The fourth team in the SA conference preview is the Stormers, who finished 2nd on the overall log last year and went down to the Crusaders at Newlands to miss out on a second appearance in the final in two years.
The Stormers will again challenge for the top spot in the SA conference, with a settled squad which has only seen a few players leave the franchise. Those that have left though, are all from one position, with Jaque Fourie, Johann Sadie and Tim Whitehead all leaving to further their careers elsewhere.
In terms of recruiting, the Stormers have only brought in Deon Carstens and Joe Pietersen, with their younger players forming the biggest part of their ‘new’ faces. Players like Eben Etzebeth, Steven Kitshoff, JP du Plessis and Michael van der Spuy will be tasked to step up at some point during the season.
The forwards looks solid, with Tiaan Liebenberg and Deon Fourie fighting it out for the hooker jersey, while the second row with Andries Bekker, Rynardt Elstadt and Etzebeth looking good come line out time. It is at loose forward though that the Stormers boast quite a bit of talent. The charges will be lead by Schalk Burger, while they have Duane Vermeulen, Nick Koster, Siya Kolisi and Nizaam Carr to do duty.
Dewaldt Duvenhage should be the go to man in the 9 jersey, with the flyhalf role not quite settled on yet as the coaches wait on Peter Grant to return from Japan. It is expected that the duties will be shared between Gary van Aswegen, Kurt Coleman and Demetri Catrakilis in the meantime.
Amongst the centres they still have Jean de Villiers and Juan de Jongh, both Springboks, with Gio Aplon, Bryan Habana and Joe Pietersen to do duty in the back three. A lot of pace in there, but not much in the form of size.
My prediction is that the Stormers will finish second in the conference, running the Sharks close but not quite getting there thanks to a tough overseas draw, facing both the Crusaders and the Reds away.
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If anything, it’s better to face the Crusaders & Reds away. We lost to them at home in 2011. Rather lose away then at home 😆
@hendrikp (Comment 1) :
End of the day the top sides will be decided by how they fare versus teams in their own conferences.
The Cheetahs went 4 from 8 last year versus overseas opposition, yet still finished near bottom.
If you beat teams in your own conference, it’s worth twice as much. Get 4-5 points, and deny them the same. Target winning those, and the rest is just a bonus.
You didn’t mention our recruitment of Shadow from the Bulls.
A strong squad, now if we can just avoid that plague of injuries that affected us in the CC.
@hendrikp (Comment 2) :
I have a feeling the Sharks are going to do well this year.
They won’t have to ‘carry’ John Smit and we’ll probably see the best of Bismarck du Plessis.
I’m looking forward to seeing how Tim Whitehead does. I really rate him!
@wpw (Comment 4) :
Reckon we’ll see Bissie play very well, but being on the field 99.99% of the time might mean slightly less gas in the tank. He’ll still be up there as one of the top hookers though, alongside Polota-Nau I reckon who will have a break-out season.
Edit: Let me rephrase that. He’ll still be THE top hooker.
@wpw (Comment 4) : haven’t seen much of Tim, but that sharks backline has got me excited for a change. hope they deliver.
@hendrikp (Comment 2) : Do you think stormers have enough FH’s for the season or should they start importing?
@wpw (Comment 4) : How much have you seen of him Wes?
@MJ (Comment 7) :
Enough, thanks for the concern.
@hendrikp (Comment 9) : Who are they?
@hendrikp (Comment 9) :
I tell you one thing, a few Sharks will be crying for a decent flyhalf if we had to pick up an injury.. that’s for sure..
@Ben (Comment 8) :
He did very well in 2012 S14.
Also saw him play many games for UCT. He is decent and won’t let the side down!
@hendrikp (Comment 9) : how about centres?
@Ben (Comment 10) :
Peter Grant
Gary van Aswegen
Kurt Coleman
Demetri Catrakilis
Burton Francis
@Ben (Comment 10) :
Where do I start!!
Gary van Aswegen
Peter Grant
Burton Francis
Dewaldt Duvenage
Joe Pietersen
Kurt Coleman
Demetri Catrakilis
William van Wyk
Timo Swiel
Michael van der Spuy
Dillyn Leyds
Quantity, not quality.
@MJ (Comment 13) :
Again:
Jean de Villiers
Juan de Jongh
Bryan Habana
JP du Plessis
Marcel Brache
Michael van der Spuy
Peter Grant
@MJ (Comment 13) :
I’d start worrying about the Sharks midfield before I worry about the Stormers 😆
@Ben (Comment 10) :
Peter Grant, Gary Van Aswegan, Burton Francis, Demetri Catrikilis, Kurt Coleman.
That’s FIVE.
Name at least four Sharks’ flyhalves!! 😈 😕
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 16) :
+ Berton Klaasen, Kobus van Wyk, Patrick Howard.
@MJ (Comment 7) :
@MJ (Comment 13) :
Not sure what you are getting at here?
We can ask the same about props at the Sharks..
Scrumhalves at both the Cheetahs and Lions
Front row cover at Bulls
@wpw (Comment 18) :
For interest sake:
Pat Lambie
Fred Michalak
Meyer Bosman
Paul Jordaan
Fred Zeilinga
I’d only really trust the first three at this stage..
@hendrikp (Comment 19) :
My knowledge of the extended squad in the Cape is rather limited, sorry..
@wpw (Comment 18) : Lambie. Michalak. Bosman. Viljoen.
@wpw (Comment 18) : we only need 3.
@hendrikp (Comment 15) : Elgar Watts?
