Stormers grunt starts up front
7 Mar 2013
MARK KEOHANE writes the emphasis should be on the Stormers forwards finding form and not the lack of form of Elton Jantjies and Gio Aplon.
All the newspaper headlines this week have been about how Saturday is a make or break game for Springbok flyhalf Elton Jantjies. It is amazing how each match Jantjies, just 22 years-old plays, comes with the pressure that if he doesn’t produce a world class performance his place is under threat. Sharks flyhalf Pat Lambi and Cheetahs flyhalf Johan Goosen don’t suffer similar scrutiny. The three represent South Africa’s Test match flyhalf options, especially with Morne Steyn’s confirmation of a move to Stade Francais. Jantjies deserves similar treatment to Lambie and Goosen.
I have written of the disservice done to Jantjies since the start of the competition and his 52 minutes against the Sharks was as good as what Lambie produced for the Sharks in a match in which there was nothing between the two teams and limited attacking opportunities. The difference is Lambie kicked four penalties and Jantjies wasn’t entrusted with the goalkicking.
Jantjies has a career Super Rugby strike rate of 80 percent and in 2011 produced a record goalkicking Currie Cup final performance, but his four misses in the season opener is seemingly will be held against him all season.
Gio Aplon has also come in for unwarranted criticism because he fumbled a slippery ball in what would have resulted in a probable try against the Sharks. Aplon has received little ball in the first two games, so just how he is in the firing line is beyond me. He has been no worse than Bryan Habana or a struggling and one-dimensional Stormers midfield.
The reality is a back division is only as good as the effort of the pack and the Stormers tight five, collectively, has been poor, which has resulted in the back row being equally ineffective. The knock on effect is that Nick Groom has had little protection at the base of the scrum or at ruck time. Groom’s service at scrumhalf has suffered because of this and this has put additional pressure on Jantjies and the midfield.
In the first two games there was minimal front foot ball for the Stormers halfbacks, so all the pressure should be on the pack to be strong at scrum, effective on their own ball in the lineout and more physical and stronger in the collisions.
The Stormers, in the two defeats, have physically been second and have lost the contact battle at the gain line. To beat the Chiefs this has to change. I believe it will and with the Stormers forwards finding their growl in the first home game of the season, so too will Jantjies find the form of 2012.
If the forwards again take a beating, so will Jantjies and every back outside of him.
205 Comments
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8 Mar 2013, 20:07 pm
@Sheriff-150:
> Gaan oorsee begin; niks meer Afrikaans nie – word summier opgesluit
Al my Engelsprekende pêlle hier praat Afrikaans, hulle dink dis cool want dit onderskei hulle van al die ander hier wat net Engels kan praat
8 Mar 2013, 23:18 pm
How’s this Jake fake now faking it that the highest power offered him the world cup on a gilt edge Eddie Jones ornate plate. There you go I told you even Jake himself reckons it was an act of God that delivered him the WC trophy while he was busy fornication verneking his duly beloved but since he was now born again he’s eventually seen the light.
I wonder if all the wonderwerke at Brumbies recently is also as a result of the Highest Hillsong high fives being bestowed on all the rejuvenated brethren.
8 Mar 2013, 23:20 pm
Good for hendrikp putting an end to the mythology that pricks walk free where angels fear to tread
8 Mar 2013, 23:25 pm
@skopdiekan-152:
Hallo Skop, hoe gaan dit?
8 Mar 2013, 23:27 pm
@skopdiekan-153:
He was a better coach than Strauli he replaced but I still think Jake’s a doo s as person
And he fuc ked up Chilli boy
8 Mar 2013, 23:32 pm
Goed so dankie Mnr die VCB en met u ?
Hoe lyk die JW storie hier bo en die mense glo nog steeds die onaardige held waltz so glad oor die water.
