Nick Koster has been named to make his Super 14 debut in he unfamiliar position of left wing, as Stormers coach Rassie Erasmus names a strong side to take on the Sharks at Newlands on Saturday.
Fijian Sireli Naqelevuki has failed to recover from a rib injury picked up in the pre-season, leaving a gap on the wing which former loose-forward Koster will be keen to fill on a full-time basis. The balance of the backline has a settled look, with many established combinations that will look to test the Sharks. In fact, all of the other members of the back division are capped Springboks.
Ricky Januarie edges Bolla Conradie at scrumhalf, while Peter Grant is preferred to Willem de Waal at pivot. The latter is not in the 22 at all this week, although that may be due to an ongoing injury concern. Captain Jean de Villiers will look to continue the good understanding he struck up with Gcobani Bobo last year, while Conrad Jantjes and Tonderai Chavanga are ever dangerous, named at fulback and right wing respectively.
The Stormers pack, often their Achilles Heel in recent years, has a strong look to it this year, with JD Moller, Schalk Brits and Brian Mujati retained as the first choice front-row. Together with Adriaan Fondse and Andries Bekker, it’s the same tight five that played for most of last season for the Stormers and one that won’t take a step backwards against the Sharks.
Cheetahs import Duane Vermeulen has won the battle for the number 8 jersey this week; he will join Schalk Burger and Francois Louw in an impressive back row. The controversial Luke Watson will endure an uncomfortable afternoon sitting next to AJ Venter on the substitutes bench. Let’s hope the thought of being in such close proximity to such a big “Dutchman” doesn’t prove more than Watson can handle!
Stormers 22:
15: Conrad Jantjes, 14. Tonderai Chavhanga, 13. Gcobani Bobo, 12. Jean de Villiers (capt), 11, Nick Koster, 10. Peter Grant, 9. Ricky Januarie, 8. Duane Vermeulen, 7. Francois Louw, 6. Schalk Burger, 5. Andries Bekker, 4. Adriaan Fondse, 3. Brian Mujati, 2. Schalk Brits, 1. JD Moller. Reserves: 16. Deon Fourie, 17. Wicus Blaauw, 18. AJ Venter, 19. Luke Watson, 20. Bolla Conradie, 21. Joe Pietersen, 22. Percy Montgomery
Tweet
bugger me, but that’s a strong team….
Bliksem hom AJ!
@MorneN (Comment 2) : he he he
You do know there’s already a thread up dont you??? 😈
@wpw (Comment 4) :
I find this one’s content better!
I do not see Watson’s name anywhere in the 22. Has Rassie seen the light! Formidable side, that most could losr probably take England on to put it into some perspective!
#spelling….* most probably take England….*
@Fierce Allegiance (Comment 6) : look again.
@wpw (Comment 4) : I did not at the time. Still, original content trumps in the news, don’t you think?
When will the Sharks team be announced? Who will be opposing Koster?
@Loosehead (Comment 9) :
prolly Odwa 😐
@robdylan (Comment 8) :
I see you have numbered Luke as 10. :
Now THAT is something I wouldn’t have done. I would have gone straight with 46. 😉
Ok thanks Rob got a little “ahead” of myself there. 😐
With Luke on the bench who will be playing scrum and flyhalf for the Stormers? ❓
@KSA Shark © (Comment 11) : oops. Typo
@Fierce Allegiance (Comment 12) : he wasn’t named…. I assume it’s an error. I added him
@robdylan (Comment 14) :
Ag no I was hoping it was intentional. 😛
Koster will be difficult to stop but the bigger they are the harder they fall when they are running fast.
1. Why does Rassie have Grant and Luke both at flyhalf ? 😆
2. Will they have enough space on Joe P’s jersey to print the jersey number.
3. Is Koster on the wing really a surprise? Rassie has been saying it for weeks now…I would’ve been surprised if he wasn’t on the wing…
4. How come the Stormers don’t have any props in their team?
5. What’s the average age of this Stormers side?
(I know some of these will not make sense after you edit the thread ROB- but it’s worth it) 😆
@blackshark (Comment 17) : I am typing on an unfamiliar keyboard. Sigh.
Okay tips for the Stormers against the Sharks:
Ricky, Grant, Jantjes should look to kick the ball to the corners and move this Sharks pack around.
Have your advantage line runners attack Pienaar and Steyn’s channel all afternoon, Pienaar was a suspect defender as a 9 – he might be even worse at 10.
