Burger to miss Stormers’ tour
1 Apr 2012
Injured Stormers captain Schalk Burger will not travel with the team to Australasia.
Burger, who has been sidelined with a knee injury since the Stormers’ first match of the season, was expected to make his return in the Cape side’s second tour game against the Crusaders. However, coach Allister Coetzee said on Saturday night that Burger will not be risked in any of the four matches Down Under, and will only be available to play when the team returns to South Africa.
This decision means that Jean de Villiers will continue to lead the team, while Siya Kolisi should retain the Stormers No 6 jersey.
The 26-man squad will depart for New Zealand on Sunday. The Stormers begin their tour with a match against the Highlanders before facing the Crusaders, Reds and Force on successive weekends.
Stormers touring squad – Joe Pietersen, Gio Aplon, Juan de Jongh, Jean de Villiers (c), Bryan Habana, Peter Grant, Dewaldt Duvenage, Duane Vermeulen, Rynhardt Elstadt, Siya Kolisi, Andries Bekker, Eben Etzebeth, Brok Harris, Tiaan Liebenberg, Steven Kitshoff, Deon Fourie, Frans Malherbe, De Kock Steenkamp, Nick Koster, Louis Schreuder, Burton Francis, Gerhard van den Heever, JP du Plessis, Deon Carstens, Nizaam Carr, Skara Ntubeni.
110 Comments
31 Mar 2012, 23:34 pm
Hip Hip HOORAY there surely gotta be a God up there somewhere
1 Apr 2012, 00:09 am
Ja, Skop, there is a god up there. His name is Schalk.
1 Apr 2012, 00:27 am
My first thought on seeing the title was “skoppie will be delighted”. And well…
1 Apr 2012, 00:30 am
Ha ha Skoppie is very happy
Tough start vs Highlanders best NZ team right now
Very interesting to see how Stormers do away vs them
1 Apr 2012, 00:33 am
Highlanders very tough prospect.. gotta play Elstadt at 7 no other option but to play it exactly as we played it vs Bulls..
Vermeulen, Elstadt, Kolisi, Bekker, Etsebeth, maybe alternate Malherbe to start this time, Liebenberg, Kitshoff
Harris, Fourie, Steenkamp, Koster
1 Apr 2012, 00:37 am
With a bit of luck the Stormers could win 2 games on tour, Reds and Force.
Although the Reds at home, the defending champions, may offer slightly stiffer opposition than they did away from home.
2 wins on tour would be an excellent result for them.
1 Apr 2012, 00:39 am
what you gonna say if Stormers win 4 from 4// what you gonna say then.. ?
1 Apr 2012, 00:46 am
I would say very well done.
I don’t think any SA team in the whole history of Super rugby has gone unbeaten on our (open to correction) so that is a very lofty dream you have there.
All I bring is a sense of reality.
Highlanders and Crusaders away should have too much for your team. Of course, that’s not to say the Stormers could beat one of them or both of them.
But to go unbeaten, that would be quite something.
1 Apr 2012, 00:47 am
our = tour
1 Apr 2012, 00:50 am
@ashampoopaloo(joel1yahoo)-7:
if they are going to drop a game its Vs Highlanders
Tough team and they come off bruising game vs Bulls and the long travel
1 Apr 2012, 00:51 am
@CoachPete(CoachPete)-10: and then the following week it is the Crusaders…
1 Apr 2012, 00:54 am
@wooden spoon(wooden spoon)-11:
You know the Crusaders are not the same as previous teams
They are struggling a bit Seems stormers could beat them
1 Apr 2012, 00:58 am
@CoachPete(CoachPete)-12: They have lost 2 games, to the Chiefs and Highlanders, sure.
But the Stormers have never beaten the Crusaders in NZ in the entire history of Super rugby…
It would be a big ask.
1 Apr 2012, 01:02 am
@wooden spoon(wooden spoon)-13:
and they did
I dont think the Cheetahs have ever beaten the Canes in NZ
1 Apr 2012, 01:04 am
@wooden spoon(wooden spoon)-13: Not such a big ask. Remember the crusaders play 2 games on the highveld before travelling back to nz to play the Stormers. The Bulls will soften them up for us while we will already be in nz getting ready for the game! Reds are just woeful at the moment. Stormers could take them as well. The way the Force is playing at the moment they will be the Stormers toughest opponents.
