Elton to ignite Stormers attack
18 Feb 2013
Elton Jantjies will start for the Stormers against the Bulls on Friday night.
Jantjies has been picked at flyhalf and another of the Lions imports, Jaco Taute, starts at fullback.
Springbok captain Jean de Villiers will lead the side because of Schalk Burger’s injury-enforced absence.
Burger has not played for a year and his recovery has again been a struggle. He was hopeful of being among the substitutes for the Super Rugby opener against the Bulls, but the Stormers management won’t rush his return and risk him suffering long term damage. Burger, the demolition man for almost a decade, will be conservative, especially after fellow 2007 World Cup-winning Bok Juan Smith played in two warm-up matches but then announced his retirement because of Achilles Heel problems.
Siya Kolisi is the run on No 6 and the very talented Nizaam Carr is among the loose-forward replacements.
Stormers: 15 Jaco Taute, 14 Gio Aplon, 13 Jean de Villiers (captain), 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Elton Jantjies, 9 Nic Groom, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Rynhardt Elstadt, 6 Siya Kolisi, 5 Andries Bekker, 4 De Kock Steenkamp, 3 Pat Cilliers, 2 Deon Fourie, 1 Steven Kitshoff. Substitutes: 16 Martin Bezuidenhout, 17 Frans Malherbe, 18 Don Armand, 19 Nizaam Carr, 20 Dewaldt Duvenage, 21 Gerhard van den Heever, 22 Joe Pietersen.
The Bulls management will confirm the match 23 on Tuesday but Wilhelm Steenkamp and Dean Greyling have already been ruled out because of injury.
By Mark Keohane
More to follow
93 Comments
18 Feb 2013, 16:13 pm
Schalk to miss at least 3 games…
18 Feb 2013, 16:18 pm
Full article here:
http://www.rugby-talk.com/2013/02/super-rugby-jean-devilliers-to-captain-stormers-against-the-bulls/
18 Feb 2013, 16:18 pm
The Stormers are the first team to announce their lineup for this weekend’s 2nd Round of Super Rugby action. Check out this link for the STORMERS team for their big clash against the Bulls on Friday night:
http://wp.me/P2QxT1-3S
18 Feb 2013, 16:21 pm
Stormers 28 Bulls 21….scrappy game, structures not tested yet.
18 Feb 2013, 16:22 pm
Four new backline players should spark the Stormers.
Elton & Groom great halfback combination
18 Feb 2013, 16:27 pm
I suspect this might be a game of very direct attack against very strong defense. I don’t see the Bulls having the nouse to introduce subtle elements into their play.
At the same time, i’m not sure the stormers are comfortable with an attacking plan, so expect more of the defense orientated game. Who am i tipping to win? I don’t do score predictions.
18 Feb 2013, 16:35 pm
When will De Jongh be back?
18 Feb 2013, 16:43 pm
C’mon boykies!!!!
18 Feb 2013, 16:47 pm
Where is Vrede? And Jc?
18 Feb 2013, 16:48 pm
very pleased AC resisted his first thoughts of moving rhynhardt to lock… he’s the player i’m most excited about right now…
please let him get consistent game-time at 7… and he will push for a bok place this year…
don’t shackle him with locks…?
congratulations and welcome to the newbies… jaco, elton and pat…!!
18 Feb 2013, 16:49 pm
@west indies cricket board-9: at Keo’s (and their) previous employers – sarugbymag.co.za
18 Feb 2013, 16:50 pm
stormersboy…
how come a match 22 and not 23…?
18 Feb 2013, 16:52 pm
Oooooh. Now i get it
18 Feb 2013, 16:55 pm
I don’t think this pack will dominate the Bulls pack. This will be a close game that could go either way.
18 Feb 2013, 17:01 pm
@ufo-12: No 2 prop rule. Apparently.
18 Feb 2013, 17:03 pm
Breaking news: Alberts out for 4 weeks. Shoulder op.
18 Feb 2013, 17:03 pm
@ufo-10: There’s a distinct lack of physicality, in the dominating sense, in this stormers tight five. They’ll be proficient in the tight exchanges, but i just don’t get a feeling they could dominate and boss an opposition tight five. The loss of Etzebeth is massive, especially since his replacement isn’t up to scratch. I think AC missed a trick here by selecting Elstadt on the flank. My option would’ve been Elstadt to lock and Armand to 7. Alternatively, Armad to 4. Added physicality either way.
