Plumtree shows Bekker respect
26 Feb 2013
John Plumtree singled out Andries Bekker’s lineout ability as just one of the Stormers strengths.
In a midweek press conference, Plumtree was in a good mood, joking with journalists ahead of a match that could be definitive to who wins the South African Conference.
Plumtree said there were few injury concerns after the win against the Cheetahs and added the match was a chance to redress the result of last year’s Currie Cup final when the Stormers (in the guise of Western Province) won in Durban. He said the Cup could only be won back in a different competition at a later stage of the year.
For now the emphasis was on Super Rugby and Plumtree said his team’s lineout would be under pressure against the likes of Andries Bekker. He was comfortable that Sharks hookers Craig Burden and Kyle Cooper performed well against the Cheetahs, but he felt the Stormers lineout would provide an even sterner examination.
Plumtree had everyone laughing when asked about the impact and importance of Pat Lambie, saying that the player is not that important and is just the posterboy of the Sharks. He did go on to say that an in-form Pat Lambie is the best thing the Sharks could ask for, and the fact that he has the experienced Frans Steyn outside him, reduces the pressure.
By Richard Ferguson
247 Comments
Pages: [1] 2 3 4 5 » Show All
26 Feb 2013, 15:37 pm
Now if only Plum can find some way to get some of his supporters ( read HG ) to believe in his side and that the CC has no bearing on Saturday then all will be good in Durban.
26 Feb 2013, 15:37 pm
go the underdog Stormers…..!!
26 Feb 2013, 15:39 pm
Wonder if the Stormers are going to persist with Fourie at 2.
That is more of an issue for them than an off form Jaintjies at 10 I feel.
26 Feb 2013, 15:40 pm
Plum talking out his dutpipe…
Have said it already… and will say it again…
Let me repeat… All the way to the weekend…
Yup… Looks like the Sharks got no chance… Like one “honest” Stormer wag showed last week in his player by player assessment of the Stormers “dominating” the Bulls… A player by player assessment shows clear Stormer “domination” over the Sharks…
- Beast, Burden and Jannie vs Malherbe, Fourie, Cilliers…. Evens
- Bresler and Franco havent a hope in hell against Bekker and Steenkamp
- Kanko, Coetzee and Botes WILL be dominated by the Titanic Vermeulen, Kolisi and Elstadt
- At halfback Lambie and Reinach are of course inferior to Groom and Jantjies
- At Centre the Stormers Bok Captain and De Allende are clearly superior to Fat Francois and Tiny Jordaan…
- Even at wing, the two Sharks Boks – JPP and Mvovo do not have what it takes to be better than an on form Habana and Aplon…
- And I wont make anyone laugh by suggesting that Ludik is in anyway better than fantastic blonde Joe Pietersen… Yup… Stormers will not only win on Saturday, they will dominate… As expected from the CC champs who won with “only their B team” and as reigning Conference “Title holders”…
26 Feb 2013, 15:43 pm
“Plumtree had everyone laughing when asked about the impact and importance of Pat Lambie, saying that the player is not that important and is just the posterboy of the Sharks.”
LOL… Excellent Plum…
Looks like we all on the same page then against the favoured CC Champs and Conference title holders…
What farken hope in hell has Poster boy Lambie got against the Mercurial Jantjies or the Lem-like Peter Grant….
26 Feb 2013, 15:46 pm
@grant10-2: Have you missed HG’s countless posts this entire day?
We are the underdog don’t try and grab our limelight you Stormer! :mr green:
26 Feb 2013, 15:49 pm
@Sharksgirl-6: LOL….I tend to ignore some bloggers posts, especially when it is clear they have forgotten to take their meds…
26 Feb 2013, 15:49 pm
from News 24: ” Kings ashamed of ‘white’ squad”
Cape Town – Kings president Cheeky Watson says the South African Rugby Union’s (SARU) constant postponement of the decision to award them Super Rugby status in 2013 led to a number of top black players opting against turning out for the Port Elizabeth-based side.
SARU’s decision to allow the Kings into Super Rugby was only finalised in August last year – mere months before the start of this year’s tournament.
