Jean de Villiers trained with the Stormers on Monday and the chances are good that he will captain the side in Friday night’s Super 14 match against the Reds at Newlands.
“It’s looking good. Jean trained for the whole session. I’m sure he will be ready,” said Stormers assistant coach Gary Gold.
Stephen Nell reports for Die Burger that team spokesperson Frikkie Erasmus said a decision would be made on De Villiers later this week.
“We will continue to evaluate Jean. It looks very positive, but we’ll wait until Thursday,” said Erasmus.
The same applies to Fijian wing Sireli Naqelevuki, who may be kept on ice for another week after missing the game against the Sharks.
He injured his ribs in the pre-season game against Boland and Erasmus confirmed it was not a foregone conclusion that he would be available this week.
De Villiers was stretchered off early in the second half of Saturday’s 15-20 defeat to the Sharks with a neck injury.
Fortunately the injury was not serious, but De Villiers’s neck is still stiff.
Gold was upbeat in spite of the defeat.
“We try to plan for everything, but it’s difficult when you lose the best centre in world rugby and your captain with a suspected broken neck. That really affects the players,” said Gold.
“We cannot question the players’ character and attitude. We were ahead 10-0 and after Jean went off conceded 20 unanswered points. We had the Sharks under pressure towards the end. We believe we’re on the right track.”
Gold acknowledged the Stormers had played in their own territory for too long and should have kicked better tactically.
He confirmed Luke Watson could be in the starting line-up this week.
“Luke can definitely be part of the plans. He did some good things when he came on Saturday and brings a different dimension to the loose-trio. He is a link player and passer rather than someone who plays directly,” said Gold.
Meanwhile, the Brisbane Courier Mail reports that former rugby league player Mark McLinden may be included at fullback for the Reds against the Stormers. He was a substitute in the weekend’s defeat of 20-33 to the Bulls.
His inclusion could pave the way for Peter Hynes to move into his favoured wing spot.
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If Jean is ready that’d be excellent.
The Stormers need to have a look at who the opposition is and decide if they can walk away with 5 points even if JDV is not on the field. If they can,(shich I think they can) then I say give him another week.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 1) :
Why are you Sharks supporters so ‘nice’ all of a sudden??? 😯 😕
@wpw (Comment 2) :
you need to look around the place and then tell me if you still think we are nice. 😉
JDV or not… let’s hope Rassie learnt from not preparing properly for his captain being injured with the Pietersen @ 10 ‘experiment’ with Monty in the 22…
@bryce_in_oz (Comment 4) :
That WAS a stupid decision!!! 🙄
@KSA Shark © (Comment 3) :
My woorde is nie eers koud nie toe sien ek Baldrick se arrogante (sp?) artikel. 🙁 ❓
@wpw (Comment 5) :
Monty at 10 Grant at 12 would have been so much better IMO.
It is almost as if Rassie had the same attitude to his elder statesman as Plumtree had to his untried youngsters.
@bryce_in_oz (Comment 4) : Jeez i never thought i would be hoping Willem De Waal would be fit. Surely after this Joe should be put out to pasture and the money invested in anyone else.
Good news I guess… but if his neck is still stiff – why would they wanna risk him for the Reds?
Save him for the Bulls game…
We were ahead 10-0 and after Jean went off conceded 20 unanswered points.
Really? Didn’t the Stormers answer with 5 points?
@blackshark (Comment 10) :
No.
The Stormers went from 10 – 0 to 10 – 20 before answering with the 5.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 11) :
I see…
@blackshark (Comment 12) :
http://www.sarugby.net/includes/stats.asp?id=16967
😉
Gold seems more spin than coach.
@Salmonoid (Comment 14) :
Well when Rassie talks, it is usually through his lawyer, so they have to get someone else.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 13) :
It just sounded like he was saying they were unable to score after JdV left the field…but yeah I get him now… 😛
@KSA Shark © (Comment 15) : 😆 I wonder if he gets two salaries.
BTW is it entirely kosher that the Bok assistant coach “favours” one of the teams when not with the Boks.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 13) :
Do you maybe have the stats for territory and possesion for the Stormers / Sharks game?
@Salmonoid (Comment 17) :
Rather ask if it is entirely kosher that he is even involved with a team when not with the Boks.
When last was the Bok assistant coach also an assistant coach with a S14 side?
@Salmonoid (Comment 18) :
Nope. 🙁
@Salmonoid (Comment 17) :
Like Dick did when he became assistant coach of the Boks??? 😈
@wpw (Comment 21) :
HUH?
He wasn’t involved with the Sharks after he started at the Springboks.
