Stormers stem Red tide
20 Apr 2012
JON CARDINELLI watched the Stormers repel a late Reds rally to record an impressive 23-13 win in Brisbane.
The Stormers continue to deliver in the face of trying circumstances. They went into this game without Schalk Burger, Jean de Villiers or Andries Bekker, and still they managed to play with the composure and resolve needed to topple the best Super Rugby has to offer.
Some will argue that the Stormers should have put this Reds side away by more, as the Queenslanders suffered some serious injuries early in the piece. Coach Ewen McKenzie would have been feeling a sick sense of deja vu as flyhalf Sam Lane and then centre Ben Tapuai left the field inside the first 10 minutes. At that point the Reds were already 10-0 down, and were battling for any sort of momentum.
But to dismiss the Reds’ effort under these circumstances would also detract from the Stormers’ achievement. The Reds fought hard to stay in the game, and as the clock wound down in the second half, the visitors were made to fight just as hard to keep the Reds at arm’s length.
At times the Stormers attacked with confidence and purpose, but it was another fantastic forward effort and titanic defensive display that earned them an important win. The Cape heavies made an impression at the collisions from the first minute, and maintained that intensity throughout. It was at the point of contact where they troubled the Reds, and in many instances created attacking opportunities.
It didn’t matter that the Stormers struggled for territory. The Reds pack battled to build momentum from the scrum and at the collisions, and the Stormers were quick to pounce on a turnover and unleash a backline that was in a mood to counter-attack.
It was a turnover that allowed the Stormers to win a lineout deep in the Reds’ half in the 10th minute. Juan de Jongh crashed it up before Peter Grant attacked the line. Grant then effected a telling offload in the tackle to Gio Aplon, and at 10-0 the visitors had raced to a good lead.
The Reds managed to settle as the half progressed, but showed a lack of discipline in that crucial period just before half-time. A penalty attempt by Ben Lucas dropped short and the Stormers ran it back at a disorganised Reds defence until they were deep in the opposition 22. Some terrific skills allowed the Stormers to keep the ball alive, and from a later phase Grant sniped again, reached for the tryline, and scored.
At 17-3 it appeared to be all over for the shell-shocked Reds. McKenzie had gone into this match with five forwards on his bench and the early injuries to Lane and Tapuai had forced him to field both of his backline reserves. The Reds were hanging on at half-time.
The Stormers showed their composure in the second stanza. It wasn’t a case of defending a 14-point lead, but more a case of understanding that the Reds were battling to trouble their forwards. And as the game continued, the Reds did indeed become more desperate.
The hosts had their chances to narrow the deficit, and turned down a few shots at goal in favour of a crack at the tryline. The decision proved flawed as Rob Simmons lost the ball over the line, and the Stormers defence managed to clear from a subsequent scrum. This was but one of many instances where a Reds venture into Stormers territory culminated in a frustrating turnover.
It was far from a perfect showing from the Stormers, and while their leaders pulled them through they missed Andries Bekker’s management skills at the lineout.
The visitors’ blew a few early opportunities through lineout turnovers in good attacking positions. They also gifted a try to James Horwill in the 63rd minute when replacement hooker Deon Fourie missed his jumper at a set piece five metres from his own tryline.
But the Reds never looked like closing the gap. Their desperation grew as the full-time hooter drew close, and they passed up a shot at goal in favour of another dip at the tryline.
Again it ended in a turnover. They managed to win another penalty which Mike Harris duly slotted, but then they blew any chance of a draw or indeed a losing bonus point when they conceded a three-pointer at the other end of the park.
The Stormers still lack the killer instinct to be considered a real title prospect, but what is clear is that there is a tremendous belief in their playing pattern.
Their defence was the difference on this occasion and takes them to two wins from three tour matches. With only the Force to play, they have a good chance of making that record three from four and stretching their lead at the top of the South African conference.
