Elstadt, Sinclair bolster Stormers pack
4 Jul 2012
Rynhardt Elstadt will start at blindside flank while Jebb Sinclair has been preferred at No 8 for the Stormers’ next match against the Cheetahs.
Elstadt’s return from suspension sees Don Armand dropping to the bench. Siya Kolisi moves back to openside flank as a result of Sinclair coming into the starting team.
The Stormers are hoping to get special dispensation from Sanzar to include in Sinclair in the play-offs. At present, he does not qualify for the knockout matches.
Coach Allister Coetzee said on Wednesday that the Stormers are waiting on a response. For the moment they will prepare as if Sinclair will be available for a possible semi-final and final.
‘I’m confident that the team we’ve picked is the strongest available,’ said Coetzee. ‘We will wait and see what happens with Jebb now, but we are hoping he will be available.’
Sinclair didn’t train with the team on Wednesday because of a calf strain, but Coetzee said the injury is not serious and that the Canadian should be fine by Saturday. If Sinclair doesn’t recover in time, Kolisi will move back to No 8.
‘It will be great to have players like Duane Vermeulen, Schalk Burger and Nick Koster returning, but at the moment we have to plan ahead. We want Jebb to play at No 8 and Siya will also cover for that position.’
Steven Kitshoff is brought into the starting line-up after being rested for the Lions game. Kitshoff started 12 of the Stormers’ 13 matches before the break and also featured prominently in the Baby Boks’ Junior World Championship campaign. Fellow front-ranker Brok Harris broke his nose last week and so won’t travel to Bloemfontein with the squad.
Meanwhile, the backline welcomes back fullback Joe Pietersen and wing Bryan Habana, who both missed last week’s clash because of flu. Gio Aplon will start at No 14.
Lock Eben Etzebeth is expected back at training next week after missing the Lions and Cheetahs games with an ankle injury.
Stormers – 15 Joe Pietersen, 14 Gio Aplon, 13 Juan de Jongh, 12 Jean de Villiers (c), 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Peter Grant, 9 Dewaldt Duvenage, 8 Jebb Sinclair, 7 Rynhardt Elstadt, 6 Siya Kolisi, 5 Andries Bekker, 4 De Kock Steenkamp, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Deon Fourie, 1 Steven Kitshoff.
Subs: 16 Tiaan Liebenberg, 17 Deon Carstens, 18 Quinn Roux, 19 Don Armand, 20 Louis Schrueder, 21 Burton Francis, 22 Gerhard van den Heever.
By Jon Cardinelli
94 Comments
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4 Jul 2012, 13:58 pm
@wpjoulekkading(wpjoulekkading)-46: I really hope he comes through in the next couple of years, we have very little depth at TH, I still think Brian Mujati can play a role based on his apprenticeship overseas.
4 Jul 2012, 14:03 pm
@Robzim(Robzim)-42:
oh… i thought it was the other way round… that he preferred flyhalf and played most of his rugby there but could play fullback at a push… in that youtube of him i think all clips are of him at flyhalf and if i remember correctly the label him as flyhalf/fullback… think dylan leydts played fullback while swiel was at bishops…
of course mine are just assumptions too…
but i like to see players like him closer to the action and able to use their speed, quick feet and good decision making to control a game… we need a flyhalf general…
we haven’t had such a flyhalf since i can’t remember when…
reckon swiel could be that guy… really hope they play him at flyhalf…
@bangkok-bok(bangkok-bok)-44:
thanks bud… didn’t know that… feel better that they weren’t just ignoring the kid… hopefully he gets some CC time when grant goes to eats whales…
4 Jul 2012, 14:03 pm
@Skeppie(Skeppie)-51: Mujati can play a giant role. But the question is more whether he wants to or not. He is earning the big bucks, and his road to the Boks seems to have been blocked with the paper work issues.
