Sloppy Stormers deny Cheetahs
12 May 2012
JON CARDINELLI watched the Stormers win 16-14 at Newlands by virtue of a commanding first-half performance.
The Stormers second-half effort was nothing short of shambolic. After leading 16-0 after 40 minutes, after physically dominating the Cheetahs to an overwhelming degree, they conspired to concede the advantage and very nearly the result.
The platform was there for the four-try bonus point they had been searching for all season. Their lineout was functioning beautifully, as was their rolling maul.
Their physicality at the collisions and scrums was putting the Cheetahs on the back foot, and flyhalf Peter Grant was knocking penalties over from all angles.
The confidence with ball-in-hand was apparent, as Jean de Villiers turned down a kickable penalty in the 23rd minute and instructed Joe Pietersen to boot the ball to touch. The Stormers then powered though the phases with Eben Etzebeth bursting through from close range for the game’s first try.
But instead of capitalising on a commanding lead, the Stormers allowed the Cheetahs to fight their way back. Literally.
The visitors produced a more physical effort in the second stanza, and managed to niggle and unsettle the Stormers forwards. While it was the Cheetahs who were guilty of poor discipline in the first 40, the Stormers were the sloppier of the two teams in the second.
Hennie Daniller crashed over in the left-hand corner after 48 minutes, and a difficult conversion by reserve flyhalf Riaan Smit brought the score to 16-7.
Starting No 10 Sias Ebersohn had struggled in the first half, and Smit seemed to play with more confidence and lend the visitors more direction in the later stages of the game.
The game was stopped in the 54th minute when both teams were involved in a full-scale brawl. Referee Steve Walsh put the entire incident on a white card, and also sent Stormers flank Rynhardt Elstadt to the bin for his role in the scuffle.
But now it was the Cheetahs’ turn to waste a great opportunity. They turned down a shot at goal, and then conceded possession several phases later. It was here that the Stormers’ characteristic defence came into play and denied the Cheetahs what could have been a game-changing score.
Willie le Roux snatched an intercept try in the 67th minute, and another fantastic conversion by Smit reduced the deficit to two points. It set up a dramatic final 13 minutes, and it was here that the Stormers struggled to escape from their own half, a range of poor tactical kicks allowing the Cheetahs to send wave after wave after attack into Stormers territory.
Fortunately for the hosts, the Cheetahs panicked with ball in hand, forcing the pass or taking the wrong option and eventually conceding possession.
The Stormers finally managed to get some territory, and while they battled to control the ball, they remained in the opposition half for the last five minutes of the game.
It will go down as another win for the Stormers, but they will know that they blew a golden opportunity to bank the four-try bonus.
The manner in which they smashed the Cheetahs up front in the first half and bossed territory and possession was encouraging. If they had maintained their concentration for the entire second stanza, they would have racked up four tries quite comfortably.
Because of their inconsistency, they will remain in second place in the South African conference and fourth on the overall log for another week yet.
255 Comments
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12 May 2012, 23:09 pm
@optiplay(optiplay)-198:
His coach is not going to bench him when he is so short on loosies
What action do you suppose he take besides talking to him about it?
12 May 2012, 23:14 pm
@CoachPete(CoachPete)-201: I don’t necessary say he should be benched.Let him write out a thousand times”I will not tackle around the neck”Heck I dont know what he should do. All I know is Elstadt is a classy player and his management team should come up with a plan.Different players will respond to different approaches.(I am not serious re the 1000 times)
12 May 2012, 23:18 pm
@CoachPete(CoachPete)-201: Dont label a player as an “enforcer” for starters. He might want to live up to that label, or even think he has to.Most supporters of rugby loves a good physical loose forward.Just slow him down a bit.
12 May 2012, 23:21 pm
@optiplay(optiplay)-203:
yeah i would have a tough talk with him and actually get him to call Strauss and apologize
12 May 2012, 23:22 pm
Unless he did after the game I hope he did
12 May 2012, 23:30 pm
@CoachPete(CoachPete)-205: In any case ,your team did well to win this one. They are a good team, but I sure would like to see them score more tries.Quite frankly, If they did not lose both their locks against the Crusaders early in the game, I think they would still be undefeated.
