Stormers face scrap for survival
14 May 2012
JON CARDINELLI says the injury situation can only worsen for the Stormers in the next three weeks and fans should brace themselves for at least one loss.
Coach Allister Coetzee’s worst fear was realised on Saturday when No 8 Nizaam Carr hobbled off the field. The log may not reflect the fact, but Carr’s knee injury has plunged the Cape franchise even deeper into crisis.
The Stormers will be without Schalk Burger and Nick Koster until the end of June, and may have to make do without Duane Vermeulen for the rest of their campaign. It was hoped that they could survive this four-game stretch without conceding further injuries, and that Jebb Sinclair would play a supporting role to the incumbent loose trio of Siya Kolisi, Rynhardt Elstadt and Carr.
But with Carr joining a lengthy list of casualties, Sinclair will be thrust into the starting line-up. It means that Coetzee will also have to promote a loose forward from the Western Province Vodacom Cup team, as apparently there are no other experienced players available.
When asked whether he would seek further help from abroad, a despondent Coetzee replied, ‘Who? Do you have any names for me?’
It was a statement that explained the recruitment of Sinclair. The Stormers had failed to acquire the services of Springbok flank Francois Louw and presumably failed to acquire other high-profile players with unbreakable club commitments.
Outside of Sinclair, a Canadian who plays his club rugby for London Irish, there aren’t many players with a gap at this point of the season.
Saracens enjoy a good relationship with the Stormers, and it was suggested after their recent exit from the Premiership semi-finals that some of those players may be available. Saracens hooker Schalk Brits did after all play loose forward for the Cape side when they were similarly afflicted last year.
But Coetzee’s response didn’t inspire any confidence of a Saracens forward flying to the Stormers’ aid. It is likely that the Stormers will have to make do with what they have until Burger and Koster return at the end of next month.
It’s a massive blow, and you’d have to say they’d do well to stay in contention for a home semi-final. They may have lost only one game to date, but because they haven’t scored four-try bonus points their position in the top six is far from secure.
They need to keep winning to stay in contention for that crucial home play-off. It’s going to be a tough ask with a depleted pack, even more so considering the demands of looming forward-oriented contests against the Waratahs, Sharks and Bulls.
It will be nothing short of amazing if they manage to win their next three matches, two of which are away from home. It will be incredible if they can come through these inevitably brutal physical clashes without losing more players to injury.
They will also hope that the Highlanders and Chiefs do them a favour by beating the Bulls and thus preventing the Pretoria side from extending its lead at the top of the South African conference.
Two defeats for the Bulls will allow the Cape team to stay in touch despite their own (and here I say probable given their depleted stocks) losses in the next three rounds.
The Stormers have a slightly easier run-in to the play-offs than the Bulls with matches against the Lions (home), Rebels (home) and Cheetahs (away) scheduled for after the June Tests. The Bulls will host the Cheetahs and Lions, but face a difficult trip to Durban.
The Stormers will be boosted by the returns of Burger and Koster for those matches, but they won’t want to leave themselves with too much to do in terms of securing a home semi-final. They need to survive the next three matches without conceding further injuries, and they also need to pick up some crucial log points.
A win against an inconsistent Waratahs side this weekend is non-negotiable, as away victories in Durban and Pretoria for a depleted Stormers side seem far less likely.
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475 Comments
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14 May 2012, 05:56 am
Briesies will definately lose 2 in the next 3 (Bulls and sharks) and the tahs not a guaranteed win either. When S15 resumes, the Cheaters at home and the Rebels like they have been playing these last 2 weeks also not a given.
So, 5 possible losses looming. 3 guaranteed.
Sharks to overtake them on the log and the SA conference will be:
Bulls
Sharks
Briesies
Go Bulls!!!!!!
14 May 2012, 06:19 am
Bulls also have a minor loose forward injury crisis, with J.Potgieter & Stegman crocked. When is Dewaldt back? And would he be match sharp?
Re the Breezers…
Think that they should be taking the Tahs next week, but the two after that will be interesting.
With Bekker & Etsebeth, they should still have plenty grunt in the engine room. Elstadt also (not sure whether the handbags will have the citing commissioner all over him)?
They will however be severely tested at ground level, without a specialised fetcher.
