2014 Super Rugby: Stormers v Hurricanes (Round 3)

[TRF_stormer2010]

Round 3 - Cape Town
Newlands
Friday 28/02/14 at 7:10PM(local)

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Referee: Steve Walsh
Assistant Ref 1:Andrew Lees
Assistant Ref 2:Marc van Zyl
TMO: Deon van Blommenstein

Stormers
Starting XV:
15. Jaco Taute , 14. Kobus van Wyk , 13. Jean de Villiers (captain) , 12. Damian de Allende , 11. Gio Aplon , 10. Demetri Catrakilis , 9. Louis Schreuder , 8. Duane Vermeulen , 7. Schalk Burger (vice-captain) , 6. Siya Kolisi , 5. Manuel Carizza , 4. Rynhardt Elstadt , 3. Frans Malherbe , 2. Scarra Ntubeni , 1. Steven Kitshoff
Replacements:
16. Deon Fourie , 17. Oliver Kebble , 18. Pat Cilliers , 19. Michael Rhodes , 20. Nizaam Carr , 21. Nic Groom , 22. Kurt Coleman , 23. Ryno Eksteen

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V

Hurricanes
Starting XV:
15. Marty Banks, 14. Cory Jane, 13. Conrad Smith (c), 12. Hadleigh Parkes, 11. Julian Savea, 10. Beauden Barrett, 9. TJ Perenara, 8. Blade Thomson, 7. Jack Lam, 6. Faifili Levave, 5. Mark Reddish, 4. Jeremy Thrush, 3. John Schwalger, 2. Dane Coles, 1. Ben Franks.

Replacements:
16. Motu Matu'u, 17. Chris Eves, 18. Jeffery Toomaga-Allen, 19. James Broadhurst, 20. Ardie Savea, 21. Chris Smylie, 22.Alapati Leiua, 23. James Marshall.


Match preview:
Both teams come off losses in their first round against opposition who had a game under the belt. The difference is that the Hurricanes lost to the SA team most widely fancied as the form SA team and very far from home while the Stormers fell to the SA team most people didn't give much chance of winning a single game much less 2 in a row before the start of the tournament.

What can one read into this? I wouldn't be confidant hazarding a guess but of the two the Hurricanes looked more together in my view but the Stormers will be the team hurting more IMO and at home I am picking the Stormers for a win if only because they'll be wanting it more I'd like to imagine so Stormers by 6 is my pick. I am biased though of course

 

[SomeOke]

Nothing to say really, on paper the Stormers should be good, our backline is a bit bland but we've managed with a bland back-line before. In the end it's going to come down to whether our pack of forwards can play at the form they are capable of, even so I don't feel good about this. Our tour coming up is close to as bad as it gets with the Crusaders/Chiefs/Brumbies/Reds followed by a tough Warratahs side at home. Honestly at this point it's conceivable we could be 0-7 after the first seven.

Anyway I'm willing to forget the first game (not hard considering how drunk I got after) and hope we get our heads out of our asses.
Go Stormers!

 

[TRF Mr Fish]

Hurricanes squad announced: Marty Banks, Cory Jane, Conrad Smith (c), Hadleigh Parkes, Julian Savea, Beauden Barrett, TJ Perenara, Blade Thomson, Jack Lam, Faifili Levave, Mark Reddish, Jeremy Thrush, John Schwalger, Dane Coles, Ben Franks. Reserves: Motu Matu'u, Chris Eves Jeffery Toomaga-Allen, James Broadhurst, Ardie Savea, Chris Smylie, Alapati Leiua, James Marshall.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

Hurricanes squad announced: Marty Banks, Cory Jane, Conrad Smith (c), Hadleigh Parkes, Julian Savea, Beauden Barrett, TJ Perenara, Blade Thomson, Jack Lam, Faifili Levave, Mark Reddish, Jeremy Thrush, John Schwalger, Dane Coles, Ben Franks. Reserves: Motu Matu'u, Chris Eves Jeffery Toomaga-Allen, James Broadhurst, Ardie Savea, Chris Smylie, Alapati Leiua, James Marshall.