664 Comments
Pages: « 1 … 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 [11] 12 13 14 » Show All
20 Apr 2012, 22:20 pm
497, Carol
no worries – it’s def going to get lowered now
20 Apr 2012, 22:20 pm
@Kleuter(Kleuter)-491: Did you WATCH the game today?.. I guarantee your Bulls and Sharks would have lost in Brisbane.. Vermeulen stood HEAD and SHOULDERS like a TROJAN on the battle field… something your piffle arsed little mommy’s boytjie Spies would run a mile away from tearing into the opposition liker a LEADER from the FRONT.. as Vermeulen did today..
You can’t see sh’t about this game your eyes are befuddled by hero worshiped balderdash idiocy and blue eyed cataracts covering them…
20 Apr 2012, 22:20 pm
Ashampoopaloo
Doubt whether Vic will return in any case. Smith I think is done too (pity). Fourie will be captain for 2 years. Hougaard to become the Christian Cullen at 15.
20 Apr 2012, 22:21 pm
@Robzim(Robzim)-481:
Yep I had done my homework, well I could not fly all over to CT and not know where Percy lived!
You live there and had no idea where he lived until I pointed it out to you! I don’t think he was home tho!
20 Apr 2012, 22:24 pm
Ashampoopaloo
I did, and Reds were poor. Aplon and Etzebeth was brilliant, Elstadt good too. Vermeulen was okay, but remember what Spies did against the Reds? MOM if I remember ?
And please stop using Bulls and Sharks in SA
E breath! We are enemies as much as any other SA teams
20 Apr 2012, 22:24 pm
Job done.
Didn’t catch the whole game. Only the important bits.
20 Apr 2012, 22:24 pm
Duane was huge.
Spies has been playing very very well in this campaign though too
20 Apr 2012, 22:27 pm
Michael
Conditioning program? And you honestly think that is like playing? Rules have changed, tempo has changed…..
20 Apr 2012, 22:27 pm
@Kleuter(Kleuter)-503: Fourie is a hopeless captain he don’t have the head or the courage for captaincy.. it will be a HUGE mistake if Meyer makes FdP captain.. and like I said,., if he does.. and Boks LOSE under FdP or Matfield against England.. then Meyer better be bold and brave enough to learn the hard lesson that he fck’d up BIG for chickening out and turning to some overrated hero worshiped has been’s instead of those who are putting in the hard yards week in and weeek out on the S15 stage…
In fact Meyer should get his gat skopped big time if he fails under FdP or Matfield.. because then his cowardly conservative insecurity will have killed off the Boks chances for taking the lead from the front with a new breed of player and ideology from day one…
20 Apr 2012, 22:28 pm
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-8:
Stop smoking that kak, man. Come off that high.
Sharks have another massive game tomorrow. Come to think of it. Every game now is a massive game for the Sharks.
20 Apr 2012, 22:29 pm
Ashampoopaloo
Okay, whatever you say. Agree to disagree. But don’t come sing the Bok praises in a year or two.
20 Apr 2012, 22:33 pm
Spies has upped his game since taking captaincy.. he has had to because that what captaincy demands of one.. But nowhere NEAR to Vermeulen’s courage and strength and driving leadership from the front is Spies.. the only one that comes near to that in SA rugby is Alberts.. though I reckon Vermeulen is a far better schooled and knowledgable No.8 than him..
Vermeulen at 8
Alberts or Elstadt at 7,
Brussow at 6
Kolisi or Coetsee
(or at a far fetched push Spies) off bench
fck me the opposition will Kaaaaak big time with a capital K…
nobody needs Burger or anyone else with a loose trio like that…
20 Apr 2012, 22:35 pm
Michael
And my guy says Juan will play a game or 5 and be out again
20 Apr 2012, 22:38 pm
@Kleuter(Kleuter)-511: sing the Bok praises under Matfield or FdP or Smit or Burger… not a chance.. won’t happen.. you can rest your bottom dollar on that…
I will always be a Bok supporter but I will NOT get bullshitted by cowardly chickenarsed retrograded actions by chickensh’t coaches who are too afraid to bust forth and go for broke and make hay while the sun shines brightly in the heavens…
I would have backed Matfield as captain the past two years ahead of Smit ANY DAY.. but not now… like so much else that ship has LONG PAST GONE and sailed away…
20 Apr 2012, 22:39 pm
great victory for the stormers and well deserved.currently the best saffa team.idon’t believe one bulls player will make it into the stormers team ….maybe hougaardt on the bench.