14 May 2012, 06:28 am
@Xkreni-WP(Xkreni-WP)-1: Cheaters? Cheetahs…? Sharks have good players but tend to lose games they should win. I think they will lose 2 -4 games and have some chance of getting into the top 6. If the stormers have gotten this far with all the injuries then why can’t they get to the top of the SA conference.
Stormers have also had a tough draw and beaten almost all of the best teams in the comp – Bulls, Sharks, Reds, Highlanders and Hurricanes
Bulls still have to 2 tough games on tour but i must say they have been very impressive! I think the next three weeks before the June internationals will give a very good indication of which teams will be in the top 6.
14 May 2012, 06:51 am
Wouldn’t it be ironic if those lazy Lions down the Stormers at their Newlands fortress.
Yes after losing away to the farm boys I can see an implosion for the Storm boys.
14 May 2012, 06:56 am
@Xkreni-WP(Xkreni-WP)-1: And the idiot has spoken. 3 guaranteed losses? It is reading posts like this that that highlights the damage inbreeding can do.
14 May 2012, 07:04 am
@Pot Blou Gevaar(Pot Blou Gevaar)-2: It will be tough. The derbies in particular will be very difficult. The Stormers though, have shown great character and depth to keep on winning with all their injuries.The quality of loose forwards in the Cape is excellent, but the lack of experience is the biggest problem. The same people have been saying all season that the wheels are going to be coming off the Stormers and they have been shown up to be ignorant fools. This side has enormous character and talent. They will be in it to the end.
14 May 2012, 07:07 am
@RL(RL)-4:
14 May 2012, 07:09 am
@RL(RL)-4: Do you really think the Tickle me Elmos who got rolled by the pathetic Blues are really going to beat anyone else this season? The only implosion going on is occuring inside your cranium.
14 May 2012, 07:14 am
@Xkreni-WP(Xkreni-WP)-1:
Hahahaha..I remember similar sentiment last year when most bulls banked the game against the sharks to book their semi ……that “Guaranteed” win was not that “guaranteed” was it! We all know how you all went to the malls in the semi!!!!!
The pink trilletjies will lose two guarenteed games from now!
14 May 2012, 07:14 am
@stormer in a teacup(stormer in a teacup)-6:
Much respect to your team bro, for years known as the light five. NO LONGER…
With the exodus at Loftus, the Breezers IMO seemed the strongest Saffa team on paper, and they have largely delivered. Grunt is something which can be taught seemingly at Newlands, respect to Proudfoot.
You guys is still odds on for the play-offs IMO, hell even a finals berth. You may however need to travel to Loftus B @ Orlando Stadium
14 May 2012, 07:18 am
Very close race.
Both the Bulls and Stormers have 3 home and 3 away games left.
If both sides win this weekend and lose the following weekend, as I expect them to, against the Chiefs and Sharks respectively, then they will retain their current log positions in the SA conference, but the Bulls will have only 1 away game left to the Stormers 2.
After the Loftus clash things should settle nicely into place.
As for the Cheetahs clash – the Bulls put 50 past them in Bloem, so I am a bit more confident about the result of the return leg at Loftus than I am about the Stormers chances in Bloem, after scraping through 16-14 against the Cheetahs in Cape Town this weekend.
14 May 2012, 07:21 am
So we went from having the “X factor” last week to “facing a scrap for survival.”
Vacillate much guys?
14 May 2012, 07:26 am
Bulls will lose to Sharks, Chiefs and Highlanders. Guaranteed. Game over
14 May 2012, 07:28 am
this weekend the stormers supporters will show their jaat.
14 May 2012, 07:28 am
@Pot Blou Gevaar(Pot Blou Gevaar)-10: The Bulls, away, are definitely the biggest challenge ahead for the Stormers. The Bulls have also shown great spirit and composure and an enormous amount will ride on this game for both sides. The Sharks are also looking like they may have sorted out some of their combinations and will test both Bulls and Stormers. As the Rebels Saders game showed us this weekend, absolutely nothing is guaranteed and that you have to be in the scrap in every game.
14 May 2012, 07:31 am
Bulls can bank the Lions and Cheetahs games at Loftus – Cheetahs have never beaten the Bulls in Super Rugby history, and we put 50 past them in Bloem this year.
The Stormers can bank the Lions and Rebels games at home.
After that, anything can happen to either of the teams.