He has a wife and a young kid and signed a 3 year extension on his contract. So I don’t think he is coming back to SA any time soon.
4 Jul 2012, 14:03 pm
@wpjoulekkading(wpjoulekkading)-46: so he was juiced on antibiotics and had powder puff support from his pack – is that the sum of it?
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged by Mad Eye Productions.(The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food)-50: I knew there had to be a reason for the rock not being selected.
4 Jul 2012, 14:04 pm
It must be very difficult to lift the intensity especially after the three weeks of inactivity for most. As a player you want the league stage to end so that you can either focus on the play-offs or for the rest. Some thinking has to be done in the off season to prevent this scenario from happening again.
4 Jul 2012, 14:04 pm
@ufo(ufo)-38: Is he not injured?
4 Jul 2012, 14:05 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged by Mad Eye Productions.(The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food)-45:
cool…
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged by Mad Eye Productions.(The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food)-50:
the lions had to sort him out by any means…
4 Jul 2012, 14:07 pm
@Sasuke(Sasuke)-56:
apparently so…
4 Jul 2012, 14:14 pm
@ufo(ufo)-52:
Here is some stuff on Swiel- it’s from rugbyxv dot com- I also hope he concentrate on flyhalf as that is where we need him most imo:
“Bishops flyhalf Tim Swiel excelled in a disappointing Western Province team. Last year Swiel played fullback, his favoured position.
‘I played 10 my whole life before I went on an exchange to Dulwich College in England, where I moved to fullback. When I came back in my Grade 11 year, Dillyn Leyds [current WP U19 flyhalf] was playing for the first team, so I continued at fullback.
‘I actually prefer it there – I put my name down for fullback at the WP trials. I just enjoy more time and the space afforded at the back, but at the second last round of trials, they said they wanted me to play flyhalf. I like to think of myself as an attacking 10, and it’s quite nice to run, because at Bishops we hardly kick.’
During Swiel’s exchange in England, he was selected for Surrey and South East England U18 (one of four regional teams selected in the country) as a 16-year-old. England U18 coach John Fletcher approached Swiel about returning to play for England, but he remained loyal to South Africa.
‘I had the chance to play in England and make it there, as I was already in the system. But I suppose I went for the tougher route to come back to SA – where I had to prove myself. That’s why I’m so glad I made SA Schools.’
The 1.79m, 80kg 18-year-old will enrol at the WP Institute next year. ‘I didn’t get selected for the Bok Sevens’ Commonwealth Games training squad, and I’m not the biggest guy, so I need to improve my conditioning. The Institute will help with that.’
4 Jul 2012, 14:21 pm
@Robzim(Robzim)-59:
shot rob… very interesting stuff… thanks for that…
like you would prefer him at 10 too… we both know why…
4 Jul 2012, 14:22 pm
Deon played really well last week and it is difficult to chuck out a man of the match, which is what Deon was last week,” said Coetzee.
Yes but that was against the weak Lions. Cheetahs are tougher opposition.
4 Jul 2012, 14:26 pm
Good Stormers team for this weekend!! Use it dont use it, but I think Kokkie needs more credit….He basically started or played from the bench in every game this year for the stormers. Switching between 4 and 5 in difficult situations. I agree that Roux might have bigger influence on 4, and Andries and Eben are Springbok material. No question, but Kokkie did everything and more to help the stormers where they are now on the log, especially with all other big name injured players not playing. Just my opinion. Lineouts needs to improve though (although a lot depends on our hookers throw…) but general play and defence + work-rate very good. Love this blog!!
4 Jul 2012, 14:26 pm
@Robzim(Robzim)-59:
also really cool that he chose a more competitive south african route than succumbing to the lure of big money and almost certain selection at any number of english clubs…
respect the kid even more now…
4 Jul 2012, 14:32 pm
@ufo(ufo)-63:
…not too much credit now mate…the Bulls talent scouts are everywhere…
4 Jul 2012, 14:33 pm
@ufo(ufo)-63: We need a great in both 10 and 15- so either way I’d be really happy.
