No respite for Storming forwards
10 Apr 2012
JON CARDINELLI writes the Stormers’ sustained forward aggression and attacking variation will be put to the test when they front the Crusaders this week.
The Stormers may have been feeling the pressure at the start of 2012, but there’s little doubt that each subsequent win has lightened the mental load. It could be said that after winning six from six, a record that makes them the only unbeaten team in the competition, there isn’t too much pressure on the Cape team to beat the Crusaders in Christchurch or the Reds in Brisbane.
During the planning stage of their campaign, the Stormers coaches would have identified these two league fixtures as the toughest. The Crusaders and Reds not only qualified for the 2011 final, but beat the Stormers in the build-up to the play-offs. They did so at Newlands, and so you would expect them to be even tougher to beat in Australasia in 2012.
But this season has seen the Stormers gaining something more than a six from six record. They’re constantly talking about a winning culture and the collective belief that has swelled with every victory. It’s for this reason that they won’t be looking at the coming game as one they can afford to lose, but indeed one they could well win.
The coaching trio of Coetzee, Matt Proudfoot and Robbie Fleck were speaking about the clash with the Crusaders during the Stormers’ bye week in round three. Listening to them talk, you got the sense that they wanted to make a statement against a Crusaders side that had beaten them twice in 2011, the second time through a dominant forward effort.
After the Sharks game, Proudfoot said that he had been impressed with the progress of the pack. In subsequent weeks, the forwards coach has spoken about tweaking the game in certain areas but has always commented on the growth of the unit as they overwhelmed the opposing pack on each occasion.
There were doubts that they would get up for a game against the Highlanders. They’d invested so much into the forward-oriented melee with the Bulls the week before. They’d endured a taxing journey to Dunedin. Surely the forwards couldn’t get up for another bout with a hard-nosed Highlanders pack?
There were instances where the Stormers were overpowered, and numerous examples of inaccuracies at the breakdown point. But apart from a few lapses and moments of indiscipline, the Stormers forwards again showed tremendous heart and no small measure of collective clout.
It bodes well for the coming match against the Crusaders, a match they have been looking forward to all season. They won’t have Schalk Burger, who is recovering from a knee injury, but they will feel confident that they can match the Crusaders, especially since their scrum has done so well in 2012.
The Crusaders started the season slowly but have become more of a force in recent weeks. They so nearly pipped the Bulls at Loftus Versfeld, and the result aside, they showed what they are capable of when their forwards fire.
While the Stormers will have recovered from their jet lag, the Crusaders will come into this match on the back of a long journey from South Africa. And yet, there’s good reason to believe the travel won’t detract from the Cantabrians’ performance.
The Crusaders showed their mettle last season when the effects of an earthquake forced them to play the majority of their matches outside of Christchurch. They eventually qualified for the play-offs, and flew to Cape Town to tackle the South African conference champions. They not only beat the Stormers on that occasion, they blew them away.
So the Stormers shouldn’t be counting on fatigue to slow the Crusaders down. They also shouldn’t be expecting the off-colour outfit that turned out for the first few fixtures. The determined showing in Pretoria was a powerful statement: the Crusaders are back. And after the eye-gouging allegations that have since been proved false, they are angry.
The Stormers will need to play out of their skins to match the Crusaders forwards. From there, they will need to do more with their attacking opportunities.
They were more clinical in turning turnovers into points against the Highlanders, and that showed how an aggressive defence can be used as a powerful offence. But they may not enjoy such dominance against the Crusaders.
They also won’t be let off the hook when they don’t protect the ball. The Highlanders put the Stormers under pressure at times but failed to earn much reward. They affected a series of breakdown turnovers and won numerous penalties in this area, but still struggled to breach the Stormers defence.
The Crusaders may boast a potent attacking unit, but they play a similar game to that of the Stormers and Bulls. They attempt to pressure teams with a dominant forward effort and savvy tactical kicking display.
Much will depend on the performances of both packs this Saturday, but if the respective heavies cancel each other out, then the Stormers backs will need to produce something different in order to compromise that impressive Crusaders defence.
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193 Comments
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10 Apr 2012, 05:19 am
Undefeated pace setting DRAGONS
10 Apr 2012, 05:43 am
I was going for the Highlanders, but couldn’t help but enjoy the sustained intensity and accuracy of the Stormers. It was impossible to argue that the Stormers weren’t the best side on the night. The Highlanders actually played well, but the Stormers showed they are genuine title contenders this year.
They’ll go well against the Crusdaers and deserve the success they’ve had to date. They are good ambassadors for SA rugby too, especially DV and Habana who always show exemplary sportsmanship.