Thanks, I have added the info to the OP.

Nothing to say really, on paper the Stormers should be good, our backline is a bit bland but we've managed with a bland back-line before. In the end it's going to come down to whether our pack of forwards can play at the form they are capable of, even so I don't feel good about this. Our tour coming up is close to as bad as it gets with the Crusaders/Chiefs/Brumbies/Reds followed by a tough Warratahs side at home. Honestly at this point it's conceivable we could be 0-7 after the first seven.

Anyway I'm willing to forget the first game (not hard considering how drunk I got after) and hope we get our heads out of our asses.
Go Stormers!

A distinct possibility. Lovecraft himself could not come up with something more terrifying.

I do feel though that our shuffled backline is a little closer to the mark than in round 2. I might come across as a little.. fickle(?) but I'd be quite a bit more confident with both of JdV and Burger (our two most senior players I know) not starting.. with Deon Fourie on the flanks in Burger's stead and JdV replaced with Pat Howard (who somehow doesn't even make the matchday squad- are we trying to push another future star away?)

 

[Darwin]

So no major changes for the Canes. Slightly disappointed to see Toomaga-Allen dropped to the bench, but it is not surprising given how the Canes scrum was demolished in the weekend. I'm not sure Schwalger will do any better though - he is an experienced player, but has always been better on LH side in my opinion. Disappointing to see Abbott replaced by Reddish, as I thought Abbott was solid on debut against the Sharks. Good to see Ardie Savea on the bench.

I would like to see the Canes win, but I think the Stormers forwards pack will be too good. I'm picking the Stormers by around 10 points..

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

So no major changes for the Canes. Slightly disappointed to see Toomaga-Allen dropped to the bench, but it is not surprising given how the Canes scrum was demolished in the weekend. I'm not sure Schwalger will do any better though - he is an experienced player, but has always been better on LH side in my opinion. Disappointing to see Abbott replaced by Reddish, as I thought Abbott was solid on debut against the Sharks. Good to see Ardie Savea on the bench.

I would like to see the Canes win, but I think the Stormers forwards pack will be too good. I'm picking the Stormers by around 10 points..

For that to happen Catrikilis will have to be accurate at the goals and the pack will have to power over from close range off an eefective line-out. All big ifs especially considering our 3 best line-out operators in Botha, Etzebeth and Steenkamp are out injured. I think its a 50/50 this one TBH.

 

[Gena_ZA]

Interesting to see most think the Stormers will bounce back this week.
They have been a quality side for years, hope they really just had a terrible day at the office last week.

 

[TRF_heineken]

For that to happen Catrikilis will have to be accurate at the goals and the pack will have to power over from close range off an eefective line-out. All big ifs especially considering our 3 best line-out operators in Botha, Etzebeth and Steenkamp are out injured. I think its a 50/50 this one TBH.

Well, News reports suggest that Peter Grant is almost ready to play for the Stormers, so try and hold on...

I also think the Stormers forwards will get the better of the Canes, and I think after last week, they have to... As the Lions demolished them.

 

[tenpm]

Both teams come off losses in their first round against opposition who had a game under the belt. The difference is that the Hurricanes lost to the SA team most widely fancied as the form SA team and very far from home while the Stormers fell to the SA team most people didn't give much chance of winning a single game much less 2 in a row before the start of the tournament.

Round 2's matchup between the Cheetahs (lost to the Lions in Round 1) and the Bulls (lost to the Sharks in Round 1) went the way of the Cheetahs. What does it say about this game? Not much, I just thought it was interesting.

I really have no idea who will win this; Hurricanes look better on paper, but the Stormers have the home advantage. I'll go with the Hurricanes, simply because everyone seems to have picked the Stormers so far and I like being contrary.