12 May 2012, 23:33 pm
@robzim. In Napier
12 May 2012, 23:34 pm
@optiplay(optiplay)-206:
Yes thanks
What worries me a bit is the lack of bonus points (scoring tries)
its not a problem in playoff because games are usually won at that stage with good defense and are not high scoring games.
The worry is where they finish due to lack of bonus points and then having to travel to NZ or Loftus for play offs.
12 May 2012, 23:35 pm
jeez, expected more from the stormers. when will they click? big games coming up against in form sharks and bulls. will have a big say in final league positions.
well done cheetahs for the fightback. must be lowest scoring game cheetahs have been involved in!
12 May 2012, 23:40 pm
It started……. Talk back radio is in full swing regarding the Crusaders. Blaming ref etc. Just as well the All Black flag is black!!!!!! The country is in mourning.
12 May 2012, 23:51 pm
@Napier(Napier)-210:
Strange, i live here and in Christchurch as well.
Didnt see too many mourning.
Talk back radio is excatly that. A lot of people venting there frustration even to the point where it clouds there minds.
Ref played ok, missed a knock on with one of the rebels tries and a forward pass buit
how many times the Saders had the calls go there way.
Need to calm down and you need not listen to talk back.
12 May 2012, 23:53 pm
brok owned coenie tonight… sent coenie to the pet semetry…
to get all the “deadcats” he could find…
in in the second half coenie had to resort to scrumming in and/or scrumming upwards or standing… and begging the ref for some relief…
coenie was literally having to adjust his neck after most scrums… was holding his head in his hands trying to adjust his neck.. he got stuffed up tonight good and proper…
and frans continued where brok left off…
instead of gabbing his mouth off ollie le roux should chuck another burger in it…
12 May 2012, 23:54 pm
@Napier(Napier)-153:
Hang on.
An Ozzie living in NZ and your team is the stormers?
Thats like a Kiwi living in Pretoria supporting the Reds, you would be shot over there.
12 May 2012, 23:55 pm
Damn,wanted to see the Cheetahs take this, just to shut a few cocky stormer supporters.
12 May 2012, 23:57 pm
Always going to be close – probably cursing their season sayibg it but stormers should win it – they got 3 problems 1 chiefs 2 saders (maybe) and 3. Their natural poeftigheid
13 May 2012, 00:07 am
Would loved to have been in the Keo newsroom while this game was on,
Must have been some soiled underwear in there.
Just goes to show what could have been if an unbiased ref had reffed a few more of their games.
Somebody at SARU cocked it up and sent Mark Lawrence to Durban and Steve Walsh to Cape Town..
So not that many penalties went the Stormers way as would normally have been given by Lawrence or Kaplan,anfd the Cheetahs outscored them 2 tries to1.
I am sure that this oversight will be rectified next week and old W.P 23 Lawrence will be back in the saddle.
13 May 2012, 00:11 am
Well done on the four points Stormers, but you are going to have to get out of the habit of taking the foot off the gas.
13 May 2012, 01:14 am
@ufo(ufo)-212: Yeah.Right!!Where is your guide dog when you watch rugby?Come on!! Coenie destroyed him.His only problem was the bind. Have a pocket on the jersey of the tighthead to hold on to , and Brok plays Vodacom .
13 May 2012, 01:22 am
@optiplay(optiplay)-218:
hehehe
so your defense of coenie is to insult me…
typical…
the fact that you admit coenie needs the assistance of an extra “pocket” to hang onto says all that needs be said…
every other loosehead manages without an extra something to hang onto…
13 May 2012, 01:25 am
Could see Stormers limping into playoffs with their casualty list….but they have the game plan and structure in the forwards to take out any side….only thing will they have the players necessary to execute.
13 May 2012, 01:37 am
@ufo(ufo)-212: Great post.Have to add that Kolisie moered Coenie in the tackle as well.