Well done Stormers.
10 Apr 2012, 05:43 am
Crusaders backs will be lacking confidence after Greyling made Dagg his biiaatch.
Glorious.
10 Apr 2012, 05:45 am
@the artist formerly known as gunther(gunther)-3: Dagg basically said as much in the kiwi press! i don’t reckon he’ll be permanently damaged by it, but he reckoned that was not his best effort.
10 Apr 2012, 05:48 am
Stormers doing well. This is good for SA. I am always behind an SA team winning overseas. It helps the Boks in the long run. Provincialism goes out the window as far as I’m concerned. It was good to see Jimmy Cowan showing such sportsmanship congratulating JdV after the final whistle. Very gracious of him. It’s a pity the Stormers fans can’t be more like that instead of their incessant personal attacks against players of other SA teams. If you hate the way a team is playing and dislike a particular side then attack the coaching staff not the players. The buck stops with the coach. Its interesting how the Stormers capitalizing on Landers’ mistakes is applauded but when the Sharks or the Bulls score through turnover ball or pressure mistakes they’re heavily criticised because its not ‘the spirit of the game’. Absolute kak. Ask any team in any sports code in the world and they will tell you if the chance arises to capitalise on the oppositions mistakes they will say “fck yeah!”. Its part of the game. That’s what makes Union so interesting because at any time the attacking side can spill the ball and blam! The game is turned on its head. Those domkops who decry scoring against the run of play they either know sweet nothing about rugby or want Union to turn into another version of League where the defending team cannot steal the ball at any time or capitalise on mistakes.
10 Apr 2012, 05:54 am
Thrifty my mate, I reckon he’ll wake up screaming in the middle of the night for some time to come.
10 Apr 2012, 06:25 am
…….And after the eye-gouging allegations that have since been proved false, they are angry……….
Being unable to find video evidence to support the claim does not make the accusations false JC. It just makes them unproven.
Get it right.
Stormers making me proud,
Keep it up lads!
10 Apr 2012, 06:37 am
yeah… i was very impressed with the players focus… especially after the long travel….
a very good sign for us supporters…
let’s just hope they can focus like this for the game against the crusaders too…
based on last year’s great record… we know the travel won’t effect the crusaders at all… so stormers will have to be top of their game…
10 Apr 2012, 06:47 am
As I do, here is the Rugby 365 team of the week:
Team of the Week – Round Seven:
15 – Joe Pietersen (Stormers):
Having watched his form improve over the last few weeks, one wonders why his French club, Bayonne, allowed him to languish on the bench so much the past two seasons. Often players need to be given game time to find form and he has done that since his return to Cape Town.
Bubbling under: Andre Taylor (Hurricanes)
14 – Lelia Masaga (Chiefs):
He may be nicknamed the Flash, but he was pure class at the weekend as he showed that he is more than just a finisher.
Bubbling under: Akona Ndungane (Bulls)
13 – Robert Ebersohn (Cheetahs):
He certainly showed some of the ‘magic’ that made him a start on the IRB Sevens circuit. Admittedly, the Lions offered feeble resistance, but even when they did he still showed plenty of playmaking skills that confounded their defences.
Bubbling under: Conrad Smith (Hurricanes)
12 – Jean de Villiers (Stormers):
He was written off by many at the start of the season, but like a true professional he answered his critics in the best way possible – on the field!
Bubbling under: James O’Connor (Rebels)
11 – Bryan Habana (Stormers):
Another of the Stormers’ veteran who were told – repeatedly – that their ‘sell-by’ date was up. Yeah, right! He is still pure class.
Bubbling under: Zac Guilford (Crusaders)
10 – Morné Steyn (Bulls):
He had some ‘off days’ earlier in the season, but last Saturday was not one of them. What is most impressive is that he is silencing those critics who still claim he only has a metronomic boot and can’t get his backline going.
Bubbling under: Beauden Barrett (Hurricanes)
9 – Francois Hougaard (Bulls):
There are still those who feel he is better suited to playing on the wing, but what a talent to have – starting at scrumhalf, having a blinder and then shifting to wing without missing a beat.
Bubbling under: Dewaldt Duvenage (Stormers)
8 – Scott Higginbotham (Reds):
Like his team, he made a slow start to the season, but at the weekend he made great strides in taking his game back to the heights of 2011 – where he was a consistent performer in the championship-winning Reds outfit.
Bubbling under: Kieran Read (Crusaders)
7 – Karl Lowe (Hurricanes):
He made a mockery of the Sharks at the breakdown and won a number of crucial turnovers to help his team to an impressive win.