8 Mar 2013, 23:34 pm
@skopdiekan-156:
Goed hier, ek was gelukkig genoeg om weer vir Leonard Cohen te sien Woensdagaand
Hy is nogsteeds goed en hy’s nie ‘n jongman nie
Kyk na die link
http://www.timescolonist.com/review-no-cooler-cat-than-leonard-cohen-1.86505
8 Mar 2013, 23:35 pm
nie Tjokkie nie, maar … Sheriffie:
Siener in die Flats
8 Mar 2013, 23:38 pm
@skopdiekan-156:
I think all successful people in business, politics and life tend to be self centred as.s holes, it goes with the self belief that they’re always right
He was and still is a good coach
The fact that he used Eddie as an attack coach is more an indication of how planless our players and how sterile our backline movements was and still is
Look at the Sharks and Stormers on Saturday
8 Mar 2013, 23:40 pm
@Angostura-158:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sg1yskaMljw
8 Mar 2013, 23:41 pm
Jake’s a prime f’ng prick and all his hero worshiping disciples reckon he’s the nearest thing to a rugby god they’ve ever seen.
How’s the audacious audacity of the holiest of holier than thou faking faker reckon he feels sorry for Luke Watson at the Hilarious Hillsong High Court of forgiveness when it’s actually quiet the other way around as to who should be feeling sorry for whom
8 Mar 2013, 23:43 pm
@skopdiekan-161:
He was better than Strauli who he replaced
8 Mar 2013, 23:54 pm
Anybody could be better than Streauli even a Borneo orangutan would be a better rugby Oracle than Streauli. If being better than Streauli denotes rugby wisdom I would like to know what accolades are reserved for real rugby boffins who don’t need others to drive their success stories for them. Yeah must have been an absolute act of a higher force because there’s no other rational reason for anyone so blinded being able to finally see the light.
8 Mar 2013, 23:56 pm
@skopdiekan-163:
Who would your best(or best three) Bok coaches ever be?
Craven, Christie and Snyman?
9 Mar 2013, 00:02 am
On sport24.com I just read that taute and jantjies loan contracts is worth in EXCESS of R2M each just for super rugby making their salary R120 000 per game… With that money invested in loan players you sure as hell have to win the title this year otherwise Ill blend it as the dumbest investment made ever on 2 loan players… You weepee oaks know how to invest hey
9 Mar 2013, 00:05 am
Mooi so jy’s gelukkig om sulke musiek kunstenaars soos die oorspronklike legende se conserte te kan bywoon
9 Mar 2013, 00:08 am
2013-03-08 07:43
Cape Town – The return on a R10m investment
by the Western Province Rugby Union could
become a massive talking point if the Stormers
lose to the Chiefs at Newlands on Saturday,
reports Die Burger.
Cape rugby bosses made a massive investment
in the off-season with several high profile
signings significantly bolstering the Stormers’
depth.
Flyhalf Elton Jantjies and injured fullback Jaco
Taute will earn over R2m each before they head
back to the Lions after the completion of the
tournament.
Pat Cilliers (prop), Michael Rhodes (flank) and
Ruan Botha (lock) are officially WP players and,
according to the newspaper, the Lions trio cost
the union in the region of R4m.
These new signings may have increased the
squad’s depth but it also raised expectation
amongs fans. And with the Stormers starting the
season with losses to the Bulls and Sharks,
another loss against the Chiefs could see
attendance figures drop – which leads to reduced
revenue.
Even though the Stormers are arguably the best
supported team in the competition, it is
nevertheless important for the union to host in
excess of 40 000 people for every game in order
to justify the massive investment made in the
team this year.
Only a win against the Chiefs on Saturday will
put them on the right track to achieving those
goals
9 Mar 2013, 00:10 am
@xtremebull-165:
Not just that, the other Lions players as well.
Apparently the full total for all the players is 10 million
But on the plus side, the Stormers are saving more than that by NOT having to pay win bonuses to the players so far.
