Fourie to fill No 8 void
11 Jul 2012
Deon Fourie will start at No 8 when the Stormers battle the Rebels on Saturday.
Coach Allister Coetzee told this website on Monday that the Stormers’ request to include Jebb Sinclair in the play-offs has been denied by Sanzar. The laws states that players signed after the 1 April cutoff are not eligible for the knockout stages, and despite the fact that the Stormers are thin in the position of No 8, Sanzar refuses to grant them special dispensation.
What this means is that the Stormers will need to plan for the upcoming play-offs. Sinclair aside, they are unlikely to have Schalk Burger and Nick Koster back from injury.
There is a slim chance that Duane Vermeulen will recover in time to feature in the semi-finals, and his availability will be made public following a visit to a knee specialist on Monday. There is of course a strong chance that Vermeulen won’t be fit, and that the Stormers will need to make do with the players currently at their disposal.
Siya Kolisi has already been used at No 8 this season, but Coetzee feels that the flanker should play in his favourite position of openside. Fourie has already played No 7 this season, and Coetzee feels that the versatile forward could play an influential role at No 8.
‘We have to look at other options now that Jebb won’t be available,’ said Coetzee. ‘It’s was also a case of getting our best players on the field. Deon has been one of our strongest performers but Tiaan [Liebenberg] is also one of our best.
‘We have tried Siya at No 8, but I feel that Siya and Rynhardt Elstadt have formed a strong combination on the flanks. We have to try this new combination now [with Fourie at No 8] before we get to the play-offs.’
Fourie may be a specialist hooker, but has shown himself to be a prolific fetcher. He may not be the biggest player and won’t be able to play a ball-carrying/lineout role like Sinclair or Vermeulen, but Coetzee is hoping to harness Fourie’s fetching strengths.
‘Eight and six are similar in that regard, he will be the first off the scrum and the first [to break] from the lineout, so we will want to use that to good effect. He’s got the speed and the attitude to be a force in that position.’
With Fourie and Liebenberg both in the starting side, Coetzee has opted to include two props on the bench. While Fourie will start in the back row, he will provide hooker cover for Liebenberg.
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 Deon Fourie, 7 Rynhardt Elstadt, 6 Siya Kolisi, 5 Andries Bekker, 4 De Kock Steenkamp, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Tiaan Liebenberg, 1 Steven Kitshoff.
Subs: 16 Deon Carstens, 17 Brok Harris, 18 Quinn Roux, 19 Jebb Sinclair, 20 Louis Schrueder, 21 Burton Francis, 22 Gerhard van den Heever.
By Jon Cardinelli
313 Comments
Pages: « 1 2 3 4 5 6 [7] Show All
12 Jul 2012, 14:23 pm
If you wanted to make the argument that some teams matches garner more viewing interest than others and therefor they earn a disproportionate amount vs some of the other teams then yes, that argument hold some water.
Following this logic then, the Stormers should have the majority say about what happens in the Super 15 along with receiving the most revenue, with the rest fighting over the scraps.
12 Jul 2012, 14:25 pm
@ufo(ufo)-299:
I only had one of those days…
In 1998
12 Jul 2012, 14:29 pm
If Jurie and the other sleepyheads had any brains whatsoever they should be using the massive difference in SA derby viewer-ships as a bargaining chip with the other SANZAR partners, not the viewership figures as a whole.
The local derby numbers suggest that SA will be at least as well off without the other 2 as the biggest interest comes from us playing ourselves for the most part, and the revenue that is lost by losing the viewership numbers of the other games will be more than made up by the fact that we don’t have to split the money.
It’s an exercise that I’d be inclined to actually do if I wasn’t so busy dealing with other idiots in my day.
If someone is prepared to mail me the complete stats for all games I’d actually give it a bash at some stage.
12 Jul 2012, 14:30 pm
@willievz(willievz)-302:
and another in 1981…
yes… will admit to more grumpy days than grinning days…
12 Jul 2012, 14:31 pm
@stormersboy(stormersboy)-303:
very good point…
12 Jul 2012, 14:32 pm
@ufo(ufo)-305: Where do you think I could get the numbers? Any connections??
12 Jul 2012, 14:35 pm
@stormersboy(stormersboy)-300:
thats bullshit right there
12 Jul 2012, 14:35 pm
@stormersboy(stormersboy)-306:
unfortunately not… to both…
you could contact supersport direct…? or saru…?
surely they would assist with something that would essentially assist them…?
sorry bud…
12 Jul 2012, 14:38 pm
@galileo, roundness, union, coach…(i_love_u_bakkiesbotha)-307: It’s only Bull because you disagree with it.
Read on. I threw you a bone in the other posts.
12 Jul 2012, 14:48 pm
@ufo(ufo)-304:
But I have a sneaky suspicion times are changing…and quickly
12 Jul 2012, 14:51 pm
@willievz(willievz)-310:
i have the same feeling in my bones too…
for the times… they are a-changing…!!
12 Jul 2012, 19:11 pm
My pause, ffw\rw botton of my pvr remove is bust – where can I get a new one? Aren’t there any better designs?
12 Jul 2012, 20:19 pm
A great chunk of the money comes from advertising revenue. Each of the 3 broadcasters (ie; SuperSport in SA) sell ad space in only their territories using cost\reach per 1000 formulas or other coverage formulas.
The broadcast rights are paid to SANZAR
Pages: « 1 2 3 4 5 6 [7] Show All
Have your say
You must be logged in to post a comment.