1 Apr 2012, 01:08 am
@Sasuke(Sasuke)-15:
Not the Highlanders ?? That’s the hard one IMO
1 Apr 2012, 01:13 am
@CoachPete(CoachPete)-16: Highlanders too maybe. Highlanders have been playing out of their socks the past few weeks. How much do they still have left? They are also inconsisent losing against the Brumbies last week before winning big this weekend.
1 Apr 2012, 02:05 am
Thomson is the key for the Highlanders. He gets everywhere and didn’t play against the Brumbies. Their scrummie is great too, Noakes was okay at 10 (albeit against the rebels) and their backs are more solid than spectacular.
It’ll be a tough game and they’ll want to play at high impact and high pace.
1 Apr 2012, 07:27 am
On the face of it a very tough tour, but looking at the way the Saders and Reds have been playing, it might be better than we expect.
Here’s hopining…..
1 Apr 2012, 07:32 am
probably best for schalk to stay at home and fully recover… and join the team when they get back…
the stormers usually tour well… so here’s hoping they have a good one…!!
1 Apr 2012, 07:35 am
Jean is an amazing captain. The best. Leading by example and sets a tone for a disciplined approach. Elstadt will need him as captain to keep him one degree below boiling. Also, I think AC did well with sub calls today. Koster put in some serious grunt work today. You can smell success in this team. Burger will struggle to get back in this team. The existing chemistry is sublime.
1 Apr 2012, 07:47 am
Yes, people can say what they like about the Bulls game, same as the game against the Lions. In both games they had a good lead in the first half and then lost momentum in the first 20 minutes of the 2nd half.
BUT in both cases they did what they had to do to bring home a win,
A few years ago we would have lost games like that, but now we are making a habit of pulling them off,
And that is great to see.
1 Apr 2012, 07:51 am
@stormersboy(stormersboy)-22:
absolutely
1 Apr 2012, 07:51 am
Looking at the squad I’m quite happy with the full complement.
Carstens, Burton, Schreuder, good players all.
Scarra needs to work on his set piece play or he’ll become the weak link.
1 Apr 2012, 07:53 am
yeah… a good squad…
also good to see jp du plessis in there…
1 Apr 2012, 07:56 am
@ufo(ufo)-25: Hey bro, howzit? Feeling good today i imagine?
How was Newlands?
1 Apr 2012, 08:00 am
@stormersboy(stormersboy)-26:
hey bud… how you doing…
feeling more relieved than anything else… it really was one helluva game…
must say… ac selection of elstadt was a good one… though we were surprised to see him subbed… thought it had to be a match fitness thing and to let koster come on and see what he could do… i would’ve kept elstadt on until he dropped…
1 Apr 2012, 08:02 am
yeah.. newlands rocked…
we were all very worried in the second half though…
as jean said… they don’t make it easy for themselves…
they certainly don’t make it easy for their supporters…!!!
1 Apr 2012, 08:10 am
@ufo(ufo)-27: Yeah I’m good thanks. Also relieved about the win. You are right, Elstadt was a revelation at 7, really brought the passion yesterday. With him and Eben you always felt that we had the measure of some of the Bulls players. Greyling tried to be a similar type of player but has no control. He gave us some good attacking penalty ball.
Backs also looked better than they had in the past. Good progression, and a great high to start the tour on.
1 Apr 2012, 08:14 am
@stormersboy(stormersboy)-29:
yeah…
backs did look good… and was also impressed at the patience we showed in moving the ball up and through the phases…
good we didn’t panic… must say it looked like the bulls… especially morne steyn… did panic a bit and revert to type… morne missed lots kicks in terms of not finding touch etc…
1 Apr 2012, 08:15 am
sorry… correction…
backs did look… better…
1 Apr 2012, 08:17 am
And, on another positive note, my Superbru is looking up.
After a dismal start I’m storming up the leaderboard. Now firmly entrenched in the top half.
Now that the teams form is starting to become clearer it will be easier to make predictions, but also harder to make up points.
