The Stormers Thread

[TRF_stormer2010]

Since we are now a 'Pro X' team. A general thread dedicated to the Stormers. I was tempted to call it the Stormers pity party but

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

So promising WP wing Edwill van der Merwe off to join the other sinking ship that is the Sigma Lions:

"Edwill grew up supporting Western Province and the Stormers and came up through our age-group ranks, so naturally we wanted to keep him here and, as we have said before, we did everything we could to do so.

"He has got plenty of game time this year and as a result has hit some impressive form and he still has a big role to play for us until he leaves, so we are looking forward to seeing some great tries and trademark celebrations."

"We are also looking forward to announcing some new signings which will bolster our squad ahead of the United Rugby Championship," Dobson added.

Sad to see him go. I had thought we'd at least hold on to our up and commers. Hope Wolhuter and Roos do stay on. Wonder what the bolded bit will entail.

 

[unrated]

Yea was very suprised to see this. As you say Lions are in their own dire straights

 

[unrated]

For what it's worth, I think the Stormers are the only side who can haemorrhage players and staff. Lack
accountability, good governance, profitability and then still be one of the most competitive sides around year after year.

They stay the team of the province which is the rugby heartland of South Africa, which is by far the strongest developmental region (historically and currently) along with the most advanced stadium of all SA rugby teams in the most touristy city of South Africa.

It's rather clear that despite their challenges, the Stormers in whatever entity they become is set up to stay at the top.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

Its nice of you to say so but in a way it makes me even more sad LOL.

I would say if this URC venture is financially successful or at least more so than SR was maybe we can start turning the ship around but the realist in me says that the bigger the honey pot the more flies it will attract. We won't be going anywhere in a sustainable manner without a clean break from our current setup.

 

[WaterboySA]

Kade will be at the Bulls in a year or two, lol......get some coaching from Morne before he retires.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

Kade will be at the Bulls in a year or two, lol......get some coaching from Morne before he retires.

Well, that just wouldn't surprise me at al LOL. My hope is that they signed Steyn and Pollard both straight from schools. Between Steyn, Goosen and Smith they do also have some depth there. Looks like the Sharks are the team we have to be most scared of right now. Hope we manage to keep Wolhuter...

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

JD Shickerling taking a "sabbatical" in Japan.

https://www.news24.com/sport/rugby/curriecup/wp-lock-signs-for-kobelco-steelers-in-japan-20210902

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

Pieter-Steph du Toit lost to Japan (Toyota Verblitz)

https://www.news24.com/sport/rugby/...ns-for-japanese-club-toyota-verblitz-20210906

So our line out will have to get looked at what with losing both Shcikerling as primary operator and Du Toit as a 3rd jumper. These are also alongside Kitshoff and Mbonambi some senior players we are losing. I just hope for my nerves' sake we start seeing some news of players signing for WP.

 

[saulan]

I've already resigned to the fact that we are going to be nowhere in this tournament. Until all the mess at WP is cleaned up and resolved, we won't be able to compete.

 

[unrated]

Did you see SARU started the administration process.

SARU pulls the plug on WPRFU

NEWS UPDATE: @king365ed bring you the latest dramatic developments around the protracted Newlands saga.

rugby365.com

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

Did you see SARU started the administration process.

SARU pulls the plug on WPRFU

NEWS UPDATE: @king365ed bring you the latest dramatic developments around the protracted Newlands saga.

rugby365.com

I've seen it but I don't understand the intricacies sufficiently to quite grasp what precisely this means. Somehow I doubt it translates into the clean slate I think WP rugby needs. Put a bullet in its head and start something entirely new and independent from the politicking of the clubs in the region where the tail wags the dog and the administrators across the region not just the WPRU execs line their pockets as the gravy train trudges by.

So my hope is a complete dissolution of the current structure rather than trying to salvage anything. The quicker and cleaner the death the better IMO. Start something new that's lean and hungry.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

Stormers/WP announce three players that will add depth as loan players. Loose forwards Junior Pokomela (Cheetahs), Willie Engelbrecht (Pumas) and scrumhalf Stefan Ungerer (Griquas).

https://www.news24.com/sport/rugby/...ngs-for-urc-with-more-on-the-horizon-20210913

Not wanting to complain but I can't help thinking thesethree players aren't close to the type of player we have lost and play positions where we actually do have class so would only ever come into the fold if a 1st choice player were injured.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

Stormers add another lock and flyhalf to our stocks. Flyhalf Manie Libbok and lock Adre Smith have both signed three-year contracts with Western Province Professional Rugby (WPPR) ahead of the United Rugby Championship.

https://www.news24.com/sport/rugby/...eir-united-rugby-championship-stocks-20210915

Another flyhalf signifies to me that Damian Willemse will either be seen as playing at 12 or 15 rather as we do have quite a few flyhalves already. Libbok can also cover at 15. Mt preferences at 10 for us is Wolhuter and Swiel in that order. I'm a big fan of Willemse at 10. I've seen amazing stuff from him in that position but not for a good long time. Wolhuter for me. Willemse at 12. Gelant 15.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

https://www.news24.com/sport/rugby/...strative-control-of-western-province-20211012

So SARU has taken administrative control of the WPRU. I almost thought nothing would come of the threat but glad to be proven wrong. Hope some good can come of it but we'll have to wait and see. Not gonna be an overnight process to turn this ship around.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

I'm positive about where the Stormers are at.

