Cape Town – JD Moller is expected to return to the Stormers front-row for the first time since last April when the Cape team plays a Vodacom Super 14 warm-up fixture against Saracens at Newlands on Sunday.
It will be a welcome return for a player who was missed as much as star flanker Schalk Burger during the crucial closing stages of last year’s competition, when the loss of their earlier scrumming platform mitigated against the Stormers’ attempts to score the crucial four try bonus points that eventually left them tantalisingly short of semifinal qualification.
“I was injured in the early stages of the game against the Hurricanes. It was a freak injury, I just felt my shoulder go as a scrum collapsed. Initially I felt it was going to rule me out for just a month or two, but in the end I was out of the game for eight months, missing the entire Currie Cup season,” recalls Moller.
The Stormers scrum started like a house on fire in that Newlands match. They pushed the rated Hurricanes scrum off the ball in two early set-pieces, and the rapidly maturing Moller was in the forefront of a swarming effort from the host unit. But then came the injury, and although the Stormers won the game and remained unbeaten for the rest of the season, their scrumming authority waned.
“It was JD’s injury that made me realise that we could have a scrumming problem in the Cape and that we would have to make a concerted effort during the Currie Cup to unearth some young players that could help build up some depth,” said the Stormers coach Rassie Erasmus.
“I have put a massive focus on scrumming over the past few months, and the emergence of guys like JC Kritzinger and Wicus Blaauw, who are both good enough to do well at Super 14 level, was just part of it.”
The Stormers, in addition to the other coaches such as Gary Gold, who did a great job with the Bok scrum last year, will this season have the services of a specialist scrum coach in the form of former Province hooker Johan van Wyk.
At the end of the Super 14 season, Van Wyk will return to the Institute, with former Scotland international prop Matthew Proudfoot then taking over the WP forwards for the Currie Cup. Proudfoot is already in the Cape, and has been dispensing some of his expert advice on an individual basis to the Stormers front-row players.
“This is what I mean when I talk about scrumming culture, I want to make it something that WP is renowned for, it is such an important facet of the game and it is so crucial to any dreams of us being able to build a winning culture,” says Erasmus.
Needless to say, Erasmus is delighted to have Moller back in the mix following an extended layoff to enable his shoulder injury to recover. The big loosehead is not only fully rehabilitated from the injury, he has also benefitted from being part of the entire Stormers build-up to the new season, which started at the beginning of last November.
“I am now 100% recovered, the whole process has gone perfectly and I feel stronger than ever,” said Moller.
“I had seven and a half to eight months out of the game, where I was forced to watch from the sidelines, and as you know, that only serves to increase your hunger. Fortunately I was able to start taking full contact again from the beginning of November, which was when the Stormers started training for the Super 14.”
The Saracens match will be the perfect time for the Stormers to test their front-row depth as the English unit have a strong scrum, with former WP, Stormers and Springbok strongman Cobus Visagie a big part of the success that they have enjoyed. It is understood Visagie will be part of the Saracens tour party, it is unclear whether he will start the Newlands match.
Tickets for Sunday’s game go on sale on Tuesday at the Newlands offices and will cost R50 for reserved seating and R25 for standing. Season tickets are not valid for this game.
This article appeared on News 24 and is written by Gavin Rich
Tweet
“It was JD’s injury that made me realise that we could have a scrumming problem in the Cape and that we would have to make a concerted effort during the Currie Cup to unearth some young players that could help build up some depth,” said the Stormers coach Rassie Erasmus.
Scary
Why in the name of Cratos does WP not sign a decent prop or two. If we can afford a dozen loosies surely a prop won’t blow the budget?
@McLovin (Comment 2) :
Coz then Rassie would have no excuse to field a flanker or two at prop towards the end of the match. 🙄 😛
@KSA Shark © (Comment 3) : Seriously though, that is something that will need to looked at. It’s happening more & more over here as well. Not sure how it can be changed though.
@McLovin (Comment 2) : We may get CJ.
