Coetzee backs Groom
5 Sep 2012
Nic Groom has been picked ahead of Super Rugby regular Louis Schrueder for WP’s clash with the Cheetahs.
Dewaldt Duvenage, the first-choice scrumhalf at the union, broke his leg in last week’s match against the Bulls. Groom produced a good performance in Duvenage’s absence, and has been picked to start this week’s match – this in spite of the availability of Schrueder, who played understudy to Duvenage during the Super Rugby season.
Other changes that have been made see Damian de Allende starting for the injured Ederies Arendse on the wing, and Brok Harris rotating with Frans Malherbe at tighthead.
WP – 15 Gio Aplon, 14 Gerhard van den Heever, 13 JP du Plessis, 12 Marcel Brache, 11 Damian de Allende, 10 Demetri Catrakilis, 9 Nic Groom, 8 Jebb Sinclair, 7 Rynhardt Elstadt, 6 Deon Fourie (c), 5 De Kock Steenkamp, 4 Don Armand, 3 Brok Harris, 2 Siyabonga Ntubeni, 1 Deon Carstens.
Subs: 16 Steven Kitshoff, 17 Frans Malherbe, 18 Wilhelm van der Sluys, 19 Helmut Lehmann, 20 Louis Schrueder, 21 Pat Howard, 22 Kurt Coleman.
11 Comments
5 Sep 2012, 13:50 pm
go boys!!!!
5 Sep 2012, 14:14 pm
Yho – so many youngsters.
And to think there are still the likes of Johannes, Swiel, Mbovane and Steyl.
5 Sep 2012, 14:14 pm
Finally – WP’s best 9 gets a start at this level.
5 Sep 2012, 14:17 pm
@puff-3: I rate him too.
5 Sep 2012, 14:18 pm
This is a young team but it is really exciting. Glad that Groom is getting another chance, he is a tough little scrummie with alot of fight in him.
Not sure who is better in the number 9 jersey, Schrueder or Groom?? Schreuder has heaps of potential and more pedigree having come up through the age groups, he has been captain of the u19 and u21 sides, could be a future Stormers captain. Mayer also rates him highly, also has a good tactical boot. Good to see these 2 get a chance, like back in the day with Bolla and Neil deKock.
Looking forward to watching this de Allende kid on the wing, watched him play for uct and he was very good. I think his natural position is 13 but JP has been very good there, massive potential and very glad he’s come back from aus.
Seriously tired of tiny backline players, these guys are big and fast.
We need to id the next best hooker, Tiaan, Scarra and then ???? We’ve been short of a quality hooker for quite sometime. Deons play is good but not as a number 2, his throwing and scrumming just isnt good enough. I think Scarra will be ok playing super 15, but who’s next in line, need a serious beast to come through now.
Would also like to see Gary van get some game time now, he’s played a few games for Maties just to get match sharp but we need him to start playing Currie cup pretty soon. The greeks leaving us so no point in giving him more game time.
5 Sep 2012, 14:19 pm
Swiel is also an option at 10, good player
5 Sep 2012, 14:26 pm
Groom’s better than Schreuder. But as Schreuder’s one of those who was earmarked in the ranks early at WP he’s always been ahead in opportunities, as opposed to Groom who only made the WP academy team at school and next featured for WP on the bench in u21 where he initially only used to get a couple of minutes off the bench for Schreuder. With the minutes gradually increasing throughout the u21 season, likewise with the Vodacom Cup until he reached the stage where they started getting rotated.
5 Sep 2012, 16:47 pm
@Fleckie @renoog
I am also very glad Nic is getting the start and AC’s backing – also agree that Gary must get back asap- maybe one more game for maties- Coleman is not the answer at 10 and is not in he class of Gary or Tim Swiel – if something happens to the Greek on Saturday WP will be in trouble as they wont have a decent goalkicker as Coleman is very erratic to put it mildy.
According to Alan Zondagh de Allende’s best position is actually inside centre ( he attended Alan’s academy).
Intresting to see sa under 21 player Pat Howard on the bench- there is another future star, big and strong with the a natural ability to straigten the line at inside centre.
The battle at the breakdown between Brussow and Fourie could be interesting. I reckon the energetic Fourie is ging to be too much of a handful for Brussow to handle but lets wait and see.
5 Sep 2012, 16:54 pm
@Robzim-8:
Think they looking at Coleman as a future fullback.
Pat is a strong boy and played for MHS 1st team for 3 years at 12 and 13.
So perhaps a future combo of 12)de allende and 13) Jp, two strong fast players who will get ova the ad line.
We not gonna win the super 15 without a quality hooker and 10 its that simple, ne idea if we getting a hooker from another union or if theres a good one coming through the ranks. I see the u19 hooker is the captain but dunno how good he is.
5 Sep 2012, 16:58 pm
Now please oh please may Groom get an extended run here…He might shock a few sceptics yet.
5 Sep 2012, 17:03 pm
@Fleckie-9:
Huge pity that CallieVisagie left but it’s too late for tears now. I think they did try to keep he was never that keen to stay- first he wanted to fnish his studies and then he suddenly signed for he Lions.
I wonder what happened to Sydney Tobias He looked very good for the Vodacom team but has since “disappeared”- might be a bit small, I am not sure. Scarra is also not the biggest player but he seems to carry quite a punch.
Maybe they can turn Schalk Brits’ arm , he will just be perfect for superrugby imo.
Have your say
You must be logged in to post a comment.