1 Apr 2012, 08:21 am
@stormersboy(stormersboy)-32:
good for you man..!!
i don’t do superbru… can’t be sure of getting my picks in every week for so long…
yeah… the predictions aren’t as much the lottery as they were in the beginning…
did really well on with my picks here though…
expected more of the rebels with o’connor and beale returning…
but besides that game… got all the rest correct…!!
1 Apr 2012, 08:23 am
Actually Habana should’ve been penalised when he went and pushed greyling …. if i was habana i’d sleep with my eyes open! lol, that look on habana’s face when he realised what he did and what he was up against – priceless!!!
1 Apr 2012, 08:25 am
It’s 1 April.
He’s going.
1 Apr 2012, 08:25 am
Habana is use to fris boerseuntjies standing up for @ the bulls ….. when he made k@k again yesterday, you could see the Stormers when standing back and saying … wtf maak jy bryan … jys op jou eie ou maat
1 Apr 2012, 08:25 am
cheers stormersboy…
i’m out to enjoy the day…!
1 Apr 2012, 08:35 am
Stormers, Bulls and Sharks should all have four overseas wins on their sights. This is not arrogance or an expectation that this will automatically happen, but each of these three should face any of their opponents knowing that they have an excellent chance of victory. Hell the Cheetahs two losses were bya combined margin of less than ten. The teams in this years comp are more even than ever before.
1 Apr 2012, 08:39 am
All my picks except the Cheetahs came in. Very happy to be wrong on that one.
1 Apr 2012, 08:45 am
Did I hear right? Mallet talking to SA Rugby for a permanent role at the Boks? Has keo done a follow up since the last interview earlier this week?
1 Apr 2012, 09:20 am
@PissAnt(PissAnt)-40: Chief stirrer?
1 Apr 2012, 10:11 am
Proooooooooooooooovince!!!
Where’s the pink k.a.k this morning ?
1 Apr 2012, 10:30 am
Great win against the Bulls, despite Tacitus’ moaning about the scrum penalty which, contra T, Kempson said could have gone either way.
The real issue is not Schalk staying behind – and yes JdV is the better captain – but how AC is going to handle rotating his players over the coming weeks. He cannot play them into the ground.
1 Apr 2012, 10:30 am
@PissAnt(PissAnt)-40: OOOHHHH? do tell
@wp_boytjie(wp_boytjie)-42: They are all washed out.
1 Apr 2012, 10:44 am
Unbeaten and top of the log. Suck on that.
Gotta wonder what the Stormers coaches told the players at half time. With a 14 point lead and a instant yellow card for the pink kak we should have been camping in their 22 with rolling mauls. Instead we were swinging the ball around on the halfway line which led to a Bulls turnover try and put them right back in it. Tactically that was bloody stupid.
1 Apr 2012, 10:53 am
@wp_boytjie(wp_boytjie)-45: It nearly came off. The backline played the best it has done in a long while. They could have buried the Bulls if some of the moves had come off.
1 Apr 2012, 11:04 am
@Michael(mikeybrass)-46:
True , but i thought we needed one more try or two penalties before we play like a bonus point is 1 try away.
1 Apr 2012, 11:07 am
3 things that are clearly evident (IMO), after watching yesterday’s game.
1. Kolisi is one of the strongest players (pound for pound) I’ve ever seen on a rugby field.
2. Bjorn Basson isn’t as kak as I initially thought he was.
3. Duvenhage’s box kicks have become too predictable.
1 Apr 2012, 11:36 am
@wp_boytjie(wp_boytjie)-47: We could have buried them instead of relying on their defense giving away penalties. It was nice to see the variation and hopefully that part of our play will pick up as we head into the overseas leg.
@Jeraldjay(Jeraldjay)-48: Agreed. Basson has improved since last year.
1 Apr 2012, 12:25 pm
@Jeraldjay(Jeraldjay)-48:
Stormers need to find another scrumhalf if we want to win the competition or any other cup. DD is not the answer.
Kolisi looks a bit jaded to me. He was not as prominent yesterday as he was 2/3 weeks ago. Do you know what his tackle stats was for last night’s game?
1 Apr 2012, 12:45 pm
The away leg will be interesting
Not sure about the last minute penalty yesterday, it won’t happened again under NZ/Aus referees since the Stormers are a contender now and present a challenge for the NZ teams at home if reached the play offs
Etzteben, Elstadt and Kolisi will be whistled often away from home, they are too visible in their transgressions, .