In fact, target Pienaar all afternoon.
And discipline, discipline, discipline at the breakdown.
@MorneN (Comment 19) : point 1… what makes you think the Sharks have any mobility issues in the pack?
point 4… you noticed who’s wearing 6 for the Stormers?
@robdylan (Comment 20) :
Not worried about mobility, shifting contact points and first game of the season – fitness will be an issue.
Their pack is their strength, eliminate it.
Kokket ,Pienaar & Terblanche to put a few “Gary Owens” on Koster, he is in a unfamiliar position at this,level and would be sh11ting himself like a big black alsation anyway! 👿
but can’t fault points 2 and 3… Ruan WAS defensively frail at 9 and may struggle at 10. But in my experience, he’s one of the better players at handling pressure. How good is Grant?
@MorneN (Comment 21) : this is a meaningless exercise, but I’d put money on it we’re fitter than you guys are 🙂
@robdylan (Comment 24) :
It counts for nothing if you are doing the running all afternoon and the other team the kicking…
BTW, how the hell does Rassie announce his team before Plum?
@MorneN (Comment 26) : thats what I said… and whats more Kallie Wookie is in CT when the season started. Crazy times!
@MorneN (Comment 26) : yeah – it’s kind of like a Mexican stand-off that… I reckon Rassie decided to bite the bullet and name his early, knowing full-well that he intends to change at least half it by by Saturday anyway.
@robdylan (Comment 23) :
For someone who is ALWAYS hoping Grant moves back to Durban I’m surprised you asking how good he is. 😯
He is the most underrated 10 in the country.
@MorneN (Comment 25) : ok, fair point.
But then you have the problem that, of the three, it’s only really Grant who has an accurate kicking game. Ricky is all over the show and Jantjes only ever kicks up-and-unders.
@molly (Comment 27) : i reckon they chained him to something… maybe that dog statue in Simonstown?
@wpw (Comment 29) : no – I reckon Grant is rated about spot on for his ability. He’s good, Wes, but by no means a great. His decision-making under pressure is very suspect.
@wpw (Comment 29) : btw – this thread is about discussing the rugby. The other one is where we trade the blows 🙂
@MorneN (Comment 26) :
We all know that Rassie’s teams aren’t worth the paper they are written on so he may as well announce them on Sunday mornings.
Rob
So Robbie Kempson thinks Mujati is gonna struggle in the scrums (which I think will happen if Beast plays) and he reckons that Brian is not as good as people think.
This dude works on my nuts!
Just last year he was saying how good Mujati was and that he deserves to be with the Boks, blah blah blah…
Make up your mind bru!!! 👿
@wpw (Comment 35) : Mujati will struggle anyway. Carstens is, if anything, a better scrummager than Beast
Koster is only 19 years old.
I think we can expect that he will feel pretty intimidated by the opposition on Saturday. The Sharks should target him.
@robdylan (Comment 36) :
I know but my point was that Kempson is a git!!! 😯
(I know, other thread!!!) 😳
Good Stormers side this.
Four capped Boks sitting on the bench… well three and a half anyway.
@VinChainSaw (Comment 39) :
there’s also quite a few Boks sitting in retirement homes who feel they could have played if you look at the age of some of those on the bench. 😛
@robdylan (Comment 32) : Spot on. I’ve yet to be convinced by Grant. Defensively he is sound and he likes contact for a flyhalf but his decision making and kicking is very erratic.
Doesn’t mean he won’t make it as a Springbok as it took Butch a long time to convince as an international class pivot!
@KSA Shark © (Comment 40) : Nah they will just bring calmness once the game is in the bag. 😀
@robdylan (Comment 36) : Deon is excellent as a loosehead however never convinces at tighthead. Sharks should have the better of the front 5 battle unless Brits and Bekker pull their weight in the tight and don’t spent most of their time at centre and wing!
@Villie (Comment 41) :
Villie
Do you think he got a decent chance to prove if he has what it takes at test level???
Even Frans Steyn got to start at flyhalf for the Boks (even though he isn’t one) 😯
Rassie Erasmus believes the attack on the Stormers scrum is completely unwarranted.
Erasmus laughed off criticism from Saracens coach Eddie Jones following the Stormers’ win on 25 January. Jones complained the Stormers scrummed unfairly, and Jones believes they resorted to illegal tactics because they weren’t up to a fair challenge.