@bryce_in_oz (Comment 4) : Pieterson trains at 10, Monty at 15.I don’t like it but it wasn’t “stupid” nor an “experiment”.
I said it yesterday, but it got lost in Hmmmm’s gazmillion comments. Has anyone checked out the app on player23.co.za
@molly (Comment 24) :
Hmmm and Blackshark are duking it out for 4th spot on the Userstats, please don’t get in the way it could be dangerous. 😉
I saw your comment yesterday and went and had a look then got sidetracked. looks cool, but a lot of work.
@molly (Comment 24) :
lmao
@KSA Shark © (Comment 25) : I’m just hoping to get up to 1000 comments before the year is out 😳
@KSA Shark © (Comment 25) : yeah, I’m wondering if I should bother downloading it meself. I like the ad they had going on during the games. Wonder how long it’ll be til they play it to death.
@molly (Comment 27) : so if I want to be like Hmmm, I just need to reply to my own comments, right?
@molly (Comment 29) : look, now I have a string of comments.
If JdV is fit he should play, but head injuries should not be rushed.
Luke can be captain if Jean’s not fit. 😉
On a serious note, I’m SOOOOO glad Jean is back. Now all we need is a backup plan in case he gets injured again.
@McLovin (Comment 31) : seriously, who would you make captain? Bobo?
@KSA Shark © (Comment 25) :
Wrong… I’m battling against YOU ! 😈
I don’t think anyway can have enough energy to keep up with Hmmm…
@molly (Comment 33) : Schalk.
@McLovin (Comment 31) : 😯 😯
@McLovin (Comment 35) :
How about Brok Harris as captain??? 😕
@McLovin (Comment 35) : and who would you play at inside centre? Bobo with Kallie Wookie on the outside?
@molly (Comment 33) : Didn’t Bobo take over when Jean went off?
@wpw (Comment 37) : He seems like a decent fella, should make an excellent captain.
@blackshark (Comment 39) :
He did.
I wonder if JDV will be the Bok vice captain this year or if PDV will continue with Victoria Beckham.
@molly (Comment 38) : Maybe. Or Percival at 10, Grant at 12 & Bobo 13.
Kallie can play on the wing. Koster to the bench.
@McLovin (Comment 40) :
That’s not why i chose him.
I chose him cos he is our bestest player by a country mile.
Scrums like an ox. Pity he is injured at the moment… 😈
I really don’t want to mess around with Grant, I want him to prove that he is THE Springbok flyhalf (after Butch).
@wpw (Comment 43) : I see. Certainly makes sense to make the strongest man in the country captain. 😀
I’m so happy he plays for us. 🙄
@wpw (Comment 21) :
Dick was unattached when he was appointed – and he still is not alligning himself with any team.
He did however spit his dummy when Jake White, as Bok coach, was going to help the Lions before a Sharks game.
I have a confession to make. You can’t see it but in my avatar I’m wearing Polo socks. 😉
😯
@molly (Comment 44) :
I agree. Leave Grant at 10.
I actually find it quite amusing the way the Sharks supporters wrote off Grant as a Bok hopeful when PDV decided to select Ruan there.
Last weekend’s game proved once again that Ruan will never be a test flyhalf.
He might have the odd good game here or there but he will never be a consistent flyhalf like Butch or Grant.
@molly (Comment 44) :
🙄 If he is…he’ll have plenty of time to prove that when Jean returns…
I think you need him more at 12 right now…
@wpw (Comment 48) :
NEVER is a very long time boet… 👿
Dick was unattached when he was appointed 😯 😯
Dude???
@McLovin (Comment 47) :
Joost, is that you??? 😯
@wpw (Comment 51) : 😆 😆
@wpw (Comment 51) :
Dont let your imasgination run away with you now – as it did here, @wpw (Comment 48) :
@wpw (Comment 52) :
@McLovin (Comment 47) : 😆
@Salmonoid (Comment 54) :
I am just commenting on what I noticed on this site.
Grant was with the Boks for most of last year but PDV hardly gave him a look in.
Now I know Ruan played at 10 for him when he coached the U21’s a few years back and that is probably the reason behind Ruan’s selection.
Imo, Ruan is not defensively good enough to play flyhalf for the Boks.
Percival’s played alot of center hasn’t he? Can’t we put him there?
