Saders sink brainless Lions
31 Mar 2012
RYAN VREDE reports on the Crusaders’ 23-13 victory over a tactically naive Lions at Ellis Park.
Yet another loss where the Lions played what they deem beautiful rugby. Their supporters will settle for an ugly, deformed or downright hideous win right now.
The excuse about injuries doesn’t wash. Every team has injuries. Their problems are rooted in coach John Mitchell’s refusal to relinquish a misplaced belief in a fundamentally flawed game plan. The Lions continue to play a brand of rugby too heavily weighted to the expansive. It lacks the balance needed to make them a consistently threatening side.
The Saders were uncharacteristically porous on defence in the first half (missed 10 tackles and lacked the physicality at the gainline that has traditionally been the bedrock of their success). Yet for all their possession and territory the Lions led by just three points (13-10) at the break. They will point to missed opportunities that could have extended their lead, but those sorts of errors have become chronic.
The Saders scored with one of their first opportunities in the half, Dan Carter expertly picking out Zac Guilford’s run on his inside shoulder. It was an ominous warning for the hosts, who despite scoring a converted try just before the break, had exhibited little to inspire.
The Saders started brilliantly after the break, Sean Maitland collecting the most sublime grubber from Israel Dagg to score. Tom Taylor converted and kicked two penalties thereafter to give his side a 10-point lead.
Still the Lions had the ascendancy in the territory and possession stakes and were forcing the visitors into a plethora of tackles. But there was a marked sense of composure on defence from the seven-time champs, who committed few to the breakdown and around the ruck fringe, safe in the knowledge that the Lions would not seek to punch up close through phases.
The Lions became increasingly cavalier as their desperation grew and this suited the Saders, who isolated runners and kept their breakdown turnover count ticking over. The Lions never looked like winning. They simply didn’t have the tactical capacity for it.
Expect Mitchell to point once more to his injury list and speak of this loss as a lesson. Bullshit. He needs to be accountable for what promises to be yet another disastrous Super Rugby campaign under his watch.
369 Comments
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31 Mar 2012, 21:37 pm
In celebrating the Stormers deserved victory I thought I should submit the post about Gio Aplon and Juan de Jongh, which I could not do yesterday due to tech difficulties (still have them)
I think Gio and Juan should be congratulated on their Bok try celebrations; few people would understand the dynamics that govern something of that nature; in doing their celebration they needed to demonstrate:
* Vision and foresight: they needed to have a picture in the mind of them doing it
* Confidence: they were in effect confident that one of them would score
* Consensus: meeting of the minds – can u imagine if one didnt want to?
* Coordination: you do this, I do that
* Rhythm: did you see that?
* Passion: unadulterated joy
* Liberty: not asking anyone;’s permission – simply expressing themselves
* Simplicity: its the kind of move that you can try at home
* Awareness: they knew they has worldwide audience
* Boldness: they implemented their concept
* Innovation: the world has not witnessed that move before
So well done to Gio and Juan; you both played your part in securing the Stormers victory tonight
31 Mar 2012, 21:37 pm
@Dawn(Dawn)-298:
lol, he has changed lately.
Maybe it is strategic, will have to wait and see.
Tough luck to you and your team anyway- you must be devastated
31 Mar 2012, 21:38 pm
The Falklands are British.
31 Mar 2012, 21:39 pm
OK Tacitus showed his face well done..
Craig Joubert is a home town ref he got no balls to blow the game away from the home team.. he’s a sentimentally controlled ref.. he can’t keep his head from out of the general concensus main stream.. whatever the crowd sway is.. that’s the way Craigie gonna blow the game… home team gets the nod in the 50/50 showdowns..
Bulls should never have gotten back in the game from 14 – 0 up.. Stormers started taking risks which almost cost them the game.. had the De Jongh off load not found a Bulls player and a Stormers player instead it could have been 21 – 0 instead of 14 – 10… at the time De Jongh and JdV burst through the midfield Stormers were 14 – 0 up and putting foot to the metal.. then the lucky breakaway try by Kirchner and the game swung around..
De Villiers MUST retain captaincy.. if they give it back to Schalk we are fck’d absolutely without a doubt.. had Burger captained tonight under a 17 – 17 hang ball game.. we would have lost.. no doubt about it.