18 Feb 2013, 17:05 pm
My boys Elton and Taute and Cilliers and Bezuidenhout showing these brokebacks how it is done.
18 Feb 2013, 17:06 pm
@west indies cricket board-9: Keo fired their fiction writing assess.
18 Feb 2013, 17:08 pm
Elton is good , but Lambie and Goosen is and always will be more complete than him
18 Feb 2013, 17:10 pm
@SamM-20: Thank you “The Oracle”
18 Feb 2013, 17:10 pm
hard to call.
Spies needs to man up and get the pack running hard and straight.
18 Feb 2013, 17:11 pm
@stormersboy-15:
serious…?
i thought that was compulsory this year…?
so how come the bulls are going to name a 23…? in this and your article…?
@pompies2-17:
yeah bud… i said last week sometime that i would have had armand at 4 and elstadt at 7… i think elstadt is a waaay better flank than he is a lock… while armand is a good lock who can also play flank… imo…
and de kock… well… still a journeyman imo… i think he gets in ahead of armand because ac likes him…
18 Feb 2013, 17:15 pm
@RL-18:
you can’t have your cake and stuff your face with it rl…
well… you can but you just look silly…
jaco, elton and pat are not your boys anymore while they’re in the stormers jersey… you’ve been very vociferous about not supporting the stormers… and right now they are stormers…
when you slate the stormers you slate jaco, elton and pat…
deal with it..!!
18 Feb 2013, 17:17 pm
Guys, I think Steenkamp is underrated , type of player like a Johan Muller – not flashy but they do their work.
I would have brought Groom up in second half – he is on his best when opposition are getting tired.
18 Feb 2013, 17:18 pm
@ufo-23: AC has a lot of ‘like’ picks. Seems an understanding of ‘the structures’ is a make or break. My last few weeks of watching 6 nations and now the start of the super 15 has really left me wondering how close to rugby league the union game is becoming. Watch the defensive patterns and the tackle area. Players are so ingrained into playing phase rugby, the skills to play the ball in the tackle, draw 2 opposition players, creative angles are all lost. I sometimes struggle to watch a full game.
18 Feb 2013, 17:19 pm
@stormersboy-16:
sad news for willem, the sharks and the boks… hope it goes well and he recovers soon…
all the more reason to persist with rhynhardt at 7…!!
18 Feb 2013, 17:19 pm
@ufo-23: Me too. To be honest no one asked, although we did mention it amoungst ourselves.
18 Feb 2013, 17:24 pm
@ufo-27: Ja the Sharks back three of Kanko, Coetzee and Deysel is still formidable.
18 Feb 2013, 17:26 pm
Alberts out for a month? Eish, more pressure on Daniel Keegan to front up amongst the loosies #toolight4boks
18 Feb 2013, 17:29 pm
@Jonck-25:
yeah jonck… no disrepect intended… he’s a solid, committed, team man… not spectacular as you say… but gives his all…
i just think that don armand offers all that… and then some…
@pompies2-26:
yeah… fair point bud… but the signs of AC playing it more expansively and creatively are there.. hopefully he’s brave enough to carry on with it…
thing is… will stormers fans be mature enough to support AC if we play expansive rugby but lose…? or would we like to win even if it is ugly…?
of course first prize would be winning playing our old ‘traditional’ 80s game…
i know i would be happy if we played brilliant rugby but still lost… but how many supporters would be…? of course i’d prefer us to win… but i love to see great rugby being played and the winning really is secondary…
the sharks are playing the best rugby at the moment… let’s hope AC takes our teams in a similar direction…
the first two games will be key… if we win one or both that will give aAC the confidence to carry on… if we don’t… well… could be another long season for us…
18 Feb 2013, 17:31 pm
@stormersboy-28:
could you find out…?
sorry… putting you on the spot…
@stormersboy-29:
indeed they are…
18 Feb 2013, 17:36 pm
Good team.Should do the business on Friday.
18 Feb 2013, 17:38 pm
@stormersboy-15:
Luckily you have Brok so he takes care of that.
Stormers favourites to take this andthe Conference Wall and All again.
18 Feb 2013, 17:40 pm
@gunther-34:
sure you’re not luke’s father…?
sheeky bugger…
18 Feb 2013, 17:43 pm
@ufo-31: I’m a win at all costs guy, For me results are everything. However, I also understand the foundational principles of rugby. When you have 50000 people attending a game, you’ve got to make sure that, there is an element of entertainment. Wins will keep the current fans, wins with style and excitement builds the fanbase and you can’t discount the Rands and Cents aspect of rugby.