According to Die Burger, Watson made the statement in parliament to members of the portfolio committee on sport and recreation, insisting several top black players decided to sign for other unions as they weren’t sure the Kings would play in the Southern Hemisphere’s premier competition.
The Kings have recently come under fire for not picking enough players of colour, with Watson admitting they’re ashamed of the current racial demographics of the squad. He said he will make it his mission to correct the matter.
Watson said the Kings were denied luring players such as Elton Jantjies (Stormers), Odwa Ndungane (Sharks), Lwazi Mvovo (Sharks), Lionel Mapoe (Bulls), Akona Ndungane (Bulls) and Siya Kolisi (Stormers) to Port Elizabeth.
He also said the franchise lost an investment partner because SARU only assured them of one season in Super Rugby, and not three like previously promised.
The Kings opened their Super Rugby campaign with a 22-10 victory over the Force in Port Elizabeth last weekend, to take a shock early lead in the South African Conference log.
The Kings will have a bye this weekend, before hosting the Sharks on Saturday, March
26 Feb 2013, 15:52 pm
Of course, he needs a hooker who is able to throw the ball straight at him…
26 Feb 2013, 15:56 pm
@WP-Forever-9:
Fourie is the Sharks ace in the hole.
26 Feb 2013, 15:57 pm
@Sharksgirl-6: HG is actuaslly right even without sarcasm, the Stormers are the favourites and rightfully so.
I can see a Jantjies for example playing that poorly 2 weeks in a row.
And also the return of Juan De Jong to partner Jean will make a huge difference, Also Juan will have all our defenders just groping at thin air
26 Feb 2013, 16:04 pm
@Sharksgirl-8: Already the excuses pile up, when will they take responsibillity for their own actions??
We were all informed about the massive talent base in the EC, now suddenly they have all left??
I am happy for the Kings team that they won, players are not to blame fort the politics in the area, but FFS they must grow a pair and own up to and for their own indiscretions
26 Feb 2013, 16:05 pm
@Sharksgirl-8:
I wonder when those comments were made?
And I wonder how those that played so gutsy on Saturday feel about it?
One step forward and 3 steps back for Cheeky.
If it is old comments that has been dragged out to sell some papers, then whoever made the decision to publish the story sucks.
26 Feb 2013, 16:05 pm
@Sharks_are_gonna_get_you-11:
Hiyas bro mormon ^ 5
26 Feb 2013, 16:12 pm
@Sharksgirl-8:
Haha, yes those players would have definitely gone to the Kings had they been allowed to.
They would have gone from their larger franchises to a smaller one offereing no guarantee of future participation in the S15 with a probably drop in pay as well. Just as an added extra.
Yes Cheeky, its SARUs fault. Always someone to blame isnt there.
26 Feb 2013, 16:13 pm
@nortierd-13: Well it is being quoted as though it has been said recently.
26 Feb 2013, 16:14 pm
@John Galt-15: Both sides are to blame though John. SARU is not innocent in all this.
26 Feb 2013, 16:14 pm
Nice kick in the teeth by old Cheeky to those shameful white players that played their hearts out to give the Kings their historic and potentially only win ever in Superrugby.
I can imagine the teamtalk: “Go out on the field and bleed for this team folks, and nevermind that we don’t really want you SP Marais and whatsyourname Engelbrecht. Your white face disgusts me, your very presence shames me. But go out and die for this team, I command you!”
26 Feb 2013, 16:17 pm
@Tacitus-18: Hello TAcci how you been?? congrats on your teams good win mate, they took that game by the scruff of the neck and played it their way.
26 Feb 2013, 16:19 pm
@Sharks_are_gonna_get_you-16:
Then that is poor form from someone who just can’t seem to let go.
I feel sorry for those players who laid it all out on the field Saturday if that is the thanks and appreciation they get.
In other words, they praise Seargal, but by the same token he admits that he would have preferred the Ndungane twins or Mvovo on the wing.
Jeez, there really isn’t to much good one can try to find or say about him is there?
26 Feb 2013, 16:20 pm
@Tacitus-18:
You’ve hit on something there.
