Rassie Erasmus is throwing his dice furiously once more in the hope of burgling a Super 14 win against the Lions this weekend.
Willem de Waal retains the flyhalf jersey – a sure sign that Erasmus has given up on using his much-vaunted outside backs and will rather attempt to use big Willie’s boot as a blunt instrument to bludgeon the kitties into submission. Schalk Burger is back in the starting lineup and will hope that, as his hair grows out, his Samsonesque mojo returns.
Old AJ is back on the bench, with Adriaan Fondse back to partner the wing-lock, Andries Bekker, in the second row. Sireli Naqelevuki is in for Nick Koster on the left wing this week, although it’s Zimbabwean speedster Tonderai Chavange who gets the chop, as Koster will take his place on the right this week.
Conrad Jantjes is still not fit, meaning another run for veteran Percy Montgomery at fullback.
Stormers team:
15 Percy Montgomery, 14 Nick Koster, 13 Gcobani Bobo, 12 Jean de Villiers (capt), 11 Sireli Naqelevuki, 10 Willem de Waal, 9 Ricky Januarie, 8 Luke Watson, 7 Duane Vermeulen, 6 Schalk Burger, 5 Andries Bekker, 4 Adriaan Fondse, 3 Brian Mujati, 2 Schalk Brits, 1 Wicus Blaauw.
Subs: 16 Deon Fourie, 17 JD Moller, 18 AJ Venter, 19 Francois Louw, 20 Dewaldt Duvenhage, 21 Peter Grant, 22 Tonderai Chavhanga.
Tweet
I hope we lose!
Sure you guys have seen this:
http://www.hayibo.com/articles/view/992
@wpw (Comment 1) : Congrats on the Spanish Disection.
Glad to see i am not the only disgruntled fan
The choice of Willem De Waal is reason alone not to watch the game.
@Worcestershire Sauce (Comment 3) : aka The Anfield Massacre. I wouldve still picked Casillas as MOM.
AND Rassie seems to have realised that Blaauw is a prop and Moller is not.
Ok- I hope this will be a turning point for the Stormers. We still need them to be confident to take points from Tahs, Brumbies etc.
@blackshark (Comment 6) :
Oh so NOW you need us!!!
Koster will not stand for this nonsense much longer…
Apparently Grant was dropped because he was complaining about tactics.Wasn’t happy during/after the Blues game, Ricki also told to shuttup and just follow instructions or be dropped.
@wpw (Comment 7) :
Feeling used???
@Claytie (Comment 9) : The way they are playing it could well be that not everybody in the team believes in the gospel according to Rassie.
@blackshark (Comment 10) :
and nogal on my birthday!!!
*hint hint*
@wpw (Comment 12) : Happy happy.
@Claytie (Comment 9) : kamp stormdraad
@wpw (Comment 1) : i though about picking stormers in my LMS but the doubts start creeping in and also I don’t think I will manage this stress
for entitre weekend – may just pick blues 
It doesn’t look like a good team… sorry to say.
apart from JdV of course
@wpw (Comment 12) : :
oops:
Happy birthday bru…
@wpw (Comment 12) : all the best (may they win
@wpw (Comment 12) : Happy birthday! your present is in the post
@rahul (Comment 19) :
I mailed his birthday present to Old Trafford – Torres will collect it for him!
@blackshark (Comment 20) :
@blackshark (Comment 20) : At least Torres can leave Old Trafford with something
@rahul (Comment 22) :
Thanks dudes!!!
Oh and the dudette (rahul)
@wpw (Comment 12) :
Hey Happy happy dude!!!!
@wpw (Comment 24) : Dont worry, we’ll beat them and will beat them well.
Rose will lose the plot again on Newlands. Petoors playing first up so expect to see them trading Willem & Petoors for Grant & Rose in the second half.
@PaarlBok (Comment 26) :
AP v De Waal.
Seems it will be a match of gaining grounds rather than rugby.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 27) : maybe soccer fans will warm up to rugby
@rekinek (Comment 28) : Good afternoon kind peoples.How are you on this fine day?
not too bad – waiting for Friday
and yourself sir
Slightly hungover, up to my neck with work!Im peachy!
@wpw (Comment 12) : Happy happy hope the Stormers give you something to smile about on Saturday.
@rekinek (Comment 30) : Goed en met jou? Blerrie warm hier in die Vallei.
Sorry wou op Kleitie se pos gedruk het.
Conradie out of action
Stephen Nell – Die Burger
Cape Town – Dewaldt Duvenage may play a more prominent role for the Stormers in coming weeks after Bolla Conradie broke his cheekbone.
Jerome Paarwater, coach of Western Province’s Vodacom Cup side, has replaced Conradie with Conrad Hoffman for Friday night’s match against the Border Bulldogs in East London.
Conradie had been sent last week from the Stormers to WP to get some game time in Saturday’s 49-13 win over the Elephants.
“Bolla hurt his cheekbone. He will be out of action for three weeks,” said Paarwater.
Province have several other injured players, including Tongan wing Alapate Fatafehi. He has been replaced by Alshaun Bock.
Bock, a former Boland player, caught Paarwater’s eye playing for Hamiltons.
Perhaps Paarwater will be secretly happy as Fatafehi has had a reputation since his Otago days for poor handling.
Wylie Human is struggling with asthma and is therefore replaced by Terry Jacobs on the right wing.