@McLovin (Comment 47) : @wpw (Comment 52) :
Trust you guys to try and sneak in some scandals into this clean SHARKS site… 😈
@blackshark (Comment 59) : What scandal? 😈
@blackshark (Comment 59) :
its what we do…
@blackshark (Comment 34) :
Hmmm’s comment count is so much more impressive if you consider that he doesn’t spend more than 45min per day on the net. 😉
@wpw (Comment 57) :
Your serious, and I thought you were on a fishing expedition. Yes Grant had a good game last weekend and Ruan not so but hell Grant was very average for most of last year and started falling away badly towards the end of the year. I was one of those hoping that Grant would go to the Sharks at the begining of last year – that desire had dimmed by the end of the year.
Grant does seem to save his best for Sharks games – 2 years ago he was also great in the corresponding game.
Speaking of scandals, SAA might as well change their name to Columbian Airlines.
No one flies you higher.
@wpw (Comment 48) :
Now you’re putting words in our mouths dude. 👿
If PDV persists with RP at 10 then Grant HAS to be the 2nd choice. There is not better half in SA at the moment.
(Let’s just hope for grant’s sake that AP doesn’t comeback with a bang.)
Right, let’s get back to the rugby. 🙄
@McLovin (Comment 64) :
SAA is a becoming a #%&#$$* embarrasment to anything South African.
@Salmonoid (Comment 63) :
I based on opinion on Grant being solid and actually quite good for the last 2-3 years (S14 especially)
He struggled a bit in the CC as he came back from injury and got thrown in at the deep end when we needed to win every game with bonus points in order to make the semis.
He is imho the best 10 in the country at the moment and has been for the last few years (with the exception of Butch while he was here)
I don’t rate Grant that highly. Heard so much about him 2/3 season ago just as he was starting to make a mark in senior rugby. Maybe I was expecting more.
For now I prefer Ruan.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 65) :
I know you a big fan (and by big I mean literally beeeg)
I was actually referring to Rob and his cronies.
@McLovin (Comment 69) :
Ja but you were always a closet Sharks supporter/groupie. 😈 😉
Need to have lunch ‘quickly’
ciao for now… 😀
@wpw (Comment 70) :
I always say “for a better ride go wide” 😳
But I am now less than a kg away from a less wide 95kgs. 😎
@KSA Shark © (Comment 62) :
I rest my case…
@Salmonoid (Comment 63) :
I was also part of the ” Grant 4 Sharks” brigade…which has since been dissolved…unless he doesn’t mind starting on the bench…
@KSA Shark © (Comment 65) :
wpw is probably hungry – we’re always saying good things about Grant and we want him to be consistent enough to get a place in the Bok squad.
@wpw (Comment 72) :
Lunch and quickly in the same sentence?????????????
You only having 3 Burgers today? 😛
@wpw (Comment 71) : Nooit. 😛
@wpw (Comment 72) :
Even when he says goodbye he refers to eating. “ciao for now” 😛 😆
@blackshark (Comment 74) :
Yeah, we don’t want just anybody coming to Durban as RP’s backup. 😆
@wpw (Comment 72) :
Ah…I was right… 😆
@KSA Shark © (Comment 73) : So far this year I have lost approx 5kg. But I can’t give up booze. Which in turn makes me hungry. And impairs my judgement. So I often relapse. Probably could’ve lost twice as much if I only could give up alcohol. 👿
@McLovin (Comment 80) :
Having to give up alcohol isn’t much of a choice for me. 😉
@KSA Shark © (Comment 81) : Such a warm country. Ideal for having a cold beer or wine. A shame really.
Julle etters!!! 👿
I had a give up running for a while as I injured me knee a few weeks ago.
I think I overdid it a bit. 😕
@wpw (Comment 83) :
injured your knee?
Did the Icecream truck, not stop? 😛
@McLovin (Comment 82) :
A shame?
It’s almost criminal!!!!! 👿
@KSA Shark © (Comment 84) :
bastard!!! 😈
@KSA Shark © (Comment 81) : I try all the time, i can get through Mon,Tue and Wed but come Thursday things go pear shaped.
@provincejoulekkading (Comment 87) :
yep…THIRSTday…that’s the demon right there… 👿
@provincejoulekkading (Comment 87) : I can skip Mondays, but only cause I’m still hungover from Sunday. 😉
is this an undercover AA group?
@molly (Comment 90) :
Advanced AA.
Nope, AA groups are for people who really do want to stop drinking.
Only time I ever contacted the AA was when my clutch cable broke. 😉
@molly (Comment 90) :
not really undercover. 😉
This should put a dampener on things:
My father in law died because he drank too much… 🙄
@provincejoulekkading (Comment 92) :
I think it was Klempie who said it best.
AA is for quiters. 😳
@KSA Shark © (Comment 96) : Ill drink to that
All I know is I don’t have a drinking problem, it comes naturally to me.
