Sireli to front Canes
10 Mar 2010
Allister Coetzee has favoured the bulkier Sireli Naqelevuki over the free-running Gio Aplon for the Stormers’ clash with the Hurricanes.
The Fijian produced a strong performance against the lowly Highlanders last week, carrying several defenders on his back whenever he attacked the advantage line. Aplon didn’t start that match because of the flu, and that illness seems to have cost him. Naqelevuki proved his worth and is picked because physicality rather than pace will prove crucial against the Canes.
Coetzee tried to pass off Naqelevuki’s selection as one of continuity following last week’s 33-0 win over the Hurricanes, but there’s little doubt the Fijian is more likely to trouble the Canes defenders in close contact. The Stormers coach also said the back-three won’t be exposed without the left boot of Aplon.
‘We want to keep the ball in hand this week,’ he told keo.co.za, ‘it has nothing to do with the opposition. We’re focused on what we want to achieve.
‘Rain is forecast for Saturday, and while we won’t fight the elements, we’d like to play a running game.’
Despite Coetzee’s mention of a ball-in-hand approach, the Stormers are unlikely to alter a winning formula. Nobody, not the media or public, is going to complain if they beat the Hurricanes 3-0 on Saturday, as this remains one of the most important matches of the league stage.
Coetzee has retained Dewaldt Duvenage at scrumhalf to give the Stormers a kicking option at No 9, while Anton van Zyl’s inclusion in the second row suggests a five-jumper lineout will target the Canes in an area where the visitors are weak.
Tiaan Liebenberg is also back after missing the last game with flu, and will be a boost at scrum time. Deon Fourie is a good ball carrier with a loose forward’s turn of speed, but can’t compare to Liebenberg for powerful, tackle-busting running or aggressive scrummaging.
‘They have an all All Blacks front row, so it’s going to be a massive challenge for us in that department,’ admitted Coetzee. ‘Deon played very well last week, but we felt Tiaan has the experience for this very important battle.’
Stormers – 15 Joe Pietersen, 14 Sireli Naqelevuki, 13 Jaque Fourie, 12 Juan de Jongh, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Peter Grant, 9 Dewaldt Duvenage, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Francois Louw, 6 Schalk Burger, 5 Andries Bekker, 4 Anton van Zyl, 3 Brok Harris, 2 Tiaan Liebenberg, 1 Wicus Blaauw.
Subs: 16 Deon Fourie, 17 JC Kritzinger, 18 De Kock Steenkamp, 19 Pieter Louw, 20 Ricky Januarie, 21 Lionel Cronje, 22 Gio Aplon.
By Jon Cardinelli
70 Comments
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10 Mar 2010, 18:29 pm
Steve Walsh is the ref during the Stormers/Canes game
10 Mar 2010, 18:34 pm
@Green Goblin:
51
In that case, my prediction will be revised, maybe not.
Walsh is on the taking, he isn’t biased like Honest Hoennis
10 Mar 2010, 18:38 pm
@Green Goblin: Not good. Maybe want to restore some pride in NZ.
10 Mar 2010, 18:39 pm
@XhosaKid: he he well if it was him or Hougie, then I can totally understand lol…
10 Mar 2010, 18:47 pm
This is the strongest starting lineup:
Sireli to carry 3-4 defenders at a time ,kokorot to run their legs off in the last 20
Teabag to bulk up the front row grunt,ditto Fourie to run the legs off ‘em
Anton and Andries to fark them up in the lineout
Duvvies to start…what a question…Stormers to defend like demons,score 4 tries and end up 2nd on the log
10 Mar 2010, 18:52 pm
some cricketers look like they have all the time in the world when facing fastbowlers at 140kmph. Pirelli always looks like this. just not so sure he is always so effective. i often feel that there is not enough urgency in his game.
10 Mar 2010, 18:52 pm
Also looking fwd to seeing more of Lionel Cronje…this boytjie is on the up and up..!!
10 Mar 2010, 18:54 pm
I’d love to run into Hondo in a dark alley some time. Ek sal vir hom lekker donner!!
10 Mar 2010, 18:54 pm
@roobarb2: yah ..but he’s certainly upped his game,last week he had a blinder,so being dropped seems to have lit a fire under the dude
10 Mar 2010, 19:01 pm
just a quick question for Grant10…
do you still want Schalk out the side big guy?
10 Mar 2010, 19:03 pm
If the Stormers are going to try and play an expansive open game against the Saders they are going to come short.
The backs of the Saders (especially with the brilliant Conrad Smith back in the team)will relish such a contest.
The best way to beat them imo is to deny them possession,target their vulnerable lineout, keep them pinned back in their half of the field with well directed kicks, frustrate them and force them to try and attack from deep inside their own half.
And kick the penalties that will follow when they become frustrated.
The Stormers have the forwards to achieve this.
They do however not have the flyhalf to play such a type of game why I also have my doubts of whether Joe Petersen has the big match temperament to kick penalties when the heat is really on.
That is why I make the Canes slight favourites.
10 Mar 2010, 19:05 pm
Saders should read Canes in the first paragraph as well.
10 Mar 2010, 19:07 pm
Willem de Waal should have been in the starting line up
10 Mar 2010, 19:16 pm
have to admit he has upped his game, maybe Habana is rubbing off on him.