Bubbling under: Tanerau Latimer (Chiefs)
6 – Siya Kolisi (Stormers):
Without doubt one of the finds of the season.
Bubbling under: Jack Lam (Hurricanes)
5 – Andries Bekker (Stormers):
He laid down another serious marker in his quest to be the new Springbok No.5.
Bubbling under: James Horwill (Reds)
4 – Eben Etzebeth (Stormers):
The most consistent performer this season and he is also one of the youngest.
Bubbling under: James Broadhurst (Hurricanes)
3 – WP Nel (Cheetahs):
His powerful scrumming and ball-carrying ability played a big role in his team’s dominance.
Bubbling under: Werner Kruger (Bulls)
2 – Adriaan Strauss (Cheetahs):
For weeks now he has been knocking on the door, this weekend he simply bashed it down and walked into our team.
Bubbling under: Chiliboy Ralepelle (Bulls)
1 – Steven Kitshoff (Stormers):
Another one of those ‘just out of the teenage category’ that is entertaining us with his skills this season.
Bubbling under: Coenie Oosthuizen (Cheetahs)
10 Apr 2012, 06:47 am
10 Apr 2012, 06:53 am
Great. Another Stormers thread, Jon. Keep up the good work.
But one minute, Jon you say that the Stormers endured a “taxing journey to Dunedin” and then you say of the Crusaders that there’s “good reason to believe the travel won’t detract from the Cantabrians’ performance.”
What did you really mean to say? That the travel bug only effects saffa teams?
10 Apr 2012, 06:57 am
@the artist formerly known as gunther(gunther)-3:
Now you know how the Bokke backs feel.
10 Apr 2012, 06:58 am
Definitely Stormers Bogy team in 2011..Crusaders will be looking to bounce back after their loss to die pinkies, ag Bulla..
10 Apr 2012, 07:01 am
@Sydney Shark(JayDaFiveOh)-5: I think you will find the majority of Stormers fans aren’t making any personal attacks against other SA players. They are just proud of their teams results so far, but realise that there is still a long way to go before the performance in attack and by the backs in particular is of a standard to be satisfied with. I think you’re taking your losses a bit worse then you should be. I know its bad with the conference system if other SA teams win and your team doesn’t, but that’s the fault of the system and the fools who came up with it and not the other teams themselves. SA talent pool is looking brilliant right now and for the future.
10 Apr 2012, 07:06 am
Interesting that all six front rowers are Saffas.
10 Apr 2012, 07:12 am
well we do know the bulls have softened them up nicely.
thats half the job done right there.
10 Apr 2012, 07:14 am
@stormer in a teacup(stormer in a teacup)-15: Yes, and you;ll notice that none of them are currently first choice in their positions for the Springboks. If you want to know why the Bok scrum often struggles then there’s your answer.
The only on missing is of course….
Brock the Rock!
10 Apr 2012, 07:15 am
@houston, we have a problem…(i_love_u_bakkiesbotha)-16: Yes thanks for that.
10 Apr 2012, 07:16 am
on = one
10 Apr 2012, 07:22 am
I’m going to be a little controversial here and say that if I were AC I would have been considering this fixture as an opportunity to rest some players.
We have a long season and will lose a few along the way, but in order to be competitive at the business end of the competition, you need to have your first choice players in good condition.The Crusaders are likely to be the toughest overseas challenge on this tour and we risk going to Canterbury, throwing everything at the game, getting some niggles and still losing the game, ending up punch drunk for the Reds. It may be an opportunity to rotate some of the heaviest impacted players, like Kitshoff, Liebenberg, Etsebeth and JDV. Make sure they recover properly and are ready for the next games fresher.
However on this run of form I’d probably go for broke and try and run it in, and rest them later in the comp if we have established a decent lead, a-la Bulls before the final in 2010. It worked out for them well then.
10 Apr 2012, 07:22 am
@stormersboy(stormersboy)-17:
early days but your Stormers look very good this year don’t think anybody would mind if they took the title this year they deserve it after playing some great footy over the last few years
10 Apr 2012, 07:32 am
run=rub. Jeez it’s too early.
10 Apr 2012, 07:34 am
@greentea(greentea)-21: We live in eternal hope mate!
As you say, it’s still very early.
And as we say, this year will be our year!!
10 Apr 2012, 07:39 am
Go Crusaders!
Crusaders by 15+
Franks
Flynn
Crockett
to do the damage
10 Apr 2012, 07:41 am
@stormersboy(stormersboy)-9:
IMHO Coenie Oosthuizen and WP Nel are the form and most destructive SA props at moment.
