Rassie Erasmus will step back into the unrelenting glare of the media spotlight when the woeful Stormers play their final Australasian tour match against the Highlanders in Dunedin on Friday.
Speculation has been rife for sometime now that Erasmus, hailed as the saviour of Stormers rugby just under two years ago, is on way out and a fifth successive defeat on Friday may well see him finally throw up his arms in exasperation.
Apart from when the Stormers’ recorded a 56-18 rout of the Lions at Newlands, Erasmus has been asked to explain the team’s poor performances week in and week out. Even when the Stormers scored their only other win this season – the defeated Reds side managed to score four tries against them, Erasmus’ standing as the head coach took a battering.
SAPA reports that Erasmus has often enough this season said he’ll be happy to step down if there is a better coach to head up the Stormers’ Super campaign.
However, Erasmus’ bosses at Newlands have recently declared the beleaguered coach’s position was not under threat, but then they too will be reeling under the weight of expectation as disgruntled fans stay away from Newlands when the Stormers return in just over a week’s time.
Former Springbok coach Jake White’s name has been linked with the Stormers in recent times, even though Erasmus’ contract still has one year to run. White is not a favourite with many of the bigwigs at Newlands and it is therefore unlikely he’ll be making the move there.
Given the team’s 2009 record, it seems Erasmus is unable to arrest the slide from grace and the playing pattern and tactically deficient kicking, have dumbfounded the critics, many of whom rated the Newlands-based team as 2009 play-off candidates in pre-season predictions.
But the fact the team has now been relieved of the pressure of making the play-offs given its lowly position, many players may be inspired to enhance their claims for Springbok selection.
And since quite a few contracts will expire at the end of the season, the younger and untried players may just use the rest of the season to increase their prospects for future stints with the Stormers.
Erasmus has seen a steady trail of players coming and going since the squad set foot in Australasia. Centre Jean de Villiers and prop Brian Mujati have just returned to Cape Town, and they have been preceded by fullback Percy Montgomery, flank Francois Louw and lock Adriaan Fondse.
Tiger Bax, a young University of Cape Town utility back, has flown over to bolster the backline reserves, and in recent weeks wing Wylie Human, flank Pieter Louw, lock Andries Bekker and prop Bok Harris have all made the trip to various Super 14 regions in the Antipodes.
Whatever team Erasmus decides on, at least on paper, will be capable of holding their own. There will be quite a few players among the backs and forwards who will be serious contenders for the next Springbok squad.
The Stormers can rightly fancy their chances against the Highlanders who are only two places above them in 10th position on the Super 14 ladder.
The Highlanders pack is big and one of the strongest in the competition, and that will be cause for concern for the Stormers in the build-up to the match.
Last week the Stormers were reduced to ‘Breezers’ as they were blown away 34 – 11 by the Hurricanes, after they were forced to play most of the match without captain De Villiers who retired from the action with an early injury.
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a fifth successive defeat on Friday may well see him finally throw up his arms in exasperation.
The supporters’ arms have been up for a while now. 👿
Tiger Bax, a young University of Cape Town utility back, has flown over to bolster the backline reserves
I’d be keen to see where he get’s slotted in.
Gio Aplon makes Bax look like a giant…
@bryce_in_oz (Comment 3) :
I hope that this is a freaking joke!
Gio Aplon is knee-high to a grasshopper.
@Big Fish (Comment 4) :
Then call Bax Jiminy…
@bryce_in_oz (Comment 5) :
😆
@bryce_in_oz (Comment 3) : you mean the other way round? I mean, Gio Aplon makes ME look like a giant too.
@robdylan (Comment 7) :
You’re not 179cms and 78kgs like Bax though are you?
@bryce_in_oz (Comment 8) :
Surely there are health and saefty issues there?
@bryce_in_oz (Comment 8) : same height – about 10 kgs heavier
@robdylan (Comment 10) : So you and Gio are both taller and heavier than Luke?
@robdylan (Comment 10) :
Only 10???????????? LIAR!!!!!!!!!!!! 😛
I am 18kg’s heavier than him 😳 and am the same height.
Greetings gents and bryce. How u guys doin?? 😀
I dont think Rassie should be fired… I think the okes who hired him and who have been running WP RUGBY into the ground need to be fired. The likes of Wagner, Kuhn, Titus. Who are they accountable to?? This whole buddy buddy system at Executive level makes me wanna Luke, i mean puke!!
@VinChainSaw (Comment 9) : you’ve been in England too long 🙂
@wpw (Comment 14) :
Hear Hear…
@KSA Shark © (Comment 12) :
Lol… my fighting weight is lighter than Tiger… but I’m very far off that… I’ve got 8kgs on him in farting weight…
@bryce_in_oz (Comment 16) : Tiger is a farking good player,give him a chance.