Yesterday was the first time in a while that I saw a quota back passing the ball, that was JdJ alas, he passed it to the Bulls
1 Apr 2012, 12:57 pm
@Hondo(Hondo)-51:
Did the Bulls player catch it?
1 Apr 2012, 13:01 pm
Ezebeth looks like a monster. Reminds me a bit of Martin Johnson. I think he will play for the Boks this year. Jaundre Kruger is also class.
Stormers have no attacking game plan. When they come up against a well rounded team (Crusaders) they may struggle. If the Bulls had a playmaker at 10 then I think they would have buried the Stormers yesterday. Just my opinion guys!
1 Apr 2012, 13:04 pm
@Hondo(Hondo)-51:
Josh Strauss passing to a Saders player 10m from the try line has nothing to do with his colour. I’m very much sure about that.
1 Apr 2012, 13:11 pm
@nama1(nama1)-54:
Of course not
Passing isn’t a must part of a blind side flanker skills set, but its an essential part of a centre skills
When last time did you see the followings passing the ball on time?
Aplon?
JdJ
Ndunganes
Basson?
Habana?
Few more?
1 Apr 2012, 13:16 pm
@XV(XV)-53:
It took the Stormers 78 minutes to show how dangerous they can be with ball in hand.
It was Grant who passed to Koster who started to run inside his own 25 before sending Aplon away for a good run run and then a chip and chase that Habanna unfortunately missed by a whisker.
Expect some more attacking play during the tour down under like they did last year against the Blues in Auckland. For some or other reason they usually seem to play a more free running game when away from home, perhaps they do not feel the pressure (local press, fans) as much when away on tour
1 Apr 2012, 13:43 pm
i just want to say this has once again ranked as one of the worst, most inept and dismal reffing displays on show in an otherwise high calibre rugby competition.
that the rugby on display is by far the standard bearer of rugby worldwide is undoubted….but….its the standard of reffing which brings it down. this has to be fixed. i take nothing from the stormers, they deserved their victory and well done to them. there is no doubt that etzebeth will partner bekker at springbok lock ‘even’ with heyneke as coach. it is obviously a boon that they will be able to form their relationship together at the same union as this will allow for them to get to know each other in the way that bakkies and victor did.
1 Apr 2012, 13:45 pm
@nama1(nama1)-54:
No in Hondo-logic if he was white… then it was the ref’s fault!
1 Apr 2012, 13:49 pm
@Hondo(Hondo)-55:
Yeah you must have missed Odwa’s HUGE, well-timed pass on the trot after his break to set Vijoen away for arguably the Shark’s game-changer this weekend…
1 Apr 2012, 14:11 pm
@Hondo(Hondo)-55:
“Passing isn’t a must part of a blind side flanker skills set…:
Really???
I take it then that you believe that passing is a “must part” of a winger’s skill set since all the players you mentioned, except JdJ, are wings.
I would’ve thought that every player in the team must be able to pass well and that it is more important for a flanker to be able to pass than a wing… but hey, that’s just me and whatthefuck do I know?
You did see p59, didn’t you?
1 Apr 2012, 14:15 pm
@Hondo(Hondo)-55:
Aplon, JDJ, Basson and Habana will all be representing the Boks during the course of the year.
Deal with it.
1 Apr 2012, 14:21 pm
@nama1(nama1)-54: nama, the jersey tops were quite similar. only the shorts and socks were inarguably distinguishable. running at full speed and using only his peripheral vision, strauss saw a light shaded jersey similar to the lions kit and threw a PERFECT offload to the opposition.
1 Apr 2012, 14:28 pm
Stormers pack is looking very good this year, Kolisi, Etzbeth, Bekker all beastin it… Kolisi filling in for Burger very well.
1 Apr 2012, 14:30 pm
it’s kind of interesting that no team this year has a vintage group of players (think blues in 97, 98, 04 or bulls in 07 and 09 or the various dominant saders teams of the late 90′s and early to mid 00′s. that levels out the relative competitveness of the leading contenders. it seems by contrast the old 12 team format lent itself to repeat finals appearances. for example ‘saders made it to 8 finals in 9 years between 1998 and 2006. brumbies 4 in 5 years between 00 and 05.
