Coetzee: Four points the focus
8 May 2012
The battle for play-off positions may be intensifying but the Stormers deny they are feeling the pressure to score more tries and bonus points.
Stormers coach Allister Coetzee left no room for misinterpretation when he addressed the media on Monday. Seven games remain in the league stage, and Coetzee aims to win all seven. According to Coetzee, it is the realisation of this goal that will earn the Cape franchise a home semi-final rather than a drive for more four-try bonus points.
The Chiefs top the log with 44 points, and have picked up nine wins from 10 matches. They’ve also scored three four-try bonus points, and it is for this reason that they are three log points clear of the Stormers.
The Bulls overtook the Stormers last week with a four-try win over the Rebels. The Bully Boys have won one match less than their traditional rivals, but have managed to score four bonus points due to their try-scoring feats.
The win over the Rebels has pushed the Stormers into fourth position on the overall log, as the log structure demands that the three conference leaders be accommodated in the top three regardless of their individual points tally.
If the league was to end now, the Stormers would have the same win-loss record as the Chiefs but would not be in a position to host a semi-final.
It’s a situation that could well come to pass when the league stage finishes later this year, but Coetzee remained composed when probed on what’s become something of a prickly subject.
The Stormers face a difficult four weeks, with matches scheduled against the Cheetahs, Waratahs, Sharks and Bulls. The Cheetahs haven’t defended well this season and some teams would view a match against the boys from Bloem as a potential five-pointer. Coetzee, however, said such a view may be counter-productive.
‘We have to make sure we win,’ the Stormers coach said. ‘They have a good set piece and are very competitive at the breakdown, and derbies are always very physical. We are well aware that we lost to them before [in the pre-season], and so we know it’s going to be hard to break them down.
‘It’s always been the plan to win first before we start thinking about anything else. We want to build momentum [in a match] and if the chance is there to score four tries we will take it. But we can’t go into the game looking to score five points. We have to make sure we win first.’
The Stormers are coming off a bye and will welcome back lock Eben Etzebeth and centre Jean de Villiers from injury. The Cheetahs edged the Force last week in Bloemfontein, and will have taken some confidence from that solid forward showing.
Coetzee is set to name the same eight forwards that started against the Force in Perth. While this combination is sure to test the Cheetahs, the Stormers management will be hoping this inevitably physical clash doesn’t result in more injuries. The Stormers have already lost Schalk Burger, Duane Vermeulen and Nick Koster, and with more taxing encounters to come in the next month, they will need the existing forward combination to stay intact.
By Jon Cardinelli
31 Comments
8 May 2012, 10:40 am
Stick to what we’ve been doing…
Cheetahs are not gonna roll over purring while we scratch their bellies… They’re gonna come for a bruiser to stuff us up… as the rightly should..
Focus on the game first… the win second… and if all goes well THEN think about the BP… but don’t focus on the BP first and do crazy things and allow the Cheetahs in because we lost focus…
our focus has been key to our success so far this year…
8 May 2012, 10:55 am
Too much is made of this bonus point thing. The big games to come will have a much bigger impact on the log. Such as:
Bulls vs Stormers
Chiefs vs Crusaders and Highlanders
Bulls vs Highlanders and Chiefs
Sharks vs Stormers and Bulls
And of course in Super rugby every game is a potential banana skin. Only a fool would take the Cheetahs lightly.
So in the end a few bonus points might save you if you have fallen, but aiming at a clean sheet for the last 7 rounds is much more ambitious than going for a 5 pointer.
8 May 2012, 11:13 am
@ufo(ufo)-1: @ufo(ufo)-1: @wpjoulekkading(wpjoulekkading)-2: Agreed, even if we don’t get top spot, as long as we’re winning each game we’ll be ready for the play-offs where BPs mean bugger all.
Cheetahs will be tough, they’ll raise they’re game for us as every Saffa team does. Good to know Eben has had a break and will come back guns blazing. Can’t wait to see Nizaam play as well, missed him last week but man that guy was incredible at school (although so was Koster…), so much heart. A silent assassin.
8 May 2012, 11:36 am
@Bagel(Bagel)-3: Well Bagel, if we don’t get top spot we are pretty screwed. Teams number 1 and 2 are hot favourites for the final.