18 Feb 2013, 17:46 pm
Considering the bulls are written off as also rans,they will look at this team and fancy their chances.
18 Feb 2013, 17:48 pm
@gunther-34: Brok is our secret weapon, to be unleashed as the season goes on.
Plus he covers 9 & 10. A modern day Francois Bonthuis if you will.
18 Feb 2013, 17:48 pm
@pompies2-36:
ja bud… for sure…
but us crazy fans keep going back to newlands year after year with nothing (until the cc) to show for it… so not winning clearly hasn’t had too much of an impact on attendance…
so what’s AC got to lose…?
just go for it man… give us a show…
and newlands will be packed…
and we’d most probably win occasionally too…
18 Feb 2013, 17:49 pm
@Brigadier Van Zyl-37: Bulls are bookies favourites, and as AC said; “The Bulls are always favourites at Loftus”.
18 Feb 2013, 17:49 pm
@stormersboy-38:
18 Feb 2013, 18:00 pm
Is it true ,brigadier,that Hougie won’t be playing this Friday because of being mentioned as the reason for Oscar shooting his girl.
18 Feb 2013, 18:04 pm
Personally this team will be too strong for the Bulls. The Bulls will come out firing though. Like the Boks, local teams have won plenty of games on sheer bloodied mindedness rather than ability, therefore it will be a close game in all facets! Not saying the Bulls are a bad team (we reserve all hate for Sharkies) but I believe this Stormers team, with some forced injury changes, will still have the measure of the Bulls. Jaco Peyper as referee is worrying from a Stormers perspective though.
18 Feb 2013, 18:19 pm
@stormersboy-16: Guppies meltdown starts in 3-2-1……………
This is a very good run on team….
But I would be very surprised (even with the attacking mindsets of Jantjies, Groom and Taute) to see us just flinging the ball round nillywilly. Won’t happen just yet….but I’m just hoping to see more than kicking the ball away and then standing back and waiting for the oppo to run at our line of ‘D’. ANY variation of that, will provide much hope……. To see Taute join the backline at pace will probably have me opening the bubbly.
As for faves: has to be the Bulls. Home games = must wins for any team with playoff hopes….
@Brigadier Van Zyl-37: I don’t think anyone has written the Bulls off? Your captain yes………but not the other 14 run ons. Bulls have looked full of running in their warmups….
You are faves. You have to be at Loftus.
18 Feb 2013, 18:21 pm
@pompies2-17: De Kok Steenkamp….eish. No offence, but IMHO, nothing more than journeyman…..and as soft as Hargreaves (ok that might be a little unfair…) but defo not a No4….
18 Feb 2013, 18:27 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-44: Ac went into some depth about the expected strategies. The Bulls love to strangle you in your own half. They put pressure on and then play off that, The first order of priority is to get the ball out of our own half, Making sure that the clearances are properly done and that we only start playing a riskier type of game when they are in the Bulls half.
The Bulls will compete strongly at lineout and breakdown time. Etsebeth will be missed but having Elstadt, Duanne and Fourie there will help.
It sounds like a cliche, but come game time the team who is best able to execute theit game plan will come out on top.
18 Feb 2013, 18:28 pm
and elton passes to jdv….who dies with the ball and is turned over…..multiply and enjoy
18 Feb 2013, 18:29 pm
@Jonck-25: Loftus… the Bulls don’t usually get tired in the 2nd half…..
Duvenage (although not by any means the best kicking scrumhalf in the land, is better than Groom in this facet only – my opinion only…) Might not be a bad idea bringing him on the latter stages, unless he’s going to rip it at 10 as Stormersboy reported from training.
To beat the Bulls….hit them early….hit them hard…take every point on offer and build a good lead
I think Groom go the memo….or at least I hope so. The last 20 minutes at Loftus are brutal for visitors…..and I wouldn’t mind Duvenages boot around then…..rather than earlier – thats just me though. (and yes, he could be woeful with his tactical skopwerk once more, but he could also be like he was in 2010 and 2011 – when he did well tactically at 9)
Can’t wait though.
18 Feb 2013, 18:30 pm
@The Rangerman-47: Elton will pass to De Allende who has a great pass, so things may look a bit different come Friday.
