Blues wary of Stormers heavies
14 Mar 2012
Blues coach Pat Lam has been impressed with the performances of Steven Kitshoff, Eben Etzebeth and Siya Kolisi and doesn’t believe the lack of experience will count against the Stormers pack on Friday.
While Lam and his captain Keven Mealamu were all smiles on Wednesday, all is not well at the Blues. They may be coming off a big win against the Bulls at Loftus Versfeld but the team will travel to Newlands without several key players.
All Blacks hardman Jerome Kaino will miss the rest of the Super Rugby season with a shoulder injury. Wing Rene Ranger has been suspended for a dangerous tackle while reserve flyhalf Michael Hobbs was released to join his family in New Zealand following the death of his father, former All Blacks captain and NZRU chairman Jock Hobbs.
On Wednesday, it was confirmed that lock Anthony Boric would miss the game against the Stormers because of a neck injury. As Lam admits, Boric’s injury couldn’t have occurred at a less opportune time.
‘It was a big blow to lose Anthony, it always is when you lose a player of that experience,’ Lam said. ‘Having said that, it now gives a few of our younger players an opportunity.
‘We saw what happened last week with Gareth Anscombe at Loftus [the young flyhalf scored all 29 of the Blues' points] . That’s what you want to see as a coach, young players making the most of their chances when they get them.’
The Stormers’ young players have certainly made the most of their opportunities in the first two matches of the Cape team’s campaign. The 20-year-old Kitshoff has scrummed well, Etzebeth (also 20) has embraced the role of enforcer and added some height to the lineout, and Kolisi (also 20) has flourished as a robust ball-carrier.
Lam said the trio has impressed him and that the Blues wouldn’t be taking these players, nor the Stormers pack as a collective, lightly on Friday.
‘He [Kitshoff] was particularly impressive in that match against the Sharks, so we will have to be on our toes at the set piece,’ he said. ‘We’ve been working hard on our mental approach to this game because it’s going to be a very physical battle. They’ve got some young guys in that pack but they’ve shown they can make an impact at this level.’
Despite a win over the Bulls, a team renowned for its forward play, Mealamu believes the Blues will need to lift their standards at the set piece if they are going to overcome the Stormers.
‘It’s very hard to win in South Africa, it’s always very physical,’ the All Blacks hooker said. ‘We’ve had a short turnaround now but we will be prepared for that challenge at Newlands.
‘While we did well against the Bulls there were still too many errors. We’re hoping for a lift at the set piece, because you want to supply a good flow of ball to your backs. We have a plan and now we have to go out there and execute it.’
By Jon Cardinelli
55 Comments
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14 Mar 2012, 13:45 pm
“and doesn’t believe the lack of inexperience will count against the Stormers pack on Friday.”…
not to be a nazi but that is a funny typo hehehe
14 Mar 2012, 13:45 pm
in more ways than one…
14 Mar 2012, 13:46 pm
was just about to say the same thing…!!
14 Mar 2012, 13:54 pm
Pre match interviews with especially the coaches counts for nothing these days….. Almost as if they are pre – programmed… Hype the other team up…Say nothing that the other team could use as ammo to psyche themselves up for the game… Imagine Pat Lam saying… We gonna target those three players, cos they occupy key positions in the pack and we feel they are not tested and very green yet at this level…
14 Mar 2012, 13:56 pm
they should allow these coaches to ‘suip themselves dronk’ and then conduct the interview… at least they d be more honest….
14 Mar 2012, 14:02 pm
@line break(line break)-5:
true…and in that respect i really loved pdivvy. just candid, illuminating, honesty about what he thinks and feels and it was mostly lost in translation to the rest of the world. why saru decided to muzzle him i’ll never know… its not as if the world understood the gist of most of what he said.
14 Mar 2012, 14:14 pm
Blow smoke up your opponents backsides much, Pat?
Not even the Grey Bloem frontrow is worried about the Stormers “heavies.”
14 Mar 2012, 14:14 pm
Maybe the Blues are wary of Stormers backs too?
Could be that Nonu is missing some sleep over the waiting encounter with Aplon and JdJ?
14 Mar 2012, 14:17 pm
@seamus(seamus)-7:
I am still to see the first TH that Tony Woodcok is ‘wary’ of
14 Mar 2012, 14:40 pm
Be afraid.
Be very afraid.
That’s all I’m saying.
14 Mar 2012, 14:50 pm
“The Stormers’ young players have certainly made the most of their opportunities in the first two matches of the Cape team’s campaign”.
Hopefully, this will be an education to many narrow-minded, conservative rugby supporters and coaches.
Back the young players, the O’Connors, Farrells and Etzebeths of the world.
