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, 10:19 am
@houston, we have a problem…(i_love_u_bakkiesbotha)-99:
how are grantie and JR?
10 Apr 2012, 10:23 am
@the artist formerly known as gunther(gunther)-98:
@ufo(ufo)-100:
look, lets focus on the rugby… okay… soooo the stormers hey..?..
10 Apr 2012, 10:27 am
@houston, we have a problem…(i_love_u_bakkiesbotha)-99: Touche’
10 Apr 2012, 10:31 am
I wouldn’t usually say this but please please stormers hammer these low class crusaders. And,if the opportunity arises, ask the ref to white flag a potential eye gouging situation…..just to piss todd off,you understand.
10 Apr 2012, 10:31 am
@houston, we have a problem…(i_love_u_bakkiesbotha)-102:
10 Apr 2012, 10:36 am
Dan Carter should not allow himself to stoop to underhanded cheating tactics and get back that class that separated him from the rest.
10 Apr 2012, 10:38 am
Had to fast forward to the end, watching perfect rugby is too much, the black tide marches on, tomorrow he’s bringing over the final where we destroy the Frogs.
10 Apr 2012, 10:39 am
@stormersboy(stormersboy)-79: @ufo(ufo)-84: before you two get in a “air punching” frenzy
eben:
attempted 14 tackles on sat and made 93%
last week, attempted 8 tackles and made 88%
week before last 11 tackles and made 100%
brock:
on sat attempted 12 tackles and made 100%
last week attempted 6 tackles and made 83%
week before last attempted 8 tackles and made 75%
according to verusco
8)
10 Apr 2012, 10:47 am
the air punch has been downgraded to a high five.
10 Apr 2012, 10:54 am
@Transformation(Transformation)-108: It;s interesting to see how different sites have different reporting on stats.
But totally air punching.
Almost pulled a muscle on Saturday morning.
10 Apr 2012, 11:02 am
I see Gio and Koster still on the doubtful list for Saturdays game.
Johannesburg – Wing Gio Aplon and loose-forward Nick Koster are the only two players on the doubtful list for the Stormers’ second Super Rugby tour match against the Crusaders in Christchurch on Saturday.
Aplon sustained a hip pointer injury shortly after half-time during the Stormers’ excellent opening tour victory against the Highlanders in Dunedin at the weekend.
Coach Allister Coetzee said after the 21-6 win that the Springbok’s condition would be assessed during the week, but Aplon has let it be known via Twitter that he is recovering fast and is no longer feeling the pain that he was.
Should he miss out, however, the Stormers do have a ready replacement in the shape of former Bulls star Gerhard van den Heever, who has impressed during the time that he has been working with the Cape franchise.
10 Apr 2012, 11:02 am
@Brigadier Van Zyl(Brigadier Van Zyl)-104: Eye gouging is only proven if there is an eye ball on the end of your finger !
10 Apr 2012, 11:03 am
@the artist formerly known as gunther(gunther)-101:
@stormersboy(stormersboy)-103:
@ufo(ufo)-105:
hehehe
10 Apr 2012, 11:05 am
@Transformation(Transformation)-108:
cool… just trying to get the emotion out of it…
i was using rugbystats…
good to know you took the time to go and find some more…
but whichever stats you look at… they’re still putting in a damn impressive effort…
10 Apr 2012, 11:07 am
@stormersboy(stormersboy)-110:
yeah…
i’ve always asked but no one seems to be able to answer what actually constitutes a ‘tackle’ and who get credit etc when two or more players tackle an opponent…
so sure the stats may differ…
but still tell pretty much the same story…
10 Apr 2012, 11:57 am
@Transformation(Transformation)-108:
could you post the stats for the other south african props…
would be cool to compare them with stats from the same source…
cheers
10 Apr 2012, 12:54 pm
i asked Will, of Verusco, how they define a tackle and if i could share his reply..
Isn’t the tackle area complex!!!!