18 Feb 2013, 18:32 pm
@The Rangerman-47: And Elton flip passes to Jaco Taute who, is steaming on the inside…..Jean Div is ignored and is left watching Taute run straight through, along with 40 000 others
18 Feb 2013, 18:35 pm
@stormersboy-46: Thanks for the info! Do you write for Rugby-talk? I see you posted a link above? Cool stuff if you do.
18 Feb 2013, 18:37 pm
Kark bench!!!
18 Feb 2013, 18:39 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-51: Yes I do, take care of the WP stuff for them. Strictly amateur.
18 Feb 2013, 18:48 pm
@stormersboy-53: Awesome. Great article. And not amateur at all. Better than most of the drivel one is presented with by a long shot……
Keep it up.
18 Feb 2013, 18:52 pm
@The Rangerman-47:
Last time I checked JDV was at 13. De Allende – well then, that’s something totally different.
You do rememeber the CC 2012 don’t you?
18 Feb 2013, 18:53 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-54: Thanks. It’s nice to be able to interact with the coaches and players on a different level. We have press accreditation so we get to sit in the press box at game time and have access to the same stuff that the pro writers do.
18 Feb 2013, 18:55 pm
@stormersboy-53:
Must tell you something you’ll appreciate.
Callie Visagie – a Lions player – on loan to the Bulls is a regular commuter on the Gautrain.
And was spotted carrying his clobber in a Maties kitbag. Into Loftus!
Man o man – to me that is just too funny.
18 Feb 2013, 18:55 pm
@stormersboy-56: That’s pretty damn cool. Nice work from Rugby-talk actually, getting all of that sorted.
Brilliant. Perhaps you can start contributing here as well?
18 Feb 2013, 18:57 pm
@stormersboy-56:
Good stuff and great insight. I appreciate what you’re doing. Many won’t but stuff ‘em.
18 Feb 2013, 18:57 pm
@I am a stormer-57:
And I’m sure he is parked in front of his telly right now watching them as well…………
Go Maties.
18 Feb 2013, 18:58 pm
@I am a stormer-57: haha that’s taking a big chance!
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-58: Yes it’s a good setup. i don’t think it would be good to start doing anything here, bit of a conflict. I blog in a few places, but I think I’ll leave my article posting to the Rugby Talk website.
18 Feb 2013, 18:59 pm
As an aside, Gary Van Aswegen was running pretty freely with the “B” squad on the other field today. Looked fully recovered.
18 Feb 2013, 19:01 pm
@stormersboy-61: Would you mind just dropping a post on here though when you have a new article up on RT? (Like you did earlier)
18 Feb 2013, 19:06 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-63: Sure i’ll post a link. Keo doesn’t have any writers that he can dedicate to the various teams so he’ll usually be late on the uptake. I get the media releases directly so it’s pretty quick, if I wasn’t there myself. i still have a day job so won’t get to all the stuff.
18 Feb 2013, 19:09 pm
@I am a stormer-55: I was watching him at practice. He’s a seriously big guy.
18 Feb 2013, 19:17 pm
@stormersboy-64: Thanks!
@stormersboy-65: He is a big boy. And a good kid it seems. His dad handed his jersey over to him at the handing over ceremony last Wednesday. And he kissed his dad when he took his jersey. That’s enough for me
18 Feb 2013, 19:17 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-66: Nice. I hope my sons will still kiss me when they are bigger than me.
18 Feb 2013, 19:20 pm
@stormersboy-67: Indeed. Things like that say a lot IMHO. Good old Portugese family, with very traditional values it seems.
Very nice to see actually. Makes an impression.
18 Feb 2013, 19:22 pm
@stormersboy-65:
He’s massive – built more like a flanker. I like to think that he is one who get us over the gainline – and like a good 12, a 1/2 gap is still good where you get your hands behind the tackler. It might rejunenate JDV when playing at 13.
18 Feb 2013, 19:26 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-68: Yes, with all the talk surrounding the Lions’ players debuts people forget that he is making his first appearance in a Stormers jersey.
18 Feb 2013, 19:36 pm
Damian is probably the first rugby player player ever from Milnerton High School to make it to real professional rugby.
Some further fairly useless information is that cardiologist Dr Wouter Basson also attended Milnerton High. Yes, that Wouter……
18 Feb 2013, 19:39 pm
The Madiba’s are really doing well against a very strong Matie team. The dam wall will probably burst a bit later but for now they are really looking good.