1 Apr 2012, 14:50 pm
@viewer(viewer)-62:
I know. I was saying to my mates that one of the teams should change their strip at half time.
I was only fooling around with Hondo and his alternative views on certain players.
1 Apr 2012, 15:46 pm
Hondo. You are using the wrong emoticons. you want the white hood and the burning cross.
1 Apr 2012, 16:09 pm
What is it with this hondo
Must be hard for team to find an all white team to support
1 Apr 2012, 16:10 pm
Sorry “him”
1 Apr 2012, 16:47 pm
Dawn and nama1 makes the perfect pair. they both are haasbek & love papsak and everything is racist to them! but that is what you get with the TIK prices being so low at the moment
1 Apr 2012, 16:50 pm
at least we have heyneke as bok coach and that a **** nut like PDV who will listen to these mes steek rugby “kenners”
1 Apr 2012, 16:51 pm
weaklinks in Stormers :
Habana
JDJ
Brok
….. sort that out at Province die currie cup kom weer!
1 Apr 2012, 16:53 pm
@grant10(grant100)-69:
Looks like someone is stealing nicks again….
1 Apr 2012, 18:19 pm
Burger is the Stormers true captain. He even speaks better than Donkey de Villiers.
1 Apr 2012, 18:38 pm
@Hondo(Hondo)-51: Your post is obviously an April Fools joke because its just plain bullshit.
1 Apr 2012, 18:40 pm
Bulls had a purple patch for about 15 out of 80 minutes. They did well to stay in touch but in all honesty they were outplayed in all facets of play.
1 Apr 2012, 18:44 pm
@grant10(grant100)-71: Brok will make way for Malherbe soon enough… JdJ is much better than JdV.
Playing Aplon at FB will amplify our attack ability ten fold. And this will put a stop to Pietersen’s pointless kicks.
It honestly doesn’t look like the Stormers have any attacking plan whatsoever… It’s just see what happens rugby. Flat foot ball, aimless kicks, 0 support runners… all indicative of a frantic haphazard attacking strategy.
1 Apr 2012, 18:49 pm
@lepel(lepel)-76:
…………………And still unbeaten
1 Apr 2012, 18:50 pm
@Pee Wee(Pee Wee)-75:
Not sure about outplayed but I agree We deserved the win and played just that much better on the day
1 Apr 2012, 19:06 pm
And Keegan Daniels is a headless chicken. Couldn’t score in a brothel!
1 Apr 2012, 19:08 pm
@KeurboomPark(KeurboomPark)-79:
Aren’t we glad this is just your opinion He is a dam good rugby players
You ever played the game?
1 Apr 2012, 19:10 pm
@lepel(lepel)-76:
Keep stirring, boetie. Pieterson’s work under the high ball, and his defense in general, is exemplary.
1 Apr 2012, 19:12 pm
@KeurboomPark(KeurboomPark)-81:
See we can agree
1 Apr 2012, 19:15 pm
This could be a great blow to the Stormers, say what you want but his experience and committment is invaluable. Stormers are riding high in the saddle now, with plenty pomp and circumstance, but lets see what happens when they lose, which will happen, then its a case of how will they fair.
And this tour to NZ will be an eye-opener for a very young side, they be a far way away from things, and its a different kettle of fish, if they lose a few on tour or catch a heavy defeat, they certainly would want the option of bringing the old Talisman off the bench.
I cant understand half these stormers supporters, you could have the whole fkn ecnhilada with the youth and experience, but as per usual they throw the baby out the with the bathwater. In this particular case, I think there is enough senior talent now with liebenberg, bekker, vermeulen and jdv – but the kiwis know schalk burger they dont give 2 hoots for some newcomers and the reception that awaits in an icy-cold invercargill could be a real eye-opener.