20 Apr 2012, 22:39 pm
Bok loosies in a squad
Brussow
Stander
Alberts
Elstadt
Spies
Vermeulen
My choice
20 Apr 2012, 22:41 pm
Ag Burger already done eveything there is to be done on the world stage and he’s not even 30 – he probably now just likes to braai the chicken and fry the lamb. He probably just sits back and has some more bees biltong with some rooiwyn – heerlik.
20 Apr 2012, 22:43 pm
@Kleuter(Kleuter)-516:
And no Stegmann!
Thank god for small mercies.
20 Apr 2012, 22:46 pm
@cab(cab)-517: that supposed to be some kind of challenge or bait or what?? If he done everything bully for him.. let him re run the video tapes and get a hard on at his immortality…
Burger is not in the running his time has come and gone.. just like Matfield, Smith, Botha, Smit, FdP, Fourie they are ALL past tense hero’s… waiting for Godot to come and take their hand to the heavenly chariot that gonna take them to the lofty heights of hero worshiped heaven some day….
Move OVER and let the young hard edged manne show the way…
AB’s are gonna ax their aging stars and so should we.. but No we hero worship these schmucks like they some tin foil gods we keep obeisance too on our mantle piece…
20 Apr 2012, 22:46 pm
@Kleuter(Kleuter)-513: Maybe, maybe not. Either way, future injuries doesn’t distract from the facts
@Kleuter(Kleuter)-516: Replace Stander with Kolisi and we’d agree.
Watching the evolution of the Bok squad over the course of this year will be fasciinating.
20 Apr 2012, 22:48 pm
@Kleuter(Kleuter)-516: No Burger.. I think you even surprised yourself…
and No Coetsee or Kolisi.. but you include Stander…
he got done by Kolisi once this year.. wait till the re run.. he’ll get done by him again.
20 Apr 2012, 22:48 pm
IAAS
Go look at all my teams and tell me I’m provincialistic.
20 Apr 2012, 22:49 pm
517 ashampoopa
ai sies man, where are your goddamn manners?
20 Apr 2012, 22:50 pm
@cab(cab)-517:
cabby
20 Apr 2012, 22:51 pm
Ashampoola
Unlike you I look at the player, not the jersey. Why not select the whole Stormer team and stop wasting everyone’s time.
No doubt Kolisi will become a Bok, but so will Stander and Botha. Coetzee too.
All in good time.
20 Apr 2012, 22:52 pm
@ashampoopaloo(joel1yahoo)-521: If one goes by points scored by players FL? Coetzee is by far our most productive loosie right now
20 Apr 2012, 22:52 pm
@sharks_lover(sharks_lover)-524: another carnivorous barbarian thinking biltong and braaivleis is smaaklik funny.. wait till its your turn on the spit,… see how funny it is then.
@cab(cab)-523: I ain’t at 517.. you must have confused me with yourself or somebody else..
20 Apr 2012, 22:53 pm
And WTF is godot? cut out the fairy tale horseshit – next think we given another gdam lecture on Xmas or Easter!
20 Apr 2012, 22:53 pm
Michael
Are you a Stormer?
Can one openminded person please come blog here!
20 Apr 2012, 22:54 pm
@ashampoopaloo(joel1yahoo)-527: i see you still show ur 5 year old maturity, keep going old man, ur pathetic
20 Apr 2012, 22:54 pm
@Kleuter(Kleuter)-529: need you ask??
20 Apr 2012, 22:54 pm
@Kleuter(Kleuter)-525: check my loosie contingent.. they are not all Stormers
best loosies in the country for horses for courses program are
Vermeulen / Spies
Alberts / Elstadt / Coetsee
Brussow / Kolisi
Thats it
Stander gets close.. but no cigar I’m afraid to say.
20 Apr 2012, 22:55 pm
@cab(cab)-523: Maaners is not something one would link skopclown with cabby
20 Apr 2012, 22:56 pm
God help us all – another gdam lecture in enlightenment on some pagan ritual when all anyone cares about is whether the next course flies, crawls, gallops or runs. And I ain’t talking your magic mushrooms poesface.