Suppose it balances out in the end
9 Mar 2013, 00:11 am
@victoriabok-164:
Three best coaches ever:
Peter de Villiers, Snorre and Div for sure !
9 Mar 2013, 00:16 am
Craven Christie Mallet meskien Cecil Moss het goed gelewe anderstens as hulle meestal min of meer tussen 50 – 60 % werd
9 Mar 2013, 00:16 am
@skopdiekan-166:
Ja ek is baie gelukkig ek het hom in 2010 ook gesien
Die man is ‘n digter sonder gelyke maar sy nederigheid is sy beste eienskap
Daar’s ‘n ou gesegde wat lui “Met jou hoed in jou hand stap jy deur die land”
9 Mar 2013, 00:18 am
@xtremebull-165:
Don’t worry remember how we spent big bucks in 2004 to get Jannie de Beer, Os and Naka to play for the Bulls?
Os played probably five games, Naka to many, and Jannie thought it was a paid vacation to visit the good doctors in Pretoria for his knee
9 Mar 2013, 00:23 am
Dis nie maklik om die beste coach te kan bepaal nie.
Baie hang af van die spelers tot hulle beskiking op n gegewe tyd.
Ek stem saam met Craven, hy was ver vooruit die ander met innovering ens.
Christie kan mens se was soos n diktator, ouens gedril soos n army Sammejoor, maar dit het vir hom gewerk.
As ons nie die 95 beker gewen het nie, dink ek nie sy naam sal onder die top 3 genoem word nie.
Mallet, ja, een van die beter non World Cup winning coaches.
Onder hom het ons n tipe rugby gespeel wat ons deesdae net van kan droom.
9 Mar 2013, 00:26 am
@victoriabok-172:
That was 1999.
In 2004 Naka playes for the Free State Cheetahs in Final against Blue Bulls after a few years overseas.
9 Mar 2013, 00:26 am
Kirkpatrick was ook n genuine orite n soort coach die bokke het ten minste in daai dae probeer harder hardloop rugby te laat speel. Nie soos dees dae nie.
Ja Cohen is een van die egte kunstenaars en digter legende van die musiek wereld van die laaste 5 dekades of so jy’s baie gelukkig om sulke legende te kan sien lewendig
9 Mar 2013, 00:29 am
@victoriabok-172:
Look like Os, Naka and Jannie de Beer made a good impression in Pretoria in 1999 and 2000.
All three of them is in the Blue Bull song of Steve Hofmeyr all these years!
9 Mar 2013, 00:31 am
@bokkefan-176:
Yes, but only because Os rhymes with tos, Naka rhymes with kaka and De Beer rhymes with Currie Cup kom weer
9 Mar 2013, 00:37 am
WP management are very poor at utilizing and maintaining locally nurtured talents and very good at wasting money. Jantjies Taute Habana Fourie and some others might have been big mega buck scoops in their short-term approach minds eye towards assuming success but had they spent that kind of money and time resource at maintaining and development of close knitted team ethic within the local bred and nurtured talent base the long-term spinoff effect would reap far greater long-term result and rewards.
9 Mar 2013, 00:43 am
@skopdiekan-178:
You are right, but, you should also know by now that SA rugby public is not willing to wait for long term rewards.
It must be quite difficult to get the balance right.
Personally, I find the amounts of money paid to kids who have hardly started life after school obscene, but I guess that is the nature of the game.
If one union doesn’t want to pay them, someone else will
9 Mar 2013, 00:48 am
Money makes the world go round.
