One wonders why these changes were not made last week though. With the exception of Burger, who was out injured, it seems that Allister Coetzee has once again dug himself a hole.
Many of you will recall last week that when asked whether or not Dewaldt Duvenage was still his number one scrumhalf he pussy-footed around the subject and one had the sense that he was leaning back to Ricky Januarie.
This week however he informed JustRugby.co.za that Dewaldt was still his number one scrumhalf, “as I’ve always said.”
Another selection which seems to be a week late is the inclusion of the vastly experienced lock Anton Van Zyl, his first start in this year’s competition. While De Kock Steenkamp had a reasonably solid season up until the Brumbies match, it would be suicide going up against one of the teams with the most solid set-piece.
The result was that the Stormers’ line-out was a shambles and has finally forced coach Allister Coetzee’s hand for the inclusion of Van Zyl against a Highlanders outfit who pride themselves on their outstanding forward pack.
Elsewhere Coetzee reaffirmed the fact that Lionel Cronje was his number 2 flyhalf ahead of Willem De Waal, a fact that I agree with 100%, with De Waal donning the WP Jersey for a curtain-raiser game against a Sharks XV.
Coetzee was cautious to name any direct players who will be targeted stating that he is expecting anything from any team but seemed determined to right the wrongs of the Brumbies game.
“We’ve got to pitch up with our A-game. We’re creating opportunities; we just need to finish them off. Sometimes we’re a bit erratic with ball in hand but that will come eventually. We need to play the game in the right areas this week.”Coetzee told JustRugby.co.za.
Prediction:
Despite a terrible showing last week against the Brumbies I, for once, agree with the replacements effected by coach Allister Coetzee if not the reasons for the selections. A worrying stat is that the Highlanders have played 8 times at Newlands winning 5 of the games. It will be a tight game but I think the Stormers will come back and pip this one. Stormers by between 5 and 10 points.
Teams:
Vodacom Stormers: Joe Pietersen, Gio Aplon, Jaque Fourie, Juan De Jongh, Bryan Habana, Peter Grant, Dewaldt Duvenage, Duane Vermeulen, Francois Louw, Schalk Burger (c), Andries Bekker, Anton Van Zyl, Brok Harris, Tiaan Liebenberg, Wicus Blaauw. Reserves: Deon Fourie, JC Kritzinger, De Kock Steenkamp, Pieter Louw, Ricky Januarie, Lionel Cronje, Sireli Naqelevuki.
Highlanders: Jamie Mackintosh, Jason Rutledge, Clint Newland, Josh Bekhuis, Tom Donnelly, John Hardie, Alando Soakai, Adam Thomson, Jimmy Cowan (c ), Michael Hobbs, Fetu’u Vainikolo, Jason Shoemark, Kenny Lynn, Ben Smith, Israel Dagg. Reserves: Jason Macdonald Bronson Murray Hayden Triggs Tim Boys Sean Romans Mat Berquist James Paterson.
Referee: Mark Lawrence (
Assistant referees: Jaco Peyper (
TMO: Shaun Veldsman (