1 win and a draw from 4 tour games is about par for what we would've expected on average in SR. We aren't traditionally the best travelers and we could've easily been 3 from 4 and the big positive is we did better in every consecutive match.

Top of the bottom pile currently but with a week's rest and coming back at home against Zebre with players expected to return we should be in a decent spot towards the end of the year.

Sounds like both Kade Wolhuter and Deon Fourie are ready for the home leg and we'll be expecting our test players back. So this for a shot in the arm should be good:

1 S Kitshoff
3 F Malherbe
5 M Orie
6 D Fourie
9 H Jantjies
10 K Wolhuter
12 D Willemse

That's half a starting XV and some of our best players alongside Roos and Gelant.

Now if we could only be rid of our boardroom and start retaining our top talent..

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

Stormers sitting relatively pretty after a rough start and continuing backroom troubles.

I fancy us for 80% of our remaining fixtures which should see us finish within the top 8 I expect. TBF there are still some tough games but all of them at home. I'd wager there are tougher away games than Connacht (next game up) and Scarlets (last fixture). Connacht, Ospreys and Cardiff I see as our most important fixtures as those are our direct competition for log spots 5-8. Realistically our tournament start has been far too poor for a hom QF so I expect that is about as far as our run in will realistically go but a top 8 finish is within our reach.

I can't find any recent injury update but last I heard Kade Wolhuter should've been training by now. Also expecting back Malherbe and Moerat on top of Roos some time before season's end. All in all though we'll have to stem the bleeding and develop our squad depth if we are going to be pushing for a top 4 finish next season. It can very well be that this little Stormers flourish of late is a flash in the pan. We've seen the Stormers top the Super Rugby log mid season only to fall off a cliff in the past (especially in the Coetzee era) but I am as ever cautiously optimistic. A good showing in Galway is it?- would give me some hope.


EDIT: just read that Gelant is off to France middle of the year so doesn't look like there will be a settling of the boat and Stormers golden age for some time yet unfortunately.

 

[saulan]

I think I am a bit more optimistic than you are in terms of positioning. Given most of our games have been away in foreign conditions and we have no more situations where we are losing internationals, we are in a pretty strong position. Connacht also doesn't have their internationals in their away games... although I'll be honest, looking at their recent results they look as reliable as France in terms of being able to predict who is going to pitch up. I also think the teams in about the 3-8 range have a lot of opportunities to drop points ahead (lots of top of the table clashes and none have done an SA tour yet), so we may yet be able to move up into a home QF spot (not anticipating a top three though).

As you say, I think our forwards are going to get bolstered in the upcoming weeks and to be honest, I don't feel like we have been missing Kade much with Libbok performing (Also to be fair, I've not followed Stormers too much pre this season/during Covid after moving to the NH and just rugby being a mess, so don't know too much about him sadly). The only concern I have is if we start getting injuries in the backline, or if we end up having our traditional "three injured flyhalves" situation we had a habit of getting into... Let's see.

EDIT: just read that Gelant is off to France middle of the year so doesn't look like there will be a settling of the boat and Stormers golden age for some time yet unfortunately.

Ah, really disappointing to hear that. He has really been key to some of our interlinking great backline moves the past two weeks. If we do lose him it will be a big loss.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

Gelant is a big loss indeed. We have him for this tournament still at least BUT it would've been nice to see the squad expanding (you see it at the Bulls and especially Sharks) rather than disband and I doubt he'll be the last to announce he is leaving unfortunately.

On our position, while I can't say I've the work of looking at all other teams' coming fixtures I can't see us climbing above say 6th. But that is a gut feel rather than a properly considered opinion.

But I suppose lets just enjoy some decent form and decent rugby and see how it goes. The silver lining is that with quite a few of our top players unavailable we've developed some depth that can only help going forward.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

Big David Meihuizen forced into very early retirement due to ongoing concussion issues. Man, that is rough. The guy has so much potential and hardly got a shot in pro rugby. Very sad.

https://www.news24.com/sport/rugby/...-stormers-lock-into-early-retirement-20220315

Big blow for us. With losing Etzebeth and more recently PSdT and Shickerling Meihuizen alongside Moerat and Orie on the bench wouldn't be a shabby combination but we will probably start to see some of our taller loose forwards move to lock which isn't ideal.