9 Mar 2013, 01:03 am
@bokkefan-174:
Ja jammer, in 2004 het ons al vir Liefling gehad
9 Mar 2013, 01:04 am
@nortierd-177:
Ons kan bly wees die Bulls het nie daardie tyd Babes gehad nie, ou Naka sou hulle almal op kraamverlof gestuur het
9 Mar 2013, 01:05 am
The great team managers like Ferguson Henry maybe Clive Woodward Christie Craven etc. know that it’s not purely about money that makes for a winning team culture. There’s far more to team success than simply chucking money at buying the biggest scoop names and mercenary talents. Look at Melbourne Rebels trying to buy their way to success it don’t work. Team ethic and team spirit counts far more towards success than simply running on the field with a bunch of super star galacticos and assuming that because they were good within a strong team culture they’ll automatically be good in a heroes worship environment of mega stardom.
9 Mar 2013, 01:05 am
@nortierd-179:
Ek kan amper die geld in Jantjies se geval verstaan maar nie met Pollard nie
9 Mar 2013, 01:07 am
@skopdiekan-175:
Wat was die ou van Natal wat Argetinië gaan help het, Van Heerden?
Hy’t ook ‘n boek oor rugby geskryf
Hulle sê hy was sy tyd vooruit
9 Mar 2013, 01:12 am
@bokkefan-176:
Dit was in die maer jare toe hulle nog die bulle was, voordat HM, Victor, Bakkies, Danie en Fpourie hulle die BULLE gemaak het
Ek dink hoeka dis ons probleem, ons het nie ‘n goeie skrumskakel nie, Hougie is nog nie goed genoeg nie en Vermaak is net ‘n journeyman
Elke keer nog wanneer ons gedomineer het, het ons ‘n goeie skrumskakel gehad, Fourie du Preez, Robert du Preez en Tommy du Plessis
Joost het in die swaarste tyd van die unie gespeel en het self twee Curriebekers gewen
9 Mar 2013, 01:14 am
There’s a balance between buying the top quality players but only if you’ve built up the structures and culture from base level then one or two top quality star players can be a benefit in that system. If players rock up at a club or franchise thinking they the bees knees before they’ve actually put any of their assumed star status to practice then the strong likelihood is that they and the combination of disjointed ethic will fail. First comes the strong culture basis and team ethic only then do you embellish it with some high quality purchased talent if you can afford it but ultimately a strong team ethic and together spirit will always trump a bunch of highly paid prima donna mega buck mercenary misfits.
9 Mar 2013, 01:14 am
@nortierd-173:
> Christie kan mens se was soos n diktator, ouens gedril soos n army Sammejoor, maar dit het vir hom gewerk.
> As ons nie die 95 beker gewen het nie, dink ek nie sy naam sal onder die top 3 genoem word nie.
Dis hoe dit was daai tyd
Het die Bokke nie daarna op toer gegaan en alles gewen nie?
9 Mar 2013, 01:16 am
@skopdiekan-187:
Maybe AC thought they lacked something on attack and blamed Grant?
And he decided Jantjies is available so he hired him
9 Mar 2013, 01:21 am
Thats one of the reasons I’m saying Jantjies is a bad fit at Stormers he been so hyped up as this super duper wizkid that was single handed going to lead Stormers to their promised land that he even started believing all the gdam hype himself. Strutting around like a little peacock that hasn’t even earned its bum fluff feathers yet. People think I’m tough and unkind on Jantjies I’m actually spot on the money. If he wants to live up to all the razzle dazzle big mega buck hype they been feeding him on he better start f’ng delivering and gdam fast.
9 Mar 2013, 01:28 am
@victoriabok-160: Dankie
9 Mar 2013, 01:28 am
@skopdiekan-190:
> Strutting around like a little peacock that hasn’t even earned its bum fluff feathers yet.
Apparently he was involved in a fight in Stellenbosch
Read below what “die Mol” wrote in Rapport
I like it that the youngsters are evene bigger than Eben
“Die skuld vir die Visvoete se nederlaag kan hoeka dubbel-en-dwars voor die deur van een van daai welpies gelê word – Elton Jantjies was weer op sy “allerbeste” met sy “goue” skopvoet.