4 Jul 2012, 14:34 pm
@ufo(ufo)-63:
Someone mentioned a Du Plessis! How good is he?
4 Jul 2012, 14:35 pm
@Gumboots(Gumboots)-64:
hehehe…
he is contracted to wp bill… just hope it’s a long-term one…
@bangkok-bok(bangkok-bok)-65:
i’d be really happy with tim at 10 and joe at 15….
4 Jul 2012, 14:35 pm
@Nicholas(Nicholas)-62: Agree with you. he has always done well when called upon?
4 Jul 2012, 14:36 pm
@ufo(ufo)-67:
Oh so signed and sealed then… Ok good. Let’s hear more then…
4 Jul 2012, 14:39 pm
@Gumboots(Gumboots)-66:
which one… pj or jean-luc…?
think rob can help you more with them…
got some stuff to do… catch up later…
4 Jul 2012, 14:40 pm
@ufo(ufo)-70:
Carel’s son I think!!! Cheers boet…
4 Jul 2012, 14:40 pm
@Gumboots(Gumboots)-66:
Good enough to sit on the bench ahead of, say, Francis or Brache.
4 Jul 2012, 14:40 pm
@Gumboots(Gumboots)-69:
my knowledge of him is mostly this…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kYT56lzoMAs
cheers gotta run…
4 Jul 2012, 14:41 pm
@willievz(willievz)-72: Referred to JP, not Jean-Luc.
4 Jul 2012, 14:41 pm
@willievz(willievz)-72:
You talking about the centre right? I was talking about the youngster playing 10 at the moment…
4 Jul 2012, 14:44 pm
@Gumboots(Gumboots)-75: Yes, see post 74.
Du Plessis’ in general are good rugby players
4 Jul 2012, 14:54 pm
I hear from someone very very close to CJ Stander that he was told by Heinecke that he is 2cm to short for a Springbok.
Anyone out there maybe also heard this?
4 Jul 2012, 14:55 pm
@Jonck(Jonck)-77: lol that is ridiculous!
4 Jul 2012, 15:00 pm
@Jonck(Jonck)-77: rubbish dude, stander was apparently offered R800k by bulls but decided to take R2.1bar that munster were offering, this is what barend van graan alluded to in the press, unless barend is a lying b.astard!
4 Jul 2012, 15:02 pm
@Jonck(Jonck)-77: I can’t comment on that but I was told by an Academy coach yesterday at Wellington that apparently HM told Jano Vermaak and Jacques Potgieter that if they joined the Bulls, they would be selected in the Bok squad !! This person’s source is very close to HM
4 Jul 2012, 15:03 pm
@Jonck(Jonck)-77: sounds like an urban myth to me
4 Jul 2012, 15:07 pm
@CharlesM(CharlesM)-80: Thank you Charles. Now Gunther can apologise to those of us he called paranoid
Come out, come out wherever you are Gunther.
@Transformation(Transformation)-79: Barend IS a lying fatty. The Pollard issue comes to mind. Ok, maybe not a lying fatty, but a devious and crooked fatty for sure.
4 Jul 2012, 15:07 pm
@willievz(willievz)-76: I watched the WP Academy side demolishing Free State’s side yesterday: 51 – 8 !! J-L du Plessis had a good game but he is definitely no Pollard. I know it was suggested on this site that J-L should replace Pollard in the side. Incidently Pollard and his parents sat 2 rows in front of me at yesterday’s Academy matches. Pollard jnr seems to be a very down to earth person. He chatted a lot with his friends in the Academy side. They stayed until quite late. As usual with these weeks, the programme was running behind schedule. The WP / Free State match only started at 4.45 pm. In the second half the lights (more like a couple of candles) were lit and it was quite dark.