That’s the last 3 weeks for the top 6:
1) bye, home-semi, home-final
2) bye, home-semi, (probable) away-final
3) home play-off, away-semi, (probable) away-final
4) home play-off, away-semi, (probable) away-final
5) away play-off, away-semi, (probable) away-final
6) away play-off, away-semi, away-final
So you tell me which one you would rather be. The conference system has placed a giant emphasis on finishing in the top 2.
8 May 2012, 11:40 am
@wpjoulekkading(wpjoulekkading)-4: No I agree that we need a home semi, just the emphasis on top spot is not as important although very nice.
We must certainly finish top of our conference and I suspect the Bulls will slip up at some point against the Chiefs hopefully and possibly the Landers and Tahs although I doubt it.
The Loftus game is the biggest of the season for us, we also need to nail this average Guppy side although they’ll also raise their game for us.
So much hate for the Cape…
8 May 2012, 11:46 am
@wpjoulekkading(wpjoulekkading)-2: I do not agree with you , if the Strompies lose 1 match they are in trouble, you recon they will beat Cheetas 2 , Sharks in Durbs , Bulls at Loftus ?
Let me xplain: If Strompies lose 1 game, and the Bulls can get 3 bonus points next 6 games they ( Bulls ) can lose 2 games and still beat Strompies if they ( strompies) discard bonus points.
8 May 2012, 11:48 am
@wpjoulekkading(wpjoulekkading)-4: @Bagel(Bagel)-5: stormers had a home-semi and STILL got rogered so ja…
8 May 2012, 11:55 am
@Bagel(Bagel)-5: Aah, sorry, thought you meant top spot in the conference.
Yep, there will be a lot riding on that Loftus game. But there are plenty of other big games also, so let’s see how it develops in the next weeks.
As for the hatred for the Cape, there are some pretty crazy comments flying around on internet blogs from fans from all the provinces. I wish people would just talk rugby and not bring the cultural cliches into it.
8 May 2012, 12:00 pm
@capebull(capebull)-6:
You have a lot of “ifs” in that statement.
If the Bulls lose 1 or 2 matches they are also in trouble.
Your reckon the Bulls will beat the Highlanders, Chiefs and Sharks away from home? And the Stormers at home?
All your arguments and explanation count just as much if not more for the Bulls, and a couple of bonus points MIGHT make the difference, but probably not.
8 May 2012, 12:04 pm
Of course 4 points is the focus, its everyone’s! But Not being able to put teams away means that the Stormers can’t give senior plays an early bath and a rest to preserve them for later on and the injury rate is starting to be quite worrying. Taking players off with 20 minutes left to play is a luxury that they have yet to be afforded, but all their rivals have, as well as the obvious table points that have gone missing too.
8 May 2012, 12:05 pm
@HongKongSlong(HongKongSlong)-10: Really HongKong? The one point cushion the Bulls have is enough for them to rest players now?
8 May 2012, 12:12 pm
@wpjoulekkading(wpjoulekkading)-11: hahaahaha no no not like that I meant in matches. If you have the 4 trys scored and are winning by 20 points and cruising with 20 mins left to play with the game in the bag, its a great chance to take the key players off to avoid injury and give youngsters and squad players game time. That’s all. Not before kick off. Crusaders do it a lot.
8 May 2012, 12:31 pm
@Bagel(Bagel)-3:
agreed on all points bud…
nizaam to have a blinder this weekend…!!
@wpjoulekkading(wpjoulekkading)-4:
it is impossible for ALL the teams bagel names to win ALL their remaining matches…
so… if we DO in fact keep winning… we should be in the top one or two spots on the log… i think bagel is spot on…!
8 May 2012, 12:32 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-7:
you’ve reminded us of this… how many times now…?
so ja…
8 May 2012, 13:23 pm
@ufo(ufo)-13:
I was not disagreeing, that was in fact the original point I made in post number 2.
The top spot I was referring to in post number 4 is the top spot in the SA conference which really is a big prize as we all agree.
8 May 2012, 13:29 pm
@wpjoulekkading(wpjoulekkading)-15:
oh okay… sorry man… misread it…
yes, we all do agree on that…
cool…!!
8 May 2012, 13:30 pm
@HongKongSlong(HongKongSlong)-12:
Aah ok. Ja, you have a good point there. In general I don’t mind that the Stormers are not pushing super hard for bonus point games but ensuring that they win them.