13 May 2012, 01:42 am
shot man… yeah kolisi was big in contact…
have to say when we have kolisi on… we get a kolision of note…
kolisi the mobile kolision…
13 May 2012, 01:43 am
cheetahs played very well though… credit to them…
nearly pulled off the win…
13 May 2012, 02:14 am
@ufo(ufo)-219: Just had a dig at you. Don’t be so sensitive.Most commentators and most of the guys on this site agree that the loosehead is at a disadvantage. The reason some of them don’t get blown up is in the interpretation of the law.When Walsh changed the way he blew the game , Brok got hammered with penalties. Having your hand on the ground is not being overwhelmed by the tighthead.Just as Kiita had his hand on the ground a few times at the end of the match . He was not overshadowed by Nel . But was also not blown up. It is just a stupid law. Anyway I agree with you on Kolisi.Great game!!And well done to your team.
13 May 2012, 05:35 am
Great game, Elstadt. Make all comers pasop when they come to Newlands. Take no prisoners, boet.
13 May 2012, 07:30 am
@ 93Dwarslat(Dwarslat)
Coenie is so kak, wanneer hy die toilet deur oopmaak dan flush dit vanself #kakcoenie
13 May 2012, 07:46 am
Coenie is so kak, sy kat wil hom begrawe wahaha #kakcoenie
13 May 2012, 07:46 am
@RugbyStudent(RugbyStudent)-226: Can see why you are a student.
13 May 2012, 07:57 am
@optiplay(optiplay)-224:
not being sensitive at all… but interesting that you should suggest that just because i call you for not sticking to the facts…
ah ha… so it’s so because most of the other people say so…? Good argument…
why is this suddenly an issue…? 11 weeks into the comp and now we should have extra things sewn onto the tighthead’s jersey’s because coenie couldn’t bind…?
before the game ollie le roux said on news24… “I don’t rate Harris highly. It’s an opportunity for Coenie to show what everyone knows he’s capable of.”
so from coenie going to klap harris… suddenly coenie needs a little extra sewn onto harris jersey…? hahaha… gotta make excuses for coenie when he get’s his *** handed to him…
for sure, as you acknowledge, things changed in the second half… and the ref blew it differently… mmmmm?? guess all coenie’s begging and pleading tugged at steve’s heart-strings…
harris only had two scrum penalties against him… in the first it was for pulling down… now why would he pull down if he’d had the upper hand all game till that point…? ref got it wrong…
coenie was always asking the ref to make harris engage higher because he couldn’t get under harris… law states props backs must be straight… which harris was… when he was forced to stand higher, coenie was able to get under him and scrum up… which is illegal… ref got it wrong… again…
but don’t take my word for it… go and ask coenie himself why after several of the scrums he walked behind the play trying to adjust his neck…?
will say again.. cheetahs played very we’ll… stormers played very badly and were lucky to win… but win they did…
13 May 2012, 08:00 am
Of the 2 loosehead props playing last night Kitshoff was streets ahead of Coenie,
Was more impressive in the scrums, carried the ball better, tackled well.
He’s a dark horse for the June tests IMO.
13 May 2012, 08:03 am
@stormersboy(stormersboy)-230:
absolutely stormersboy…
was far more solid… and more effective in the loose too…
13 May 2012, 08:05 am
@stormersboy(stormersboy)-230:
but he’ll be playing for the junior boks… to ‘rest’…
13 May 2012, 08:46 am
@ufo(ufo)-232: Unless he gets a call up.
But that’s probably unlikely.
13 May 2012, 08:57 am
Harriet not a patch on Malherbe, much rather start with Malherbe and let Harriet come on later
Stormers last hopes rest with Elstadt and De Villiers, and of course Kolisi. Long as those 3 stay un injured or not sanctioned or suspended we stand a good chance this year.
Long as De Villiers has captaincy and Elstadt and Kolisi stay on the park no team gonna out muscle or out psyche us. Lose either those 3 and we deep in die kak..
I said in the beginning that without Burger this team can go all the way, so far its only one loss vs Crusaders, under Burger would have been a few losses already just like last year and year before that.
13 May 2012, 09:24 am
@stormersboy(stormersboy)-233:
i agree with you that he’s good enough… and wouldn’t be at all surprised if he got the call up… has been perhaps the most consistent of our looseheads…
i’m coming a bit from left field though…
he has played just about every minute of the season…and just believe he needs some time off… and playing for the juniors shouldn’t be as physically demanding as for the boks…
if he doesn’t get a ‘softer’ time then… then when will he…? we need him for the final part of the season…
13 May 2012, 09:28 am
@ufo(ufo)-235: You are 100% on the money there. It happened with Elstadt last year. Player every minute and the got injured for the rest of the year.