 

[Darwin]

For that to happen Catrikilis will have to be accurate at the goals and the pack will have to power over from close range off an eefective line-out. All big ifs especially considering our 3 best line-out operators in Botha, Etzebeth and Steenkamp are out injured. I think its a 50/50 this one TBH.

I didn't watch the Stormers match against the Kings, but surely they can't play that bad twice in a row (I assume they were pretty bad)? I just think the Stormers forward pack is so much better than the Canes (on paper at least). The Stormers shouldn't have issue getting their own lineout ball against the Canes (as long as their hooker can throw accurately), as the Canes really don't have any outstanding lineout jumper (Blade Thomson is probably the best). Likewise the Stormers should dominate the Canes scrum. I think the Canes only chance it to try and play an expansive game, but I think they will struggle to do that if they can't get clean ball to work with. I certainly wouldn't rule out the Canes, but I do think the Stormers will start at favourites.

 

[nickdnz]

Unforutnately I can't see the Canes taking this one either. Our pack is looking decidedly uexceptional.

 

[Icemn]

Going to the stadium to watch my team play... will be the 1st time I see them live... so I'm hoping they will give me a game to remember... and not losing by 50points....

atleast I get to see CJ!!!

 

[TRF_heineken]

atleast I get to see CJ!!!

GTA reference or CJ van der Linde??

 

[Icemn]

GTA reference or CJ van der Linde??

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA kaas funny lmimm

 

[Draggs]

Why does the table at the top have this as a Hurricanes win?

 

[TRF Mr Fish]

Heartbreaking last minute loss by the sounds of it!

 

[Darwin]

Why does the table at the top have this as a Hurricanes win?

A new global policy has been implemented at the request of the IRFU whereby any tries scored in the final 3 minutes will be void.

A bit closer than I was expecting. It sounds like the Stormers lineout fell apart, and the Hurricanes fronted up a lot better at scrum time this week. Obviously the Canes will be disappointed with the loss, but it sounds like they made some big improvements this week.

 

[Groundhog]

They got smashed in a few scrums really. Those two Hurricane tries were beauts.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

Very ugly from both teams apart from about 15 minutes from the Hurricanes.

The Stormers created soo many opportunities and actually looked creative in the first 30 but couldn't get anything more than a few penalties. Too many silly errors and bad decisions in the opposition 22. Catrakilis and especially Schreuder running themselves into 2/3 opposition loose forwards for no good reason on numerous occasions was the most frustrating thing for me. We should have led by 20 after 20 minutes if we were anywhere near accurate.

Scrums looked good for us even if we only got a tight head once. Hurricanes did well to get their ball out on a number of occasions but at the end we could really push them around.

The line-out woes of last week continue though. Ntubeni seems not to be as accurate as he was last year but it has to be said we are missing our top 3 line-out options in Botha, Etzebeth and Steenkamp all injured, Burger as an option in the loose forwards went off early and isn't up to speed yet after 2 years out on top of Bekker playing in Japan this year. It really takes a lot away from our main weapon; the maul which didn't work all that well off the malfunction line out apart from the try at the death.

We reverted to one off runners too easily and we aren't putting players in space, particularly the closer we get to the try line. Some experience and patience is needed; both in short supply in this team sadly.

Conditions don't help as well. Why we keep on playing at 19h10 I don't know. Newlands is on the western side of Table mountain and we keep on playing our games in very slippery conditions. Not helping with the bonus points even if it makes it more easy for traffic and spectators coming in.

 

[Gena_ZA]

Stormers had to work hard for that final try to clinch this one.
They are still very far from settled and it seems as if they do not know exactly what to do and when to do this thing they don't know what to do and where to do it.
Yes read it again - this is how the average Stormers player feels on the field.

For years they were drilled to play percentage rugby, very defensilevey minded and very little error rate.
One can see they are trying to change that to be a more offensive team as the previous recipe took them to the final stretch but never over the winning line..

Sure they will change in time, just too much class to be a sub standard team but right now they have a tour from hell ahead of them.
Good luck boys!