1 Apr 2012, 19:17 pm
Pieterson at 15 has been great and very steady
Habana is getting back to old form maybe
Aplon needs to see more ball
JDJ is selfish but a talent
JDV also a bit selfish but playing well and captains well
Grant has been steady and has nailed the kicks that counted (Butch and Morne could not)
DD is a steady 9 who is playing well 9(except last week), Hougaard was not way better than him on the day
1 Apr 2012, 19:20 pm
alot of credit has to be given to Brok Harris, did you notice which stormers player put the first 2 massive hits into the Bulls? Brock. He’s extremely mobile and worked alot of his scrumming, huge wrokrate and very brave, he’s actually fitted into the stormers pack very well. Malherbe looks to be a strong scrummager, tho being brought on at 60 mins is also different from starting, but he’s got to work on his conditioning for modern game imo.
1 Apr 2012, 19:23 pm
@cab(cab)-83:
Brilliantly said. Burger brings fear t the enemy. Kolisi for the last 30 mins. But with Burger, Eben, Elstadt, Vermeulen, Bekker teams will be k@kking fajitas!
1 Apr 2012, 19:23 pm
@cab(cab)-85:
Valid points However one problem is he spends far to much time in the Stormer backline disrupting the flow we already have Liebenberg there and even skalk when he is fit .
We dont need a prop standing at 10 or 12 so often
1 Apr 2012, 19:25 pm
@CoachPete(CoachPete)-87:
If anyone should be subbing in the backline, it is Kolisi. Unpredictable, flexible, tough to bring down, and good distributor.
1 Apr 2012, 19:29 pm
@KeurboomPark(KeurboomPark)-88:
Maybe but not Brok Harris I would prefer to see Koster there
1 Apr 2012, 19:29 pm
@KeurboomPark(KeurboomPark)-86:
agree that could be a helluva pack, that said i would keep burger on the bench until they lose, you dont want to change a winning team and kolisi is getting better and better with each passing game, he played well against bulls and didnt go missing, his ball control also got alot better in short space of time.
@CoachPete(CoachPete)-87:
that must stop, he cant ball-carry anymore, its costing his side and his reputation, his game must evolve, he’s sliding arse-first into contact at times and not as explosive as he once was – there are better ball-carriers, schalk has become a very good link player but its his workrate at busting up the oppo and getting in their faces with all his tackles which has always been his thing – leave the flyhalf play to grant, and use etsebeth to get over the gainline.
1 Apr 2012, 19:33 pm
@cab(cab)-90:
Yep I dont mind a run or 2 from props but closer to the rucks and i want these tight forwards at the breakdowns protecting our ruck ball , and leaving some energy for scrum time
1 Apr 2012, 19:35 pm
@CoachPete(CoachPete)-91:
yip but stormers scrum looking pretty good these days, obviously putting alot of work in.
1 Apr 2012, 20:14 pm
and please get rid of duvenage!
1 Apr 2012, 20:18 pm
I really like Kolisi keep him
1 Apr 2012, 20:21 pm
Hougaard joining stormers next season. You heard it here first from the guru myster
1 Apr 2012, 20:22 pm
Hondo
You hate non-white players so much,why? If it’s because of quotas,I’d understand but even players who are there on merit aren’t exempt from your critisicm..anyhow,I’m telling you in no uncertain terms: jou ma se poos.
1 Apr 2012, 20:24 pm
@ 95 norugbyguru
that would be a coup d’etat! That laitie is the most exciting player in SA,bar none!
1 Apr 2012, 20:27 pm
Yes he’s originally from CPT and wants to come back. He only signed one year contract (choice of two year extension) for Bulls and its almost certain that he will come back
1 Apr 2012, 20:35 pm
There’s also unhappiness in bulls camp, some players got signed with promises of starting line up positions and how I understand is that they either not performing (for example: sadie) which cause unhappiness or they not starting for example: engelbrecht, vermaak or wepener.
1 Apr 2012, 20:43 pm
Engelbrech will get his chance sooner or later.The other 2 are basically at the end of their careers…what did they expect?
1 Apr 2012, 20:53 pm
Ja agree, i think its sadie who is off form. He missed a few tackles and offered nothing on attack.