What we provide to our customers and what is shown on our website are quite different in term of tackles…. The ‘tackles made’ stat includes any player (no matter how many are involved at the same time) that is involved in the attempt to bring a player to ground, and either does so successfully or impedes his progress substantially. We do split the statistics further up into 1st tackler, active tacklers and assist tacklers for our customers, as well as players who arrive in a position to tackle but are not needed and players who start a tackle and leave on their own accord, but making too many stats public would be against our own best wishes.
Dont mind at all you sharing that info, probably isnt the best definition in the world but is a start!! haha
Great to hear you are enjoying the website, definitely looking at providing more stats in the future!!
Will
very helpful guy…!!
excellent site…!!
10 Apr 2012, 13:03 pm
@ufo(ufo)-117: Ok so even a player being on the periphery will constitute a tackle attempt.
What is the website?
i googled it and got the site but not where they have stats.
10 Apr 2012, 13:04 pm
@ufo(ufo)-117:
Yep exactly why the Statpro (or Sportsdata) stats are better… Verusco (free) only show you ‘total tackles’…. whereas Rugbstats (Sportsdata) can be broken down into ‘made’, ‘missed’ and ‘ineffective’…
‘Made’ tackle- where a player is taken to ground, stopped in his tracks and not able to break the line…
10 Apr 2012, 13:07 pm
@ufo(ufo)-117: @bryce_in_oz(bryce_in_oz)-119: OK but really any way you break it down it comes down to :
Stormers = Gooooood
Anyone else = Baaaaaad.
But then I don’t need a website to tell me that.
It’s plain to see.
10 Apr 2012, 13:10 pm
@stormersboy(stormersboy)-120:
Go Stormers… and Bulls… and Cheetahs…. and… Rebels
10 Apr 2012, 13:12 pm
@bryce_in_oz(bryce_in_oz)-119:
thanks bryce…
so can a normal oke get on statpro… and rugbstats… sheesh… confusing between rugbstats and rugbystats… will tryu them both though…
@stormersboy(stormersboy)-118:
versuco.com
go to stats portal…
then enter competition… year… week… and game…
10 Apr 2012, 13:17 pm
@bryce_in_oz(bryce_in_oz)-121:
cool…
i’ve backed the rebels and pleased to see them come good at last… hope they can keep it up…
@stormersboy(stormersboy)-120:
hehehe…
exactly… me neither…
but i just wonder why when guys pick ‘their’ teams what they make their selections on… so was trying to get some genuine comparative analysis going…
but your point is true… the difference seems to be the stormers attitude… collectively and individually… bulls have always had this attitude… and crusaders…
good to see stormers starting to exhibit the same stuff…
10 Apr 2012, 13:19 pm
@ufo(ufo)-122: Cool, got it thanks!
10 Apr 2012, 13:20 pm
@ufo(ufo)-122:
Yes… obviously like most suppliers they won’t give it all away (for free)… but for breaking down Sportsdata (statspro)…
Here for the top 20 lists after each round http://livescores.smh.com.au/rugby/super15/player-stats.html
Here for quick reference player/team stats http://www.smh.com.au/match-centre/rugby-union/match-2400105.html?
And here for breaking down all the individual player stats (eg types of tackles, rucks/mauls, turnovers conceded etc etc) http://www.rugbystats.com.au/matches/rugby/match15502.html
10 Apr 2012, 13:22 pm
@stormersboy(stormersboy)-124:
plezsh…
10 Apr 2012, 13:23 pm
@bryce_in_oz(bryce_in_oz)-125:
very cool…
thanks a STAT…!!
10 Apr 2012, 13:52 pm
@ufo(ufo)-127: That’s quite interesting reading, Almost no Stormers players in the catagories that you would like, except for Tackles (Siya – 5th), Lineouts won (Andries- 3rd) and penalties goaled (Joe- 2nd).
I see peter Grant features quite highly in the tackles missed dept.
And in spite of all this we are leading the log.
