Bekker set for Super return
19 Jun 2012
Springbok lock Andries Bekker is expected to play in the Stormers’ next match against the Lions.
Bekker was sidelined with a back injury prior to the start of the South Africa vs England series. At the time Coetzee said he would wait five weeks before reassessing the big lock again, and on Tuesday, he said Bekker should be ‘good to go’ for next week’s clash against the Lions.
While Bekker’s return will serve as a big boost to the Cape franchise, there are still a number of players on the injured list. Schalk Burger and Nick Koster were initially tipped to return next week, but Coetzee said that this is now unlikely. Duane Vermeulen’s return has also been pushed back, and it is now hoped that he will be available for the play-offs.
Meanwhile, the Stormers will also be without Rynhardt Elstadt. After accumulating three yellow cards throughout the season, Elstadt was been banned for one match.
WP loose forwards Don Armand and Tyrone Holmes are currently training with the Stormers squad. Jebb Sinclair [Canada] and Siya Kolis [Boks] will return from national duty next week.
24 Comments
19 Jun 2012, 18:41 pm
Welcome back big boy! Hope you’re over your niggles! Need you at your rampaging best! Now for the rest to return so we can fark up the opposition in the playoffs!
19 Jun 2012, 18:42 pm
Towering dragon! Hope he can stay injury-free…
19 Jun 2012, 18:51 pm
@bangkok-bok(bangkok-bok)-2:
All our problems solved!!!!, should now be able to walk away with super rugby trophy, no problem….
19 Jun 2012, 18:58 pm
Elstadt suspended so won’t play against Lions.
Burger won’t be ready in time either.
So probably yet another makeshift loose forward trio of Kolisi, Armand and Sinclair (with the returning Koster on the bench).
Let’s hope Kitshoff, Etzebeth, Habana, De Villiers, Aplon and Pieterson stay injury-free this weekend.
But, for the game after the Lions, Stormers should look like:
1. Kitshoff 2. Liebenberg 3. Harris 4. Etzebeth 5. Bekker 6. Kolisi 7. Elstadt 8. Burger 9. Duvenhage 10. Grant 11. Habana 12. De Villiers 13. De Jongh 14. Aplon 15. Pieterson
16. Fourie 17. Malherbe 18. Steenkamp 19. Koster 20. Schreuder 21. Francis 22. Van Den Heever
Getting very close to full strength at the crucial time.
19 Jun 2012, 19:00 pm
@Stompie till I die!!!!(phil72)-3: As much as I like Bekker I support the Stormers- Bekker hasn’t been 100% for a good while now- I think he needs a good 6 months off with proper rehab. I can see this bloke being a sick note from here on out unless someone gets him properly rehabilitated. With his height his back will always give him issues- maybe he needs to bulk up in the right places. Time will tell..
19 Jun 2012, 19:01 pm
@Pee Wee(Pee Wee)-1: One thing that will give Bekker the kick up the @ss he has needed all season, is Juandre’s form for the Boks. Andries is a competitive dude, and Kruger’s form (and I honestly believe Juandre has been better than Andries all season, possibly due to Andries suffering with his back from the getgo) will be worrying him. Great for Stormers, and SA rugby in general. Nothing better than some old fashioned competition for positions.
19 Jun 2012, 19:04 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged by Mad Eye Productions.(The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food)-6: I like Juandre but Bekker at 100% is far better than Juandre at 100%. Sadly, Bekker has been at 60 or 70% for a long time now…
19 Jun 2012, 20:32 pm
We must rehabilitate all our Sa players properly.but results seems to matter more.but do you get those with 60% fit guys ,going off early in a given game?
19 Jun 2012, 20:47 pm
Welcome back big man!!
19 Jun 2012, 21:09 pm
Burger must be totally fkd as initially. He was going to tour, then they said ready after the tour, then he wasn’t ready for the Eng series, now not even for the Lions game after the break… Hmmm.. I wonder if he will ever return and be 100% ??
19 Jun 2012, 21:40 pm
Eztebeth really needs a break 10+ Super 15 games in a row and now 3 Test matches in row……….rest him against the Lions or the Rebels please or else we will have another Bekker situation on our hands
19 Jun 2012, 21:44 pm
@AssassinWP(Ashraf Ismail)-11: Amen to that. Kitshoff will also need a breather quite soon !
20 Jun 2012, 02:32 am
Good news for Bok TRC lock stocks… well and the rest of Stormer’s campaign…
20 Jun 2012, 02:41 am
@AssassinWP(Ashraf Ismail)-11:
Why a break… he’s 20… guys like Nathan Sharpe are 34 and have played almost every Super Rugby and test game for 10 years…
Etzebeth doesn’t seem to be built like Bekker… but yes a rotation or two would certainly go along way… Boks can afford one against England and the Stormers will be able to once Elstadt is back…
We all know AC’s record with over-playing though…
20 Jun 2012, 06:14 am
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged by Mad Eye Productions.(The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food)-6: Agreed.
20 Jun 2012, 07:30 am
Good news this. Just his presence alone will be immense. Let’s hope he is fully fit and gives a good performance. Ja Etzebeth and Kitshoff would need a rest. With Etzebeth it is easy with bekker back and de kock and quinn roux there. Kitshoff is another thing.
20 Jun 2012, 07:32 am
Maybe kitshoff doesn’t need a rest. The U/20 tournament doesn’t seem that taxing.
20 Jun 2012, 07:46 am
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged by Mad Eye Productions.(The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food)-6: I prefered your previous nick.
20 Jun 2012, 08:31 am
I think they have to be realistic in managing Andries and his weaknesses, most obviously on his back. Some guys just are more injury prone than others, for whatever reason.
We all know how good he can be, but he’s useless if he’s injured.
He need to just play less rugby, or alternatively play differently in order to protect himself.
20 Jun 2012, 10:15 am
Overrated player , sorry his injuries mean he is never available for the “real” games and thereforer cant be judged or compared against top opposition.
20 Jun 2012, 10:36 am
@stew(stew)-20:
What a load of absolute garbage. Overrated , but voted best South African player in the 2010 Super 14. hmmm right…
20 Jun 2012, 10:59 am
@bangkok-bok(bangkok-bok)-7: For a guy who is close to 7 foot, he loses way too much ball on his own throw in. Now I realise that the Stormers Hookers dont believe it is necessary to practice their line out throws, but Bekker is supposed to be the lineout manager and as such, is resposible for all of it
20 Jun 2012, 11:04 am
Is Pieter Louw still training with the team?
20 Jun 2012, 12:50 pm
A welcoming fantasy pick, hope the super rugby comp picks up where it left off
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