Beer, the cause of and solution to, all life’s problems.
Homer Simpson
okay seeing as we ore on the subject of drinking……..
A bartender is just a pharmacist with a limited inventory.
I LOVE COOKING WITH WINE. – Sometimes I even put it in the food.
Reality is only an illusion that occurs due to a lack of alcohol.
Why did I think this sounded like Something Hmmm would say?
In just two days from now,
tomorrow will be yesterday
I may be schizophrenic,
but at least I have each other.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 100) : 😆 😆
And I associate these with Mc
I’m not your type.
I’m not inflatable.
Don’t sweat the petty things.
Don’t pet the sweaty things
Suicidal twin kills sister by mistake!
And last but by no means least.
I am a Nobody.
Nobody is Perfect.
Therefore I’m Perfect.
Everybody should believe in something; I believe I’ll have another drink.
@McLovin (Comment 104) : i believe i will be like homer one day
@willa (Comment 105) :
@KSA Shark © (Comment 103) :
LOL @ suicidal twin… 😆
Homer: Oh, everything looks bad if you remember it.
Julle manne is diep op Jean se thread. 😆 Valentines dag is ‘n blerrie nagmerrie. Hoop Jean is OK , ons stormers is lus vir rooi steak op vrydag!
Probable Stormers team: Conrad Jantjes, Tonderai Chavhanga, Gcobani Bobo, Jean de Villiers (captain), Sireli Naqelevuki, Peter Grant, Ricky Januarie, Luke Watson, Duane Vermeulen, Schalk Burger, Andries Bekker, Adriaan Fondse, Brian Mujati, Schalk Brits, JD Moller.
No Brok Harris!!! Dammit man… 😕 👿
@McLovin (Comment 110) : good team
@robdylan (Comment 112) : Hopefully they do better than last week’s. 😉
Hope they will be able to field the same team against the Bulls…
@McLovin (Comment 113) :
The Sharks were lucky that’s all. 😈
@wpw (Comment 115) :
hehehehe 
@McLovin (Comment 113) : if JDev stays on, they will win at a canter
@robdylan (Comment 117) : That’s what I’m hoping for. I would like to see them smash the Reds with or without him. Bit worrying that his absence seem to affect them so much.
@McLovin (Comment 118) : his absence didnt affect u….we were just bloody good
@McLovin (Comment 118) : well, I’ve picked the Stormpies for LMS this week
@robdylan (Comment 120) : So have I.
@willa (Comment 119) : Of course you were… 🙄 😀
@willa (Comment 119) : And you guys are only going to get better. 😯
Here we are:
Stormers – Conrad Jantjes, Tonderai Chavhanga, Gcobani Bobo, Jean de Villiers (c), Sireli Naqelevuki, Peter Grant, Ricky Januarie, Duane Vermeulen, Francois Louw, Schalk Burger, Andries Bekker, Adriaan Fondse, Brian Mujati, Schalk Brits, JD Moller.
Subs: Deon Fourie, Wicus Blaauw, AJ Venter, Luke Watson, Bolla Conradie, Dylan des Fountain/ Nick Koster, Percy Montgomery.
Seem Luke didn’t make it. Probably saving him for the semi’s.
Just wish they’d rest Jean, surely against the red is the best opportunity.
Molly gotta make sure we get that first win unfer our belts.
@McLovin (Comment 123) : aaggggg ur just saying that 😳
@provincejoulekkading (Comment 127) : First of many… 😎
from the other site:
“Lock Andries Bekker will lead the side should De Villiers sit out, but at this stage it seems unlikely.”
@provincejoulekkading (Comment 127) : yes, but when will we rest him after that? Cheetah’s and Lions? local derbies are never easy.
@molly (Comment 130) : that’s a mistake… gotta be Bobs, surely?
@molly (Comment 131) : Bulls and Lions
@robdylan (Comment 132) : I don’t know, thats what the trustworthy sources over at the evil site say.
@blackshark (Comment 10) :
20 unanswered points means that the Sharks scored 20 without the Stormers scoring…the Stormers did finish with 5 unanswered points if that makes you feel any better…LoL
@KSA Shark © (Comment 7) : there was no need to blood the Sharks youngsters in that game. The starting XV handled fine…
@molly (Comment 29) :
I use the reply button as a “with reference to” tool…
@KSA Shark © (Comment 62) :
I am not on the net for that long!??!
On the user stats…I see Blackshark has rushed past me…
The Reds are bound to win some games…so you guys must stop picking whoever plays against them on LMS. That said- Go Stormers! 😆