@PJLD (Comment 5) : Really. That’s a start. 😎 However he did get his head shoved up his arse a few times by Phil Vickery over the weekend.
@McLovin (Comment 6) : I hear so
I heard the Beast might be interested in a move to WP after the S14.
🙄
I just read Tank’s new article and he claims Schalk Ferreira is moving to hooker. Anyone else heard this?
@PJLD (Comment 5) :
then you can get 1 yellow from him and 1 yellow from Lobberts per game. 😉
@wpw (Comment 8) :
I heard YOU might become a Sharks supporter.
Some things just don’t ever happen though. 😛
@wpw (Comment 8) : not every beast is The Beast…
@wpw (Comment 8) :
Why though? You guys only buy looseforwards
I thought the movie Wall.E was a bit boring. 🙄
Just had to get that off my chest.
Right I’m here so the pary can start!
@McLovin (Comment 14) :
Did you see whose Birthday it is today? (Other Len Olivier and Biscuit)
I mean the party.
@klempie (Comment 16) :
Okay we’ll start the party with a spelling lesson.
P-A-R-T-Y. 😛 😳
@molly (Comment 9) : Apparently he will be used anywhere in the front row.
Bangladesh are about to lose a cricket game to a country who’s highest denomination of currency is a $100 trillion bill. That’s when you know you’re crap…
@KSA Shark © (Comment 17) : Yip. That’s what made me think of it. Surely it’s not the ‘real’ one?
Now that would be something… 😎
@McLovin (Comment 22) :
I actually still have to see the movie. My kids got it but somehow i wasn’t around when they watched it. I need to make a plan
@klempie (Comment 21) :
Gee that country must have a lot of money. 😉
I did like BURN.E though.
@PJLD (Comment 20) :
Who? Duanne Vermuelen?
@KSA Shark © (Comment 24) :
Gazillions!
@McLovin (Comment 25) :
❓
wooosh.
@klempie (Comment 27) :
Or Brazillions? 😳
@KSA Shark © (Comment 29) : A million dollar shave? 😯 OK, I’m stopping now before I get in trouble with Rob.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 29) :
And to put that into context.
Three Brazilian Soldiers
Donald Rumsfeld is giving the president his daily briefing. He concludes by saying: “Yesterday, 3 Brazilian soldiers were killed.”
“OH NO!” the President exclaims. “That’s terrible!”
His staff sits stunned at this display of emotion, nervously watching as the President sits, head in hands.
Finally, the President looks up and asks, “How many is a brazillion?”
@KSA Shark © (Comment 28) : It’s a short film. An extra on the dvd.
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-union/news-comment/the-50-best-rugby-players-in-the-world-1331516.htm
Interesting read
@McLovin (Comment 32) :
i will make a point of having a look this evening.
@Worcestershire Sauce (Comment 33) :
broken link. 🙁
Sack – just ad an l to the end ie html…..sorry 😳
@Worcestershire Sauce (Comment 33) : Conrad Smith & Juan Smith could have been twins. 😉 😆
15. Pierre Spies
Its a crap article if Spies is 15th 😆
@KSA Shark © (Comment 34) : You should probaly first watch Wall.E otherwise Burn.E might not make a lot of sense.
@Worcestershire Sauce (Comment 38) : Some dodgy names on that list.
@McLovin (Comment 40) : Well its is written by NH hacks….
Ledesma evokes so much of what we loved about old school front row forwards – men who looked like backstreet nightclub bouncers and played like the opposition had just insulted their mother. 😆
@KSA Shark © (Comment 35) : Your favourite is quite high up on that list. 😉
@Worcestershire Sauce (Comment 42) : They seem to have a thing with bouncers.
Juan Smith – The former former Bloemfontein bouncer guards the fringes of rucks like he used to run his door – turning would be attackers away like underage kids with dodgy IDs.
Bakkies – and his work at the breakdown sees to it that little Springbok ball is ever in danger of being pilfered….. 😯
The dude who wrote this obviously missed every test the Boks played last year
crap list…
@McLovin (Comment 37) : Just seen it now….. 😆
WTF is JS?
