Young guns remain in Stormers arsenal
7 Mar 2012
Eben Etzebeth, Frans Malherbe, Siya Kolisi and Steven Kitshoff have officially committed to the Stormers until 2015.
All four of these youngsters signed contract extensions on Tuesday in what is a massive boost to the forward depth of the Stormers and Western Province.
The news comes just three days after Kitshoff (20) turned in a powerful scrum showing against Springbok tighthead Jannie du Plessis, while Etzebeth (20) and Kolisi (also 20) made just as big an impact in general play. While he was deployed from the bench, Malherbe (20) also made his mark.
Stormers coach Allister Coetzee said he was thrilled with the performances of these players, three of whom made their Super Rugby debuts in round one against the Hurricanes.
He added that it was also a strong indicator that the rugby structures in the Cape are working, as apart from Kolisi, Etzebeth, Malherbe and Kitshoff are products of the WP systems and all attended school in the region.
‘It’s been great to see these guys come through, and absolutely fantastic that we can keep them in the province,’ Coetzee said. ‘There’s always a lot of talk of players leaving the Cape and accepting other offers, but this [Tuesday's signings] shows that some believe it would be a wiser move to remain down here.
‘These young players have proved that they’re good enough to compete at Super Rugby level and good enough to become Boks in the next year or two. It’s no secret that other unions are prepared to pay huge amounts for their services, but fortunately we’ve moved quickly enough to secure their signatures.’
Forwards coach Matt Proudfoot said the signing of these players was significant with regards to the future of Stormers and WP rugby. Massive strides have been made since Rassie Erasmus took control of the franchise in late 2007, and Proudfoot believes the latest development will ensure the team builds on its strong forward reputation.
‘I can’t think of a team that has won a major tournament without a dominant pack,’ he said. ‘It’s important that we continue to grow in this area, and I’m very happy that these players have committed [for the next three years].’
The Stormers have made a winning start to the competition and their pack has largely outmuscled that of the opposition. While they are not yet the finished product, Proudfoot said the forwards had progressed since the pre-season, where they were heavily criticised at the set piece.
‘We don’t want to peak in the pre-season, we want to peak at the right time. It was a good performance last week but there are still things we can improve on.
‘We will have to be more accurate when we come up against the Blues and Bulls [in the coming weeks]. After that, we will have two big challenges [on the overseas tour] against the Reds and Crusaders.’
If Kitshoff and Malherbe continue to flourish, the Stormers scrum should reap the benefits. It will also help the Stormers to know that they have other options at the lineout, as Andries Bekker is only three games (including the pre-season outing against the Kings) into his comeback from a serious injury, and will need to be managed carefully in the next few weeks.
Rynhardt Elstadt is expected back in action next week, and Quinn Roux is another youngster that’s impressed the Stormers coaches and could make his debut soon.
While Etzebeth has enjoyed a fine start to his Super Rugby career at No 4, he could also be used in the No 5 position. De Kock Steenkamp is another No 5 option.
Meanwhile, Kolisi will continue to start at No 6 for the Stormers in the absence of captain Schalk Burger. Burger won’t be back until the second tour match against the Crusaders, and so Kolisi will be expected to maintain the high standard set in the first two matches.
By Jon Cardinelli
45 Comments
6 Mar 2012, 17:23 pm
That’s great news Dragons!!!
6 Mar 2012, 17:34 pm
eben is far and away the standout in this awsome foursome.
6 Mar 2012, 17:41 pm
get that dough…
6 Mar 2012, 17:48 pm
What about the grusome twosome, Brock and Tiaan. What’s their commitment?
6 Mar 2012, 17:55 pm
How many times are they going to change the headline to this article, bored JC?
3 times already!
6 Mar 2012, 17:59 pm
Good news for WP. finally.
6 Mar 2012, 18:03 pm
@PissAnt(PissAnt)-6: was malherbe a baby bok, cos i think the other threesome were.
6 Mar 2012, 18:20 pm
Malherbe and Kitshoff didnt play junior rugby world cup last year. Etzebeth and Kolisi did.
Steven Kitshoff is born in 1992 so he still could play this year.
Great news for the Stormers, the future is stormy
6 Mar 2012, 18:25 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-7:
Malherbe only played SA schools.
6 Mar 2012, 18:27 pm
@Markel77(Markel77)-8:
Kitshoff was in the U/18 national elite squad I believe, did not play for Baby Boks though.
6 Mar 2012, 18:32 pm
Yep, as the article says:
Kitshoff (20)
Etzebeth (20)
Kolisi (20)
Malherbe (20)
Some more young talent:
Elstadt (22)
Nizaam Carr (20)
Koster (23)
Ntubeni (20)
And then these okes are also still youngish for forwards:
Steenkamp (25)
Vermeulen (25)
Fourie (25)
Blaauw (25)
Harris (26)
So I must say, it might be a bit early this year, but at least in the fatties department things seem to finally be coming right.