31 Mar 2012, 21:42 pm
Jocky
I think stormers win at loftus too – they developing their winning mentality, this was a major step – if they had continued their hard-nosed intensity shown in 1st half stormers would’ve won easily but a lucky break against run of play and taking elstadt off changed it all and gave bulls confidence – but I believe a fit stormers pack can beat all other sa teams at present home and away – etsebeth huge again, can’t believe his age, also great strength for youngster.
31 Mar 2012, 21:44 pm
Hey!!! I’m stoked – only got the score now…Well done Boys…A job well done…
31 Mar 2012, 21:47 pm
@cab(cab)-305:
Yeah, and when Schalk comes back in 2 weeks time they will even be more hard nosed (sorry skoppie)
31 Mar 2012, 21:47 pm
methinks this thread could go on until the wee hours.
pity it’s the lions thread actually
8)
31 Mar 2012, 21:48 pm
@cab(cab)-305:
No offense, but I think the Stormers collapsed completely from a mental perspective today.
To go from 14-0 to 17-17 – only to win it from a scrum penalty at the death, I would be concerned if I was the Stormers.
They looked like deer in headlights in the second half.
Anyway, I hate losing, but this is a long campaign so I’ll take this one on the chin. We’re only 4 points behind the Stormers and two thirds of the season still lies ahead.
31 Mar 2012, 21:49 pm
Stormers should have fck’d them up Holy.. they let Bulls back in the game early in second half and then true to style coaches started panicking.. and took our enforcer No.7 off….
Thankfully Bulls made an equally stupid substitution taking Hougaard off 9 and putting in Vermaak.. but Stormers got through in the end no thanks to the dumb f’ng coaches who dunno how to pull off a convincing win when they start panicking and pulling players they shouldn’t…
31 Mar 2012, 21:51 pm
A win is a win is a win… no whinging boys…
Well done to the S(h)arks and Cheaters too…
31 Mar 2012, 21:52 pm
@cab(cab)-305:
Ooofff, I dunno Cab. The Stormers come into a game with one plan, and that’s it. Win or lose it’s plan A. There is simply no plan B, no change of gear, no step up of intensity when needed, it’s the same game in the first 5 as it is the last.
The plan relies on the defence holding strong and the points scored in the early stages being enough to win the game against the inevitable comeback from the opposition in the latter stages. And that’s maybe enough to get you into the play offs, but it’s not going to win you the trophy as we’ve seen in the last couple of seasons.
Sure, they’re a good team. But good teams don’t win the S15, it’s great teams that do.
31 Mar 2012, 21:54 pm
Joubert got to learn to let it go a little more but he’s at least competent. If craigie such a hone town ref then why u so worried before a newlands game?
Big problem today is the stormers started getting soft again andcrwst on their laurels after an uncmpronisbg first half – this is where the stormers problem begins and ends – they already looking forward to the rewards and nearly slipt up – and this why burger is good CID he is the one stormer throughout their over-hyped decade who gives ALL for 80 mins whether winning or losing. Seem to be a few youngsters like that but 1 season does not a legend make.
31 Mar 2012, 21:55 pm
@Tacitus(Deucalion)-309:
No offense taken. But it wasn’t a mental collapse, mentally the Stormers are strong. It was a tactical collapse as it has been for the last 3 seasons.
31 Mar 2012, 21:56 pm
@Robzim(Robzim)-307: Schalk will FCK Stormers into the ground like he’s done every other year.. when you arseholes gonna learn the reality of the situation.. give captaincy back to Schalk and this team goes ball to the wall up the creek ONE more time.. just like every other time before…
Stormers must retain the starting team as they started tonight./. that was the perfect combination in every aspect.. Schalk can play off bench or better still not at all….
Vermeulen, Elstadt, Kolisi, Koster, Carr and only then Burger.. that is the better combination for the campaign..
Liebenberg is a bit of a problem.. Fourie a better scavenger but little lightweight.. But Stormers pack should start Kitshoff, Liebenberg, Harris, Etsebeth, Bekker, Kolisi, Elstadt, Vermeulen.. every single game.. Schalk will fck that cohesion and outright power game to hell.. he will also fck the back line to =HELL as he always does.. and the 9-10 combination that worked well tonight will go down the chute AGAIN. if you bring that f’ng overrated dunce back to captain and FCK up this team like he done every other year he has led them down the drain..
