Joe kept in cotton wool
Stormers management have made a late decision to withdraw Joe van Niekerk from the match 22 to face the Blues.
Van Niekerk told keo.co.za earlier this week that if he still felt the niggle he suffered in training on Monday he would prefer not to play, citing long term considerations.
Coach Kobus van der Merwe has concurred.
“Joe has just returned from a lengthy lay off and we have to manage him very carefully. It is better for him to have time to rest and recover now than to face the prospect of missing out on more games later on,” Van der Merwe said.
Van Niekerk will be replaced by Justin Melck on the Stormers’ bench.
April 7th, 2006 at 8:46 am
This is the same as Bobby Skinstads lifestory
April 7th, 2006 at 8:46 am
They are going to loose either way.
April 7th, 2006 at 8:50 am
Agree with Moegrat, it must be something about the Cape that does this to the players!
April 7th, 2006 at 8:57 am
I would rather have the guy around fit for the tri-nations and world cup than playing for the stormers in a lost cause anyway. They have basically no chance of reaching the playoffs and the only other aim for them is to finish above the other SA teams. You dont need Big Joe to achieve that.
April 7th, 2006 at 8:59 am
His wrist injury is a blessing in disguise. Come the Tri-nations he is going to be one of those players who isnt suffering from burnout and should be still raring to go.
April 7th, 2006 at 9:04 am
dont think Jake will pick him if he didnt have any game time though, too many good loosies in SA
April 7th, 2006 at 9:09 am
Dit is werklik jammer dat sicknote so baai beseer is want as hy op vorm is kan hy ‘n reuse bydrae maak in 2007.
Hopenlik kom hy reg voor daai tyd – anders gaan P Spies die man moet wees. Ek rate hom al is hy nog baie jonk en onervare.
April 7th, 2006 at 9:17 am
Moegrat
Not so sure hey white picked joe in his first season as bok coach after joe had just come back from a 6 month injury layoff, i think white will stick to his core squad no matter what i mean there have been quite a few player whose form probably merits being dropped E Andrews , J Cronje etc but he has wirg stuck them and his consistency in selection has worked pretty well.
April 7th, 2006 at 9:18 am
what the hell! this man earns such alot of money and he has NEVER actually helped the stormers of WP to win games!! He decided to get the op. on his hand to miss the end of year tour and super14 (50% of it) to play Tri Nations,didnt the wp union protest against it?? they pay him money to play for province!! I STILL THINK HE IS AN ASSET TO THE BOKS but just thinking of all the money lost on a player where they could of used his pay check of the last couple of months for and EXTRA player for the stormers!?
April 7th, 2006 at 9:20 am
At his best game and in top peak-fit form Big Toe van Niekerk is certainly one of the three best loosies in world rugby.
Pity it’s just so seldom, hey?
April 7th, 2006 at 9:23 am
One more week shouldn’t make a diff to the Stormers. But I don’t rate Melck! Where is Hendrik Gerber?
April 7th, 2006 at 9:30 am
i do rate justin melck but he is a flanker! i like joe on 8,so that means adri will play #8 for the 80min.melck did not have his best debut but ive been watching him since sa u/21! his a good hard working guy! richie mecaw in the making
April 7th, 2006 at 9:32 am
Stormers would lose anycase … with or without joe
April 7th, 2006 at 9:34 am
lets just wait and see! the blues and the stormers @ the moment are the 2 most unpredictable teams in the super14!! good teams on paper but anything can happen on the day!
April 7th, 2006 at 9:37 am
i miss hendrik gerber to! but his nick name is no hands….and with the stormers coaches wanting all the players in the team to carry the ball and run into spaces and not take contack he does not fit into the game plan! (which i do not like by the way)
April 7th, 2006 at 9:37 am
The best thing people can do is write the stormers off. Every year there is this high expectation and nothing comes from it. As soon as no one gives them a chance and they are written off, theres no perssure on them and they end up playing games like the one where they put 50 points over the Blues in Auckland. No one thought they had a chance in that game
April 7th, 2006 at 9:39 am
agree to disagree! i think there is to many coaches in the stormers set up! the players are confused and there is no defenit game plan! they do have the players!! what is wrong then? the gameplan or the coaches!
April 7th, 2006 at 9:42 am
The stormers is chokers..
April 7th, 2006 at 9:44 am
perhaps vodacom cup is a better arena in which to regain fitness?
April 7th, 2006 at 9:57 am
post 15. boeja – i think its about time SA players learned to look for the gap, rather than go into contact as soon as they get the ball. you clearly disagree.
if the stormers manage to perfect what it is the coaches are trying to teach them, and it is a massive paridigm shift for SA players (hence it is taking a while to perfect), they will start to run rings around the dinosaurs out there.
April 7th, 2006 at 10:00 am
Wow, Check out all this great enthusiasm to play. Er, Fester, I feel I got a little niggle so I really don’t feel like playing.
What is it with this team at the moment? All this talent and no desire.
April 7th, 2006 at 10:23 am
Boeja
The Stormers are not predictable they are KAK.
Then again so are the rest of the Saffa teams in the S14.
April 7th, 2006 at 10:32 am
munkibooi
no i totally agree with you!! that is what i am trying to say,in all the opening games the stormers bashed into players now after 2 great try’s in the force match (offloading in tackle) jerome paarwater actually notice how good it works and tell the players to run into spaces!! HELLO like we didnt know that!
April 7th, 2006 at 11:43 am
Big Joke the Sick Note
Id love to go to Koos “Fester” Van der Merwe’s retirement party.
April 7th, 2006 at 12:10 pm
Joe v Niekerk should be an impact player when the games become loose. Aj, WvH, Schalk, Juan & Watson should all be given game time in these many internationals we have this year, as a sort of trials. Then theres also Sowerby and Jake Boer to consider, yeesh.
April 7th, 2006 at 12:23 pm
It seems you need more than cotto wool to keep fragile Joe from falling apart
April 7th, 2006 at 12:41 pm
If van der Mooer had half a brain, they’d have brought him back through VC, 20 minutes a t a t i m e.
April 7th, 2006 at 12:53 pm
****, I really hate these golden boys, who hardly ever plays a match. He should never have left the lions, at least then we could still see him playing good rugby. Now he has lost all that skill and is just another normal SA loosie who wants to run over people.
April 7th, 2006 at 1:32 pm
“…we should manage him…”
When did Joe become managable?
April 7th, 2006 at 1:56 pm
Please explain Sharkgirl?
Manageable in what way?
April 7th, 2006 at 1:57 pm
Flou Joe… this man has never been the same since he left the Lions. Useless…
April 7th, 2006 at 1:58 pm
Yoda
Oops, didn’t see your post. Agree 100%!
April 7th, 2006 at 2:05 pm
as in, he has a niggle on the left and a bad breath on the front. Can we manage that? WHy yes fester testicle we can.
Joe:’ you have to do this’!
FFS the man is old enough to take care of himself!
April 7th, 2006 at 2:11 pm
FFS Joe haven’t you been wrapped in cotton wool long enough? Time to play for your pay!
April 7th, 2006 at 2:33 pm
That’s the point i was trying to make viper!
April 7th, 2006 at 2:37 pm
The media should wrap Stormers management in cotton wool.