Die Mol wonder of die onderonsie waarby Elton glo verlede week in Stellenbosch betrokke was, moontlik enigiets te doen gehad het met sy skewe gekorrel. Die laatnag-gefuif het hom dalk uitgeput. Of het sy lewensgrote ego seergekry toe sy boksvernuf hom in die steek gelaat het?
As Die Mol die Stormers-afrigter was, sou hy bekommerd gewees het oor die lang groeiende lys van sy spelers wat tweede in die kroeë op Stellenbosch kom as hulle hulself breëbors tussen die studente hou.
Allister, my maat, daar’s net-uit-matriek-boerseuns wat selfs vir liewe Eben na ’n dwergie laat lyk. Stellenbosch is nie ’n plek vir sissies nie en as jy slotte soek om die balle in die lynstane te vang, kom kuier vir Die Mol. Hy sien elke aand ’n handvol wat vir enige Super-span kan uitdraf”
9 Mar 2013, 01:30 am
@Finfan-180: just a hen house homily
9 Mar 2013, 01:32 am
@victoriabok-185: Izak
9 Mar 2013, 01:37 am
Skop, afa as Peter Grant is concerned.
Since he’s been going to Japan, Grant always took 3, 4 games to perform at Super rugby level. You know this.
So, let’s give Jantjies a chance while you (we) wait for Grant to come right.
How many Cups has Grant won in all the year that he has been playing top class rugby in SA?
Jantjies can claim a CC as Lion SH..
The Greek can claim a CC as WP FH.
What can Grant say?
9 Mar 2013, 01:44 am
F’ ng little brekerige laaitjies wat dink die son uit hulle brekerige holle skyn. Jantjies en daai ander Klein welpie ouentjie Cronje het altwee hulle gatte gesien toe hulle hul spiere probeer rek by die kroeg clubs van die Bosch en sulke omgewings Jantjies is a f’kn laaitjie wat dink hy’s klaar n groot mens, hy beter leer eers kruip voor hy begin dink hy’s gereed om ballas of balle reguit to probeer skop.
9 Mar 2013, 01:48 am
@victoriabok-192:
Funny, when Schalk Burger started out as a national player, there was a story where he also was in a fight in Stellenbosch. It was swept under the carpet. That was the end of it.
Wonder of die MOL dit nog kan onthou. Heel waarskynlik nie, want hy drink mos met sy GOEIE vriend, (Groot Scalk) ‘n rooiwyntjie of twee, so nou en dan.
Met die dat hy eintlik die Leeus ondersteun moet hy ook maar in sy moer in gaan. Vok hom.
9 Mar 2013, 01:54 am
You’re comparing fly half playing ability between Jantjies and Grant based on team CC success. Somebody got their comparing sights all skewed and out of alignment.
Jantjies is a kak flyhalf Katrakillis is a better fly half and he’s no Bok candidate not by a long shot. If Grant had started vs Bulls or if Pietersen or Duvenhage or even Schroeder had started vs Bulls Stormers would have won that game. Grant started for Stormers last year. Who did they narrowly beat their first couple games. Bulls and Sharks, yup you guessed it.
Jantjies is a piepie joller that thinks he’s already a fully fledged Casanova. He must stop trekking draad and get realized that he’s no little Mr. Wonderful, not by a very long way yet.
9 Mar 2013, 01:57 am
@skopdiekan-196:
Jy’s heeltemal reg.
Hy is ‘n laaitie wat eers gemoer moet word sodat hy kan verstaan waaroor dit gaan.
Wie die moerwerk moet doen, moe tons nog bepaal. Ek nominate vir jou.
9 Mar 2013, 02:08 am
@skopdiekan-198:
Who played at FH for WP/Stormers all these years without winning ANYTHING?
You guessed it.
GRANT and DUVENHAGE.
When and why did we win a trophy last year?
Duvenhage had a broken leg and Grant was playing rugby in Japan, that’s why. They’ve been holding us back from winning trophies for years now.
****’em both. Let them go make money overseas,
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