31 Mar 2012, 21:56 pm
@Tac, suck it up you pink tinged tattered twit
31 Mar 2012, 21:57 pm
Howzit Skop and Rob
31 Mar 2012, 21:58 pm
@ashampoopaloo(joel1yahoo)-310:
> and took our enforcer No.7 off….
‘n Enforcer lê nie en wag vir penalties soos ‘n sokkerspeler nie, dis ‘n lelike gewoonte wat julle ‘n paar jaar terug opgetel het, dit het begin met Aplon
Etzebeth is ‘n enforcer en ‘n regte hardeman, ons het hom in die lynstaan reguit afgetrek en hy’s opgestaan en die bal gespeel, hy’s nie ‘n pissie nie
31 Mar 2012, 21:59 pm
Well done Stormers. I thought this will be an easy win for the Bullies.
2nd half performances should be a concern for the Stormers.
Craig Joubert must have visited this site during the week and read all the comments about him. He redeemed himself, good job Craig.
Regarding the Lions game. Fck were they poor in that 2nd half. Kaplan didn’t help either. I counted the Saders prop in the 1 half put his hand on the ground during scrum time at least 6 times. That’s a penalty Kaplan, I promise.
Vrede stop writing about the Lions and give Gareth the keyboard. If you think injuries don’t effect a team you must be smoking something good/bad. Just with Lambie out and a few props the Sharks are up in arms and did you forget the Stormers flyhalf crisis last year? My guess it’s only a crisis when it suits some of you journals. Stop drinking tea with Zelim Nel because he will do you no favors.
31 Mar 2012, 22:01 pm
309 Tacitus
I think u are right to a large degree, but this was a huge mental shift, tge pressure was on the stormers to win to live up to their hype, and they managed to carry it off, however ugly it was, I believe this was how the bulls started their march upward. Tge bulls are still a good team with a winning mentality, but IMO the stormers are a better team currently developing that mentality. This ugly win moves them one step closer to a trophy, it’s not just 5 from 5 but beating the bulls with alot of expectation or hype to do so, which they’ve done and learnt lessons about not switching off against teams like bulls.
31 Mar 2012, 22:01 pm
@Slappes(Slappes)-317:
Howzit man, long time.
How are things going? Still same profession and same” venue”?
Glad we got this win- nearly threw it away after building up the lead.
31 Mar 2012, 22:05 pm
What happened tonight was no mental collapse.. Stormers GUTSED it out in the end.. if Schalk was captain under those conditions I guarantee we would have lost..
What happened tonight is Stormers were so well in control they started taking risks.. little flip passes and flat out attack mode.. De Jongh should have rather gone to ground than flip it into no mans land .. if he’d found a Stormers player it would have been tickets for Bulls there and then.. it found Potgieter instead and 15 seconds later Kirchner got gifted a try other end… that is where Stormers started losing the plot.. instead of grinding it out with the control they had they started loosening up and going for the outright dizzy dazzle kill… even Habana tried running it out his 22 and then kicked a nothing clearance which found Bulls players at 30 mts which led to the 2nd Olivier try…
But in spite of Stormers capitulating the strangle hold they held over Bulls at 14-0 up they took Elstadt OFF.. that was the dumbest decision going… with Elstadt and Etsebeth and Kolisi and Vermeulen putting the hits in Bulls were on the rack..
They must retain this combo throughout.. if they play Elstadt at 7, and Vermeulen at 8 with Kolisi, Carr, Koster sharing bench or open side then we can actually win this competition this year…
Give the gap back to Burger to fck it all up again and start that stupendously stupid Burger dunce at first receiver again.. and we undo everything we have built so far…
31 Mar 2012, 22:06 pm
@ashampoopaloo(joel1yahoo)-304:
Jouberg missed a big one and had Hougaard scored it would have been criminal
Hougaard was standing nest to our flank on the other side of the DD in outr put in and then applied pressure in completely offside situation at the back of our scrum
Hsd Hougaard not knocked on it was 7 points and the win
31 Mar 2012, 22:07 pm
Pffft the stormers always switch off in the second half ‘nuf said.
31 Mar 2012, 22:08 pm
@ashampoopaloo(joel1yahoo)-315:
Yeah skoppie, as u know i am also not the biggest schalk fan but i think he can still make a contribution especially when the chips are down. I think just about every player in the world will rather play with him than against him.