If you are good enough, you are old enough.
I get so frustrated when people say this player or that player is too young to start.
14 Mar 2012, 14:55 pm
@stormersboy(stormersboy)-10:
They are terrified Brock will sit on one of them.
That’s career threatening.
14 Mar 2012, 14:59 pm
@the artist formerly known as gunther(gunther)-12: Whatever it takes matey.
Whatever it takes.
Actually that Weepu fella could give Brock a run for his money in the portly stakes.
Wouldn’t want him sitting on me.
14 Mar 2012, 15:00 pm
tokoloshe gaan jou vang a lang a lang…
14 Mar 2012, 15:04 pm
@willievz(willievz)-11:Hi Willie. Some players are only good enough as they get older.
So it’s not that cut and dried for me.
14 Mar 2012, 15:05 pm
brok rocks…!!
14 Mar 2012, 15:13 pm
@stormersboy(stormersboy)-15: Hi Stormersboy.
I think the majority of players play their best rugby in their younger years, before they hit 25.
This could be due to many factors – hunger and the physical demands of the game taking its eventual toll are two that spring to mind.
Which of the current pool of SA players can you think of that played their best rugby at an age older than 25?
14 Mar 2012, 15:13 pm
I am realy impressed by the bench. Add Elstad and Carstens and it will almost be as good as the starting lineup
. Would like to see Carr getting a start in Kosters place. Stormers to smash the Blues by 15
14 Mar 2012, 15:26 pm
@willievz(willievz)-17: I’m not talking as late as 25. Some will only mature as they get past 21. So there are some great 19 year old talents out there that may well not yet be good enough, they need different things, including bulk, confidence, more coaching etc,.
Gary Van Aswegen may be one of those guys.
You certainly get the early guys like Frans Steyn and Pat Lambie, but in my opinion they are the exception and not the rule.
14 Mar 2012, 15:36 pm
@stormersboy(stormersboy)-13:
Weepoo is a quarterpounder to Brock’s Gatsby.
if Broko sits on a Blues player they gonna be airmailing that sucker home.
14 Mar 2012, 15:39 pm
@the artist formerly known as gunther(gunther)-20:
Don’t knock the Brock.
14 Mar 2012, 15:43 pm
We thought when the blues left they would come back 4 and 0 . Stormers different game this weekend of course . Who you guys picking now for your top 3 your conference
14 Mar 2012, 15:45 pm
@hunter_c(hunter_c)-22: Stormers, Bulls, Sharks
14 Mar 2012, 15:53 pm
@hunter_c(hunter_c)-22: we understand, the Bulls are starting to be the whipping boys of kiwi teams at Loftus, just last year the Highlanders went there to fetch a whole bag of points including a the much coveted 4-try bonus point.
14 Mar 2012, 16:01 pm
@the artist formerly known as gunther(gunther)-20:
i see a movie coming on here, starring nicholas cage playing lyndon bray and sean connery playing piet byleveld. set somewhere inside the geography of brocks jersey, a renegade irb/sanzar ref selling secrets to al qaeda (bryce lawrence) is uncovered and goes into hiding somewhere inside brockie’s jersey…taking his sausage hostage.
lyndon and piet are tasked to head up a forward assault team and go in after bryce… the fate of the irb hangs in the balance… world goverments could fall…the all blacks could be shown for the ordinary cheats they are…
this summer…coming to a theatre near you….The Brock…
14 Mar 2012, 16:25 pm
@stormersboy(stormersboy)-19: Well lets make the cut-off age 23 then.
Think about the current experienced Stormers.
Guys like Schalk Burger, Jean de Villiers and Bryan Habana all played their best rugby for the Boks and provinces in their early years of development.
I think you will see more and more Pat Lambies and Frans Steyn coming to the fore.
Those two were lucky to receive a chance – by default almost.
If Steyn did not start that game at 10 in the mud, he would not have gone on the EOYT 2006 that saw him make a big impact. Even so, he was still not considered for a starting spot – it was injury to JDV that made Jake gamble on playing him at 12. The rest is history.
The three 20-year olds in the Stormers XV are their 3 best players so far.
The point I am trying to make is that those guys are not the exception. They are becoming the rule, but not many people or coaches can see it.
14 Mar 2012, 16:25 pm
@willievz(willievz)-26: should read 3 best players of the season so far.
14 Mar 2012, 16:27 pm
@the artist formerly known as gunther(gunther)-20:
well… if brok’s the same shape as the all blacks no 1 scrummie…
no wonder he has the natural ability to play prop half…!!!
14 Mar 2012, 16:27 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-24:
ahhh shurrup.
your impis will be the competition’s whipping boys for the next decade.