14 May 2012, 07:32 am
oh, how the world turns…
can only say i am really, really impressed with the bulls’ young team and also with frans ‘the rock scientist’ ludeke.
vasbyt stormers…
14 May 2012, 07:34 am
why dont they get luke watson to play for them?
14 May 2012, 07:35 am
Way too any people suffering from wishful thinking. The same mutts who boldly and wrongly predict a guaranteed result one week, are back the next predicting some other guaranteed fantasy, having learned absolutely nothing from their arrogance and ignorance.
14 May 2012, 07:35 am
I just love how Tacticus conveniently forgets of their two upcoming tour games. Those two games and the Sharks and Stormers games……………….3 guaranteed losses.
14 May 2012, 07:35 am
Worst case for the Stormers in my view is losses to the Tahs, Sharks, Bulls and Cheetahs.
Worst case for Bulls, losses to the Highlanders, Chiefs, Stormers and Sharks.
That leaves us back where we are now, except the Sharks will top the SA conference and the Stormers will be 3rd.
14 May 2012, 07:36 am
The whinging Yappies clearly need to sign more Canucks if they stand a chance. Otherwise, expect more unrelenting whinging.
14 May 2012, 07:37 am
Basically, the Loftus clash will be the decider.
14 May 2012, 07:38 am
@Xkreni-WP(Xkreni-WP)-1: Guaranteed?? Nothing is gauranteed!! Aks the Crusaders that!
The stormers have only lost one game the WHOLE season away from homa against the best side in superrugby ever… and yet there are people talking about the sharks and Bulls game as if they are givens… I reckon the bulls will lose their three next matches.. yes that is right… three!! Highlanders, Chiefs, and Stormers at Loftus!
As for the sharks, should they not beat the cheetahs this weekend their hopes are gone and they will not have the same interest in the comp anymore…. The stormers played for only 23 minutes after going to sleep against the cheetahs and it was still enough.. The Bulls should never have beaten the Tahs, but they will run out of luck soon…..
As Ac is saying… just keep winning and you will be alright!!
Go Stormers and the Canadian!!
14 May 2012, 07:40 am
Stormers should still be favourites to top the SA log. Should the Bulls win one more game on tour the scales will tip though.
14 May 2012, 07:41 am
said several times last week i was very worried about the cheetahs game… even when bulls fans were telling us it would be an obvious win… some even suggested we’d get the bonus points…
cheetahs always play out of their skins at newlands…
yes, i’m worried about the injuries… although i think jebb played very well in the circumstance… did a lot in the tight loose…
however, it’s not all doom and gloom… imo… stormers have been playing ugly, defense oriented, physical rugby…. (hence the injuries)… and have scraped through on many of their wins…
and it was no different this weekend… which is what worries opposition teams… stormers just seem to have that extra bloody-mindedness they never had before to do whatever it takes and lay their bodies on the line to hang on for the win… and it seems the level of the opposition doesn’t really change that…
sure we will most probably lose a game or even two more… but so will other teams…
but one thing you can bet on… the stormers will scrap and hang on and put everything into it so whoever beats us is going to have to play out of their skins too…
they all wait with trepidation…
the stormers are coming…!!
i love it…!!!
14 May 2012, 07:42 am
this is the sharp end of the tournament and depth is going to be critical.
14 May 2012, 07:42 am
Basically, if the Bulls win this weekend, then they don’t have to win in Durban. If they lose this weekend, then they have to win in Durban.
That’s what it comes down to.
14 May 2012, 07:44 am
@Tacitus(Deucalion)-23: If the Bulls lose to the highlanders and chiefs, and the stormers beat the Tahs and the Sharks.. the Loftus game would mean nothing..
The way the stormers are playing, should they lose a game somewhere, they would probably pick up a losing bonus point.. so I think should they lose three games from here on in, they will probably pick up 3 points in those games… which will be almost as good as a win….. So there is still a lot of rugby to be played…. I think beating the cheetahs after a bye coming back from overseas is enough.. they will get their act together this week and then we will see another turnaround from these JC’s rugby soustreinryers…
14 May 2012, 07:45 am
@Fern is not a stud,he is merely no19(Fern)-18: He is contracted to the Kings who have their own ambitions.
14 May 2012, 07:47 am
wow stormer and jebb was not contracted
it is only monday and you girls are already hysterical
told the people here the stormers supporters are going to show their jaat.