13 May 2012, 09:56 am
just loved seeing coenie struggling like a madman chasing nothing when etsebeth had him in the one hand grip of death.
coenie got owned big time and baby brok had to save hime haahahaha.
13 May 2012, 10:10 am
the sad thing is when the stormers lose in the semis they will blame it on their loose foward crisis.When the crisis is really at 9 and to a lesser extent flyhalf
The vodacom cup scrummie Nic Groom seems better than duvenhage.
Doesnt it make more sense to give the ball to your strongest kicker in your own 22.Pietersen and aplon kicks further than granny grant use them AC you stubborn mule
13 May 2012, 16:08 pm
@mad eye(mad eye)-216:
Sad enough, but an old story nonetheless by now
@skopskiet(skopskiet)-234:
I hardly counted 3 tackles made between Kolisi and Carr, the amount of work done by the Stormers’ tight five was enormous
@saru1983(saru1983)-238:
I thought both were outstanding in managing the game to a pre determined plan?
13 May 2012, 16:47 pm
Siyamthanda Kolisi: 80 minutes, 21 tackles, 1 miss, 6 runs, 6 rucks/mauls, 1 pen
Most tackles in match: Siyamthanda Kolisi – 21
13 May 2012, 16:48 pm
Steyn: 68 minutes, 11 tackles, 0 miss, 3 runs, 3 rucks/mauls, 1 pen
Chilli: 55 minutes, 13 tackles, 1 miss, 3 runs, 3 rucks/mauls, 3 pen
Werner: 81 minutes, 12 tackles, 2 miss, 3 runs, 2 rucks/mauls, 1 pen
Coenie: 80 minutes, 6 tackles, 0 miss, 15 runs, 14 rucks/mauls, 3 pen
Adriaan: 80 minutes, 4 tackles, 0 miss, 12 runs, 11 rucks/mauls, 0 pen
WP: 80 minutes, 5 tackles, 0 miss, 6 runs, 7 rucks/mauls, 0 pen
V Rensberg: 71 minutes, 5 tackles, 2 miss, 0 runs, 0 rucks/mauls, 0 pen
Visagie: 57 minutes, 2 tackles, 1 miss, 1 runs, 1 rucks/mauls, 0 pens
Cilliers: 67 minutes, 9 tackles, 1 miss, 0 runs, 0 rucks/mauls, 1 pen
Bezuidenhout: 25 minutes, 3 tackles, 1 miss, 1 runs, 1 rucks/mauls, 0 pen
vd Linde: 25 minutes, 1 tackles, 1 miss, 0 runs, 0 rucks/mauls, 1 pen
Beast: 81 minutes, 10 tackles, 1 miss, 3 runs, 3 ruck maul, 1 pen
Bismarck: 62 minutes, 8 tackles, 1 miss, 6 runs, 4 rucks/mauls, 0 pen
Jannie: 58 minutes, 7 tackles, 1 miss, 0 runs, 0 rucks/mauls, 0 pen
Kitshoff: 80 minutes, 14 tackles, 3 miss, 4 runs, 3 ruck maul, 0 pen
Fourie: 68 minutes, 14 tackles, 2 miss, 6 runs, 7 rucks/mauls, 0 pen
Harris: 59 minutes, 13 tackles, 1 miss, 2 runs, 0 rucks/mauls, 2 pen
Liebenberg: 12 minutes, 1 tackles, 0 miss, 2 runs, 2 rucks/mauls, 1 pen
Malherbe: 21 minutes, 3 tackles, 1 miss, 0 runs, 0 rucks/mauls, 0 pen
13 May 2012, 16:58 pm
Siyamthanda: 80 minutes, 21 tackles, 1 miss, 6 runs, 6 rucks/mauls, 1 pen
Jacques Botes: 81 minutes, 19 tackles, 2 miss, 4 runs, 4 rucks/mauls, 0 pen
Rynhardt Elstadt: 71 minutes, 17 tackles, 0 miss, 3 runs, 0 rucks/mauls, 3 pen
Philip vd Walt: 80 minutes, 17 tackles, 1 miss, 7 runs, 7 rucks/mauls, 0 pen
CJ Stander: 81 minutes, 16 tackles, 0 miss, 8 runs, 8 rucks/mauls, 1 pen
Marcell Coetzee: 65 minutes, 16 tackles, 1 miss, 7 runs, 6 rucks/mauls, 1 pen
13 May 2012, 17:01 pm
Most tackles by a South African: Siyamthanda Kolisi – 21
so now we know hondo doesn’t actually watch any rugby…
13 May 2012, 17:03 pm
@saru1983(saru1983)-238: Fully agree with . Their problem is at 9.Your stand-in 9 is also not that good.Unfortunately.Stormers should not have allowed Hougaard to go to the Bulls. He was in Paul Roos if I am not mistaken.