Some very good players on that lists, but you can’t really have players on that list that don’t even play test rugby. 🙄
@Worcestershire Sauce (Comment 47) : JS? Number…?
4 Boks in the top ten. 😎
7 in the top 20. 😎 😎
Jon Smit – 50. There some good players on that list but there’s also a lot of dogey.
hey change this website to storming rugby. there are more wp stories than any other at the moment. are the stormers trying to by back support by releasing a new story every two minutes. lucky for the sharks they can’t put this much devotion into their play.
10 Boks overall.
@Worcestershire Sauce (Comment 42) :
Brian Moore springs to mind. 😛
38. Conrad Smith looks a lot like Juan Smith…I think they are related…
😆
@McLovin (Comment 44) : Please man. Everyone knows if you’re hot and female you can get in. Maybe that’s why the Cheetah girls can get on the field. 😉
39. Rodney So’oialo
Surely they could find a pic where he wasn’t caught ” doing his business”… 😈
@blckshrk – PROTEAS (Comment 56) : Yip. See comment 37. 😆
@try time (Comment 53) :
I maintain that is half of the Sharks’ success story. Good and frequent media reports.
Stormers have woken up.
@klempie (Comment 57) : In case of the Cheetah girls it seems being female is enough. 😉
@try time (Comment 53) : We don’t have to buy support. Always had it. 😀 😛
@KSA Shark © (Comment 60) : dammit. i was enjoying the monopoly.
Okay that list is crap. I got to #5 and gave up.
Obviously the author knows nothing about rugby. 🙄
@McLovin (Comment 62) : so i take it you have season tickets at newlands.
@McLovin (Comment 59) : He he,,,missed that one… 🙂
@try time (Comment 65) : Bit far to travel to games unfortunately. 😥
@blckshrk – PROTEAS (Comment 66) : Seperated at birth I tell you.. 🙂
No Frans Steyn 👿 …useless list!!!
Is JDV and Adi on that list???
Who are the Boks on the list??
OK, I know Habana, Smit, Juan, Matfield. Who else?? 🙄
@wpw (Comment 70) : JdV, Furry duP, Ricky Jan, Bakkies.
@wpw (Comment 70) : …and John Smit.
@wpw (Comment 70) : and Spies.
Wasn’t this a Stormers thread???
🙄
@wpw (Comment 74) : A thread about Stormers’ scrumming can only go so far…
😈
@McLovin (Comment 75) : 😯 😯
@McLovin (Comment 75) :
And then it starts going backwards. 😆
@KSA Shark © (Comment 77) : Oh dear… 😆
@wpw (Comment 76) : Back to the topic. Mujati is the best. 🙂
@McLovin (Comment 79) :
Are you trying to get Hmmm to come out and play???
So apart from the props the team will look something like this?
Bekker, Fondse, Schalk, Watson, Vermeulen, Ricky, Grant, Kallie Woekie, JdV, Bobo, Chavs, Jantjes.
Is Robbie Diack not coming back? Wasn’t he touted as the next great white hope?
Flyhalf & lock could turn out to be a balls up for the Stormers. A few bad injuries in those positions and things could go tits up very quickly.
@McLovin (Comment 83) :
We don’t have a problem at flyhalf. We’ve got Joe Pietersen as back up!!! 👿
@wpw (Comment 84) : O good. 🙄
@McLovin (Comment 82) : Hes hoping to play for Oirland
@PJLD (Comment 86) : I see, thanks. He was crap anyway.
😉
Thought Diack is back. He is still on our contract list. Back to the Stormers and wish we could get a list to see where we are. Pitty we lost Jean Botha and WP Strauss to the Cheaters. Think our T5 will be much better this year compare to a year back. Think Fourie & Blaauw will be assets. Saw many worry about Skeate leaving but surely AJ or Lobberts will add some firepower.