I do however agree that he should not be the captain again, Jean must stay on for sure.
Your boykie P Grant was not bad today,he is and will never be the complete player but he impressed me today in a tight game.
31 Mar 2012, 22:09 pm
@ashampoopaloo(joel1yahoo)-322:
Yes I would have left Elstad on and Liebenberg
31 Mar 2012, 22:14 pm
@ashampoopaloo(joel1yahoo)-322:
One thing is for sure
Boks looking great at 2 and front row and also a list of young locks playing well
31 Mar 2012, 22:19 pm
@victoriabok(victoriabok)-318:
Hy’s ‘n harde breker, daai een. Van Hoërskool Tygerberg. Sy ooms is onder andere Cliffie en (die oorlede) Skattie Etzebeth.
Harde brekers, daardie hele familie.
Soos jy sê: Hy is nie ‘n pissie nie.
31 Mar 2012, 22:21 pm
@Robzim(Robzim)-325:
seems some you people don’t know the dynamics of a winning combination.. a winning combination is as we started tonight… NOT with Burger wearing No.6 jersey and taking control of the game and the momentum.. because then we are FCK’D ..
De Villiers MUST retain captaincy.. but which coach will have Burger on at 6 and NOT get the captaincy armband… ?? so the solution to the conundrum is leave Burger OUT.. because he will destabilize the cohesive momentum that the team is building under JdV .. and what is worse he will get in the way of the 9 – 10 combination and stuff up the mid field momentum…
Peter Grant is a top rate fly half if played in the role he played tonight which has always been his strength.. with Pietersen at back to take the relieving kicks and the place kick duties.. Grant can play his natural game.. and manage the offensive gain line attack.. If PdV had NOT listened to John Smit who insisted he brought Butch into fly half in 2008 and played Grant at 10 and played the gain line attack game that Grant is very good at.. Boks would have had a FAR better return on the 4 years 2008 -2011 than they did…
31 Mar 2012, 22:34 pm
Don’t change winnnibg team, but when lose on tour burger will slot in and revitalise with rest and experience for big pressure playoffs – captaincy largely irrelevant – might as well pick gio aplon to captain won’t make any difference provided their pack is performing like it can do – elstadt got shocking hands but he can’t be left out. Burger and elstadt to stay away from ballcarrier is all
31 Mar 2012, 22:46 pm
Burger must stay the fck away from captaincy.. you who say captaincy is irrelevant dunno about a winning team.. captaincy is 50% of the cohesion…
if Burger comes back they will change the entire momentum built up over last 4-5 games… JdV leads this team with aplomb.. Burger fcks it up.. no two ways about it.. JdV is 1000% the better captain and must retain the leadership role because the entire team feeds off it.. not off Burger.. but off JdV’s cool and collected natural leadership head…
If Burger comes back he slots straight back into open side but he plays as a mid field roving link player like an 8th man… so he fcks up the synergy and cohesion even worse.. PLUS he fcks up the entire back line because then Grant’s natural mid field pivotal game is fckd to hell with Burger in the way….
Burger must stay away or slot in as a bit part contributor off bench or at No.7 NOT at open side and NOT as mid field ball carry captain.. else just like in the past we go all the way back down the f’ng drain…
31 Mar 2012, 22:58 pm
Yip burger might just lift the trophy yet
31 Mar 2012, 22:58 pm
burger for captain.
he is the man.
well done stormers btw.
31 Mar 2012, 23:07 pm
@cab(cab)-330:
Yip, Elstadt’s catching and passing is not at the level as one would expect from a loose forward at this level- imo he is a lock and should alternate with Bekker and Etsebeth- in Kolisi, Vermeulen, Burger, Koster and Carr the Stormers have more tham enough good loose forwards.
There are also some good players playing for the Vodacom team who should be taken on tour to MZ/Aus- I am especially referring to no 9 Nic Groom and no 13 JP du Plessis- the sooner these players get exposure at super 15 level the better l- to a lesser degree it is also applicable on Quin Roux (lock) and Kalkakillis (no 10) – its a long comp, and the top playerswill have to be fit and fresh going into the play – offs (if the team makes it).
JP du Plessis might even at this stage be better than Sadie and de Jongh – keep an eye on him.
31 Mar 2012, 23:17 pm
Burger for captain.