4 Jul 2012, 15:10 pm
@CharlesM(CharlesM)-80: i made that comment 2 weeks ago already and i’m not even close to heyneke meyer!
there was no justification for selecting both jano & jacque except only heyneke was paying back his promises to both…jano betrayed the lions to get to the bulls and it’s a no-brainer that he was enticed with bok colours. up until september 2011 some here had never even seen jaque potgieter play rugby and 640 min or less of super rugby later he was a bok
4 Jul 2012, 15:13 pm
@CharlesM(CharlesM)-80: my friend’s auntie serves koeksisters at the kerk where HM’s doctor’s receptionist is best friends with the orrelis and she told my girlfriend’s beautician….. blah, blah blah
4 Jul 2012, 15:18 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged by Mad Eye Productions.(The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food)-82: The Bulls have a lock in their side who was man of the match against SWD. (Bulls are playing WP in tomorrow’s unofficial final). He played Grant Khomo weel last year where he was signed by the Bulls. Huge guy with a lot of potential. Unfortunately I could not get his name when the MoM award was given to him. Whoever organised the tournament (SARU I presume or Boland as hosts) did not even hand out a brochure with the names of the players in the different sides. How difficult is it to produce a cheap brochure on normal paper ? It is always nice to know a player’s name for future reference.
Another matter: apparently Border decided not to select a number of players for their Craven Week side who have already signed contracts for next year. Among them is a flyhalf (surname Stander) with huge talent who is going to the Bulls. A couple of guys are going to EP KIngs and Border decdided not to pick them. 3 Players that are going to study at UPE, but not on contracts for 2013 were also not picked. They were told that they were lying and that they were in fact given contracts (this not true). I think it is stupid not to select your best side, regardless of where they are going to in future. The Border coach who is a distant relative is so pi..ed off with their selectors and according to him the Craven side would be given a hiding by the Academy side – all due to wrong selections
4 Jul 2012, 15:20 pm
@the peanut gallery(peanut)-85: And what do they know about rugby ?
4 Jul 2012, 15:23 pm
@CharlesM(CharlesM)-87: just pointing out the absurdity of all these rumours and “informed sources” and “he said, she said” skinner stories.
4 Jul 2012, 15:26 pm
@the peanut gallery(peanut)-88: This person is very well informed and I’ll not spread rumours for the sake of sensation – he has told me a few other things as well but I’ll refrain from naming it because then I’ll be guilty of “skinder”
4 Jul 2012, 15:32 pm
@CharlesM(CharlesM)-89: oh
4 Jul 2012, 15:33 pm
@CharlesM(CharlesM)-89: No man lets hear it?!?
4 Jul 2012, 15:37 pm
@CharlesM(CharlesM)-86: Yes, I read about Border’s stance a little while back re: Craven Week players. There was a huge uproar at the time. I know we disagree about Pollard captaining our team, but I am happy to hear he was there at least watching from the stands. (Still feel Fatty van Graan and Daddy Pollard have been devious!!!!!)
No leaflet even? Sheez man, that is bloody cheapskate, I think Boland as host union would have been responsible for this. Quiet embarrassing actually!
I am going to try and get through there tomorrow for the main game, and I hope quite a few make the trek to watch. WP won the main game last year if I recall correctly (Academy week) and then of course with the hideous pro Paul Roos selections of last year, our Craven Week team were very disappointing.
I hope we have our balance right this year
Thanks for the great feedback!
4 Jul 2012, 15:42 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged by Mad Eye Productions.(The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food)-92: WP’s Academy side is a very well balanced side: good forwards and an exciting backline. They scored some great tries. The Boland’s stadium is not upto standard for a tournament of this nature. There was a lot of rain predicted for Tuesday but fortunately there was none. The field was very slippery – even though it was dry
5 Jul 2012, 00:33 am
@Robzim(Robzim)-31: Who gives a tinkers cuss what HG does? Wrecking Ball Geel it is.
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