13 May 2012, 17:26 pm
Stormers tacklig to much.
They need to put more emphasis on attack imo.
13 May 2012, 17:27 pm
@Mr Black(Mr Black)-245: Tackling
13 May 2012, 17:30 pm
@saru1983(saru1983)-238:
Sounds like you enjoyed your tossed salad this evening
13 May 2012, 17:33 pm
@ufo(ufo)-229: So you pointed out that I insult you to make a point.Yet you try to ridicule me to make your point.
Firstly I am neither a Stormer nor Cheettah supporter.
I am not a Coenie fan. There are better looseheads in SA.(Kitta is a great prospect but not this year yet. He will be a Bok one day)
Having actually played,coached and reffed at a good level,I dont follow other peoples opinions ,but can agree with them. I merely pointed out to you that I am not the only one seeing the problem with the present law which puts the loosehead at a disadvantage.Brok carries a fair amount of weight around his chest(as good tightheads often do),which makes binding on tight jersey difficult.
I watch rugby because I love the game.I can see from your posts that you follow the game ardently. I would like your opinion on the present law regarding engaging and arm going to ground.
If on the other hand you prefer not to have a discussion re rugby, merely say so and will be out of your hair.
13 May 2012, 18:07 pm
@optiplay(optiplay)-248:
was simply returning serve as they say… trying to find out why people were saying before the game that coenie would destroy brok then made excuses for him afterwards… and why the destruction was not qualified with “depending on the bind”…
but cool… great to talk rugby and leave the bs out…
yeah… of course i have similar issues about the engage and the bind…
as far as the actual engage is concerned… andre watson said at the beginning of the season that “if a prop’s hand, arm or elbow touches the ground he WILL be penalized…”
so the scrum coaches and props go away and practice and some get it right and some don’t…
then some refs penalize this ‘must penalize’ offense and some don’t… my argument is… by not penalizing the guys who touch the ground the refs are in fact penalizing by omission the guys who don’t get it wrong… these are the guys who have put in the time and effort and perfected their technique so why shouldn’t they benefit…?
in a world that ‘says’ they want perfection we are very quick to settle for mediocrity when our favorites don’t measure up…
short of it is… if the refs committee say it must be penalized then they must penalize it… to make it fair for those who do get it right… or change the law…
in the highlanders game jamie mackintosh was so stuffed he was simply resting his hand on his thigh…? and not penalized for it… so what’s the point of making technical laws if they’re not going to be enforced…?
as far as the grip is concerned… i agree with you… except that it normally is harder for the tight head as he has to bind over and outside the loosie’s arm…
have actually discussed a flap to bind onto before… but that would count against the props in general play… but yeah… maybe the props wearing slightly less tight jerseys would be an idea…
13 May 2012, 19:18 pm
@ufo(ufo)-249: I think we agree on most points. Mine sometimes gets lost in translation.(also not good at taking cracks at other people. I should stick to rugby)The ” pocket” would also not be fair to tightheads as that will give the defence an additional tag to hold on. I feel they should change the law to a simpler one.
By the way You seem to be very good at stats . Is it possible to see how many neck injuries actually occurred with the old techniques vs today?I am not sure there is any difference.Only far more headaches for the spectators.
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