Dylan des Fountain gets a chance at outside centre in place of PJ Vermeulen.
No 8 Jody Burch is struggling with a stomach virus and his place has been taken by flank Pieter Louw. That has opened the door on the side of the scrum for Boetie Brits.
Schalk Ferreira replaces Denzil Riddles at loosehead prop.
Paarwater says he may pick more of the standout players at the Maties and Ikeys once the Varsity Cup had run its course.
“We are blessed with all the talent we have in the Cape. It can, however, be disruptive to the university sides if I pull some of their players from the Varsity Cup now,” he said.
“I have a shortage of talent at flyhalf and that is why we called up Coenie van Wyk from Maties.”
The WP team is: Hayden Groepes, Terry Jacobs, Dylan Des Fountain, Morgan Newman, Alshaun Bock, Joe Pietersen, Conrad Hoffmann, Pieter Louw, Boetie Britz, Pieter Myburgh, George Earle, Hilton Lobberts, André Schlechter, Hanyani Shimange (capt), Schalk Ferreira.
Substitutes: Denzil Riddles, Michael De Neuilly-Rice, Martin Muller, Yaya Hartzenberg, Charlie King, Coenie Van Wyk, PJ Vermeulen.
@wpw (Comment 24) : what the….
@rahul (Comment 36) : KSA…. help me out here!
@rahul (Comment 37) :
What do you need help with?
@KSA Shark © (Comment 38) : Comment 24!!!!!
@rahul (Comment 39) :
Not sure which part of the comment concerns you.
I think he called you Dudette in reference to my comment about my family calling you Mrs. B
OR he thinks you are a girl. 
Most importantly. The
smiley is used very liberally and VERY VERY seldom does it mean someone is REALLY upset. And knowing Wes I DON’T believe he was really upset.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 40) : I know its a joke… Need backup to confirm my gender dammit
@rahul (Comment 41) :
Hehehehehehhe
I believe Wes has just wound you up VERY successfully.
@PaarlBok (Comment 33) :
@PaarlBok (Comment 34) :
@KSA Shark © (Comment 42) : Dont be ridiculous…. I’m and old clock… its tough to wind me up
@rahul (Comment 44) :
@rahul (Comment 44) :
You may actually be right on that count. Most people I know have a “button” I can push and i can’t think of YOUR “button”.
But if you want I can Call Kette. She protects me very well.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 46) : There is a button. Well hidden
only 2 people found it that I know of
@KSA Shark © (Comment 46) : someone picked Hurricanes this week on LMS.
@rahul (Comment 48) : oooooops.
What happened to Hilton Lobberts?
@rahul (Comment 48) :
It is Lyndie from Montreal.
What do Canadians know about Rugby anyway.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 51) :
Hey mister KSA Ref, please explain this to me.
The tackler is suppose to release the tackled player immediately, but if the latter then jumps up with the ball and run away, the ref shouts: “not held, play on”.
How does the laws handle this apparent contradiction? Am I the only one who sees a contradiction?
Thanks in advance.
I’ll check back tomorrow. If you don’t answer I’ll pester you on some other thread.
Vat hom flaffie!
”
Q. So JP will you ever stop playing for the Sharks cause the Stormers need some help man?
FROM BRIAN LAWRENCE, SA
Hi Brian…If I ever leave the Sharks I will go overseas. Will not play for the Stormers…sorry! Love Durbs bro.
”
@fyndraai (Comment 52) :
It’s not a contradiction at all really.
If the tackled player is held in the tackle it’d mean he is brought to ground by the tackler with the tackler still holding on. Once on the ground the tackler will have to release the tackled player and the tackled player has to release or place the ball. So the tackled player was held.
In the situation where the tackled player is not held in the tackle, it will be a case of the tackler getting hold of the player with the ball and somehow getting him to ground with an ankle tap or half tackle of sort without actually getting a sufficient hold on him. The tackled player will then fall to the ground without the tackler actually holding him and will be allowed to retain control of the ball.
Does that make sense?
@KSA Shark © (Comment 54) :
Got it.
Thanks.
@bryce_in_oz (Comment 53) : where did you see that?
@robdylan (Comment 56) : From JP’s website…
@blackshark (Comment 57) :
http://www.jppietersen.co.za
Under TACKLE JP …same thing RUAN has on his site where the fans ask random questions…
@KSA Shark © (Comment 54) : eh….. sorry wha?
Rahul
Check this out:
ZIDANE: WHY GERRARD IS WORLD’S BEST
Paul Eaton 13 March 2009
French legend Zinedine Zidane has today labelled Steven Gerrard as the best player in world football. The former Real Madrid man saw his old club torn apart by a Gerrard inspired Liverpool in midweek as the Reds cruised into the quarter-finals of the Champions League.
“Is he the best in the world? He might not get the attention of Lionel Messi and Ronaldo but yes, I think he just might be,” said Zidane.
“If you don’t have a player like Steven Gerrard, who is the engine room, it can affect the whole team.
“When we were winning league titles and European Cups at Real, I always said Claude Makelele was our most important player.
“There is no way myself, Luis Figo or Raul would have been able to do what we did without Claude and the same goes for Liverpool and Gerrard.
“He has great passing ability, can tackle and scores goals, but most importantly he gives the players around him confidence and belief.
“You can’t learn that – players like him are just born with that presence.”