18 Feb 2013, 19:41 pm
@Robzim-71: You see him around Durbanville Medi Clinic quite a lot. Has rooms behind the annex I think.
Listen, you keen to go watch Dan Patlansky at the Boer in March? UFO and i will be going.?
18 Feb 2013, 19:43 pm
Good team. I am chuffed that AC has decided to start with groom. Very chuffed.
GO Stormers.
18 Feb 2013, 19:44 pm
@stormersboy-73:
Rooms behind the Mediclinic?
Ate you talking about Schalk?
18 Feb 2013, 19:45 pm
@gunther-75: Hahaha sies.
18 Feb 2013, 19:48 pm
@stormersboy-73:
I depends when it is. I will be out of Town from 3-8 March but will be keen to go if it is later in the month.
18 Feb 2013, 19:52 pm
@Robzim-77: nope smack in the middle of that. Pity.
18 Feb 2013, 20:00 pm
@stormersboy-78:
Thanks for asking anyway, it would be nice to see him playing a small venue like die Boer.
18 Feb 2013, 20:24 pm
@Robzim-71: Although I do see Adrian Jacobs and Ishmael Dollie coach Milnerton’s 1st team these days – Club team, not school though
I didn’t realise that Wouter went to Millerton High….. He’s still a damn good cardiologist though, one of the very best. He has treated a few of my family members at various times. ET’s hatred of all things Durbanville suddenly makes sense………Personally I find him a little scary to look at, and something about those eyebrows, but in any event….. If I needed anything cardio care orientated, Dr Mark Abelson….. Somerset West, would be my 1st stop (Vierlanden Medi Clinic…)
@stormersboy-73: Yup, Paul Kruger street. Loerie Park or something….My ortho is also in the vicinity.
18 Feb 2013, 20:25 pm
Fantastic defence by Madibas
18 Feb 2013, 20:39 pm
@Robzim-81: Yes Rob, IMO the Maties have underestimated the Madibaz! They have defintitely made a huge step up in their game though!
Still game on even if it is 13 – 8 to Maties
18 Feb 2013, 20:45 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-80:
From what I have seen Basson is extremely bright, very enigmatic and elusive (quite understandable I suppose). Remember how he toyed with Debora Patta some years ago– Luckily I have so far not needed the services of a cardiologist but when my heartbeat went up to 196 bpm on Saturday (going up the big hill at Meerendal) I was probably getting close
18 Feb 2013, 20:45 pm
@CharlesM-82: Last play….. helluva exciting game. Madibas could win it here. Well deserved if they do.
18 Feb 2013, 20:48 pm
@CharlesM-82:
Phew!! It was close, Maties were perhaps a bit lucky . Clarence Khumalo saved them right at the end.
18 Feb 2013, 20:48 pm
@Robzim-83: 196bpm’s. You were in the zone…………….that zone where the heart rate monitor starts beeping, flashing and sending off warnings
Get Mark Abelson on speed dial…
Well done Maties….Madibas can feel a little aggrieved here.
18 Feb 2013, 20:52 pm
Madibaz had the Maties against the ropes there but just like Sonny,the Maties benefitted from some good ol hometown reffing…and just like die Wit Buffell,Madibaz just couldn’t land the KO.
18 Feb 2013, 20:53 pm
@Robzim-85: Maties were extremely lucky Rob!
I’m glad the Madibaz are posing a challenge this Varsity Cup!
Khumalo should have started IMO. Barry (I know the commentators said Lewis) squandered a try after that cross kick by the flyhalf sub during the middle of the 2nd half
18 Feb 2013, 20:55 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-86: You are spot on with the comments re Madibas
18 Feb 2013, 23:58 pm
Apart from De Kock this is the team I would have chosen. Bench looks good too.
19 Feb 2013, 06:49 am
@stormer in a teacup-90: Such a pitty Eldstadt is injured. He leaves a huge gap. Eldstadt should or Rhodes should have played 4 in his place.
19 Feb 2013, 06:56 am
@garth-91:
Elstadt and Etsebeth injured!!! When did he get injured? I haven’t read anything here…
That is a huge blow…
19 Feb 2013, 07:43 am
@Gumboots-92: Fuckit… Sorry.
Such a pitty Etsebeth is injured. He leaves a huge gap. Eldstadt should or Rhodes should have played 4 in his place.
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