In the most important stats of all: Games won, points earned and position on the log
10 Apr 2012, 13:59 pm
@stormersboy(stormersboy)-128:
yeah… interesting hey…
guess they can’t factor game-plan into the stats…
and it’s also why i focus on tackles to compare players… it not only says a lot about the players attitude and commitment but also about his work rate… imo… because tackles don’t just come to those who wait (although sometimes they do) so to keep up with play and be in a position to make the tackles speaks volumes… to me anyway…
10 Apr 2012, 14:02 pm
@stormersboy(stormersboy)-128: that is because they play as a team. For those guys with high tackle stats means someone else has missed a tackle or is out of position.
10 Apr 2012, 14:04 pm
I bet if we got which team made the most tackles the stormers would be right up there.
10 Apr 2012, 14:05 pm
@stormersboy(stormersboy)-128:
also because the players are sharing the load, i guess, throughout the team…
10 Apr 2012, 14:06 pm
@ufo(ufo)-129: It;s a very good stat for the forwards particularly,
I see some Sharks featuring prominently. I guess they’ve been forced into making many tackles this year.
10 Apr 2012, 14:07 pm
@SteveWarren(SteveWarren)-130: @SteveWarren(SteveWarren)-131: 100% agree with you.
Welcome to the madhouse Steve
10 Apr 2012, 14:08 pm
@ufo(ufo)-132: And 100% with you too
As usual
Let’s have that beer this week. BOD has been scarce on the Blogs, he must be laying low.
10 Apr 2012, 14:09 pm
I’ve lurked for a long time lol
10 Apr 2012, 14:10 pm
@SteveWarren(SteveWarren)-130:
yeah… they do seem to be genuinely playing for each other…
@SteveWarren(SteveWarren)-131:
we are only 8th in tackles made… with 942… hurricanes tops with 1139… then cheetahs, sharks, rebels, reds, chiefs and brumbies…
10 Apr 2012, 14:11 pm
@stormersboy(stormersboy)-135:
definitely… we must…
mail me where and when…
10 Apr 2012, 14:11 pm
@SteveWarren(SteveWarren)-136: You a Stormers supporter?
10 Apr 2012, 14:11 pm
yeah… welcome steve…!
10 Apr 2012, 14:12 pm
@ufo(ufo)-138: will do
10 Apr 2012, 14:14 pm
@ufo(ufo)-137: That suprises me, so we must be playing rugby unlike certain other supporters seem to sugest.
10 Apr 2012, 14:16 pm
Born and bred WP supporter
10 Apr 2012, 14:17 pm
@SteveWarren(SteveWarren)-142:
that’s why it’s so interesting as stormersboy said… watching the various styles and successes or failures we all expect one thing… but the stats don’t always support our opinions or thoughts…
10 Apr 2012, 14:18 pm
good to have another wp rugby supporter aboard…
and about time we had another stormers thread…!
10 Apr 2012, 14:20 pm
I think it’s also perception because we seem to be hitting people backwards and dominating the collision that it stands out more.
10 Apr 2012, 14:24 pm
@SteveWarren(SteveWarren)-146: Correct. The Highlanders captain Joseph alluded to it in the post match interview when he said that they like to tackle the players abound the ankles and then compete for the ball, while the Stormers like to tackle the player, keep him upright and drive him back behind the advantage line. He admitted that they did not have an answer for that on Saturday.
10 Apr 2012, 14:29 pm
Stormers looking really goo this year. They have threatened in recent years but this year they look a team that could go all the way. Long season ahead though. A lot can change.
10 Apr 2012, 14:29 pm
On another note what has happened to wicus blauw and kritzingher
10 Apr 2012, 14:33 pm
@Cheetahs27(Cheetahs27)-148:
absolutely 27…
think we’re all very aware of how far it is to go… and how quickly things can change…
so enjoyed our win… but realize another humdinger coming up this weekend too…
but your boys looking really REALLY good too…
playing the best rugby in the comp in my opinion…
really pleased for Adriaan… always liked the guy… carries himself with great dignity… and is the form number 2 in the country too…
and all this without juan… imagine if he was also available…??!
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