(that was not a *** joke)
10 Mar 2010, 19:53 pm
@Robzim: Hey Rob. Howzit. Have to agree with you boet. Now try tell that to Skoppie.
10 Mar 2010, 20:03 pm
This is hilarious – from Springboksarah on facebook
Weekend’s Weather Forecast
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Today at 19:59
The latest from Weather SA:
Friday: Fine becoming cloudy overnight
Saturday: Showers, possible thundershowers (60%). There may be a few mild Hurricanes coming in from the east by late afternoon but they are expected to be driven away by fierce Cape Storms. Damage caused by Hurricane Wellington is expected to be nothing compared to the havoc caused by Storm Burger (who destroys everything crossing his path), the Flo of the oceans which is taking down battleships and the Blaauw of the Cape winds which seems to be blowing everybody away. In the Newlands area the tourists will not be able to take anything for Granted and must be wary of the natural Duvenhage Disaster who aided to obliteration of the Highladers last week.
The NZ tourists are afraid that a certain knighted (Sir Naqelevuki) South Sea Islander may have cannibalistic tendencies because he is allegedly demolishing and devouring anyone who gets in his way. They have been warned against a certain Giant Cape Worm (Van Zyl) who seems to be after all the New Zealanders balls. They are advised to stay clear of the Cape’s notorious moving Brok Wall, running into it could be fatal. They also don’t understand why everyone in the Cape is talking about Januarie when it is already March
Hungry tourists from NZ are warned not to attempt to tackle the extra extra large Cape Burger on their own. At least three big, strong men are needed to make any impression on the beefy Burger, who is very popular in the Cape of Storm(er)s.
Sunday: Partly cloudy, morning showers (30%)
11 Mar 2010, 03:22 am
Here is some news from the Cane’s camp. Hope this time its a different story re the results…
Hurricanes coach Colin Cooper believes No 7 is the toughest position under the new rules and he has continued to shuffle his flankers ahead of the crucial clash with the Stormers in Cape Town on Sunday (NZ time).
All Black Scott Waldrom comes in for Karl Lowe in one of several changes from the team that was so disappointing in last week’s loss to the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein.
Cooper had had no hesitation in rushing fit-again internationals Conrad Smith and Tamati Ellison into his backline.
This, he says, is a match where the Hurricanes need all the experience they can muster to try to bounce back against an increasingly confident Stormers outfit.
Experience is a factor in Waldrom’s recall but it’s also about managing the loose forwards stocks, especially with the Bulls waiting in Pretoria next week.
“I think seven is probably the toughest position in rugby at the moment. They have to be tough and they have to be smart,” Cooper said of the loose forwards having to operate under the new breakdown interpretations.
“Karl is a physical man and for him to play every week isn’t the smartest thing to do
“It’s about adjusting, managing and also the travel. We have got depth in the loose forwards and I have to be smart with how I manage these guys. I have learnt some lessons from the past with Chris Masoe and Jerry Collins and how we managed those guys. I guess it’s my experience that I’m really bringing out.”
Cooper believed the Stormers would provide the sternest test of the Hurricanes’ campaign to date. They had strength across the park, an ability to play the game any way they wanted and they had a particularly impressive lineout where they used successful drives to demolish the Highlanders last week.
“It’s a big game for us and that’s why we have gone for the most experienced group that we can get,” he said of his selections that include Willie Ripia returning for Aaron Cruden and another Manawatu youngster, Andre Taylor, dropped.
He believed last week’s result had added some urgency to his group. The Cheetahs were a game they had targeted “on paper” to win. That hadn’t worked out so now the pressure was on to salvage something out of the Stormers. They had been down this road before and battled back. It was time to do it again.
“It’s like getting haunted or revisited again by the ’06 tour when we lost to the Cheetahs in our first game and had to head down to the Stormers,” Cooper noted.
Ad Feedback The Canes lost to the Cheetahs 27-25 then and bounced back to pip the Stormers 23-19 a week later. They might find a more resilient outfit in Cape Town this weekend although Cooper sensed his troops were up for it.
“It’s one of the toughest countries to tour and that’s because their rugby is so good.
“But that’s the challenge that we have to embrace. We are united as a group and I guess that character is going to be put under the test this weekend. That’s good … that’s what this competition is about.”
He believed the second week of a South African trip was always easier with sleep patterns adjusted.
Hurricanes: Cory Jane, Tamati Ellison, Conrad Smith, Ma’a Nonu, David Smith, Willie Ripia, Piri Weepu, Rodney So’oialo, Scott Waldrom, Victor Vito, Michael Paterson, Bryn Evans, Neemia tialata, Andrew Hore (captain), Jacob Ellison.
Reserves: Dane Coles, John Schwalger, Jeremy Thrush, Karl Lowe, Tyson Keats, Aaron Cruden, Alapati Leiua.
11 Mar 2010, 09:35 am
@Green Goblin:
11 Mar 2010, 10:34 am
@roobarb2: is that you grant10?
13 Mar 2010, 10:48 am
Money is on the Hurricanes !! Most importantly, Habana should be in top form cause he single-handedly can win them this game. I just hope he doesn’t get penalized a lot like the game last week…Sireli might get substituted early (this coming from his only supporter) as David smith is just a weee too fast for him
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