wine tips… how very capey
22 Feb 2012, 17:44 pm
this my ideal Stormers side as currently available barring injury
15 Joe Pietersen
14 Gerhard van den Heever
13 Juan de Jongh
12 Jean de Villiers (c)
11 Gio Aplon
10 Gary van Aswegen
9 Dewaldt Duvenage
8 Duane Vermeulen
7 Rynhardt Elstadt
6 Siya Kolisi
5 Andries Bekker
4 Eben Etzebeth
3 Frans Malherbe
2 Tiaan Liebenberg
1 Steven Kitshoff
Subs: 16 Deon Fourie / Siyabonga Ntubeni, 17 Deon Carstens, 18 De Kock Steenkamp, 19 Nick Koster / Nizaam Carr, 20 Louis Schrueder, 21 Bryan Habana, 22 Marcel Brache.
22 Feb 2012, 22:40 pm
Why is it that the stupid Stormers under Alistair Coetzee are so bloody fussy about a number 4 lock and a number 5 lock being a completely different species.
Too many good locks have gone to WP and had their careers ruined by this stupid approach. If you can jump and be lifted at the front of the lineout, you can easily do the same in the middle.
Adriaan Fondse and Anton Van Zyl among a few more come to mind.
23 Feb 2012, 01:53 am
Etzebeth is the best young lock I have seen in years. This kid has Bok written all over him. He was by far the best Bok U20 last year. For a big guy 2.03m and 120kg he gets around the park, has high workrate and loves to go on the charge.
The Stormers have some serious beef in the lock department, with 3 of them being 21 and younger. They have Bekker 28, 2.08m and 122kg, Elstadt 21, 1.98m and 118kg, Eztebeth 20, 2.03m and 120kg and Quin Roux 21, 1.98m and 125kg
23 Feb 2012, 03:01 am
@Sheriff(Sheriff)-17: I know what you mean..I sort of think it’s like..’pride comes before a fall..’
23 Feb 2012, 04:31 am
Not long now and we up to 99 registered tipsters…would have been a nice round 100 but some turkey decided to resign from the pool yesterday, feck knows why!
http://www.superbru.com/superrugby/pool.asp?p=230425
Pool name: Muppits fly Business Class
Pool code: earnpent
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