@Claytie (Comment 17) :
Agree mate… I’ve seen some of his UCT highlights… stepping up from Varsity rugby to S14 and being orkish… is a different story… here’s hoping he grabs the opportunity…
According to some in the Cape radio and print media Tiger Bax is one of the the next super, super star. I was thinking about this when I noticed that he doesn’t make the Vodacom Cup starting 15 for the WP team.
@bryce_in_oz (Comment 18) : He may not even make it onto the field but ja stepping up is not easy but some okes can do it.
Salmonoid, the WP VC coach is Jerome Paarwater what did you expect? Btw, Tiger is one of my Facebook friends!
What was that litey’s name who left UCT last year because of not being included for the WP or Stormers Squads?
He has been playing for England on the 7s circuit this year.
One that got away.
Matthew Turner
@wpw (Comment 23) :
That’t the one. NOT a small lad and seems to be pretty bloody good. 🙁
@KSA Shark © (Comment 24) : If he played England 7’s is he not eligible for Boks
@KSA Shark © (Comment 24) : isn’t he small? Thought he was another midget.
You reckon all the dope stunts their growth?
@Rahul (Comment 25) : there has been a precedent, though…
@robdylan (Comment 26) :
No I think he is pretty damn decent sized. Not like Lomu, but certainly bigger than Paulse, Aplon, Bax etc.
@robdylan (Comment 27) :
Maybe Before the regulation was implimented.
8.2
A Player who has played for the senior fifteen-a-side National Representative Team or the next senior fifteen-a-side National Representative Team or the senior National Representative Sevens Team of a Union is not eligible to play for the senior fifteen-a-side National Representative Team or the next senior fifteen-a-side National Representative Team or the senior National Representative Sevens Team of another Union.
@wpw (Comment 23) : below-par United back to the top spot ahead of Liverpool, three points clear with a game in hand.
Full Name Mathew Drew
Nick Name Matty
Surname Turner
Height 177cm
Weight 82kg
Birth Date 18 January 1988
@KSA Shark © (Comment 31) :
A monster, way down south at least.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 31) : Same stats as me!!! Even DOB!
United fans are just like Stormers fans. Management can disrespect them (and the opposition) no end but they will still be back for more. There is 1 small difference though……
@Rahul (Comment 33) :
DOB! 😯 ❓ 😯 😯 😯
@Salmonoid (Comment 34) : I am intrigued?
@KSA Shark © (Comment 35) : I am born again…. always be 21
@Salmonoid (Comment 34) : Oh…. league position?
@Rahul (Comment 36) :
Does that mean that you are happy with the team that played and the result of the FA Cup semi.
@Rahul (Comment 38) :
league position, results, number of wins, success. Call it what you like. 😛
@Rahul (Comment 36) :
@Rahul (Comment 38) :
Oh you are intrigued by the 1 difference, yes league position and LOTS of silverware.
It’s like that cartoon that used to be on TV when I was a kid. Rooi and Blou.
Rooi always wins.
Blou always loses.
😛 😉
@Salmonoid (Comment 39) : That was a penalty! damn refs 👿
Sorry KSA 😕
@KSA Shark © (Comment 29) : who was the aussie who played sevens for the kiwis? Or was it the other way round?
@robdylan (Comment 44) :
Not sure.
@robdylan (Comment 44) : Willie Bishop is a kiwi played for oz
ma. It was recently. After the rule change. Steve Devine?
@robdylan (Comment 47) : He’s Like Rathbonesheep, Played under 21 int then changed country
@robdylan (Comment 47) :
Before I forget, I will be off the air, all day tomorrow. Early morning (05:30) ride and afternoon match in Bahrain.
@Rahul (Comment 43) : So true!
No football talk on this site please!! :
👿
@wpw (Comment 51) : Have to share my Evertonian mates facebook post with you…
MISSING: last seen in Liverpool one bubble feared burst
@Rahul (Comment 52) :
I’ve seen that same bubble around here, on numerous occassions.
I may be carrying a little extra weight (not much really – no, seriously), but surely Cape Town’s best cant be that small?
I mean I am shorter than Tiger, and though not in peak condition, I am almost 20kg heavier.
Something wrong in CT – Rob is probably right; dope does make you lose weight after all…
Everton FC – challenging for the UEFA Cup every year, have just reached their 1st Cup final in 15 years Liverpool FC – Challenging for the title every season as well as the Champions League. Everton – a small club Liverpool FC – One of the biggest clubs in the world 😈