I wonder just how long it takes for basic labour economics to occur and the likes of SP get contracted to the larger unions.
Imagine when a few black players who perform well in the future get offered more cash and also move.
Which will happen.
Then we will see young Sheeky jumping.
26 Feb 2013, 16:25 pm
@Sharks_are_gonna_get_you-17:
Look the point is that Cheeky shouldnt be blaming anyone for him being unable to field a more transformed team.
He being the doyen of all that is transformed.
26 Feb 2013, 16:27 pm
when is just being a South African ever going to be enough.
My heart bleeds…..another blow for non race idealists……
fark me ….I sommer despair man…
26 Feb 2013, 16:29 pm
@John Galt-22:
He’s mister transformation.
26 Feb 2013, 16:31 pm
@gunther-24:
Optimus Slime. If you like.
26 Feb 2013, 16:37 pm
@John Galt-22:
He’s got Luke
http://www.gpsa.co.za/Jokes/sport/20081109.htm
26 Feb 2013, 16:40 pm
@victoriabok-26:
26 Feb 2013, 16:42 pm
@gunther-24: You mean that guy who posts here under that name and supports the Kings? That would make a lot of sense actually – except for the fact that he’s always talking about gym, and I don’t think Cheeky has been near a gym since before he took up toyi-toying and stuffing his pockets in the “struggle”.
26 Feb 2013, 16:42 pm
@Sharks_are_gonna_get_you-11: hehe I wasn’t joking I do believe the Stormers r favorites
26 Feb 2013, 16:45 pm
@nortierd-20:
> Jeez, there really isn’t to much good one can try to find or say about him is there?
Nee niks nie fokkol, ek het vir julle voor die tyd gesê die man is ‘n doos en ook nie ‘n kleintjie nie
Luke kan rugby speel maar hy’s oor sy prime en vergiftig met sy pa se bitterheid
26 Feb 2013, 16:48 pm
@John Galt-22:
He was being grilled by the parliamentary sports committee. This wasn’t just a press statement.
26 Feb 2013, 16:51 pm
@David-31:
His ANC buddies would never grill him
26 Feb 2013, 16:56 pm
@Tacitus-18: Yup… Good post…
Also, does know one see the irony – that Liberation Cheeky is as lily white as the next white colonial running dog…
26 Feb 2013, 16:58 pm
Reminds me of those T shirts with the ironic slogans on them
Black Labour
White Guilt
26 Feb 2013, 17:01 pm
@stormersboy-34: Thought it was Black Label…
26 Feb 2013, 17:05 pm
@Heavens Game-35: Yes it was in the shape of a black label logo.
They took him to court if I recall.
http://www.google.co.za/imgres?imgurl=http://beta.liomarket.com.shopdirect.co.za/images/products/Final%2520Tee%2520Tshirt/BLACK-LABOUR-TEE-350.gif&imgrefurl=http://beta.liomarket.com.shopdirect.co.za/pBLACK%2520LABOUR/Black-Labour.aspx&h=406&w=350&sz=20&tbnid=WHNNzGUdBDd1lM:&tbnh=87&tbnw=75&zoom=1&usg=__n7lnW8GSaJ2dpwB0YiQQyn7FfRk=&docid=_k5EAsE9lNruqM&sa=X&ei=C88sUf7BG-fi0QH8zoCIBg&ved=0CFYQ9QEwBA&dur=243
26 Feb 2013, 17:06 pm
@David-31:
a grilling?
never.
perhaps gently poached in a single malt.
26 Feb 2013, 17:07 pm
@victoriabok-32:
If you think the comrades are all friends you’re grossly out of touch with SA politics.
26 Feb 2013, 17:11 pm
Is Cheeky quoted in the article? If not, the story doesn’t hold any water. Keo, this story is big enough to have some quotes from Cheeky, if not, then its just some more of your journo claptrap.