Cant wait for round1 manne. That match will be make or brake for our Stormpies and Rassie sure have the recepy for the Tjarkies.
Someone asked Stuart Barnes for a World XV in his latest column on Sky and this is what he came up with.
Woodcock, Bismark Du Plessis, Hayman, Botha, Matfield, Juan Smith, McCaw, Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe, Mike Blair, Carter, Sivivatu, Giteau, Nonu, Rokocoko and Mils
@PaarlBok (Comment 88) : That first match is going to be crucial. Do or die for the Stormers.
Diack injured his foot and won’t be playing for 2 months anyway.
@PaarlBok (Comment 88) : The thing with AJ is he is a bit on the slow side these days.
Lobberts, eish, potential but loskop.
@McLovin (Comment 89) :
Who the hell is Mike Blair???
I take it he is the Scottish centre??? In his dreams!!!
Nonu is also overrated.
And did Rocokoko play tests any tests in 2008??? 🙄
@wpw (Comment 93) : Scrumhalf. Not bad, but top 50 in the world? Doubt it.
@wpw (Comment 93) : Agree somewhat with your Nonu comment.
Rockoko at his best I would have in there but on his latest form, perhaps not.
And Giteau???
Barnes is crazy!!! 🙄
Just can’t believe Mujati didn’t make it….
Hi All
Happy birthday to Len Olivier!! 😀
Has anyone heard from ROB?? Any news?? 🙂
@wpw (Comment 96) : The NH scribes will always have a token player or two from the Celtic nations in their side plus an Aussie or two. The poms secretly adore the Aussies and what to be just like them. 😉
what = want
@Ice (you can leave your hat on!) (Comment 98) : Afternoon… 🙂
@McLovin (Comment 101) :
G’day to you.. 😉
PaarlBok, if you swing by again check out Tanks thread on News24.
@Ice (you can leave your hat on!) (Comment 98) :
We are all waiting Ice. Sorry I meant ‘Tannie’ Ice
@wpw (Comment 104) :
Wies jou Tannie?? 👿 😉
Oh – so no news yet?? 😥
@wpw (Comment 104) : @Ice (you can leave your hat on!) (Comment 105) : They’re expecting a little one right? Today?
@Ice (you can leave your hat on!) (Comment 105) :
Nope… He is gonna send sms’s to everyone…
Sione Lauaki has become the latest All Black to embarrass the New Zealand Rugby Union because of late-night shenanigans.
The big All Black and Chiefs loose forward has been ordered to undergo an anger management course after he trashed property at an Auckland motel in the early hours of New Year’s Day.
At least the tickets for the Sarries matcha re reasonably priced. Not like the Bulls…. 😈
@PJLD (Comment 108) : What is it with the Kiwi’s and booze/fighting/breaking stuff? Can’t they just get dronk & go to bed.
Or argue with their girlfriends without the pakslae? 🙄
@McLovin (Comment 110) : Don’t scheme so bru.
I was expecting to read “Stormers focus on scrumming and therefor have released Mujati from his contract”
Look at these die-hard AndreP supporters
Who should be the Lions’ first-choice Super 14 fly half?
• Andre Pretorius
254 85% of all votes
• Earl Rose
46 15% of all votes
Total Votes: 300 Started: January 19, 2009
@Hmmm (Comment 113) : Lets do the same poll in a months time
@PaarlBok (Comment 88) : maybe you were thinking of Melck, I think he’s due back or has been training with the stormers.
@PJLD (Comment 114) :
Well Andre won’t be an option cozz he would be injured…LoL
@PJLD (Comment 114) :
But seriously though…
Earl loses his mind in tight games…ever tight game last year he was really bad…even a lot worse than AndreP bad…
I like him at full-back…that is where he should play…but then again if Andre and Louis are all we have left then one can’t help to squeez him into fly0half…
@Worcestershire Sauce (Comment 33) :
What a list…
How can Victor be so high and Bakkies so low down…
And that top 20 is full of SA players…was that a South African list!??!