The subsequent weeks have witnessed more scrutiny with the Sharks asking that referee Mark Lawrence keep an eye on the Stormers front row. Erasmus believes this is mere gamesmanship.
“What’s important is what happens on the park, the other opinions don’t matter,” the Stormers coach told keo.co.za. “If you look at the fact that Beast [Mtawarira] is out and that both Deon Carstens and Jannie du Plessis did not have much rugby at the end of last year, I’d say my scrum is looking better by comparison.
“It’s a clever tactic by the Sharks to place the emphasis on our scrum, but I’m not sure it will work with a referee like Mark.”
Former Bok and Stormers prop Robbie Kempson told the Cape Times on Wednesday Brian Mujati would struggle in Saturday’s match. Erasmus baulked at the suggestion that Mujati is not up to it.
“I don’t know why I keep hearing things like this,” he said. “If he’s not good enough to play Super 14 then how did he get picked as the Bok No 3 in 2008? Was that just some kind of smokescreen?
“I’m confident he’s good enough, and remember I’m the one who signed him to come down from the Lions. I’d actually be more nervous if he wasn’t in the mix for this weekend.”
Rassie dont want to tell them but thats where we’ll win the match, scrums.
I’d say my scrum is looking better by comparison.
a fine line between confidence and arrogance. 😛
Jones didnt only say that the Stormers scrummed unfairly but that they (the scrum) were also crap.
So Rassie thinks he has a better scrum than Plum – this should be good.
@Salmonoid (Comment 48) :
Proof will be in the (plum)pudding on Saturday. 😛
@KSA Shark © (Comment 49) :
Amen
Hallelujah.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 49) : or will it be (plum)pudding on his face?
Very good team…
I just think their backline defense is a bit weak…but surely capable of scoring as much as they concede….
JdV is no great defender…
Bobo was found to be flat footed last year in the Wales test matches and the CC (but could be that JdV improves his game)
Chav is no defender…
Koster will def be a physical defender (being an hybrid – a forward and a back)…but how will he defend his space against other light-footed/stepping wings with slightly more pace than him?
And we all know Jantjies is no defender…
But we all know that any team with Schalk has a second line in def in HIM…so this might not necessarily be an issue…
I don’t rate their scrum though…
Not even one in the front row will be mentioned positively when discussing scrums…
But we all know scrum is not just about the 3 in front…so the locks and loosies can most def fill some of the gap in that regard…
All in all a tough one to call!!!!
@Hmmm (Comment 53) : Bobo played against Wales last year? 😯
@Hmmm (Comment 53) : That’s pretty much the same team that conceded 2nd/3rd least amount of tries in 2008 S14.
@McLovin (Comment 56) :
Yip…and his oppo that was 20 odd kg heavier than him stepped and beat him 2/3 times one-on-one…
@McLovin (Comment 57) :
Yip…they scramble well and in Schalk you almost have a 2nd line of def…that is why I said that might not necessarily be a problem…
@Hmmm (Comment 58) : Bobo?
@Hmmm (Comment 59) : As good as Schalk is, I doubt he can cover for ‘bad defending’ by both centres, one wing & the fullback.
@McLovin (Comment 60) :
Yip…the second game I think…
@Hmmm (Comment 62) : Bobo – Last test: 21 June 2008 vs Italy in Cape Town.
@McLovin (Comment 61) :
Won’t categorize JdV as bad defending…just no stand out…
And not sure about Koster…physically he should do well…but can he close down his space…
And Grant is a good defender…so too is Ricky…
So I think under those circumstances the loosies (especially Schalk) can cover…
And their loosies slowed down oppo ball a lot…which is def in itself…
Brits is in the backline often so too Bekker…
Happy now that I spelled it out for you?
Should all the other factors not be there on the day…the backline can be exposed…that is all I am saying…
@McLovin (Comment 63) :
And the week before that???
@Hmmm (Comment 64) : Are you saying that should all the other factors not be there on the day…the backline can be exposed?
@Hmmm (Comment 65) : The Welsh tests were after the Italy test.