26 Feb 2013, 17:15 pm
@David-38:
At least while there’s money to be made
And Cheeky’s got a whole season ahead to cash in
He wasn’t grilled, he was preparing his buddies to keep him in Super rugby at the end of the season. They pressure SARU and the spineless Hoskins at the end of the season and share in the spoils and glory of the team he won’t be ashamed of
26 Feb 2013, 17:20 pm
@pompies2-39: The timing of the article on News24 seems a bit odd. They quote “die burger” but there seems to be no similar article on their website. No mention of any dates, when the interview with the parliamentary sports committee took place, is also very strange.
26 Feb 2013, 17:23 pm
@John1976-41:
I think it was a few days ago.
26 Feb 2013, 17:28 pm
@nortierd-20: Exactly, also these people keep forgetting that a player will move to where he wants to, either for the higher pay or the scenery, or what ever the reason, I have been chatting to a young lad from Paarl, who has applied to the Sharks acdemy and in fact i want to tweet him again to see if his trial there was succesful?
He has grown up as a stormer supporter, yet he is dreaming of playing for the Sharks? that is his choice in life, does it make him a bad person?
Or is it the Sharks fault if they do offer him a chance there?? my point here is that Cheeky must realise he will always have players leaving there for reaso9ns of their own choce, and others will go there for the same reason.
26 Feb 2013, 17:38 pm
@Sharks_are_gonna_get_you-43:
It’s the name of the game.
Look, no Union has a magic crystal ball to see if every talented youngster will make it or not.
No Union, no matter how rich, can keep every player, and even if they could its pointless, because you can’t play all of them.
I don’t like it when some Unions buy too many and then the kids don’t get game time, then they could just as well go somewhere they they can get game time.
I think Tacticus and them were talking yesterday about the pecking order and how Pollard must bide his time behind Fouche, some agreed with it, some didn’t and felt that if you are good enough, you are old enough.
Why did the Bulls buy the kid if he is only playing 20 minutes for Tukkies every Monday?
How long must he wait until they show some confidence in him by giving him serious game time.
Also, if he went to the Bulls as a pro player, how does he even manage to make the Tukkie side while there are students who are actually swotting there who is not getting to play?
26 Feb 2013, 17:46 pm
——————————————————————————–
by Gavin Rich 26 February 2013, 17:17
Patrick Lambie would like nothing more than to show that he has absorbed what he learned in defeat in last year’s Currie Cup final and in victory during the end of year tour by doing what his rival for the Springbok jersey, Morne Steyn, did to the Stormers last weekend.
Steyn, dropped by Heyneke Meyer towards the end of The Castle Rugby Championship after an indifferent run of form, was back to his best in the opening Vodacom Super Rugby match of the season at Loftus last weekend, with his tactical and goalkicking spearheading his team’s 25-17 win over the South African conference champions.
Lambie was in as good form for the Sharks the following day in their win over the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein, with coach John Plumtree describing his tactical kicking and goalkicking as the ultimate difference between the two teams. He wasn’t quite the factor he would have wanted to be when his Sharks team were beaten by Western Province in the domestic decider last October, so he may have a bit of a score to settle with the Stormers.
At the very least, he says he learned things in that game last year that he wants to apply when his team kicks off their home season at Kings Park on Saturday.
“Their tactical kicking in the final last year was excellent and I did learn a lot from it. They won the territory game and they took the points on offer when they were in our half of the field,” said Lambie.
“They put over some drop-goals too. They ensured they won field position and then they converted. Last week the Bulls’ tactical kicking was on song against the Stormers and as a result of that they won the game. So hopefully we can do something similar.”
However, Sharks coach John Plumtree reminded the media of what it took for WP to blunt the Sharks pivot the last time they met, and he made it clear that a lot of his pre-season work on the lineout throwing and communication has been directed at avoidance of a repeat performance.
“It was a win win situation for them in last year’s final as they could role the ball out at will without fearing surrendering position, that’s how dominant their lineout was on the day,” said Plumtree.
“It was all positive for them when it came to the kicking game, they could try things without it being a risk. They could happily kick the ball out and there was a better than even chance of them winning it back at the lineouts. We simply cannot afford to have that again, which is why I was pleased that hookers Craig Burden and Kyle Cooper threw beautifully in Bloemfontein to show that our off-season work is paying off.”