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 20) : Just F#cK!ng with with HendrikP.
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 22) :
Doesn’t bother me… just pointing out there are players there 😆
Seems a problem on here for Sharks supporters that, if you haven’t heard of the player (from another team), he must not be any good. But if you hear his name on SharksWorld, and he plays for the Sharks, he’s a definite for the future
Guy like Klaasen will probably end up playing Super Rugby somewhere… not in the Cape though.
@hendrikp (Comment 15) : You guys can also call earl rose in as well when you run out of flyhalves
@wpw (Comment 18) : lambi, fred, bosman, viljoen, jordaan…
@MJ (Comment 26) :
Not doing a very good job of it, chump.
@hendrikp (Comment 27) :
It is rather frustrating, especially when you try and be an unbiased reporter of news..
I hear you though, every team has a huge amount of depth in most positions, but that depth doesn’t help if they are kak?!
@MJ (Comment 28) :
And you can call up Gcobani Bobo if you run out of centres…
Or maybe Oom Stefan’s contract will be over by then… a return to Durban would not surprise.
@MJ (Comment 26) :
As a Sharks supporter, I would not joke about flyhalf injury crises and importing, as our record in doing that isn’t exactly sparkling..
@hendrikp (Comment 32) : we’ll just bring in the experienced Marius. lol
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 31) :
It’s only normal I guess.
Had a good chuckle the other day reading that ‘Thesilverfern’ forums comments. They had a topic that featured all their ‘Teams of the Years’ and one of the guys said it was a waste of time because its inevitable that it’ll just be full of All Blacks.
Then the guy who set it up came back saying that it isn’t true… in 2009 the Springboks had heaps of players in that squad. Had a look, and the Boks had 6 players in there, but no Brussow… McCaw was in his place. I mean REALLY.
Sometimes the passion for the province or country outweighs any sort of logic.
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 33) : True, to be honest, If we lose lambie and fred then we are in big sh!t, don’t really rate bosman anymore, used to when at the cheaters but he hasn’t impressed me yet.
@hendrikp (Comment 35) :
Oh, and despite the All Blacks going 0 for 3 against the Springboks in 2009, they had 8 players in that team…
You can’t tell a kiwi that Frans Steyn is better then Ma’a Nonu… I live here, and most actually think Piri Weepu is the best scrumhalf in world rugby 😆
@hendrikp (Comment 35) :
That is true, I suppose it is SHARKSworld after all, but still, it would be nice to have a decent debate without any sort of bias involved..
But anyway, we deal with the ‘special’ people nonetheless..
@hendrikp (Comment 37) :
They are a different kind of biased in that country!!
@hendrikp (Comment 35) : “Sometimes the passion for the province or the country outweighs any sort of logic.” Most of the times yes in your case. 😉
@Ben (Comment 40) : 😆
@hendrikp (Comment 15) : Of that lot Swiel is the one with the most potential. Hopefully he gets a gig with the SAU20 team this year. The guy looks classy.
@slammerboy (Comment 42) :
No go, Swiel has not been included.
The flyhalves are Johan Goosen, Tony Jantjies, Errol Jaggers & Paul Jordaan.
@slammerboy (Comment 42) :
I’m sure he’ll get his chance during the CC, and for next years SA U20 team though.
Interesting this year to see who plays SA Schools flyhalf,if last year’s Craven Week is anything to by,than expect either Josh Stander (Border),Pieter Jordaan (FS) or Handre Pollard (WP) to don the no.10 jersey,but than again in 2007 Ross Cronje (Sharks),Francois Brummer (Bulls),Sias Ebersohn (FS) and Lionel Cronje (Border) than a complete outsider at the time Marnitz Boshoff (Pumas) came out of nowhere to take the no.10 jersey
Of course you’re backing Stander Ludz 🙂 you can see 2 of those names in the Kearsney Easter Tournament.
Where is Marnitz Boshoff now? Playing Varsity Cup? Lionel Cronje will be involved in Super rugby as will Sias. Brummer has disappeared and Cronje will likely play Vodacom Cup.
Also, any idea where Ruan Boshoff is? He looked promising
Slammerboy,I’ll back Josh on any day,not based on the fact that he’s a brilliant flyhalf for Queen’s,but because he’s just a damn brilliant flyhalf with loads of potential. Ruan was bloody good,don’t know what happened to him,I actually think he was more talented than younger brother Marnitz. Guess Sias and Lionel are the only 1s left standing from those talented 10s,keen to come to the Kearsney Festival,have to check my schedule on that
@slammerboy (Comment 46) : actually all 4 if you incl current SA Sch 1st choice Jaco Louw of Monnas
Didn’t remember what Paarl school was participating and not sure if the WP guy Ludz listed went to either.
Hey you guys know who’s who in the zoo in SA so thanks for sharing the knowledge
@slammerboy (Comment 49) : Sorry his name is actually Jaco vd Walt.
Yip. Paarl Gim (not Boishaai) are back again this year. So are Paul Roos coming from W/Cape.
Also Ludz is a Queens College and Bulls fan but knows E/Cape schools rugga like the back of his hand
Yeah van der Walt,forgot about him. Watched Josh play against him at the Grant Khomo Week in 2010,brilliant game dictated by 2 brilliant no.10s think it ended in 22 all draw,on that day I felt they were on par without being biased towards Stander
@Ludz (Comment 47) : Marnitz and Ruan should not have signed with the Bulls. Their careers stumbled since. Brummer experienced the same fate.