6 Mar 2012, 18:33 pm
@wpjoulekkading(wpjoulekkading)-11:
Now for a scrumhalf and flyhalf.
6 Mar 2012, 18:38 pm
Dont forget promising lock Quinn Roux, he is 21 years old.
6 Mar 2012, 18:39 pm
@PissAnt(PissAnt)-12:
Yep!
Well, to be honest it’s hard to pinpoint exactly where the troubles lie. Of course a world class 10 makes a giant difference in any team.
But while Grant is for sure not world class, he is pretty decent. I would think that if you place him among good players he should be able to do a job. If we give him the benefit of the doubt, what is preventing the backline from fully clicking? Duvenhage? Jean de Villiers?
Or is it the coaching? I liked Fleckie as a player, but that doesn’t mean he is a good coach.
6 Mar 2012, 18:40 pm
@wpjoulekkading(wpjoulekkading)-14:
Don’t mind Grant so much, he is okay – I simply do not rate Duvenhage and never have.
6 Mar 2012, 18:41 pm
YES… !!!
Just could not help myself from shoutin’
What’s his name, what’s their names?
Now looky here, looky here y’all
The young bloods, yes they are
The young bloods…
The young bloods…
You can’t get ‘em out of Newlands!!!
The young bloods, yes they are
The young bloods…
The young bloods..
You better leave our young players alone…!!
6 Mar 2012, 18:41 pm
@Markel77(Markel77)-13:
So, for locks we have:
Roux, Elstadt, Bekker, Etzebeth and Steenkamp.
I hope whoever loses out on playing berths doesn’t get frustrated and leave.
6 Mar 2012, 18:41 pm
@ufo(ufo)-16: Can I have some of what you are on?
6 Mar 2012, 18:44 pm
Well, at least they have secured some decent young talent going forward, but what were they doing last year when most of their back line stars got raided.
6 Mar 2012, 18:49 pm
@wpjoulekkading(wpjoulekkading)-18:
hehehe…
you in cape town…?
step out side…
preferably up a mountain path…
exhale as hard as you can…
then gulp in a huge lung-full of air…!
get’s me high every time…!!!
6 Mar 2012, 18:51 pm
@wpjoulekkading(wpjoulekkading)-18: @ufo(ufo)-20:
And he knows all about mountain path I can assure you!
6 Mar 2012, 18:53 pm
Well you’ve got to celebrate your successes, I guess, no matter how small.
6 Mar 2012, 18:53 pm
@ufo(ufo)-20:
Haha, I wish! I’m working in Belgium for a bit. But actually busy contemplating a trip home in a couple of months, maybe I can catch a game or 2 at Newlands!
6 Mar 2012, 18:54 pm
@Tacitus(Deucalion)-22: Daar is altyd ‘n drol in die drinkwater.
6 Mar 2012, 18:58 pm
@Tacitus(Deucalion)-22:
hehehe
meow…
you’re right… what does that say about us…?
guess you have to knock everyone else’s ‘successes’, i guess, no matter how small…
what does that say about you…?
6 Mar 2012, 19:42 pm
@wpjoulekkading(wpjoulekkading)-24:
Hehe.
6 Mar 2012, 20:56 pm
he he he
6 Mar 2012, 21:13 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-7:
Kitshoff, Ntubeni & Malherbe were all ignored last season because they were part of the Stormers training group. Dawie Theron refused to pick anybody who couldn’t attend all of his Baby Boks training camps.
Same story with Marcell Coetzee & Jaco Taute (who was only called up as an injury replacement).
Kitshoff is still available for them this year though, and looks likely to go in as first-choice loosehead considering Rassie & co flipped out about that policy last year.
6 Mar 2012, 21:21 pm
Pietersen, Vd Heever, Aplon
JdV, De Jongh
Van Aswegen, Duvenhage
Vermeulen, Elstadt, Kolisi
Etsebeth, Bekker
Malherbe, Fourie, Kitshoff
Liebenberg, Harris, Steenkamp, Koster, Schreuder, Grant, Habana
Ntubeni, Blaauw, Roux, Carr, Groom, Coleman, Poolman / Brache
foundations are laid and the depth is there – pity that Sadie and Engelbrecht were lost because Fourie and Habana commanded such high purse.
So
Kirchner, Ndungane, Basson
Olivier, Venter
Steyn, Hougaard
Spies, Potgieter, Stegmann
Kruger, Steenkamp
Kruger, Chili, Greyling
Wepener, Kirsten, Vd Merwe, Stander, Vermaak, Fouche, Engelbrecht / Sadie
May want to try spoil the party – will remain to see if they do
I put my money on Stormers in Cape Town
6 Mar 2012, 21:57 pm
Air punches all round.