@McLovin (Comment 67) : 😳 Before. 😳
1st test v Wales
1. Gurthro Steenkamp
2. John Smit
3. Brian Mujati
4. Bakkies Botha
5. Andries Bekker
6. Luke Watson
7. Juan Smith
8. Pierre Spies
9. Bolla Conradie
10. Butch James
11. Bryan Habana
12. Jean de Villiers
13. Adrian Jacobs
14. Tonderai Chavhanga
15. Conrad Jantjes
Replacements
16. Bismarck du Plessis
17. CJ van der Linde
18. Victor Matfield
19. Danie Rossouw
20. Ruan Pienaar
21. Peter Grant
22. Percy Montgomery
2nd test v Wales
Team
1. Tendai Mtawarira
2. John Smit
4. Bakkies Botha
5. Victor Matfield
6. Luke Watson
7. Juan Smith
8. Pierre Spies
9. Ricky Januarie
10. Butch James
11. Bryan Habana
12. Jean de Villiers
13. Adrian Jacobs
14. Tonderai Chavhanga
15. Conrad Jantjes
Replacements
16. Bismarck du Plessis
17. Gurthro Steenkamp
18. Andries Bekker
19. Ryan Kankowski
20. Bolla Conradie
21. Francois Steyn
22. Percy Montgomery
Supersport site poll
Who will emerge victorious in the big coastal clash this weekend – Stormers v Sharks?
Stormers 38%
Sharks 54%
Too close to call 8%
1671 votes
2 days, 22 hours, 35 minutes till kick-off….
Im convinced Hmmm is on some strong shit!! Lol
Hmmm, u say JDV is not a good defender and then u say that Koster is. How many games did u watch Koster play? You do know that he is making his S14 debut on Saturday dont you??
@molly (Comment 52) :
No that is usually Egg on a face. 😉
@wpw (Comment 74) : All minor details on planet Hmmm. 😆
@wpw (Comment 45) :
, where there is smoke there is fire , the Stormers scrum absolutely not nearly in the same league as the Sharks , just look at the Sharks front row starters Beast , Bismark and Jannie and John and Deon on the Bench of course the bergbokke will resort to illegal tactics what else can they do .
Plumtree has been complaining about the same thing in the daily news and we all know these bergbokke you cant trust them
Mujati should never have been n Bok he is useless , he was picked over BJ the best in his position in the world , thats why he left . 😎
@sharks 30 (Comment 77) :
And then we still have Johan , Kanko , Jacques , Sykes and Deysel 😆
Ag no , no problem 😉
Alrighty then! Hmmm’s gone and fetched his buddy sharks30 who is even more stoned than him. Bwahahahaha
@wpw (Comment 79) :
😉
One less sleep before we take on the Metro Stormers.
Hopefully by the time I have had lunch tomorrow we will know which team we are sending in to thump these guys. 😉
Look at the determination on this mans face. THAT determination is what the Stormers don’t have.
Image credit to, and courtesy of Michael Marnewick of Sharksrugby.
he’s built like the proverbial brick sh*thouse, is rocket
@robdylan (Comment 84) :
He looks like he could be called Igor with that hump on his back. 😯
Ag shame. U guys drooling over a half naked Sharks player! And u claim we the metros?
@wpw (Comment 86) : dude – Rocket wouldn’t even need to use both arms to rip Ricky Januarie’s head off
@robdylan (Comment 84) : The best thing about him is he has that cockiness that all good scrummies need. Also doesn’t take a backward step and has the confidence to try things, even if it doesn’t make him popular.
Mujati is a HECK of a lot better than guys give him credit for. He became a Bok a little bit early in his development, but that is not his fault. The guy is talented and give him a few years and he will be in the Bok side on merit.
Unfortunately for him he probably lost a bit of confidence by playing international rugby when he wasn’t quite ready.
@Villie (Comment 89) : no hiding away at tighthead, I’m afraid.
@robdylan (Comment 90) : Nope there isn’t…but he’s done a decent job at tighthead in Super 14. It’s only at international level that he’s found the going tough!
@Villie (Comment 91) : Oh and that is why the Stormers and Lions had a massive fight for his services. Lions didn’t want to lose him. He made a very big impact in his first season for them!
@Loosehead (Comment 13) :
Bekker and Brits of course…
@robdylan (Comment 84) :
And the second best 9 in the country…
@robdylan (Comment 87) :
But even Kockott would need some assistance to get his arms around Januarie’s midrif though 😉
@Villie (Comment 89) : @Villie (Comment 91) :
Well said Villie.
He did have a good S14 last yr and that is probably why he was selected for the Boks.
I think if PDV selected BJ, CJ/Jannie then Mujati would not have made the squad.
He is still young and will hopefully develop into a very good international tight head.