What could use some improving is the method they use to do that ensuring. There was one or two games, I can’t remember the exact opponents, where they were 14 points up and got a penalty on the opposition 10 meter line with about 30 minutes left in the game. Now yes, a 3 pointer stretches the lead, but it also makes you lose territorial position and shifts the pressure, and is hardly a death blow to the other side. And that is only if it is over!
Surely it was worth pumping it into the corner and keeping the pressure on. That might indeed have lead to one or two blow-out victories with bonus points and the opportunity to rest players in the last 20.
But these are things to be improved on, not fatal flaws, and the fact that they showed the mental strength to keep their opponents down was heartening. The Stormers side of the middle 2000s would go into a 14 point lead and then implode.
8 May 2012, 13:38 pm
No matter how you spin it, a win is very important and a bonus point is important.
The fact that the Stormers have no 4 try bonus points puts presure on them not to lose. When they lose against the Sharks and Bulls away they are going to regret the absence of bonus points.
8 May 2012, 13:59 pm
@Mr Black(Mr Black)-18:
The only people who are spinning are the ones who suggest that the Stormers total of points is somehow worth less because it does not contain bonus points.
Did they miss out on the opportunity to be ahead? Yes. Are they right now in a worse position than for example the Bulls? No.
8 May 2012, 14:03 pm
Bonus points are exactly what they are – a nice bonus. As long as team keeps winning, 4 points are fine for me though.
8 May 2012, 14:07 pm
@Mr Black(Mr Black)-18:
Just to make it more clear, the Bulls have only 1 point more than the Stormers. So the amount of pressure on both sides not to lose is almost exactly the same.
8 May 2012, 14:07 pm
@wpjoulekkading(wpjoulekkading)-19:
Are the Stormers in a good position now? Yes
Will they be happy when they miss a home semi by 2 log points? No
Do i need to go on? No
8 May 2012, 14:13 pm
@Mr Black(Mr Black)-22: No, you don’t need to go on, because you are not making any real point.
Will any team that misses out look back at missed opportunities in regret? Of course. So what’s your point?
What I am saying is nonsense, is this idea that the Stormers is now worse off than the Bulls. Which they are not. Or at least only by one point. And considering the games left, that is not a great deal at all.
8 May 2012, 14:16 pm
That, unfortunately, has always been Coetzee’s big problem: He doesn’t think big picture, doesn’t play total rugby. No insurance against a bad day. That is what bonus points for tries give you.
8 May 2012, 14:24 pm
For the Stormers to win this thing they need to end up top of the log. It is not impossible for the Stormers to travel to NZ for the final and win it. If they had to play the Chiefs at home for the final, it could still be done. However should it be the Crusaders, I don’t see them doing it.
8 May 2012, 14:26 pm
@Bokhoring(Bokhoring)-25: Meant Chiefs at their home in NZ
8 May 2012, 14:28 pm
Every one will look back and regret missed opportunities.
The problem for the Stormers will be that there is so many missed opportunities to look at.
Has any team ever won 9 games in a season without a bonus point?
8 May 2012, 14:47 pm
@Mr Black(Mr Black)-27:
If they had gone for the bonus points they might have lost a crucial game and lost momentum, who knows.
There is no problem for the Stormers, they are 1 point off the conference lead with their tour finished.
You people are talking as if you are looking back from a future where the Stormers fell apart and the Bulls won the conference by 2 points. That could happen. But so could the future where the Bulls lose their next 3 tour matches and doesn’t qualify for the playoffs. Lots of possible missed opportunities to look at.
8 May 2012, 14:59 pm
@wpjoulekkading(wpjoulekkading)-28:
Ok
Good luck to them for the rest of the tournament.
I think the first bonus point win is coming this weekend anyway.
8 May 2012, 15:14 pm
@Mr Black(Mr Black)-29: Well, we will see about the bonus point.
Good luck to the Bulls also. Will be a great game if it is all to play for at Loftus in a few weeks!
8 May 2012, 15:39 pm
Cannot see the Cheetahs bothering these guys much this game… their own defence is simply too shite for a well knit team like the Stormers not to take advantage of…
Have your say
You must be logged in to post a comment.