6 Mar 2012, 22:17 pm
Arsenal need to overcome a 4-0 first leg deficit after their hammering by AC Milan. Half an hour gone and they’re halfway there. 2-0 and counting. Could it be?
6 Mar 2012, 22:36 pm
3-0 halftime. Waddayaknow.
6 Mar 2012, 22:41 pm
@>^..^< katman(katman)-32: Who knows, anything is possible. Even 24 – 0.
6 Mar 2012, 22:47 pm
@Finfan(Finfan)-33: Ha ha, I saw that. Some nobody club up against Mamelodi Sundowns.
6 Mar 2012, 23:51 pm
@wpjoulekkading(wpjoulekkading)-14:
It’s probably a little bit of everything – no world class 9/10 combination, JdV taking the wrong option a little too often these days, and the backs have never really picked the right angles to run and pass far too laterally (which should be coached out).
I don’t mind Bash and think he does a decent job, but JdV is only just doing an okay job these days too and I’m unconvinced by Duvenhage at this level – he seems uncomfortable getting the ball out unless the whole backline is in position… which of course means the opponents are too, hardly helps.
However, excellent news on the youngsters!
7 Mar 2012, 04:02 am
Kolisi reminds me of a jelly bean. The ease with which opponents rip the ball off him is quite remarkable. Only John Smit and Danie Rossouw were worse for losing the ball in contact.
7 Mar 2012, 08:00 am
Bloody fantastic news.
No more “light five” accusations can be levelled at the Stormers.
Now – a scrumhalf and flyhalf, if you please.
Pretty please.
Hell, maybe Beauden Barrett would like Cape Town? He already has a hairstyle that will make him feel right at home in Parow.
7 Mar 2012, 08:34 am
@WP Till I Die(WP-Forever)-37:
You must read what Victor has to say about the Stormers tight five in his book.
He says that perceptions are often not reality. He was talking about certain perceptions that people had about the Bulls and their “10 man game” and how they’d scored more tries than anyone that year,
But he used the Stormers as another example. People had the perception that their forwards were lightweight and that they concentrated on the backline to score tries. This perception went back to the ’80s when the backline was arguably one of the best in the world, but their forwards are nothing to sneeze at, and that you underestimate them at your peril.
7 Mar 2012, 08:54 am
Great news this. Kitshoff and MadHerb are the future for the Stormers scrum.
“Kolisi, Etzebeth, Malherbe and Kitshoff are products of the WP systems and all attended school in the region.”
Didnt Kolisi go to Grey College?
@wpjoulekkading(wpjoulekkading)-17: Bekker and Etzebeth starting with Elstadt on the bench.
7 Mar 2012, 08:56 am
@WP Till I Die(WP-Forever)-37: lol “He already has a hairstyle that will make him feel right at home in Parow.”
7 Mar 2012, 09:12 am
@kwas(kwas)-36: Seriously? Kolisi ripped more balls off other people than he lost. Also, if you want to talk about offering the ball up to the opposition, look no further than the new Bulls hard man, Potgieter. Seems to have been trained by the Daniesourus himself.
7 Mar 2012, 09:27 am
@>^..^< katman(katman)-41:
I think Kwassie is looking at things from a different prism… you know the one that reflects different shades of colour
7 Mar 2012, 09:27 am
@PissAnt(PissAnt)-12: Fully Agree !!!! I have not seen anything remotely exciting about Van As Wagen yet. Sorry just dont see the fuss and I dont know why he is afforded so much chances ? At scrummie we are also suffering after losing such great talent to the bulls and sharks in that department.
7 Mar 2012, 13:22 pm
Kolisi has impressed me. He has been slated for losing the ball in contact, but that should be relatively easy to coach. He offers some balance in the Stormers backrow. In my opinion, Burger, Vermeulen and Koster are the current best 3 at the Stormers but they shouldn’t start together.
Starting backrow:
6. Kolisi
7. Vermeulen
8. Burger
To change to the following after subbing Kolisi:
6. Burger
7. Vermuelen
8. Koster
The problem with the Stormers is not their forward pack. It is no pass JDV at 12. JDV is good enough to warrant a starting position at the Stormers, but possibly at 13.
7 Mar 2012, 21:09 pm
all these Duvenhage and Van Aswegen slaters and rugby boffs that can’t see **** for toffee apples when it comes to rugby..
Stick around.. Van Aswegen and Duvenhage gonna be making you cleverdick morons eat all those dandy tasteless words…
As if Duvenhage didn’t already do so when he led Stormers single handed out of position at playing at 10 in Auckland last year… Shame on some you feeble frauds pretending you actually know something relevant about this game…
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