[2016 Super Rugby] Stormers vs. Sunwolves (Round 7) 08/04/2016

[TRF_heineken]

Venue: DHL Newlands
Time: 19:00 CAT (SA, GMT+2)

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Stormers

Starting XV: 15 Cheslin Kolbe, 14 Kobus van Wyk, 13 Johnny Kotze, 12 Juan de Jongh (co-captain), 11 Leolin Zas, 10 Jean-Luc du Plessis, 9 Louis Schreuder, 8 Schalk Burger, 7 Siya Kolisi, 6 Sikhumbuzo Notshe, 5 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 4 JD Schickerling, 3 Vincent Koch, 2 Scarra Ntubeni, 1 Oli Kebble.

Replacements: 16 Bongi Mbonambi, 17 JC Janse van Rensburg, 18 Frans Malherbe (co-captain), 19 Rynhardt Elstadt, 20 Nizaam Carr, 21 Godlen Masimla, 22 Huw Jones, 23 [BLINK]Damian de Allende[/BLINK].

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

De Allende has been training. I hope he gets to have a go here in the last 20/30 minutes. We can really do with his power in the backline. I almost want to say I'd prefer him at 13 or 14 though. I just think he'd have more impact out wide.

We have injury concerns in the 2nd row but we have depth there even if you can't replace Etzebeth. Elstadt is also back in the frame to add grunt and experience shoud Etzebeth not be available. It might be a good idea to rest him in any event.

Stormers should take this at home but stranger things have happened.

Just a note on the competition log at the top of the page. If the QFs were to be held right now the Lions would come in at the expense of the Hurricanes. It seems the 3 - 5 split between the SA and Australasian conferences isn't being implemented in the above. I'd be surprised if the Rebels managed to stay inside that top 5 though; they've had 1 match more than the Hurricanes and their 4 wins have been against the Sunwolves and poor performing Force, Reds and Waratahs sides. The Bulls and Highlanders had them by 20 and 24 poins respectively. The Bulls letting in a few tries at the end taking their feet off the pedal- it should've been way more than a 20 point deficit. I can't see the Rebels winning much more than 4 more matches the rest of the season and don't think that'll be enough. I think the Brumbies will be the only team from Aussie to make the play-offs the NZ sides have just been that dominant outside of their conference.

 

[0tago]

Lol

 

[saulan]

Etzebeth out for four weeks and Coleman out for the season apparently. Both injured in training. Onto our third flyhalf after playing five games.

 

[TRF_heineken]

Coleman's injury, is IMO, a blessing in disguise... At least now you can play a proper flyhalf in Pat Lambie.... Err, I mean Jean-Luc Du Plessis:

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

If Du Plessis can play like Lambie then we'll be fine. Facing off vs Pisi will be good for Du Plessis and I expect the rest of the team will be too much for the Sunwolves so all in all its a good game for Du Plessis to get his start.

We know what we have in Coleman and though he runs a steady ship he won't be the guy to drag us to a ***le. I have know idea what to expect of Du Plessis though. I havn't been following our age grade and sub CC level rugby as closely as I used to. Hope the lad goes well. Elstadt and De Allende returning should offset Etzebeth going out and Du Toit will be back as well.

We are at home and rested and the Sunwolves should be nowhere near us if we have ***le aspirations. A BP win is a must IMO. No disrespect intended towards the Sunwolves but they are brandspanking new to the competition and we are supposed to be a '***le contending' team or at least should look to be because we won't get this good a draw again soon.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

A lot of player movement for us which seems to always be the case in the Cape;

Cornal Hendricks into retirement without even playing a single game for us due to his heart condition. I really feel for the bloke. He just got his Bok career off the ground and moved to a 'more serious franchize' (the Cheetahs play 7's) and then BOOM, no more rugby. Harsh. Best of luck with your future endeavours, Cornal! We'll miss you on the field!!

We are down to 4rth choice pivot with all of Du Preez, Coleman and Lleyds out for the season and 3rd choice scrummie with Vermaak and Groom out. At least Groom seems likely to return soon(ish). Interestingly Fleck has said that Kolbe will provide cover at 10 with Huw Jones on the bench set to cover 15 in that event. Many of us in the Cape have been wanting to see Kolbe at either 9 or 10 where he has played at junior levels and which role he does play in Bok 7s even if only for the novelty of it and to get more use out of his evasiveness in the tight and where he might be less exposed than at 15. Taute and Lleyds out limits our options at 15 though so that is where Kolbe will have to stay and we pray Du Plessis doesn't break like the rest.