20 Apr 2012, 22:57 pm
@Kleuter(Kleuter)-529: Stander is good, very good, but he is really a number 7. There needs to be a backup 6 to Brussouw in the mix. Hence why I pick Kolisi and not Stander.
Injury to Alberts and in comes Stander.
You say you look at players not teams, so why not extend that curtousy to others.
20 Apr 2012, 22:57 pm
and for the deceent stormers supporters????? well done on todays victory, stormers playing with a lot of heart and brilliantly so
20 Apr 2012, 22:57 pm
Hello Sharky
what u reckon going to happen v chiefs?
20 Apr 2012, 22:57 pm
@sharks_lover(sharks_lover)-533: maaners= manners
20 Apr 2012, 22:58 pm
As I said, why not pick all these guys for the Boks.
Aplon
Habana
JdJ
JdV
Grant
Duvenhage
Verneulen
Elstadt
Kolisi
Etzebeth
Bekker
Gemmer
All run-on
20 Apr 2012, 22:58 pm
@cab(cab)-537: hiyas cabby, eish heart says Sharks , but ya im very worried about tomorrows match, Chiefs are a very good team this year
20 Apr 2012, 23:00 pm
@sharks_lover(sharks_lover)-530: its only barbarian carnivores who act like 5 year olds and think they so mature… I gave you a perfect scenario to consider.. wait till its your arse getting spit roasted on the fire.. see how funny it sound then..
and that isn’t a challenge to your maturity.. but to your humanity.. lets see how mature you go about such an advanced concern for others state of well being we get to consider on the flip side of the conscious awareness of humane maturity
20 Apr 2012, 23:00 pm
@Michael(mikeybrass)-535: for over all loose forward play Coetzee is far ahead as per the ratings on how a player is judged in performance to any other loose forward in SA
20 Apr 2012, 23:00 pm
540 SL
yes think it’s going to be close – helluva good team chiefs – they could do anyone actually this year.
20 Apr 2012, 23:01 pm
Michael
And you say Kolisi is more a Brussow type player? In what way?
20 Apr 2012, 23:03 pm
@ashampoopaloo(joel1yahoo)-541: blah bklah blah , same old drivel , go find something usefull to do in life dude, petty little outbursts on the net is not becomming of a so called man ur age” around 65 right???
20 Apr 2012, 23:05 pm
@Kleuter(Kleuter)-544
errick MInnie is probably the player that comes close to Brussouw’s style of play , no other
20 Apr 2012, 23:05 pm
@Kleuter(Kleuter)-539: Nope I didn’t pick them all
My Bok team today go something like this
F. Steyn
JPP
JdV (c)
JdJ
Aplon
Goosen
Hougaard
Vermeulen
Alberts
Brussow
Kruger
Etsebeth
Malherbe
Bismark
Greyling
Steenkamp. Chili, (Bekker / Elstadt), (Kolisi / Coetsee / Spies), Duvenhage, (Ebersohn / Taute / Pietersen), Lambie
20 Apr 2012, 23:06 pm
@Kleuter(Kleuter)-522:
Winding you up.
My run-on loosies would be:
8 Vermeulen – been saying it for a while and he’s having another good season.
7 Alberts – still think he’s the one to take Juan’s jersey
6 Brussouw – an important dynamic on the field particularly in tanden with Bissie.
Spies to speed up the game in the last half hour. I just question his abilities to read a game as an 8th man.
20 Apr 2012, 23:08 pm
@cab(cab)-543: Yeah Cab , but i know if the Sharks get it right, specially in DBN they can beat the Chiefs , but not going to be easy at all, what i find strange is that every match so far that the Sharks play against a KIWI team has, KIWI ref?? Hopefully tomorrows match wont be marred by rubbish reffing as has been the case so far this year
20 Apr 2012, 23:08 pm
@sharks_lover(sharks_lover)-545: blah blah blah yourself domkopff .. you the arsehole laughing at dumbfck idiotic stupidity and then calling other people immature… seems you got no clue about what maturity actually is.
Pages: « 1 … 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 [11] 12 13 14 » Show All
Have your say
You must be logged in to post a comment.