31 Mar 2012, 23:18 pm
Burger’s not a captains arse as he showed in all the crunch games he lost so far.. plus he is the worst ball carrier we got and the worst mid field first receiver who slows the entire game to a halt…
Elstadt is the biggest enforcer No.7 in the country even more bust a gut than Alberts and that’s saying something.. Elstadt can become the next Juan Smith.. tonight he started for the first time in how many months since last year?? so his hand / eye coordination and cohesion might be a little rusty .. and with Elstadt, Vermeulen and Kolisi on the Park alongside Etsebeth and Bekker. Bulls didn’t stand a chance in the showdown stakes… the only enforcer that Bulls could compete with was their prop Greyling and their No.5 Kruger .. the rest.. Spies, Stander, Potgieter were simply out gunned by Stormers total full strength enforcing brutality..
Keep Burger away.. you who got fucked up star gazing hero worship fcking up your eyesight same way as you eulogized about John Smit and FdP.. dunno what a winning combo is … Burger has only LOST the Stormers their opportunities in the past.. and this year will be no different.. give Stormers captaincy back to Burger and we are stuffed.. how much you wanna bet me ?
31 Mar 2012, 23:18 pm
Robzim
yep he knocks on alot but also some massive collisions he involved in, but just think u got him, etsebeth, bekker all in same pack and the tightloose intensity goes thru the roof.
That’s interesting on those other players – stormers going through a purple patch tho province always had massive natural talent. You right that grant limited with kicking but takes tge ball up nicely into gainline – they got to start bringing this flair in, it will come as pack becomes even more dominant.
31 Mar 2012, 23:19 pm
******* Sharkievarkies calling for Burger as captain.. go fck your own team up the arse.. we don’t need your fckd up stupendous stupidity fcking up ours…
31 Mar 2012, 23:21 pm
31 Mar 2012, 23:21 pm
Lol, Skop. I love you. I really do.
31 Mar 2012, 23:23 pm
Oh the mighty Burger, the burger, the burger.
IRB player of the year, RWC champ – can he walk on water?
31 Mar 2012, 23:28 pm
@cab(cab)-341: 5 years ago … and you still titillating ululating like a horny fckng queen over the has been..
31 Mar 2012, 23:34 pm
Ululalaileee Yohooo
he’s still class – just no more ball carrying at flyhalf, must be a saffa thing, creeping into bismarcks play too, phil learns who was a great hooker ballcarrier wondered what position Bismarck was playing today – these are both great players but they must stay out of the backline
31 Mar 2012, 23:38 pm
But lets have a reality check.
The Stormers have played 4 of their 5 games at home. Their 1 away game was against the easy beat Lions.
Perspective. You’d expect them to win at home and against the Lions away.
31 Mar 2012, 23:38 pm
You want to get over the adv line, you pick alberts, no-one else comes close. Elstadt is capable of massive hits and very aggro but he does not have tge sheer power momentum and body positioning of the runaway train that is willem alberts – just like the great Aussie willy O – the problem for the boks is how to fit all these buggers into the same team.
31 Mar 2012, 23:42 pm
@cab(cab)-345: Alberts is not human.
31 Mar 2012, 23:47 pm
easy peasy you play Alberts at 8 and Elstadt at 7,
at 6 you got a choice between Brussow and Minnie or Kolisi, at a far away push Daniel or Stegman or Coetsee at 6.. sorry no place for Burger in the pure dynamic dream Bok team
Pack goes like this
Greyling, Bismark, Malherbe, Etsebeth, Kruger, Brussow, Elstadt, Alberts
Oosthuizen, Chili, Bekker, Spies / Vermeulen.(depending opposition and conditions)
31 Mar 2012, 23:47 pm
Yip alberts and bismarck basically transform the sharks.
Elstadt tho is a fkn crazy mullett pure and simple – he cleaned so many rucks in the first 40 mind today – just stepped thru and into everything – quite funny to watch. Why they substituted him is beyond ne unless he was totally buggered, but he’s still young, can’t be it, **** decision
31 Mar 2012, 23:51 pm
janee that is a helluva side with bekker over kruger
31 Mar 2012, 23:54 pm
I go with beast and cilliers as props, for the sheer athletic intensity they capable of on our hader fields, but it is England so maybe the behemoths a good selection.
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