go Cheetahs!

marcell brache is injured… neck i think…

Again I ask – there are farms all over SA – why is this only happening in the WC? Its obvious. Fransman and Ehrenreich are using the plight of these poor farmworkers for their own political gain. Why doesn’t Cosatu or the ANC arrange for strikes in other provinces? The answer is easy – they govern there so they won’t. The people the farmworkers should be taking action against is national government.

With national government setting minimum wage so low its obvious that some farmers would exploit it. Government should renegotiate and set the minimum wage at R90. R150 a day and farmers will mechanise and the workers will be without jobs.

Good squad. Lots of depth. This team is gonna break some Shark fin again this year!!!

@Jonck-17:
“The defending SA conference champions….”

Sounds very good.

@victoriabok-30:
He was not 1st choice captain of Stormers to begin with. Only got the captaincy when Schalk got injured. Schalk will be reinstated imo.

Having two senior leaders like that should be seen as an advantage ala Zinzan and Fitzpatrick.

@hendrikp-44:
“With Groom. I’m a firm believer in needing a rugby-brain in the 9 jersey. Groom still needs ‘development’ I feel.”

How is he going to develop if you don’t play him? For all the chances he had, DD has not developed at all imo.
———————————————————
Good squad overall. Definitely better than the Sharks squad. Conference winners again?

My take on Deon Fourie… He’s a good rugby player, regardless of whether he’s playing hooker or in the loose-forwards. Yes, I sometimes wish we had a more in-your-face type hooker like Bissie, but if Deon can sort out his line-out throwing (and the entire line-out functions better actually) then I’m confident that hooker is the position best suited to his physical dimensions.

I’m one that is not too confident with de Allende as a 12. Instinctively I think he’s more of a ball-in-hand type rather then looking to put guys into space and so forth. I’d rather look to Kobus van Wyk (my choice) or Johnny Kotze as the future in that jersey.

Ntubeni is just too small. Always going to be that way. It’s something he can’t escape unfortunately. I don’t think we’ve seen enough of him to determine that he is capable of playing at a very high level despite his size.

Patrick Howard… Thing is I reckon JP du Plessis is obviously the best option behind Juan de Jongh – might even put some pressure on. He’s definitely in the same shoes as Timo Swiel. A youngster who could be making a big impression, but isn’t even 2nd-choice.
Juan de Jongh – JP du Plessis – Patrick Howard
Jaco Taute – Joe Pietersen – Timo Swiel

With Groom. I’m a firm believer in needing a rugby-brain in the 9 jersey. Groom still needs ‘development’ I feel. The Stormers did it the wrong way last season, handing virtually every minute to Duvenage, and then panicking when he got injured. Best way forward I think is sticking to your systems (which has won them a lot of games in Super Rugby) and then allowing Schreuder and Groom to both put the pressure on Duvenage.

Not bad at all.

Personally I will never start with Fourie as hooker (brilliant player in the loose but cannot do the basics) while I will seriously consider de Allende at no 12 instead of wing ( great hands and boot).

Ntubeni might be relatively small but somehow the scrums seem to work better with him at no 2 while his throwing into the lineouts is so much better than Fourie’s.

Re Swiel, I fully agree, the sooner the better. Same goes for Pat Howard who is pure class.

I will also start with Groome- just more physical and unpredictable than Duvenhage- the type of player that will always keep the opposition honest. He reminds me of a young Ricky January.

Only 22 players. Look for the 8-man bench in 2014, but not at this stage.

My team (second-choice in brackets)

15 Jaco Taute (Joe Pietersen)
14 Gio Aplon (Gerhard van den Heever)
13 Juan De Jongh (JP du Plessis)
12 Jean de Villiers (*Peter Grant)
11 Bryan Habana (Damian de Allende)
10 Elton Jantjes (*Peter Grant)
9 Dewaldt Duvenage (**Louis Schreuder/Nic Groom)
8 Duane Vermeulen (Nizaam Carr)
7 Siya Kolisi (Michael Rhodes)
6 Schalk Bruger (***Kolisi rotate in)
5 Andries Bekker (De Kock Steenkamp)
4 Eben Etzebeth (Rynhardt Elstadt)
3 Pat Cilliers (Frans Malherbe)
2 Deon Fourie (Tiaan Liebenberg)
1 Steven Kitshoff (Deon Carstens)

*Peter Grant would cover both 10 & 12 through the season.
**IMO, Schreuder and Groom are both very valuable players, as is Duvenage, and all 3 should play some part. Ideally pick a starter, with the other 2 rotating between the bench and Vodacom Cup rugby.
***Don’t see any other options beyond Schalk (probable) or Siya for the openside jersey, so it would fall to one of them if the 1st-choice is out.

- I like Ntubeni’s motor. I just won’t ever believe that heavily investing in a player who can’t break 100kg’s is a good idea. He’s just too small and is bound to be exposed.
- I think you need one of De Kock Steenkamp or Ruan Botha playing an active role behind Bekker. Otherwise they need to start using Etzebeth as a 5-lock/middle jumper NOW.
- Timo Swiel may need to be introduced as a fullback at some stage during the season. If not, then they need to look at cutting back on their stocks for next years SR campaign and bringing him through as a fullback. No point wasting his youth. Bound to destroy some opposition in the Vodacom Cup.

15 Jaco Taute
14 Gio Aplon
13 Juan De Jongh
12 Jean de Villiers
11 Bryan Habana
10 Elton Jantjes
9 Nic Groom
8 Duane Vermeulen
7 Siya Kolisi
6 Schalk Bruger
5 Andries Bekker
4 Eben Etzebeth
3 Pat Cilliers
2 Deon Fourie
1 Steven Kitshoff

16 Tiaan Liebenberg
17 Deon Carstens
18 Francois Malherbe
19 Michael Rhodes
20 Nizaam Carr
21 Louis Schroeder
22 Peter Grant
23 Gerrhard Van Den Heever

http://www.engadget.com/2013/01/11/mc10-reebok-checklight-hands-on/?ncid=webmail1

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