On a weekend when they weren’t even awarded any points for not playing, the Stormers suffered two further setbacks, one of which may prove to be rather telling indeed.
While coach Allister Coetzee won’t publicly express too much dismay at his second-string side going down 24-29 to Boland, I’m quiet sure that a pre-tournament loss to an unfancied, first division side is the exact opposite of what any competent doctor would have ordered and that the coach would really have been looking for a more assured performance, even if the team did contain few genuine first-choice players. Played in near unbearable heat, the Stormers selection clearly just wasn’t in the mood for the game, with Boland captain Franzel September telling media “we were a bit surprised that the Stormers didn’t come that hard at us.”
More vexing for Coetzee still is the knee flair-up that removed Jaco Taute from contention mere hours before the game (and will keep him sidelined for this weekend’s opener against the Lions too). Taute, who suffered a horror knee injury against the Cheetahs in April last year, was due to make his return to competitive rugby against his former side this weekend, but will now have to sit out again as the result of a “tissue flair up” (or “swelling” to the rest of us).
While the young Bok will probably only miss one game, it is a blow indeed to a side already seriously short of back three options. Coetzee will now have little choice but to play Gio Aplon at fullback against the Lions and select a pair of makeshift wingers from his seemingly endless supply of young centres.
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The Boland loss was no biggie, that was harrdly a VC squad but the back 3 issue is not ideal at all
Still don’t know why strms aren’t calling up sergal pieterson from kings…..they did mention his hight or lack there off, but they need help…..
@Clayton(PJLD) (Comment 1) : Agreed, but still maybe the Boland first stringer should be the Stormers 2nd stringers – they at least seem to have more heart.
@KingsArmy (Comment 2) : Don’t think it was ever an option
would be a good idea to get a loan player.
@Salmonoid the Subtle (Comment 3) : Where you at the game bud?