1 Apr 2012, 21:09 pm
Nobody said don’t use Schalk Burger as a contributory factor.. what I DISTINCTLY said and I say it loud and clear AGAIN is we do NOT want Schalk Burger hogging all the f’ng ball at first receiver every f’ng loose scrum standing off in the mid field channel waiting to charge it up like a dead beat f’ng hopeless droll…
Kolisi is WAY better than Schalk Burger as a first line of defense ball carry battering ram.. so is Elstadt and so is Vermeulen.. and so is Etsebeth… Burger is TOOTHLESS in the head on challenge as was so aptly proved HOW many times in the WC quarter final where Rassie A plan of making Burger the f’ng useless first receiver fck’d the Boks to Hell and GONE… Plus he is a poor link man with no speed off the front foot and ALL he achieves is he slows the back line momentum to a f’ng HALT..
SINCE Burger has been absent Stormers entire game pattern has improved… the back line suddenly is starting to find momentum and break through inside channel defenses because Burger is NOT there to fck it all up… JdV captains the team 1000 times better and more comprehensively and with FAR more clear insightful acumen.. beside the fact that the players respond to JdV 1000 times better than they do to Burger..
So ALL said and done.. Burger can play a contributory bit part off the bench much the same way Koster does.. But Burger must NOT come and fck the synergy and cohesion up through his impending kamikaze nowhere ball carry shenanigans and his overrated position of the f’ng invincible first receiver first captain first line of attack and defense and me first fck the rest attitude…
Some morons do not understand the fine balance that a TEAM requires to function at optimum.. throw Burger back in as captain and first receiver mid field ball carrier AGAIN and everything that Stormers have started building here will go straight back out the f’ng window…
Having said that they will not listen to my reasoning… soon as Burger is fit and able he will again take center stage with No.6 on his back and the captaincy armband as well as stand at first center or fly half off every second phase ruck and charge it up like a f’ng hopeless moron…. and ALL Stormers careful collective cohesive buildup will go up in smoke the day that scenario unfolds..
Because they will NOT play Burger off the bench where they should do.. they will chuck him straight on into the first receiver first line of attack captaincy position.. and JdV will be relegated to a f’ng charge and dispatch 2 IC donkey once again.. so too will we lose the effectiveness of a balanced back row with Kolisi, Ekstadt and Vermeulen… ALL because the invincible f’ng DUMMY gotta come stake his overrated f’ng grandiose hero worshiped claim again…
1 Apr 2012, 21:11 pm
was werner kruger even on the park? i don’t recall his name being mentioned at any point in the game or him carrying the ball at all.
1 Apr 2012, 21:41 pm
i enjoy skop’s rants about schalk @ 1st receiver
1 Apr 2012, 23:42 pm
Kolisi deserves his place, u don’t change a winning side, but Burger is one helluva player to come off the bench and let’s just see how this tour goes – if wp get a walloping things will need to change. Tge stormers are a stronger team with him at 6 imo but he is also in the twilight of his career ESP with the talent coming through, can’t leave out elstadt.
2 Apr 2012, 02:27 am
Burger is a legend. Make no mistake, he has been an influence on the young bloods like Elstadt and Etsebeth. The absolute indestructible attitude has been modeled by Schalk for years. He deserves credit for his influence on and off the pitch. Everything happens for a reason. He will miss the tour, but I am damn sure he will be working with the youngsters at home, instilling the “gees” and backbone that continues to evolve. Don’t f-ck with Boland pride! His rile in this franchise will be massive, for years to come.
2 Apr 2012, 08:10 am
@KeurboomPark(KeurboomPark)-106: Agree 100%.
2 Apr 2012, 08:16 am
some guys missing the point…
it’s not an either or situation…
it’s great that kolisi is playing so well… but he can’t be played into the ground either… he and burger can now share that role… lessen the load on both and give it both barrels for shorter periods of time… whose firing them between burger and kolisi won’t really matter… just as long as the opposition are on the receiving end…
same with the locks… now that etzebeth has established himself as first choice 4 and andries is first choice 5… they can share the load with elstadt and steenkamp… keep them all relatively fresh and hungry…
2 Apr 2012, 11:34 am
Say what you want about burger, hes still a helluva player and leader. Yes Elstadt is playing well and yes Kolisi is playing well, however have you even bothered to look at how useless WP number 8s are? if I was coach my backrow would be-
6- Kolisi
7- Elstadt
8- Burger
2 Apr 2012, 20:47 pm
@Bradenel(Bradenel)-109: I don’t know why people are talking up Elstadt’s form. He has only played one match and was sh1te. Give him a little more time before praising him.
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