Plumtree said after the Bloemfontein game that Lambie had benefitted from the extra work put in by the Bok management on him during the end of season tour, when his field kicking and decision making came under particular scrutiny, and he repeated it at the Durban press conference on Tuesday afternoon.
“Playing international rugby in northern hemisphere conditions and the work that was done on his kicking game has provided an enormous boost. We have seen it in the pre-season. His decision making is better too,” he said.
“Pat is going really well at the moment and the real challenge in this country at the moment is for a flyhalf to establish himself. Since the Naas Botha days there has been a lot of pressure and focus on the position. And you cannot underestimate the importance of tactical kicking as well as goalkicking. It was the difference in the scoreline this past week.
“Pat is working really hard and if he can avoid injuries we will have a much better product by the end of the Super Rugby season, and that will have benefits for Springbok rugby too. But the forwards have a big responsibility to ensure that he gets the ball he needs.”
Ironically, perhaps the northern hemisphere conditions were easier for Lambie to handle than what he anticipates at this time of year at his home ground. There is rain predicted for the weekend, but even if it doesn’t rain, Lambie reckons the humidity turns Kings Park clashes into wet weather matches.
“The ball is more slippery when it’s humid than when it’s raining. But last year it rained more often than not when we played big games,” said Lambie.
Those wet weather matches would have prepared Lambie for the tour, but northern conditions do pose their own challenge, and there was the pressure of playing for his right to be considered the first choice Bok pivot in what has developed into a four way battle involving Lambie, Johan Goosen, Elton Jantjies and Steyn.
“Hopefully I’ve grown a lot through my experience of playing flyhalf on the end of year tour,” he said.
“I feel like I’ve got a better understanding of the game now, when to run and when to kick, how to look for space behind the opposition players instead of space in front of them. Working with (Springbok kicking coach) Louis Koen was great for me. He challenged us every week and got us doing different things. He worked a lot on the mental side, which helped me.
“I’ve been in contact with him in the early part of the year and I have been working on the drills he gave me. It’s also been great to play with Frans Steyn. He has great skills and now also tremendous leadership ability, and when we get into trouble I can pass the ball to him and he will kick it 60 metres.
“It’s nice to be able to focus on one condition, and while I quite enjoyed the little bit of space I was presented with when I played fullback for a part of last week’s game, it was nice to be able to concentrate on flyhalf in the pre-season as I really want to make the position mine.”
26 Feb 2013, 17:50 pm
@nortierd-44:
I totally agree with you. I was also wondering about Pollard and Tukkies, then remembered an outcry by the Pretoria clubs a few back. They were complaining that the Union was signing players and not making them available to the clubs as they were retaining them for provincial age group teams.
26 Feb 2013, 17:50 pm
I am a huge Lambie fan…..always have been. He always seems to have a bit of time on the ball and never appears flustered…..defence is sound and the goalkicking appears to have come on in leaps and bounds…..he game manages well…..takes control of proceedings and dictates the flow well…..
The Goose and Lambie are going to be in a dog fight for that Bok 10 spot ….
M Steyn has no chance…..he will show his old frailties as soon as the Bulls hit the road and he is 100 km away from his melktert and Koeksisters….
26 Feb 2013, 17:51 pm
@grant10-45:
“Their tactical kicking in the final last year was excellent and I did learn a lot from it. They won the territory game and they took the points on offer when they were in our half of the field,” said Lambie. “They put over some drop-goals too. They ensured they won field position and then they converted..”
Difference on Saturday is the fellow who they are praising for the tactical kicking and drop goals is having a bye weekend in PE.
26 Feb 2013, 17:54 pm
@nortierd-44: I agree, but remember it is not the Bulls fault, they offered, Pollard accepted.
26 Feb 2013, 17:58 pm
@Sharks_are_gonna_get_you-49:
Not blaming him at all.
Good for them, they take a gamble on a youngster.
No guarantees that the player will make it.
They lost R1,4 million for one year on Sadie
Pages: [1] 2 3 4 5 » Show All
Have your say
You must be logged in to post a comment.