Our best player in Etzebeth also out for a spell.

The situation is actually Crazy with a capital 'C' everything considered on top of our dramas with the coaching situation at the start of the year!

 

[SomeOke]

What is it with Stormers and fly-half issues, every single season honestly...
To be fair though it doesn't make all that much difference, Coleman is not a season winning fly-half sadly, perhaps one of the youngsters can step up.

Super excited for DdA to be back, I actually disagree about playing him wider as well, he's physical enough to be a 12, and I feel his passing and offloading game is one of his major strengths.

Otherwise I really hope we actually make a play for the bonus point and show a bit of variation in our game-plan, as things stand it's looking to be a "play-offs until we play a big NZ side" year.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

The wife managed to get us place at a box for the game. Aparently its sushi tonight, just hoping its not springbok sushi like at the RWC last year.

 

[SomeOke]

The wife managed to get us place at a box for the game. Aparently its sushi tonight, just hoping its not springbok sushi like at the RWC last year.

I'll be there as well, actually living in Cape Town these days, look for me in the cheap seats, with the rest of the drunk idiots haha.

 

[saulan]

Gee we are clicking well this game. 25 minutes and 27 points. Quite worryingn for the Sunwolves though.

- - - Updated - - -

And as I say that we completely lose our defensive structure and drop off too many tackles for a Sunwolves try.

 

[Gavin]

That red card is unbelievable. Did the ref say the player made contact with the others head? Course he did he is at least a foot taller

 

[saulan]

That red card is unbelievable. Did the ref say the player made contact with the others head? Course he did he is at least a foot taller

I thought Mbonambi was lucky to get away with a shoulder to shoulder charge in the Sunwolves try but I guess he decided it wasn't card worthy. I think that was the touch referees decision though. I think it was a yellow, not sure about a red though. Maybe there is something in the rules about shoulders to the head though. Height is irrelevant. He knew he was taller and could see exactly where he was placing that shoulder.

 

[Gavin]

I thought Mbonambi was lucky to get away with a shoulder to shoulder charge in the Sunwolves try but I guess he decided it wasn't card worthy. I think that was the touch referees decision though. I think it was a yellow, not sure about a red though. Maybe there is something in the rules about shoulders to the head though. Height is irrelevant. He knew he was taller and could see exactly where he was placing that shoulder.

He placed himself for the tackle and his shoulders were still, it was the Stormers player whose head made the final movement into the shoulder IMO.

 

[saulan]

He placed himself for the tackle and his shoulders were still, it was the Stormers player whose head made the final movement into the shoulder IMO.

I disagree, he dropped that shoulder after the ball was passed and was putting force into it, not standing still.

 

[TRF_heineken]

Well that shoulder charge on Kolbe cost Mr. Bond 4 weeks suspension after pleading guilty:
http://www.sport24.co.za/Rugby/SuperRugby/bond-suspended-for-kolbe-tackle-20160410

It was a very enjoyable game to watch, and I'm so glad that Jean-Luc showed what he can do! if he keeps this up we might have 2 pat Lambie's in the bok team later in the year

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

It's difficult to know what to take from this game. The attacking intent was there which is good and Jean-Luc seems to know how to operate a back line but can we really read anything into scoring 7 tries everything considered and I mean no disrespect to the Sunwolves. I mean, we dropped of a ton of tackles. Is that due to us being so far ahead the guys just didn't play with the type of commitment/focus one would expect otherwise or is it a case of we just can't bridge that gap between being mindful and full of intent on both defense and attack/counter-attack?

Jean-Luc went well and didn't shirk the base stuff which was good. We dropped a lot of balls and missed as many try scoring opps as we took. Fine, we scored 7 but if you only have 4 opportunities, only scoring twice will lose you matches. We also turned over a ton of posession.

Kotze and De Jongh need to look to play others into space rather than being a cul-de-sac on attack. Its the easiest thing for proper teams to defend against us if they know these two will just put their heads down and charge. This might be a moot point because I exect we'll be reshuffling our midfield but De Jongh will still be there one would expect and probably at 13. Hope Kolbe is okay. When we play with endeavour he comes into his own.

Please, no Schalk Burger and get a proper fetcher next year. Also, no De Jongh and get a 13 with play-making skills. We will make the play-offs and possibly even a SF but that's it I'd imagine. We'll only be in a place to make a serious go at it next year IF we manage to get our pieces together.