14 Mar 2012, 16:29 pm
@willievz(willievz)-26:
the current saru player of the year played his best rugby in his early years…?
that’s what you call delayed gratification…!
14 Mar 2012, 16:30 pm
@ufo(ufo)-30: Who, Schalla?
IRB player of the year in 2004, first season of test rugby as a 21-year old.
14 Mar 2012, 16:49 pm
Stormers will beat the Blues comfortably!!
14 Mar 2012, 17:16 pm
@THE MAULER(THE MAULER)-32:
I wouldn’t say comfortably, but they should win.
Home game and coming off a bye.
However, their offensive strategy at current is very one-dimensional, and they don’t protect their ruck ball sufficiently at the collision point, inhibiting quick recycles between phases.
Alternatively put, they don’t score as many tries as they should, with that prestigious backline.
However, they still have an outstanding defense and confidence in their defensive system.
14 Mar 2012, 17:23 pm
@willievz(willievz)-11:
It was said the same about the Bulls before last Saturday
The Stormers haven’t competed under a foreign referee yet, they enjoyed Jonker and Lawrence who gave a stunning display of cheating and bending the results!
Hold judgement
14 Mar 2012, 17:25 pm
@Hondo(Hondo)-34: Exactly
Complacency is our (SA’s) downfall in many ways.
14 Mar 2012, 17:39 pm
@THE MAULER(THE MAULER)-32:
yeah…
and not too shabby in 2011 as a 28 year old to win the saru player of the year, no…?
14 Mar 2012, 17:47 pm
@ufo(ufo)-36: I take it that was for me
Look, Schalla was outstanding last year.
But the point I am trying to make is that he was at his destructive best in 2004, as a 21-year old.
Who knows where he might have been if he had less injuries in his career.
The physical and mental demands of the modern game, and the declining excitement of playing the game over time mean that players generally perform better when they are younger.
Schalk was 21 when he won the IRB trophy.
Why should we make a fuss if Etzebeth, for example, play for the Boks later this year age 20?
14 Mar 2012, 17:50 pm
I was told forwards generally get better with age unlike the backs.
14 Mar 2012, 17:56 pm
@ufo(ufo)-36:
sorry mauler…
that was for willie…
multi-tasking… not…
14 Mar 2012, 17:59 pm
@willievz(willievz)-37:
yes it was…
ja willie… you’re absolutely correct… i was just trying to make the point that he’s still not too bad… especially when you take into account his neck injury…
but i do agree with you on the point of being old enough if you’re good enough…
14 Mar 2012, 18:02 pm
and not to jinx him… or incur the wrath of the anti-stormer brigade for suggesting it… but hell… if etzebeth makes it onto heyneke’s bok list… i’m not gonna be unhappy that’s for sure… i really rate the kid…
was a bit concerned he may ‘struggle’ against the big boys of s15… but the way he’s played so far he’s looking right at home…
14 Mar 2012, 18:29 pm
@ufo(ufo)-41: More than at home, he’s taking them on and dominating them.
Still early though. Let’s wait and see
14 Mar 2012, 18:47 pm
Blues casualty list is massive, missing at least 5-6 first choice players. This one is definitely the Stormers for the taking.
14 Mar 2012, 18:50 pm
What happened to the Stormers “light five?”
Guess that argument is dead and buried.
14 Mar 2012, 19:14 pm
@willievz(willievz)-26: You may have a point there.
14 Mar 2012, 19:22 pm
stormers fans are overlly excited for a loss.point is peter grant at 10! and the overhyped foward pack….pls don’t tell me you will rely on kicking for poles the whole 80min, Ma’Nonu is going to break that stormers line like countless times.
never mind the braid brothers exposing the frailties of the one dimentional loose fowards of the stormers.YES I’M GOING FOR A BLUES WIN
14 Mar 2012, 21:55 pm
@lazarus(lazarus)-46: Whatever. It’s your dime.
14 Mar 2012, 22:04 pm
Willievz is correct cull the ou doose long before they 29 unless they have the physical longevity attributes of a Gio Aplon who does not age nearly as fast as a big lumbering attrition smashed forward does..
Rugby is a young man’s game I always knew that much
Boks should be looking to the new generation wholly and I would hardly utilize the services of one player older that 26 – 27 (unless as I said he is an ageless type nimble gazelle such as Gio Aplon)
14 Mar 2012, 22:35 pm
Sorry to see that Jock Hobbs passed away; but I must say he did not look good the last time when he made that speech when Richie reached his 100th
At least he lived to see NZ breaking the RWC curse and host it for a 2nd time
RIP Jock Hobbs, God bless the family in their time of loss and sadness.
15 Mar 2012, 06:25 am
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