10 Apr 2012, 07:44 am
@greatest13gerber(greatest13gerber)-24: Around the eyes?????
10 Apr 2012, 07:47 am
@greatest13gerber(greatest13gerber)-25: They have been impressive for sure.
10 Apr 2012, 07:50 am
Stormers the team to beat this year.
That having been said, the Crusaders will be there at the business end of the competition, a win here will confirm the Stormers credentials.
Traditionally they fare well in NZ though.
Well, better than other SA sides.
Stormers by 5 – 10.
10 Apr 2012, 07:51 am
@greatest13gerber(greatest13gerber)-25: There’s been talk of converting Coenie to 3.
Your thoughts?
10 Apr 2012, 07:52 am
@JL1(JL1)-26:
WP and Oosthuizen do not play dirty (Western Province)
Oosthuizen is very handy at the breakdown as well.
10 Apr 2012, 07:54 am
@Taahirah(Taahirah)-29:
He is effective on both sides. But I feel he best suited to loosehead as his breakdown ability is best from loosehead then tighthead.
he has troubled the Franks boys on all occassions.
10 Apr 2012, 07:58 am
@greatest13gerber(greatest13gerber)-24:
no, they’ve been flat this season, especially franks.
not looking the same as last season.
also, some of their cheating in scrum moves are being blown this season. what surprises me is that they haven’t come up with new and altered methods for cheating in the scrum to compensate… thats what they do.
blame blackadder, he’s all flash no substance. will go down as the southern hemispheres greatest bridesmaid coach at this rate.
10 Apr 2012, 08:03 am
@Greased13gerbils. Got something you want to get off your chest?
10 Apr 2012, 08:03 am
@houston, we have a problem…(i_love_u_bakkiesbotha)-32:
agree with that. The refs are getting hard now. Crockett too continues to be pinned. This will be big test for Kitschoff and co. I expect the Franks and co to target the setpeice.
10 Apr 2012, 08:05 am
@stormer in a teacup(stormer in a teacup)-33:
yes. I still hate WP.
I expect Western Province bubble to burst against the Saders. Expect Dan Carter to dictate the game from start. Dagg and Fruen will test the Saders defence.
10 Apr 2012, 08:06 am
am really liking doodpoes coenie’s performances so far.
10 Apr 2012, 08:07 am
@houston, we have a problem…(i_love_u_bakkiesbotha)-36:
10 Apr 2012, 08:12 am
@stormersboy(stormersboy)-20: The Crusaders are such a dangerous team come knockouts, but have had a few losses already this season. Any loss for them is hugely advantageous to other play off contenders, because you don’t want to be playing them in Canterbury come knock out time. No need to rest against the Reds either, better off resting against the force just before the bye, then 2 weeks off and the players will feel as good as new.
10 Apr 2012, 08:12 am
Saders to hammer Stormers back to the ground – team starting to come together – was upset with the Bulls result ( carter missing 6 points in front of the pools didnt help ) But could have been better
10 Apr 2012, 08:12 am
Saders to hammer Stormers back to the ground – team starting to come together – was upset with the Bulls result ( carter missing 6 points in front of the pools didnt help ) But could have been better
10 Apr 2012, 08:13 am
Cheetahs front row looking very good. They are two locks shy of a very good pack.
10 Apr 2012, 08:15 am
@HongKongSlong(HongKongSlong)-38:
agree. Saders have history of hitting their straps come knockout rounds
10 Apr 2012, 08:16 am
@IAAS(I am a stormer)-11: We all know Saffa teams cant travel – LOL
10 Apr 2012, 08:18 am
Rest during the bye. Aim to win every game. Don’t expect to go through the season unbeaten, but still expect to win each game as you approach it. This game could go either way – both teams are strong all around the paddock.
10 Apr 2012, 08:22 am
Stormers to take the comp unbeaten this year.
10 Apr 2012, 08:23 am
@garth(garth)-45:
Can’t see that happening.
Province have history of repeating ..history
10 Apr 2012, 08:26 am
And riding the wave if support from the likes of Gerbil, HG and Spooner it is a real possibility, Garth.
10 Apr 2012, 08:29 am
If = of
10 Apr 2012, 08:35 am
@stormersboy(stormersboy)-37:
credit to you
10 Apr 2012, 08:35 am
@houston, we have a problem…(i_love_u_bakkiesbotha)-32:
you should open a halo shop and sell to SA rugby players and coaches you’d make a fortune
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