14 May 2012, 07:47 am
@Pee Wee(Pee Wee)-20:
Easy on gun slinger..,
Before the Bulls tour started, I felt that the Landers game will be the toughest for the Bulls as their forwards always has a good showing, with a very settled set phase.
I do however feel that the wheels is coming off slightly in Dunedin.
Dont let your dislike for the Bulls cloud your judgement guy.
I see somewhere else luck is being stated. Was it Gary Player.., “the more I practice, the luckier I get”?
You’ll note Bulls being etched in thrice on the Super Rugby trophy
14 May 2012, 07:48 am
@Tacitus(Deucalion)-28: The funny thing actualy is: Should the stormers lose to the Sharks, it would put the sharks in a position to challenge the bulls for second or even top spot in the conference.. which would make the Bulls game at the Tank that much more difficult.. .so the bulls will find them in a catch 22 when the stormers play the sharks…
14 May 2012, 07:49 am
bulls and stormers lack depth and it is going to cost them dearly
14 May 2012, 07:49 am
@PrickBoks going South(PrickBoks going South)-22:
I suppose if you didnt want to spend to much money on a rugby player for a couple of weeks,or maybe they will pay you to play you would hire a dumbassss braindead loser canadian.
14 May 2012, 07:51 am
@ufo(ufo)-26: take away Nienaber’s defence and you are basically left with the Warratahs … it is true.
14 May 2012, 07:51 am
@Tacitus(Deucalion)-21: The worst case scenario is to lose all your games. If you don’t think it possible for the Cheetahs to beat the Bulls at Loftus, recall the fact the the Blues did it and they are way worse than the Cheetahs. Nothing is guaranteed until after it is all over. How many Manchester United fans were celebrating after 90 minutes yesterday?
14 May 2012, 07:54 am
if the bulls beat the chiefs then i think they’ll win the comp.
14 May 2012, 07:54 am
@Fern is not a stud,he is merely no19(Fern)-31: Really? You think that post was hysterical, do you? This from a bloke who shaves his pubes so he can find his wanger and then proceeds to announce it on Keo.
Case Dismissed.
14 May 2012, 07:55 am
jaat is starting to show
nice
14 May 2012, 07:58 am
@RL(RL)-36: Take away anything from any team and they will be weaker. It is called logic.
14 May 2012, 08:01 am
@Fern is not a stud,he is merely no19(Fern)-31: Hysterical is not the stormers supporters, but rather all the other teams from Sa;s supporters going hysterical over a Win by the stormers albeit it be with two points… all the sudden the stormers need to keep winning to stay in the race etc etc??
fact is every other team in SA wants the stormers to fail… and that is fine… by the looks of the comp though.. .there are some teams that lost a few games and yet find themselve in the running… so I am certainly not panicking like you seem to suggest….beat the Tahs and Sharks, and we will be sitting on 53 points…. that seems about enough to get to a play off spot…. maybe not home ground though
14 May 2012, 08:01 am
Predictions just open a can of whoopas…
Why don’t we all just wait and see what happens. Many a person has been made to look rather silly with their predictions, so let’s wait and see. If we all knew what was going to happen then we wouldn’t watch rugby. The Lions could beat both Stormers and Bulls. Unlikely but possible…
14 May 2012, 08:01 am
@Tacitus(Deucalion)-11:
Underestimate The Sharks vs the Pink Bulls at your peril. The Sharks love playing the Bulls.
14 May 2012, 08:02 am
@RL(RL)-36:
what a ridiculous statement…
but not unexpected…
14 May 2012, 08:02 am
provvas
keep your posts short
no use for a long hysterical rant
as you were
14 May 2012, 08:03 am
Take nine defeats away from the Lions and they would be unbeaten.
14 May 2012, 08:03 am
GWS
These ladyboys from the cape are getting worried
you called it long ago
14 May 2012, 08:04 am
@Bill Reyts(Gumboots)-43:
yip, and the nice thing is that this seasons not a one or two horse race which makes it more enjoyable.
14 May 2012, 08:04 am
@Great White Shark(Predawn)-44:
Exactly! The Sharks are starting to look really dangerous which bodes well for SA rugby. Three teams in playoff would be first prize. One of them winning the icing on the cake… Let’s just hope it could be the Stormers…
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